Sticky On Lead Bullet Making?

[jwest]

I forgot.

What calibers are you gonna be casting for.


Take care
Abenaki

Was thinking about starting with 9mm and .40 S&W.

Thanks.

[stilly]

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

WOW! Midway SALE price is ONLY $.50 more than Titanreloading or FSreloadings normal everyday prices... And do not forget for all 6 cavity molds you need to buy handles too. One to two sets is really all you need unless you want to cast EVERYTHING each time. I prefer a casting session that includes one caliber and maybe 2-3 types of pills...

Midway... LoL :)

THE authority for casting (forums wise) is the CASTBOOLITS website.

Do we need a sticky? Meh. It IS awfully nice to have everything in one location. HOWEVER, as I have found out, when you get banned, that is an awful lot you lose too.

If you need lead, I have a contact back east that sells it rather cheap delivered to your door.

IT is also a good idea to visit Philips Wholesale and buy lead wheelweights at around $1.00/LB. While you are at it, pick up an $8.00 .30 cal ammo can to put your lead in too...

Else you should hunt around. If you can find ballast from sailboats at shipyards or CL it is worth it.

You can also comb the ebay auctions. Lots of guys selling lead there. But if you just want no fuss clean ingots, then you should buy fluxed and cleaned ingots ready for casting.

I have no issues buying dirty lead if it is cheap enough. I bought/ traded around 400+ lbs of lead in the form of unused clip on wheel weights, from another calgunnner. The only thing was, even CLEAN new wheel weights are NOT clean.

But it was fun and I am glad that I did that.

If you DO process dirty lead though, you should consider TWO things.

1. A covered container to hold it. (lead dust and it oxidizes too)
2. A Smelter or dutch oven to melt it all down. I REALLY like the idea of Satans Little Smelter but at $200 a pop for a 25lb, I can not afford that just yet. I will stick with my Lee and Palmer I guess.

If you are not certain what bullets you will like, do what I do: buy a Lee 2 bullet mold (they come with handles) for around $16 or so from fsreloading or titanreloading and give it a try. You can make a lot of bullets with a 2 cavity mold but when you decide that you LIKE them, THEN you buy the 6 cavity Lee of that or go looking for others. I have several steel molds and a brass mold now, but the Lee 6 cavity aluminum molds really crank out the cheap stuff. And when they get too hot, simply dip them in water a bit to cool them off.

I have said too much already.

Have fun.

[jwest]

OK Stilly - thanks.

Not to bring up anything tangential but I think someone here was banned once upon a time but his sticky's were still up - just sayin'.

I guess by my OP - even at the Midway prices - it's getting hard to ignore the benefits of casting your own.

Thanks for the reference - maybe your post should be part of a sticky on this.

[jwest]

Another question - do you guys use gas checks on 9mm and .40SW?

[kramynot]

Nope

Another question - do you guys use gas checks on 9mm and .40SW?

I load them both with normal loads and don't use any gas checks and haven't experienced any leading.

[someoneeasy]

Another question - do you guys use gas checks on 9mm and .40SW?

Nope, I just powdercoat and load, this is with 9mm, 40s&w, 38 special, 357 mag, 45acp, 300 blackout, and 308

[Whiterabbit]

I don't cast for 9mm and 40, but I would use gas checks for neither. Even 357 mag. They just do not need it.

I use gas checks for:

Guns I shoot past 25 yards (pistol or rifle)
rifle-only sub-calibers (but that falls into the above)

That's not an exclusive list, by the way. Meaning: 100% of my gas checked bullets are shot to 100 yards, but not 100% of hte bullets I shoot to 100 yards are gas checked. 100% of the bullets I shoot 25 yards indoor are plain base.

It's time consuming and expensive to gas check a bullet (relatively). Don't do it if you don't have to. Easier and cheaper to buy antimonial lead (clip on wheel weights) and add tin to make hardball or lyman#2 alloy than to gas check. hardball won't take you as far as a gas check can, but chances are you won't go as far as you need to to really require a gas check.

But if you need it, you need it. For 9 and 40? you wont.


-------------


edit: and if your 9mm is a 100 yard pistol, I STILL wouldn't gas check until I shot 500-1000 rounds trying to get good pistol groups on paper, and failed. Only then would I DQ the bullet and try a GC design.

