Just got a casting setup and molds.

[760practicalshooter]

What have I done?

9mm bullet mold .356 6 cavity.
threw in the .40 2 cavity mold with handles, hoping the handles are removable and I can use them on both...???

Got the Lee 4 20 110v, was going to pick up the 220v but figured it wouldn't be a huge difference.

Any suggestions thoughts???

Also, picked up 68# of 'pure lead' kinda concerned as this sounds like it is not going to produce bullets that are hard enough. Anyone..???

[bumpo628]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php is your new best friend.

You need to buy some Lee 6 cav. mold handles, the 2 cav handles are not interchangeable.
$13 - http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=117892

You might want to get some of Sam's iso-lead to mix with your pure lead : 60+ lbs for $62 delivered

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=86491

If you mix either one 50/50 with pure lead it will work fine.

5 lbs iso-lead (2.5% Tin, 2.5% Antimony)
5 lbs pure lead
= 10 lbs alloy with 1.25% Tin, 1.25% Antimony, hardness @ 10

5 lbs iso-lead (1% Tin, 3% Antimony)
5 lbs pure lead
= 10 lbs alloy with 0.5% Tin, 1.5% Antimony, hardness @ 10

[LGB Loader]

You will need Lee 6 cavity mold handles. the 2 cavity handles don't work on them.

LGB

[760practicalshooter]

castboolits.gunloads.com is your new best friend.

Yup, feel like i've already got a PH.D in this and I still have some questions that i'm hoping can get answered....

Main question is, will soft lead work for shooting out of a 9mm at USPSA type event or will I have to mix it up into a harder alloy, or would water quenching suffice...?

http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletAlloy.htm#lead

[760practicalshooter]

You will need Lee 6 cavity mold handles. the 2 cavity handles don't work on them.

LGB

Thanks! Needed to know that as well..

[bumpo628]

Yup, feel like i've already got a PH.D in this and I still have some questions that i'm hoping can get answered....

Main question is, will soft lead work for shooting out of a 9mm at USPSA type event or will I have to mix it up into a harder alloy, or would water quenching suffice...?
http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletAlloy.htm#lead

Soft lead will not harden appreciably after quenching since antimony is needed.
You will need to mix it at least 50/50 with clip-on WW lead or the other lead I previously mentioned.

[760practicalshooter]

Thanks bump!!!

[bumpo628]

Regarding mixing the lead, buy some of the lead ingots I linked to above and you just need to weigh even amounts of pure and the alloy and throw them in the pot. In the future, you can cast the alloy straight up with no mixing and it will be just fine.

Since you have a bottom-pour melter, you don't need a ladle. However, you should go to the thrift store or your kitchen and get a stainless steel slotted spoon for cleaning out the flux from your melt. You still need a little more equipment, as shown below.

Required:
$13 - Lee Commercial Bullet Mold Handles for 6-Cavity Lee Bullet Molds http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=117892
$5 Lee Liquid Alox for tumble lubing (included with the kits below)

Recommended:
$17 - Lee Lube and Size Kit 401 Diameter http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=447228
$17 - Lee Lube and Size Kit 356 Diameter http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=343992
I recommend sizing and tumble lubing even if you think it won't need sizing or even if you bought the "no sizing needed" TL molds. It is cheap and easy and greatly increases consistency of the boolit diameter and your crimps. Each bottle of lube is enough for about 1000 boolits.

Optional items:
$10 - Frankford Arsenal Mold Release Agent 6 oz Aerosol http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=763758
$11 - Frankford Arsenal CleanCast Lead Fluxing Compound 1 lb http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=593033
You can just as easily use sawdust, old tumbler media, used motor oil, cooking oil, or anything else with carbon in it for flux. You can also use a lighter or torch to smoke your molds. This will help the bullets drop easier.

[760practicalshooter]

Regarding mixing the lead, buy some of the lead ingots I linked to above and you just need to weigh even amounts of pure and the alloy and throw them in the pot. In the future, you can cast the alloy straight up with no mixing and it will be just fine.

Since you have a bottom-pour melter, you don't need a ladle. However, you should go to the thrift store or your kitchen and get a stainless steel slotted spoon for cleaning out the flux from your melt. You still need a little more equipment, as shown below.

Required:
$13 - Lee Commercial Bullet Mold Handles for 6-Cavity Lee Bullet Molds http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=117892
$5 Lee Liquid Alox for tumble lubing (included with the kits below)

Recommended:
$17 - Lee Lube and Size Kit 401 Diameter http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=447228
$17 - Lee Lube and Size Kit 356 Diameter http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=343992
I recommend sizing and tumble lubing even if you think it won't need sizing or even if you bought the "no sizing needed" TL molds. It is cheap and easy and greatly increases consistency of the boolit diameter and your crimps. Each bottle of lube is enough for about 1000 boolits.

Optional items:
$10 - Frankford Arsenal Mold Release Agent 6 oz Aerosol http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=763758
$11 - Frankford Arsenal CleanCast Lead Fluxing Compound 1 lb http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=593033
You can just as easily use sawdust, old tumbler media, used motor oil, cooking oil, or anything else with carbon in it for flux. You can also use a lighter or torch to smoke your molds. This will help the bullets drop easier.

Yes, I was going over those pieces, it looks like the .40 mold will be returned for the handles and .356 sizing die.

Kinda getting to the point were this is all going to go back as it's slowly becoming more of a science than a fun weekend project. (my own fault of course)

[760practicalshooter]

Retracted.

[bumpo628]

I guess the subject that I just can't seem to comprehend has to do with soft lead vs alloy and the mixing. Is it possible to purchase lead with the proper ratio pre-made or am I going to end up always mixing it and having to measure the BHN for each session of bullets?

Here are some sources for ready-to-go lead:

$53 shipped for 50+ lbs of Clip-on ww lead ingots (0.5 Tin, 3% Ant)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=63886

$62 shipped for 60+ lbs of Isolead ingots (2.5 Tin, 2.5 Ant)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=86491

It also shows up in the Swappin & Sellin section from time to time.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18

My previous recommendation about mixing the lead was only to help you use up the soft lead that you already bought. If you don't want to mess with mixing it, you can sell it quickly in the S&S section linked above.

[gunboat]

You might enjoy a copy of Lymans handbook of cast bullets -- most any edition.

[XD9JEN]

wow, sounds like a project 760

[760practicalshooter]

wow, sounds like a project 760

Sounds like a project, glad you're coming to help.

[Munk]

I like a hi-volt pot, but it requires a hi-volt plug. They make short work of the melting. However, I'm currently using an amazingly old 110 volt and it does the job rather well, even after all these years (pretty sure it's a couple decades older than I am). The 110 should meet your needs.

Whenever someone asks for tips it's always : Leathers, Face-sheild, and Ventilation.

Molten metal has a tendency to go right through most fabrics, even if it's a low temp one like lead (although denim does a fair job of resisting the burn in my experience... still was amazingly hot on my legs); so an apron and gloves are nice, and may not necessarily need to be leather.. Avoiding a lead splash or a water-explosion is usually easy, but a face sheild will help it if it happens. People have been jacked up by working with lead in poorly ventilated areas. Open garage and a small fan will usually suffice, or just working outside in an open area.


hmm quick maths. with 125grn boolits. 68*7000/125=3808 boolits. double that number since you'll likely be buying the alloys to mix in. You'll be going for a while, but for some people 7600 rounds just aint enough lol.