cast boolits

[Nightowl]

I used to cast my own bullets, then lube and size them. There is a lot of satisfaction in being able to shoot your own bullets and reloads. Using two molds, a Lyman 4 cavity 429421 and a .38 mold 150 grain semi wadcutter (I forget the mold number). Using both molds, I could cast about 1000 bullets in a day of casting, then size/lube them on demand. I had a Lyman bottom pour 20 pound furnace.

Back then, there were very few commercial casting businesses, so buying bullets was seldom an option.

Now there are several good operations providing quality bullets at reasonable prices, as well as USPS reasonable priced shipping. I find that it is easier to get more bullets by writing a check than by casting my own, and can shoot more.
While I enjoyed casting, it sure is easier just to buy what you need!

Just another view

 

[Fishslayer]

Again, The explanation was exactly what I was inquiring about. Casting bullets is a "down the road" venture at this point, but due to circumstances outside our control, may be a sooner than later time.....

You & I are on exactly the same page. A few years ago our Kalifornistan critters made it pretty clear that we reloaders were on their radar and some pretty hefty "per bullet" "Public safety taxes" were being discussed.

That's when I started collecting scrap lead.

Be aware... it's almost as deep a rabbit hole as guns and reloading themselves.

 

[Engineer1911]

Lyman 4-cavity molds are about $100 and are heavy. Lee 6-cavity molds are about $35 and weigh 1/3 as much. Using my Lee 6 mould, I can cast about 1,000 bullets in 90 minutes or a full 3# metal coffee can with my 20# RCBS pot. Using a Lyman 4-cavity mould, takes about 2.5 hours to cast 1K bullets, need a tool to open sprue plate. I start timing with a full hot pot, hot mould, and another 15# of clean ingots. Getting ready to cast can take 45 minutes.

Using my Lee moulds, it is easy to cast 4K of bullets in a day of proper weather conditions, 50° and sunny. Casting is not something you do willingly in July or August.

 

[lrrifleman]

OP, just an aside, back when I started casting in the early 2000s, I could reload a 50 round box of 148gr BNWC or 150gr SWC in 38 Special for about $0.70. A box of 200gr SWC 45 ACP for about a nickel more. At that time, a box of factory 38 Special could be purchased for $5-6, and 45 ACP between $8-10, but usually some variety of FMJ. Prior to COVID inflated prices, my cast reloads would run about $2-2.50 a box. Currently, I am NOT looking at costs versus savings, I can shoot when others CAN'T! My current cost (using stockpiled primers) is running about $3 for cast loads, and $10 for stockpiled FMJ. Shifting to recently purchased plated bullets, the cost will jump to about $8 a box for 9mm ... not a great price, but better than the $35+ that is commanded when you can find factory ammo!

 

[boatbum101]

If serious & want best results learn how to setup each type of firearm you wish to shoot cast in . Revolvers check cylinder throats you want uniform size larger than bore . Quick & dirty slug bore & if that slug will freely pass thru cylinder throats you're OK , if not cylinder throats will need honing/reaming . For rifle you want to shoot the fattest bullet your gun will chamber . Any bore restrictions " choke " should be lapped out of any barrel regardless of firearm type . Chamber or pound cast are wise especially if chambered for oddball / obsolete cartridges , but not for the inexperienced . Good gunsmith or experienced rifle loonie are your best allies here .

 

[GypsmJim]

You may have noticed that you are not saving any money reloading. You will save even less when you are a bullet caster. The problems are easy to understand. For simplicity let us assume a $100 monthly budget for ammo and the time is January 2020:

#1] You start shooting more because the cost of ammo drops significantly when you reload. That first box of reloaded ammo cost about $300 after buying powder, primers, dies, press, scale, dial caliper, and a case trimmer thingey from Lee.

#2] Because you are shooting more cheap ammo, you start hanging out at gun shows where bulk powder is $100 for 5# instead of $25 for 1#. A thousand primers are $28 instead of $3.50 for 100. 500 cast bullets are only $48 instead of $17 for 100 jacketed.

#3] Now you want to start casting your own lead bullets. Moulds, sizer / luber, melting pot, lead, more lead, more lube, and savings are apparent but you sure are buying a lot of expensive stuff. Much more than that original $100 monthly ammo budget. Where do you keep all this wonderful stuff? It isn't in the kitchen cupboard -- you didn't check with the wife first did you?

#4] More shooting means more productive equipment; progressive press, 6 cavity moulds, better case prep equipment. Now you want another gun, another caliber, a different barrel length.

YOU HAVE FALLEN DOWN THE SLIPPERY SLOPE ! How did I ever go shooting with a single gun, pack of targets, staple gun, and target frame?

I probably have a $100,000 dollar inventory of shooting, reloading, and casting stuff I just had to have and a wife that likes to shoot. Ignoring any retirement accounts, employer savings plans or stock investments, my savings from reloading and casting bullets has never exceeded about $500 judging by the savings account balances for the past 45 years. Very few people admit to something like this.

I started reloading my old once-fired rifle brass with a Lee Loader ($9.95), and boxes of 100 bullets, 100 primers and a pound of powder. A year later I bought a second loader for a .38 Special handgun.

I started casting bullets with a Lee .358 WC mold ($9.95), a cast pot ($4.95), some free lead and a bernzomatic 1# propane bottle and torch.

Later I upgraded to a real press and other niceties, but that old Lee mold is still putting out good wadcutters after 45 years.

