I’m finally getting into casting

reddog81 · Jul 24, 2021

tlawler said:
One pot and 5 of the molds are still new in box as well as all of the dies and bulge buster. Other molds look nearly new. I think lead is going for $2.50-$3 a lb. from what I’ve seen on ebay and elsewhere.

You can find lead under the $1.50 range if you’re patient. I scan armslist and Craigslist once a week or so and buy some once or twice a year. If you need lead delivered to your door ASAP there’s often someone on castboollits with some for sale. Last week a guy was selling for $1.50 per pound plus shipping.

Even valuing lead at $1 per pound that was a really good deal.

Forrest r · Jul 25, 2021

Links to free downloads of reading material/manuals

From ingot to target:
A must read, excellent book on casting bullets
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manuals/Bullet Casting/Fryxell_Book.pdf

Lee's Handbook of commercial bullet casting 2nd edition
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man...Bullet Casting, The - 2nd Edition -Reduce.pdf

Lyman's cast bullet handbook 3rd edition
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man...et Handbook - 3rd Edition - 1980 - Reduce.pdf

Some reloading manuals
The abc's of reloading lee manual 7th edition
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man...f Reloading - Lee Precision - 2004 Reduce.pdf
Hornary reloading manual 4th edition volume 1 and 2
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man...tridge Reloading - 4th Edition - Volume 1.pdf
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man...tridge Reloading - 4th Edition - Volume 2.pdf
Lyman's reloading manual 44th edition
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man...oading Handbook --- 44th Edition --- 1967.pdf
Lyman's reloading manual 48th edition
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man...ding Handbook - 48th Edition - 2002 - ocr.pdf
Modern reloading 2nd edition by richard lee
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man...eloading 2nd Edition by Richard Lee - ocr.pdf
Speer reloading manual 12th edition
http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man... Reloading Manual - 12th Edition - 1995 -.pdf

The "From ingot to target" is an excellent read & is highly recommended over on the cast bollits website to any new caster. Tons of information that is in an easy to read/easy to understand format.

Myself, I cut my teeth using the lyman 3rd edition cast handbook. Wore the cover off the darn thing & still use it to this day.

Something to keep in mind:
It's good to have a foundation on casting. I would focus on getting good bullets with good fill out, good bases and no wrinkes.

Do "NOT" get caught up in the alloy/hardness conspiracy theories or stupid formulas that are out there. 99%+ of my casting/shooting needs is done with nothing more than 8/9bhn air cooled, 11/12bhn water dropped range scrap. Your 96/2/2 is 11bhn air cooled and 13/14bhn when water dropped. If you mix your 96/2/2 with the pure lead (50%/50%) you have then you will be using the same alloy I've used for decades/range scrap equivalent.

I would start with 1 caliber and concentrate on it. The 45acp or 38spl would be excellent choices, tons of data/help/others that have used/cast the same bullets your casting. It's always easier to establish a baseline of knowledge if you work with 1 caliber/firearm.

Good luck

Ruger 13 · Jul 25, 2021

May I also suggest that you join the Cast Boolits forum. My username over there is smithnframe. Looking forward to seeing you!

KFW · Jul 25, 2021

Wow , that was a great score. I started casting about 3 years ago and it is very enjoyable. I powder coat all my bullets as well and they shoot great. I don't know if you mentioned sizing, but you will need some sizing dies as well. Good luck with it and enjoy your new hobby.

jake1945 · Jul 25, 2021

I cast a lot of bullets back in the 70s. I would hit every tire outlet repair store and they would always give me their old wheel weights. Linotype was also readily available too. I sold all my casting equipment years ago when I found I could buy excellent lead bullets for reasonable prices. I stock piled lead bullets by the thousands and have plenty left.

gwpercle · Jul 25, 2021

AlHunt said:
Looks and sounds like you're off to the races.

3 things:
Clean mold
Clean Alloy
Plenty of heat

Get those 3 things right and it's harder to drop bad bullets than good. A hot mold is a happy mold.

And Lube the mould , especially the block tops , underside of spue plate and hinges , pivot points and pins ... Synthetic 2-Cycle Oil works best .
Gary

Skeet 028 · Jul 25, 2021

I am getting out of casting and shot making. Partly for health reasons. Just too much stuff around . I must have 5-6 tons of lead, couple hundred pounds of tin etc. Going to keep 3 molds for JIC but the shotmakers are going to the big auction house in the sky soon. I made much shot. Most of the lead is going to the scrap yard as lead is over a dollar a pound. The hard stuff is gonna go on Cast Boolits or somewhere. Birtjday coming up soon...most of my best shooting days are done.

gwpercle · Jul 25, 2021

I hear you Skeet ... My best days were 40 years ago ... half blind now but just ain't ready to call it quits .
The Lord might have a Shooting Range in Heaven ... I'm going to see if I can take some of my "stuff" with me !
Gary

Skeet 028 · Jul 25, 2021

gwpercle said:
I hear you Skeet ... My best days were 40 years ago ... half blind now but just ain't ready to call it quits .
Gary

Yeah I was more than half blind had a bit of eye surgery and can see much better now but trying to be more careful with eyesight these days. I can still break and occcasional hundred straight but haven't done it with my favorite(the 410) in 5 years. Our day in the sun is fleeting as they say.. I could even hit a few PDs with a handgun(S&W M 28) up to a 100 yds at one time. Doubt I can even see 'em that far without a scope anymore

glenwolde · Jul 25, 2021

I too quit casting some time ago. I cast my own for 10 years or so but got married, had kids, bought a house. Casting took as much time as reloading and shooting put together. These days metal isn't mostly free anymore on a widespread basis.

