Casting 45 ACP

[DesertGunner]

Anyone cast bullets for 45 ACP? I'd like to start casting for my 1911 but I've never done it before. I'd like to know what-all I need and any tips and pointers someone might have.

[gunboat]

Well, you need a supply of lead, a melting pot, a dipper if your pot is not a bottom pour, a mould, a wooden hammer handle to cut the sprue, a means of sizing the cast bullet, a means of lubing the bullet, and bob's your uncle.
You can spend less than a hundred bucks or a thousand depending on your wants.
I like lyman 452374 225gr round nose for general overall use. It approximates the milt jacketed bullet in shape and weight.
There are many different moulds to choose from but some 1911's are a bit fussy about eating some semi-wadcutters.
Like most things in reloading you can do "kitchen table" or "top of the mark" in equiptment.
Moulds -- lee are about the cheapest, though there are lots of good used ones available.
melters/furnace -- again lee is about cheapest, seems to work well.
sizers -- gets a bit tricky here, star is about the best, costs a fortune. Lee has a simple low cost system of sizing and lubing that does a good job but while inexpensive is slow.
Find a lyman cast bullet handbook - any year - for good info and loads.
Visit the castboolitt website for a peck more, and maybe better, info.
my ha-penny

[Fishslayer]

Anything you need to know about cast boolits is here...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php

People are always selling used gear on the swappin' & sellin' board.

[bohoki]

just made 200 yesterday let me know if i should fire up a camera next time i do it

i use a skillet ,a coleman stove ,a spoon and a lee mold

its a lot of work but heck every one is worth 7 cents

[gunboat]

Bo, I am known to be rather thrifty myself, but I do believe you have me beat :-)

[CGK60]

casting

I've been casting for my 1911 for some time now. I have 200 gr SWC , 230gr RN and 230 gr TC, nice to be able to make bullets when you need them.

[CSACANNONEER]

Where are you located? I've got to cast another run of .45s and 9mm (I try to do about 5K of each while I'm set up). I'm willing to let you do some of the work for me.

[DesertGunner]

I'm willing to let you do some of the work for me.

LOL. Riverside county.

[bohoki]

[Lead Waster]

Getting lead is the tough part I think. Forget about local tire shops, lead wheel weights will soon be a thing of the past.

[Rudolf the Red]

Bohoki's post of his set-up is one of the most inspiring things I have ever seen.

Making bullets is the one aspect of reloading that I have not attempted.

Sorry about this next phrase but, Yes I Can!

[bohoki]

here is my step by step

lee molds are great 2 cavity ones are cheap thats why i picked them


lee bullet sizing kit is cheap and it comes with lube thats why i picked it

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=517501

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=116429

step one crank up stove (them white gas stoves take some finessin)
melt lead in skillet(i like skillets better than pots because my little 6 inch skillet half full of lead is pretty darn heavy and i dont know if the grill can handle that kind of weight especially when its pushing 800 degrees

make sure its on a sturdy table or surface i use a metal plate on a pacific bell storage box

when the lead is all nice and melty i skim off the scum with my spoon and put it aside on the metal plate to cool

then i take a propane torch with the air holes taped off so i get a good sooty flame and i open the mold and get the insides nice and black holding it upside down over the top of the flame licks

then close up the mold and place it on the edge of the skillet letting the aluminum blocks float in the lead for about 20 seconds then i pick it up it often has a little lead jacket around it i knock it back into the lead with my spoon(oh did i mention you shoudl probably have some leather gloves on and long sleeve cotton shirt and cotton pants socks and shoes no synthetics as if splashed they will melt and its hard to get the little lead glob off)

then i put the mold back to float for a little bit picking it up frequently and when the lead no longer sticks or jsut leaves little stalagtites i grab my spoon and pour some in both holes at the same time letting it have a nice lump on top and i watch that lump kind of sheen over and form 2 depressions then i take my broomhandle that i have in my left armpit and tap the handle bolt and the little lump will often lift off and i let it fall back in the lead (careful doing this as it can cause little splashes) then i smack the sprue open give the bolt a few little taps as i open the mold and let them drop into a 5 gallon bucket of water half full often it takes a few little taps to get them to fall out

if you get an incomplete fill i often just knock it back in the lead (but never pick one out of the water and drop it in your lead)

after my first drop i often turn my stove down a tad

and about every 20-40 casts if i notice i have to whack long and hard on the bolt i resmoke them

then when i am done (sick of it) i turn off the gas and let the skillet and lead cool(it turns into a neat lead discus) take off my gloves
i grab my plastic collander from the dollar tree and grab them out of the bucket by the handfull and let them kind of drain a bit


then pour them out on a towell dry them off a bit then run them through the sizer (yes i do it unlubed) and pay attention to any that feel like they go through way to easy then i stop and find that one cause it is a freak and undersized i get about 3 per 200 that way after i am done i pour them back on the towell and inspect them (basically i just use the sizer to help me pick out the undersized ones)

you can also find the undersized ones as their sides wont have a consistant shiny


then i place them in a gallon ice cream bucket shake up my lee lube and unscrew the cap and put a little dash on(i unscrew the lid as the little fold up nozzle gets jammed with gunge anyway)

don't use too much
shake the bucket around to give them all an even coat then pour them out on a sheet of wax paper on a picnic table in the sun for a few hours so they dry(i hate the stink of that stuff and it stays on your fingers for a day)

that lee lube never gets hard and varnishly as they say it always remains a tad waxy sticky
and it will build up in your seater die

[Cowboy T]

here is my step by step

lee molds are great 2 cavity ones are cheap thats why i picked them


lee bullet sizing kit is cheap and it comes with lube thats why i picked it

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=517501

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=116429

+1 on the Lee moulds. I have some 2-cav's, and their 6-cavs are even nicer to work with. Same for their bullet sizing kits, which I also use.

then i place them in a gallon ice cream bucket shake up my lee lube and unscrew the cap and put a little dash on(i unscrew the lid as the little fold up nozzle gets jammed with gunge anyway)

don't use too much
shake the bucket around to give them all an even coat then pour them out on a sheet of wax paper on a picnic table in the sun for a few hours so they dry(i hate the stink of that stuff and it stays on your fingers for a day)

that lee lube never gets hard and varnishly as they say it always remains a tad waxy sticky
and it will build up in your seater die

Here's a video series to go along with bohoki's excellent instructions. I use Lee's red container, but it works equally well with the gallon ice cream pail.

http://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun.com/lead.html