I don't count costs for any of my handloads and have never done anything with my shooting "hobby" because it's "cheaper". There is a lot of satisfaction with reloading and a huge amount more from reloading your own cast bullets. Besides, it's fun. There are good texts and manuals and excellent forums (I joined castboolits in 2008 and have used info from the members many, many times). Of course the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbooks (I prefer the 3rd over the 4th) and many good texts are available. One excellent source of info is on the LASC site, "From Ingot To Target" Cast bullet reference on lead alloy's, min / max pressure, lube, shrinkage,.

You will get thousands of dire "warnings" about safely dealing with lead from using a fan to using a full haz-mat suit with PPE everything. Use common sense and you'll be fine. I have been casting bullets for 30 years and up until a few years ago had annual blood tests/physicals and lead levels were consistency normal. I started making sinkers when I was 12 on Ma's stove, 60+ years ago and never any "tensile fairy" visits or eruptions, just using common sense and thinking...