I still have the equipment though. One of these shortages I may have to break it out. But so far I've been able to buy bullets when I've needed them. I still buy an occasional mold if I see a "deal". A year or so ago a Lee .41 full wadcutter mold (Lee 41-200-WC) popped up on eBay with a very reasonable "buy it now". Fortunately I got to it first.

I haven't had a chance to use it yet. My living situation at the moment won't allow for casting but I might go stay with one of my kids for a bit and cast some of those up.

johnjohn · Jul 25, 2021

I think you made out like a bandit.

tlawler · Jul 25, 2021

Thanks to everyone for all the information and advice. I still have quite a bit of setting up and reading to do before I melt my first pot. I wasn’t really ready, shop and space wise, to jump right in anyway. But when a deal came up, I jumped on it.

I have a question about lead storage. To maximize space, I need to consolidate the ingots. It came in 10 hdx buckets that were 1/3 or so filled due to weight, but I want to store it on some lower shelves in my garage. It will be exposed to normal South Florida garage conditions and is in the opposite corner from my house a/c system. Should I line the shelf first?’ And should I keep them covered and somewhat sealed? Or is just bare on the shelf ok?

kreuzlover · Jul 25, 2021

I have been reloading my own ammo & casting my own bullets since I was 20 years old. I'm almost 76 now, and although Lee molds will get you started without spending a bunch of money, I prefer iron molds. I do have a few Lee molds, but most of my casting is done with Lyman & RCBS iron molds. With proper care, they last MUCH longer than aluminum molds. Just my opinion, and it cost you nothing to read it.

USBP SW · Jul 25, 2021

Skeet 028 said:
I am getting out of casting and shot making. Partly for health reasons. Just too much stuff around . I must have 5-6 tons of lead, couple hundred pounds of tin etc. Going to keep 3 molds for JIC but the shotmakers are going to the big auction house in the sky soon. I made much shot. Most of the lead is going to the scrap yard as lead is over a dollar a pound. The hard stuff is gonna go on Cast Boolits or somewhere. Birtjday coming up soon...most of my best shooting days are done.

I am truly sorry to hear about your health issues, I hate to see anyone who can't continue to enjoy the shooting passion to the extent that they like. May good fortune shine upon you.

USBP SW · Jul 25, 2021

I have been casting bullets since the early 1970's, I too prefer iron moulds over the aluminum. There are still deals to be had for casting equipment, much like the initial bargain. My favorite moulds were made by Hensley & Gibbs, I was truly fortunate to find quite a few in the $20 to $30 price range for four cavity moulds. I've also had good results with Saeco moulds. The remaining moulds are Lyman and RCBS. Casting makes you considerably more independent, since once you have alloy, you can reproduce any load. Best of luck to you and enjoy casting.

colt_saa · Jul 25, 2021

Skeet 028 said:
I am getting out of casting and shot making. Partly for health reasons. Just too much stuff around . I must have 5-6 tons of lead, couple hundred pounds of tin etc. Going to keep 3 molds for JIC but the shotmakers are going to the big auction house in the sky soon. I made much shot. Most of the lead is going to the scrap yard as lead is over a dollar a pound. The hard stuff is gonna go on Cast Boolits or somewhere. Birtjday coming up soon...most of my best shooting days are done.

I am sorry to hear this.

In my college days, I originally got into casting so that I could shoot more on my limited budget.

As things progressed over the years I continued because I enjoyed it. Also I can have molds made for bullets that are just not available or do not exist. I have bought into [a dozen or more group buys over on CastBoolits

I would be sad to give up my hobby because health issues forced me to

I understand that maintaining health is a must.

Are there no young family members that you can mentor in the Art of Casting? Perhaps he/she could keep you supplied in projectiles from those last molds

mikld · Jul 25, 2021

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...

serger · Jul 25, 2021

If you keep the ingots covered surface oxidation will be minimized.

The cleaner the ingots the better.

And another aspect of the craft:

Learn to powder coat (PC). After running a Lyman Lube Sizer, powder
coat is the way to go. Not as messy, guns stay cleaner It's much
better.

tlawler · Jul 25, 2021

serger said:
If you keep the ingots covered surface oxidation will be minimized.

The cleaner the ingots the better.

And another aspect of the craft:

Learn to powder coat (PC). After running a Lyman Lube Sizer, powder
coat is the way to go. Not as messy, guns stay cleaner It's much
better.

That makes sense. I think I’ll cut a piece of visqueen to size to cover it and lay a piece of plywood over it and still have some shelf space for light items.

I have been powder coating for a few months now. I started buying “as-cast” bullets and PCing them and sizing.

iouri · Jul 25, 2021

I've started casting my own as well. I've skipped lube and went straight to PC, however now I'm thinking of adding lube-a-master or lyman as well, cause my 700 grainers for 500 Mag just get too fat to fit into cylinder with PC.

I’m finally getting into casting

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

Attachments

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

Similar threads