First time casting

[pepsi2451]

So I just made about 500 bullets with a Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold (TL452-230-2R). It was easier then I thought it would be. Also my dies just got here. I want to start loading as soon as the lube drys. My problem is I have a pound of bullseye but my reloading manual (speer #14) doesn't list bullseye for a 230 grain lead round nose bullet. They list it for every other .45 auto bullet, just not the one I want to use. Anyone know where I could find some load data for my bullets using bullseye? What recipes are you guys using for .45 auto?

[scrat]

thats a friggen bad *** bullet i have that mold. are you going to size them. you should lee says you dont but i have always sized them. also a trick if no one is home i usually take out my wifes baking pan put a sheet of wax paper on it. then tumble lube the bullets then put them on the cookie sheet. then i put them in the oven for about 30 minutes at 200 degrees. make sure you open the windows and turn on the fan. that stuff smells. Then after that i quickly take them outside. as soon as they cool off they are good to load. almost not sticky either. then i just have to air out the house before she comes home. hahahahahahah it works it works so good. I think that is my favorite mold. you have to watch it though after a while that mold will heat up. you will be able to tell when it takes a long tim for the bullets to harden. oh and very good job on the casting.

[bohoki]

beautiful bullets better than any ive ever made

get the lee 452 sizing die and lube them up with some tumble lube(comes with the sizing die)

bullseye with 230 lead can be 4.0-5.0 5.0 is really hot(maybe too hot)

i do 4.5gn

also expect a little more smoke when using tumble lube its not like frontier days but its close

[22popnsplat]

Just curious , How long to cast 500?

[scrat]

2 hours i usually average anywhere from 2-300 an hour. on a two gang mold

[pepsi2451]

It probably took me about 4 hours. I made more then 500 but about 500 where usable. It took me a a little while to get the hang of it but by the end I was probably doing 200-300 an hour and they where mostly usable.

I ran them all through a lee sizing die and loaded up 50 rounds. I'll try them tomorrow if its not raining, maybe even if it is. The picture sucks but all I have right now is my cell phone camera.

[cdrxls]

nice looking bullets, with the cost of bullets going up, what is your initial setup? cost? and where did you get your components (lead)?
i was thinking of casting my own, but concerns of safety and health issues (lead posioning) is a turnoff.
what's your 2cents on it....

[pepsi2451]

I bought a $20 mold, a $5 ladle and a $20 sizing/lube kit. I used wheel weights that I happened to already have and heated them on a propane stove. I cast outside and fumes weren't really a problem. Its really easy and once you get the hang of it, its fairly quick.

[rabagley]

If you're afraid of lead poisoning (which is pretty smart): do your casting outside, set up a fan blowing clean air across the top of the melting pot away from your face, and stop worrying. Once the lead is solid again, there's very little to worry about. You can't get sick by handling (or even ingesting) lead shot or lead bullets, only by ingesting powdered lead or salts of lead.

Exhaust fans are terrible and basically don't work. They eventually pull the metal vapors out of the room, but you may have breathed them in a few times before they're exhausted. I always do my casting outdoors over a large cookie tray on the patio with a fan by my elbow and I never have a problem with the fumes getting close to my face.

As for a source of lead, eBay is your friend. Get whatever lead seems credible (already in 1lb ingots is nice), do your own hardness testing (bring your own zinc and antimony, usually from lead-free solder), and don't worry too much about the exact composition of the alloy. Keep the mold temp up, pay attention to how hard your bullets are casting and everything else will be okay.

[pepsi2451]

Tried them out today and they all shot perfect. Now I just need to find more brass and someone with a chronograph.

I also shot some reloads that were given to me. They were also 230 grain lead rd bullets but I don't know were he got them. They failed to feed almost every time. I'm glad I went with the mold I did, mine worked perfect.