Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Ammunition-Gunsmithing > Reloading
o

Notices

Reloading All Reloading Topics Go Here


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-04-2010, 04:46 PM
DOEBOY1 DOEBOY1 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: w. north carolina
Posts: 548
Likes: 0
Liked 23 Times in 15 Posts
Default New casting help

I have a buddy that wants to give me a lead melter to get it out of his wife's way. I also have 3 41 mags and need a list of thing to acquire to start casting this from start to finish. If you fellow reloaders have a list of quality casting supplies that would be a great help to me and also any recomendations not best bullet casts to use for the 57 and mod 58. Thanks Doeboy
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-04-2010, 06:36 PM
epj's Avatar
epj epj is offline
US Veteran
New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help  
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Posts: 4,481
Likes: 227
Liked 2,397 Times in 1,081 Posts
Default

You can spend very little or a small fortune to get set up in casting. Most of us go somewhere in between. You need a source of lead, first of all. Used wheel weights have been a staple of the hobby for decades, but are beginning to become harder to get. Second you need a source of heat to melt the lead. Going out on a limb here, I recommend the Lee 20# bottom pour pot. There are better pots, but much more expensive. Then, since you are casting for a handgun and will likely want lots of bullets, go with the Lee six-cavity mold of your chosen bullet weight. Don't even consider a single cavity mold. Then, also going out on a limb, I recommend the Lyman lubrisizer with a heater. This and a supply of bullet lube and lead would come pretty close to having you in business. A ladle for fluxing and a thermometer would be nice but not essential. For a lot of really good info on casting go to this site: Cast Boolits - Dedicated To The World Of Cast Bullets! Also, if it's still on the bookshelves, the 2010 American Handgunner Special Edition has a fantastic article concerning getting started in casting, written by yours truely.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-04-2010, 06:42 PM
Skip Sackett Skip Sackett is offline
Banned
New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help  
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Hoosier Land!
Posts: 4,379
Likes: 587
Liked 576 Times in 307 Posts
Question WHOA,WHOA,WHOA!

Quote:
Originally Posted by epj View Post
For a lot of really good info on casting go to this site: Cast Boolits - Dedicated To The World Of Cast Bullets! Also, if it's still on the bookshelves, the 2010 American Handgunner Special Edition has a fantastic article concerning getting started in casting, written by yours truely.
I agree on the castboolits website. What I have a problem with is that there was an article written by EPJ and I didn't get a free copy emailed to me!

WAZZUPWITDAT?

I'm gonna have to see if I can find that baby and give it a read!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-04-2010, 06:49 PM
epj's Avatar
epj epj is offline
US Veteran
New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help  
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Posts: 4,481
Likes: 227
Liked 2,397 Times in 1,081 Posts
Default

Skip, I figured you already knew all that stuff!
Ed Jennings
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-04-2010, 07:11 PM
Skip Sackett Skip Sackett is offline
Banned
New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help  
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Hoosier Land!
Posts: 4,379
Likes: 587
Liked 576 Times in 307 Posts
Exclamation Well,

Quote:
Originally Posted by epj View Post
Skip, I figured you already knew all that stuff!
Ed Jennings
....you've been wrong before, right?

I need to buy that magazine and read that article in a serious way, brotha!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-04-2010, 08:32 PM
HEAD0001 HEAD0001 is offline
Member
New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help  
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: RIVESVILLE, WV
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times in 3 Posts
Default

First thing I would do is measure all three of my 41's to determine proper bullet size.

You might get lucky and all three measure the same.

A good custom mold is a good idea for the one caliber guy if he can shoot the same bullet in all his firearms. You can have a custom mold built to drop at the specified diameter that you need, then you would not need to size any bullets.

If you did that then all you would need is that mold, some WW, and a ladle. Along with some lee liquid alox to lube your bullets with. So even though a custom mold is expensive to start with it will last forever and then no need to size your bullets.

I am a member of the Cast Booits forum. A bunch of great guys over there.

Here is a link to alot of great on line information. Read these articles, they are really good. Tom.

Index to Articles, Firearms, Shooting Sports, Cast Bullets, Industry News, Handloading
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-04-2010, 09:53 PM
DOEBOY1 DOEBOY1 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: w. north carolina
Posts: 548
Likes: 0
Liked 23 Times in 15 Posts
Default

thanks guys I have been surfing those sights for the past 2 hours. there is a lot to learn. Guess I need to order a book on casting with pictures. Doeboy
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-04-2010, 10:13 PM
epj's Avatar
epj epj is offline
US Veteran
New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help  
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Posts: 4,481
Likes: 227
Liked 2,397 Times in 1,081 Posts
Default

That would be a great place to start. There are several ways to skin the casting cat, ie. traditional size/lube, tumble lube, shoot as cast, etc. etc.. A good book or two will lay out the options.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-04-2010, 10:27 PM
Skip Sackett Skip Sackett is offline
Banned
New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help New casting help  
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Hoosier Land!
Posts: 4,379
Likes: 587
Liked 576 Times in 307 Posts
Default

Thankfully we have the Internet too. Go to youtube and do a search for casting bullets and you will be able to watch several folks at work with their setups.

It will help a lot. Any questions as epj!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
casting the 357 sig? evel knievel Reloading 9 02-14-2014 05:44 PM
new to casting Tom Beavert Reloading 13 04-09-2012 10:34 AM
Bad casting... :( Maximumbob54 Reloading 23 11-10-2011 06:49 PM
Casting Beans Reloading 16 07-04-2011 10:12 PM
Oh the joy of casting! Skip Sackett Reloading 21 09-19-2010 12:29 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:46 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)