Surely, I have spent a lot more in later years, and I don't claim to be making a fortune from my "investment", but there IS a cost savings. Regardless, its just a heck of a lot of fun.

 

[GypsmJim]

DOUBLE NOTE: if you are casting bullets for use in a Glock, you need to powder coat, since the type of rifling used in Glocks IS NOT lead bullet friendly.

Funny thing, that's the 2nd time I heard that in the last month.

I have a Glock 19X that is about 2 years old. It's round count is about 2000. The ONLY boolits that ever went down the tube were Lee 124 Tumble lube, cast with 100% WWs and lubed with liquid alox.

I was never a Glock fan, but I have changed my mind. I am amazed at how accurate this gun is. Just today I field stripped it and inspected the barrel. I see no leading whatsoever.

Could you please explain your statement?

 

[AlHunt]

Funny thing, that's the 2nd time I heard that in the last month.

I have a Glock 19X that is about 2 years old. It's round count is about 2000. The ONLY boolits that ever went down the tube were Lee 124 Tumble lube, cast with 100% WWs and lubed with liquid alox.

I was never a Glock fan, but I have changed my mind. I am amazed at how accurate this gun is. Just today I field stripped it and inspected the barrel. I see no leading whatsoever.

Could you please explain your statement?

I didn't post what you're responding to, but the key seems to be cleaning the Glock regularly when using lead.

How many lead bullets do you run down the tube between cleaning? The stories of problems I've read are users who never clean their guns.

 

[lrrifleman]

I didn't post what you're responding to, but the key seems to be cleaning the Glock regularly when using lead.

How many lead bullets do you run down the tube between cleaning? The stories of problems I've read are users who never clean their guns.

GypsumJim, I think that AlHunt has it pegged. First and foremost, Glock is the ONLY manufacturer that I am aware of that SPECIFICALLY warns against the use of lead bullets. From what I have read and listened to, it seems that lead can build up fast in the polygonal rifling used by Glock, and may not be easily removed. Plus, with the fact that many people latch on to the claim (or practice) of cleaning their Glock on the fifth Friday after the third blue moon in an even numbered year, that increased pressure due to lead build up increases the risk of catastrophic failure. Very rarely do you encounter a Glock review that doesn't recite the lead bullet warning.

 

[GypsmJim]

GypsumJim, I think that AlHunt has it pegged. First and foremost, Glock is the ONLY manufacturer that I am aware of that SPECIFICALLY warns against the use of lead bullets. From what I have read and listened to, it seems that lead can build up fast in the polygonal rifling used by Glock, and may not be easily removed. Plus, with the fact that many people latch on to the claim (or practice) of cleaning their Glock on the fifth Friday after the third blue moon in an even numbered year, that increased pressure due to lead build up increases the risk of catastrophic failure. Very rarely do you encounter a Glock review that doesn't recite the lead bullet warning.

Thanks for the follow-up. I did review my Owner's Manual. plus went on the Glock web site and couldn't find any reference to lead. The only thing I did find was that handloaded ammo will void the warranty. But that's legalspeak for all gun companies.

Truth be told, and I admit my laziness, but I clean my guns once a year....whether they need it or not.

My Glock was cleaned as new out of the box, and then again after the first range session. That's my normal. The next cleaning was a year later, and the 4th time was just today, after 2 years. I saw some fowling in the internals, but the barrel didn't look like it needed cleaning, and nothing came out. Naturally, I used a brass brush, Hoppes, etc.,etc.

I guess it just reaffirms that my homemade boolits are surely dam good....LOL.

I'm in a hiatus right now....that is in cleaning mode and not shooting. Its the few weeks before Christmas and after deer hunting. Right after new years I'll start back up with Winter indoor shooting at the club.

I guess I'll use my bore light a little more often now before my next cleaning regimen. Thanks for the info.

 

[max503]

I have a confession to make. I don't worry about leading in a handgun. A hank of weedeater cord and a wad of ChoreBoy copper mesh and it's gone. But I don't get much leading in the first place.

Someday I may powder coat some lead bullets for my rifles but so far I'm able to shoot my 357 lever gun with just plain based bullets. I gas check the ones for 30 caliber or 22 caliber.

 

[Nightowl]

Back in the early 90s, soon after the Glock 22s were issued in .40 S&W, I reloaded with cast bullets and a minimum charge of powder. I blew my Glock three times, the last time I got a call from the factory stating not to use cast bullets. They also asked what cases I was using and I told them Winchester, since that was the only brand ammo available at the time. The rep told me that the early Winchester brass was brittle and not to use any more of it. I have never reloaded for the .40 since then. I saved all the unfired reloads until I could find a 610 to shoot it in. That took me over 20 years, finally used it all up and threw away the brass.
I'm sure the unsupported chamber did not give much assistance to the brittle brass either. I don't know that they have updated that issue. I now only shoot factory ammo in my .40 autos.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

All my GLOCKS are 9mm. If I had a G22 I would probably look into an aftermarket barrel...

I have never had a problem reloading the 40 S&W with my M&Ps, Kahr or FN pistols or a SUB2000. I don't normally shoot cast bullets in the Kahr on a regular basis, but possibly have upon occasion?

Probably thrown out less than a dozen 40 S&W cases that exhibited "smilies" when they (somehow?) found their way into my reloading stock.

Only have some factory 40 S&W in magazines for carry purposes... Have not purchased any in years.

Cheers!

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I once ran into a couple of guys deep in the mountains in Northern Georgia. We had a nice little visit. They really do call them "boolits" there. But so do us casters.

Not me.......They are bullets......I cast too.