My adventures in melting lead

[novalty]

Well I needed to replenish my stock of 9mm bullets, and figured yesterday's heatwave of 34* was a good of a time as any. Managed to get this modest pile cast in about 3 hours. Let the melt temp around 675-700 degrees, and they came out with less frosting, and found I wasn't working fast enough to keep mold hot so bad to set back on hot plate to rewarm--which worked out well as I was able to put sprues back in the melt. This pile should get me and the Mrs. through the summer.


Just under 700 of these.

 

[novalty]

Well a couple months ago I sold my Mihec Cramer style 9mm mold, and bought the solid version. Cast some up with the new mold this afternoon, 1,031 passed the initial inspection. Love casting with these Mihec molds. Be my first big batch through the Star sizer with heater and air pressured lube system.

 

[fredj338]

DoubleSS, a Star sizer is the only piece of equipment that I wish I had. My RCBS LAM II does the job, but it looks like the Star would be so much quicker. Unfortunately, a $300 sizer isn't in the budget at the moment.

If you are going to do a lot of lube/sizing, the star/magma is worth the $$$. I can do 1200/hr +. If you start powder coating of hi-tek, then the cheap lee pass thru sizers work great.

 

[novalty]

If you are going to do a lot of lube/sizing, the star/magma is worth the $$$. I can do 1200/hr +. If you start powder coating of hi-trek, then the cheap lee pass thru sizers work great.

This will be my first big batch through my Star with the heater and air pressured lube system. Hopefully it will go smoothly. I'm using Tac1 lube from Randy Rat who sells over on the Castboolits site. I melted down the hollow-sticks into solid sticks using PVC pipe.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Oh my gosh..........
you are now making your own bullets !!

Now you did it.

Reloading & Casting bullets !!! My, my, my.

You really know how to open up a BIG can of works, don't you.
Have fun .........
and they all look.......... Marvelous !!

 

[novalty]

This picture is a little better view of the bullets. Have to borrow my wife's digital to get better shots, am not the best using cellphone for pics. As for the bullets, can't remember who had asked me about the sprue cut on the bottom, I tried a couple different methods, but still get porous vent circles. I tried hitting the handle bolt and dropping the sprue before cutting but doesn't appear it is a viable method of correcting the issue. So either has to be heat or alloy related. These bullets were cast with temps between 650-725 degrees. Most were water dropped, using the self-improvised "Folgers can" method above.

 

[novalty]

Well after some adjustments, I think I connected all the dots with my Star Sizer, heat and air pressure. Put 50 through way faster and easier than I did with the RCBS LAM II that I had.

 

[novalty]

Started loading another batch of my 200gr. SWC's tonight. The Mihec HG#68 clone mold is exquisite, weighed over a dozen and they weighed between 199.3 to 200.0 grains. These are being powered by 5.0grs of HP-38.

 

[Frank237]

Funny how this thread keeps coming back to life.

Bullet casters are living in a golden age right now. Between Mihec, NOE and a few other mold makers, one can get nearly anything they desire. From something of your own design to the old reliables from yesteryear like the H&G #68, or the true Keith designs.

My casting starts in a month or so when I get back from SHOT and my New Mex coyote trip. Been too busy and it's been far too cold lately.

FN in MT

 

[Rule3]

Funny how this thread keeps coming back to life.

Bullet casters are living in a golden age right now. Between Mihec, NOE and a few other mold makers, one can get nearly anything they desire. From something of your own design to the old reliables from yesteryear like the H&G #68, or the true Keith designs.

My casting starts in a month or so when I get back from SHOT and my New Mex coyote trip. Been too busy and it's been far too cold lately.

FN in MT

You get to go to the SHOT SHOW? Wow! You lucky Dog!!

How do you swing that? I'd love to go.

 

[Frank237]

I go on my local shops FFL. Started maybe 7 or 8 years back. Now I go every other year. It IS quite an experience.

Get anyone with a shop or FFL to sponsor you. It's not tough. Once you are accepted it's as simple as going online each year, buying your pass and then getting the pass in the mail. You only need to show ID your initial attendance.

 

[Skeet 028]

You get to go to the SHOT SHOW? Wow! You lucky Dog!!

How do you swing that? I'd love to go.

Only people that have never been there say that! Some of the first SHOT shows were fun affairs. Working the show now is, in my opinion.. a nightmare. Sometimes you almost have time to go the little girl's room. Or the little boy's room. Whichever is closest LOL It can be a real crush of people and you can't get around to see everything

 

[fredj338]

Funny how this thread keeps coming back to life.

Bullet casters are living in a golden age right now. Between Mihec, NOE and a few other mold makers, one can get nearly anything they desire. From something of your own design to the old reliables from yesteryear like the H&G #68, or the true Keith designs.

My casting starts in a month or so when I get back from SHOT and my New Mex coyote trip. Been too busy and it's been far too cold lately.

FN in MT

In many ways that is true Frank but also consider the cheap/free alloy is coming to an end, tougher going forward. I suspect many of us will have to resort to buying in bulk form a foundry sooner than later.

 

[metalman60]

Wear a mask.

Casting your own bullets is fun. Avoid contamination with smoke an fumes-just in case. If you do grow a third eye, your depth perception will be outstanding! It will however, be hard to find glasses though.-

Melting your own bullets is not dangerous or risky. Read the books that are available on this subject, and enjoy.

Metalman60 (Investment casting foundry guy since 1977)