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Boogsawaste
Member
Just wanted to say thanks again for the links, knowledge, and tips. You guys are always a wealth of information.
Casting question
- Thread starter Boogsawaste
- Start date
max503
Member
I'm pretty lackadaisical about lead hardness. My guns are my hardness testers.
Too soft, and boolits will deform on the feed ramp and I'll get FTF's. In order to increase hardness I'll add handfuls of Lino to the pot as I cast.
Too soft, and boolits will deform on the feed ramp and I'll get FTF's. In order to increase hardness I'll add handfuls of Lino to the pot as I cast.
It allows you to shoot a softer alloy without leading. You still need to size but you can do that in a standard press with NOE's sizing system. Sizing Tools | NOE Bullet Moulds
My setup. I cast with 4 molds in rotation. On gets to hot I go to the next one. Divider box holds 4 different calibers. Casting and loading is the only way I can afford to shoot the big boomers a lot. I have never powder coated a bullet. I just lube/size in 2 RCBS lubersizers. I use homemade lube. 60% commode seal and 40% canning wax. Works great. Been using it for over 20 years.
Attachments
Guess I've been lucky for decades now.
Or I was unlucky.
AJ
US Veteran
I have been casting off and on for 50 years. Never checked for hardness of any of my cast bullets. Never have noted any problems with leading in any caliber. I have been powder coating my bullets that I cast for several years now. I have noticed that the amount of patches to clean the fouling in the barrel are fewer now that I powder coat. Never have had a problem with the lead (wherever I got it) filling a mold. As has been stated "Guess I've been lucky!".
Yendor357
Member
Having the correct diameter projectile is more important than hardness. There have been times when I got more leading from hard commercial cast than I have with bullets that I cast myself.
When looking for a lead alloy, my primary concern is how well the mould gets filled out. Then size the bullet a little on the large size, and use a SOFT bullet lube like Alox. *I never messed with powder coating. The old Lyman Lubrisizer always worked great. I have no desire to reinvent the wheel.
When everything goes right, casting was satisfying. I can't find lead anymore. Truth be told, I shoot a lot of XTPs now. My lead supply is gone.
When looking for a lead alloy, my primary concern is how well the mould gets filled out. Then size the bullet a little on the large size, and use a SOFT bullet lube like Alox. *I never messed with powder coating. The old Lyman Lubrisizer always worked great. I have no desire to reinvent the wheel.
When everything goes right, casting was satisfying. I can't find lead anymore. Truth be told, I shoot a lot of XTPs now. My lead supply is gone.
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I didn't start casting until about 2012 or so. I had leading issues in several cartridges. Played around with molds, oversized molds and even the "beagle" trick. Worked out most of the issues, but once I started powder coating, those molds that gave me leading issues no longer do so. PC'ing solved a lot of leading ails and the ammo is so much cleaner now. I won't go back to lubing except for some gas checked molds.
Rosewood
Rosewood
I want to start a reloader's anonymous group. I started just doing hunting loads with my father. I guess that makes him an enabler.
Then I moved into reloading 38/357. Then more pistol and rifle calibers.
Then I got hooked on the really hard stuff. I started casting 38/357. I moved onto 44 special, 45ACP/460 mag. I am now into .308 for 30/30. It is a special kind of addiction. Kinda seems like there is no in between, you are all in with reloading/casting or you are a regular at Scheels or Midway USA to buy whatever is cheapest.
Is there a scared straight for kids to not get into reloading?
Then I moved into reloading 38/357. Then more pistol and rifle calibers.Then I got hooked on the really hard stuff. I started casting 38/357. I moved onto 44 special, 45ACP/460 mag. I am now into .308 for 30/30. It is a special kind of addiction. Kinda seems like there is no in between, you are all in with reloading/casting or you are a regular at Scheels or Midway USA to buy whatever is cheapest.
Is there a scared straight for kids to not get into reloading?
GypsmJim
Member
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I started casting in 1975. Then I had a huge supply of pure lead, linotype and bar solder. I got the Lyman #2 formula from the Lyman casting manual, and for many years I judiciously weighed out the 3 components. Back then, and still today, many advocate the Lyman #2 formula.
About 30 years ago I ran out of the 3 components. At the same time I was gifted a couple of buckets of wheel weights. I stockpiled them and have been using straight WWs ever since.
Before casting I was using Speer wadcutters and had leading all the time. Since casting my own I have not leaded a single barrel.
I find that WWs are very consistent. I water quench out of the mold and that has increased the hardness. I won't use range lead because I don't know what the alloy is (might be some Speers in there).
My casting is done in the basement with virtually no ventillation. Also, I shoot at an indoor range at least one a week. After 49 years of doing all that my blood tests show virtually no lead contamination.
About 30 years ago I ran out of the 3 components. At the same time I was gifted a couple of buckets of wheel weights. I stockpiled them and have been using straight WWs ever since.
Before casting I was using Speer wadcutters and had leading all the time. Since casting my own I have not leaded a single barrel.
I find that WWs are very consistent. I water quench out of the mold and that has increased the hardness. I won't use range lead because I don't know what the alloy is (might be some Speers in there).
My casting is done in the basement with virtually no ventillation. Also, I shoot at an indoor range at least one a week. After 49 years of doing all that my blood tests show virtually no lead contamination.
Lead isn't from breathing, it is from injestion. Most folks with lead issues were folks that worked with lead that smoked. They handled lead then put cigarette in mouth. If you keep your hands washed and don't touch your face, mouth or something you plan on sticking in your mouth, you are not going to have lead issues.
Rosewood
Rosewood
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I want to start a reloader's anonymous group. I started just doing hunting loads with my father. I guess that makes him an enabler.
Then I got hooked on the really hard stuff. I started casting 38/357. I moved onto 44 special, 45ACP/460 mag. I am now into .308 for 30/30. It is a special kind of addiction. Kinda seems like there is no in between, you are all in with reloading/casting or you are a regular at Scheels or Midway USA to buy whatever is cheapest.
Is there a scared straight for kids to not get into reloading?
No, it is just the opposite, we were "scared" into it. Sandy Hook drove me to casting, couldn't get bullets back then.
Rosewood
taz666
Member
Hey Doc ... when you breathe in lead particles you are ingesting lead.
I don't think you are breathing them in. Melting lead isn't vaporizing it. When you are casting boolits, the lead isn't floating in the air, the impurities are what are burning off Doc.
Do some research on it yourself if you doubt what I said. When I started casting I was concerned about lead. After lots of research, that is what I learned.
Rosewood
AJ
US Veteran
No dog in this fight. I do remember when I went to the FBI Firearms Instructors Course, I was told about lead poisoning. They said if we worked an indoor range that we needed to have a blood draw every 3-4 months to look for lead in our blood. They were also talking about the air filtration systems in the ranges. This was 1988, so I would guess back then they believed you could breathe it in.........
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