Sticky On Lead Bullet Making?

[jwest]

Hello All,

Thought we had a sticky on this - reason I'm asking is that Midway is having a sale on RCBS and Lee equipment for bullet making. The Lee is so cheap it's hard to pass this up.

If we have a thread on this - 'How to get started making your own bullets' or such - would appreciate a link.

Or, is this buried in another sticky?

Thanks,
jwest

[jericho89]

If you get the lee dies spend the extra money and get a 6 mold (handles are separate). They heat and cast so mush easier than the 2 molds, and it is much easier to cut the spurs off. The 6 mold has a handle that eliminates the need to beat the spur plate open. The only RCBS molds that I have used are very old ones and they are steel. The cast well also.

[bruce381]

castboolits forum

[Whiterabbit]

pretty straightforward. One of those easy to do, tough to master things.

pot, mold, lead.

Lead can be anything, but it's easiest if you take whatever lead source, from slack lead to high end, and add a smidge of tin from solder to it.

Pot is straightforward. You'll keep the heat near high to start.

Heat the mold. If you cant, cast anyways, you'll reject the first few dozen bullets as the mold heats up.

That's it. You will make bullets. size if needed with a push through sizer.





Everything after that is the "mastery" part, expands your equipment, etc. Like reloading. Just need a press, die, dipper. Then comes the mastery....

[kramynot]

Been casting for years to reduce my shooting costs using clip on wheel weights. They are getting harder to find but you can still run across someone selling them on craigslist. The stick-on wheel weights are a bit softer, might be pure lead I think. So I just mix a little in with my clip on when I'm melting. Same with any other lead I find: scuba weights, fishing weights, etc.

I cast, then drop into a bucket of water to quench, which hardens them a bit. Then I size and lube with Lee Liquid Alox. For rifle boolits that I'm going to push a bit I use a gas check.

I cast for many different handgun and rifle calibers and all my equipment is the cheaper Lee stuff and I've never had any problems.

I agree that the 6 cavity molds are the way to go if they are made in the bullet design you want. However, for just starting out you may want to get a 1 or 2 cavity mold to get the hang of it.

Also, definitely take a look at the castboolits forum. Lots of good info there.

[wbunning]

I'd say that while it's on sale, Go ahead and get yourself the bottom-pour Lee pot, a tumble-lube bullet mold or two, a lead thermometer, sizer dies appropriate for the firearms you'll be shooting, and the Lyman cast bullet handbook (and READ that dude):

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/867465/lyman-cast-bullet-handbook-4th-edition-book

There's other bits and pieces you'll need, but you can dig that stuff up locally or swipe it out of your kitchen.

Read the handbook, check the castboolits forum, and watch a bunch of different guys on youtube to see how the process works. Here's a link to a playlist from one guy, Fortunecookie 45LC, who has a bunch of videos on casting.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXrn3Tq9XDpeD2S68s-BeL5AgWcgev1X0

But don't just watch one guy.. view a number of different folks.

Cast bullets need to be lubed, so read/view up on lubra-sizers, tumble lube, and powder coating. Tumble lube is easiest to get started with, which is why I mentioned tumble-lube type molds. They are different, and for a reason.

Go for it. It's a little exasperating at first, but a fun and rewarding addition to your shooting sport and not that hard to learn.

[Sheldon]

Check Ebay and Amazon for Lee molds too.

[Fishslayer]

Lee molds are GTG.

[wellfedirishman]

Lee pots and 6-cavity molds are fine, I use them for all my volume pistol casting. For long distance rifle I really like NOE molds.

[Fishslayer]

Lee pots and 6-cavity molds are fine,

Bottom pour pot & six holer mold can turn a lot of lead into a lot of gold in pretty short order.

...and a nice little eff you to moonbeam & nuisance with every yank of the sprue plate!

[Abenaki]

Never forget that in casting boolits....

Boolit fit is KING!
Lube is QUEEN!
And hardness is a UGLY STEPCHILD!

Take care
Abenaki

[Abenaki]

I forgot.

What calibers are you gonna be casting for.


Take care
Abenaki

[someoneeasy]

lead thermometer helps, but for a little bit more, put together a P.I.D.

[Hinnerk]

I have found that N.O.E. produce excellent moulds and other useful tools and supplies. Not so cheap but as was said, fit is king.

[iMigraine]

Great advice, once you understand casting you'll be hooked. Also, an inexpensive hot plate from Walmart or Target ($25) works great for warming up your bullet molds. Don't dip your molds in the lead pot, easy to make a mess and not heat evenly. Did this in the beginning an learned.