[Whiterabbit]

And while you should reread post #2, know that lee 2cav molds are 20 bucks with handles and are a GREAT way to "test" a bullet design you are interested in.

Why spend $13+45+shipping on a 6-cav mold (which is still a screaming deal) for a bullet that doesn't work well for you?

the 2 cav lets you choke through a casting session to produce a couple hundred fine bullets for testing. If successful, lay the money down for the 6-cav and be happier in front of the pot.

For 9 and 40, you will also be screening mold designs by buying steel 1 cavity molds, they will cost $30 for very common designs to $60 for less common but maybe more interesting designs. Several makers for these such as lyman, saeco, rcbs. Your source will be Castboolits swap-n-sell section.

Again you'll be wanting a 5-6 cav once you qualify a bullet you like.

[Carcassonne]

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm

http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

[jwest]

Stilly - I checked the pricing - Midway is actually cheaper than Titan or FS with the current sale prices - at least for the equipment - I didn't check components (yet) - but nonetheless - thanks for the references.

Carcassonne - thanks for the links - look really good - I'll spend some time there.

Thanks to everyone for the responses - I agree - the 2 bullet molds are probably the best to start with until I figure out what I'm going to shoot the most.

And thanks for the gas check responses.

Now on to try and figure out the best way to powder coat - ha!

Thanks Again Everyone,
jwest

[stilly]

Stilly - I checked the pricing - Midway is actually cheaper than Titan or FS with the current sale prices - at least for the equipment - I didn't check components (yet) - but nonetheless - thanks for the references.

Carcassonne - thanks for the links - look really good - I'll spend some time there.

Thanks to everyone for the responses - I agree - the 2 bullet molds are probably the best to start with until I figure out what I'm going to shoot the most.

And thanks for the gas check responses.

Now on to try and figure out the best way to powder coat - ha!

Thanks Again Everyone,
jwest

Sorry. I only checked the price of molds.

Gas checks, MAYBE on .357, MAYBE on 10mm, but until you think you need them, try PB pills without and see how they fly...


LoL@PC... ;D

[jwest]

Stilly, also - I talked to the Satan's Smelter folks today too - smallest you can get is 45 lbs - I was hoping the 25lb was available as you mentioned - but 45 lbs for $250.00.

Again, though - thanks - since I didn't even know about this - and maybe I will need that soon.

Regards,
jwest

[bohoki]

hmm i'll try to give my tips

i use the lee 2 cavity molds cause i am a cheapskate i used a dremmel to connect the pour holes and i fill both cavities at once with a soup spoon

i melt my lead on a coleman 425e in a cast iron 6 inch skillet any bigger its a bit too heavy and i melt about 5 pucks from a muffin tin

smoke the molds before first use i use a propane torch with the air holes taped over you can use a candle make it all black all over the inside and the sprew plate

i use a plunger handle to whack the plate open and after opening i tap the bolt and knock them into a 5 gallon bucket hald full of water

once my lead is hot and liquid

i set the mold into the lead and pick it up a few times till no lead is freezing onto it

then pour a spoonfull onto the sprew holes letting it pool on top like about the size of a half dollar

then watch it closely as it hazes over and solidifies then

i use the plunger handle to knock off the sprew back into the lead

then konk the sprew plate open and beat the bullets into my bucket of water via hitting the handle bolt

when they are sticking in the mold i resmoke

[stilly]

Once those Lee Aluminum molds get going, they are like jack rabbits, they do not stop. They WILL become too hot though and you will need to cool them down a bit, else you start smearing sprue when you open them. Best to CUT sprue, not smear it. Nothing new here though.


Well, for $50 more, 45 lbs is NOT bad. Damn, that is actually not bad at all.

Or you can get like a turkey fryer outdoor butane/propans setup of some sort and a dutch over and get all cheap like, but then you will be ladling in the lead instead of pouring it.

[jwest]

Stilly, not trying to be cheap - and I know 45 lbs isn't that big when we're talking lead; but right now I'm just trying to get going; and 20-25lbs is good enough right now.

But I understand - get enough lead; smelt it; and make nice ingots for the future runs - I get that. Makes sense and I will probably end up getting one.

Thanks again,
jwest