Blizzard casting!

[Skip Sackett]

Well, the blizzard of 2011 is now over, mostly. Got a day off of work but couldn't go anywhere! So, I went to the garage and fired up the pot.

Wife and daughter are home and making Toll House cookies. I have a treat waiting on me when I get done, YUMMY!

Believe it or not, I was getting frosted bullets even in a garage that isn't heated and it is only 19*F outside!

What I did today was take a bunch of old bullets that I made and remade them into something I wanted.

I had a Lee 228gr-1R 6 cavity mould that cast a bit out of round and bigger than .454", they looked like this:
(The one on the left.)

Recently I purchased a Mihec 45-270-SAA HP mould with the different style pins. I flipped the pins over to make some solids and really had a good time casting.

I am waiting on my new Star sizer so I can get these babies sized and lubed. Got some folks waiting on a "care package" and need to get these done!

Here is what they look like today:

Well, I came in from the "fridge" for a bit and thought I would do something constructive inside, so I started this thread. After my toes get some feeling back into them, I'm going back out and make some H&G #502 .452 240gr LSWC and some 225gr Saeco #497BB .452" for the 45ACP.

Not only can I get what I want, when I want by casting. I can take what I don't want and make them into something I do want!

 

[USMC586]

Those look great! I am a little jealous though, no fresh cookies in my house today. I just came in from round one of the snow blowing. We have so much right now that the snowblower almost can't throw it over the banks! I spent most of last week end roof raking! Looks like I might be have to do it again.

Anyway after I kill myself snow blowing I will be running the LNL AP tonight! Some .357 loads then, maybe I'll toss some batter into the oven for some soft cast cookies.

But back to work tomorrow

 

[cjw3]

Casting bullets was also one of my favorite things to do when it is cold, because I sure can't stand it otherwise.

I managed to whip up enough last winter to hold me for a while, so I am GTG; I don't cast nearly as much as I used to, regardless.

I haven't seen Indiana in snow but have gone right up the middle from Corydon to Winona Lake during the summer and it is pretty. I was impressed with how clean the roadsides and little towns were.......unlike down here. Some people just don't care.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Well,

Since I wasn't gonna get paid today 'cause I couldn't go to work, I figured I'd save some money and cast some bullets!

Here is what I finished up with this afternoon.

The first is an H&G #502, 240gr LSWC originally designed for the 45AR:

And then, this is a mould that I got from NKJ_nut, a Saeco #456BB 225gr LRN mould. This thing casts like a house a fire!

A couple of shots of this one:

So, instead of not making any money today, I used that time to make some bullets that cost me basically nothing!

All I gotta do is lube 'em up and away we go!

Hey, I just got an email from Magma! THE SIZER HAS SHIPPED!

WHHOOOOOHOOOOOOOO! I am cranked!

 

[Sgt Preston]

Blizzard casting

Great workmanship & photography brother Jarhead...

They are (almost) too beautiful to load & shoot...

Maybe you should invest...

in some insulation & a kerosene heater for your garage...

I sort brass in our garage all winter...

And I can usually get it to 50-60 degrees or so...

Once again, great workmanship & stay warm..!

Sgt Preston...

 

[Skip Sackett]

Hey, Sarge! Great to see you here again, brother!


Thanks for the compliment. You are a great guy in my book!

 

[Paul5388]

The way you shoot, those bullets won't last a month!

It was down to 13 degrees here this morning and we sure aren't use to that kind of weather! I don't think it got over 30 degrees all day.

Glad to see you got some good out of a cold day, but I vote for you getting some heat too. That way you don't have to try to heat the whole garage with the melting pot and get frosted bullets.

 

[Dale53]

SmithCrazy;
They say, "Great minds travel in like circles"...

I've been casting this week, also. I cast up 41# of Mihec's clone of the H&G #68's for my 625's, then ran them through the Star and lubed and sized them placing them all in nice plastic boxes. Here's how they shoot in my 625's (standing at 25 yards in somewhat warmer weather, of course):

We have not had blizzard conditions. However, we did get an ice storm in the last two days with downed power lines, extremely slick EVERYTHING, and low temperatures with winds up to 60 mph. There was a bit of snow on top of the ice which made things a bit dicey. I stayed HOME. I cast in a utility barn that has an electric wall heater and when it is below freezing gets up to 60 degrees or so. I could heat it to 70 if I left it on but no need to. I just turn the heat on while casting.

You fellers and gals that cast in an unheated garage have my admiration. I used to do that but "got over it". I cast all year round to serve my ammunition needs.

Dale53