[jcerillo70]

Hey guys,

It's that time where i think im ready to take this to the next step and start casting my own bullets.And with all the 4th of july sales going on nows the time if ever. I don't know anything about this stuff, so ill just go by the lyman manuel.

Any starter kits with everything? i shoot 9mm-45acp-38 specl-357 mag.

Thanks,

Joe Cerillo

[Sunray]

"...manuel..." Who?
"...Any starter kits with everything?..." Lyman.
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/master-casting-kit.php
You need a well ventilated room to do it in too.

[jcerillo70]

"...manuel..." Who?

hahaha hes my gardener.

Thanks

i would assume i need special mold's for each caliber. And lube and the alloy

[Sunray]

"...he's my gardener..." There's a line about Manuel Labour's Oriental half sister Lo Pay.

[jcerillo70]

My family thinks im crazy laughing at the computer lol

[Sunray]

Wait'll it starts laughing back. You can make it do that with a .wav file. Done in Control Panel, Sounds and Audio Devices, then Sounds and select the event. .wav files can be had for free with a net search.

[wgaynor]

You might be able to go cheaper by buying stuff individually and "making do". I bought my coleman stove, cast iron pot, and cast iron cornbread tin at a Flea Market. I bought my Manual at the gunshop, and the moulds, sizer, and lube at MidwayUsa. Didn't cost much at all. Just don't forget to grab the lead while you still can. Just ask those that live in California...it'll be disapearing one day. I'm stocking up until I have 8 5 gallon buckets full. That will fit my needs for a while :)

[grubbylabs]

Look at this forum. They will be able to give you quite a bit of help.

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

I started out with

the Lyman book

Two Lee molds, one 45, one 44

20# bottom pour pot.

Two Lee sizing dies.

If you use the Lee sizing die and a tumble lube mold then you don't need a separate sizing press. You simply cast and let cool, then tumble lube, then put the Lee sizing die in your single stage press and size all your bullets. After that you load and shoot.

For what its worth I think that Tom at Accurate molds make a great mold, I am very happy with mine and can't wait till I can afford to order more molds from him.

[noylj]

The biggest problem is getting lead. You can buy ingots of alloy, but the ones I have seen cost almost as much per bullet as buying commercial cast bullets ready to go.
Also, it is only going to get worse since "everyone" knows how deadly toxic lead is...

[jcerillo70]

it is only going to get worse since "everyone" knows how deadly toxic lead is...

IS there a substitute metal for lead for when the time comes?

[RustyFN]

The best way to go is to have a separate smelting and casting setup. A lot of the same tools can be used for both but you don't want to smelt in your casting pot. This is a decent thread on getting started http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=346199.

[grubbylabs]

I new I was forgetting something. I also bought a 45 dollar turkey fryer set up from Walmart and a cheap speckled enamle pot so did not have to kill the nice SS pot that comes with the fryer. I also picked up a slotted spoon and ladle from a local thrift store along with some muffin tins.

[zxcvbob]

The big thing is a source of cheap lead. After you get that, a $10 electric hotplate, a small stainless steel saucepan, some kind of ingot molds (beer cans will work in a pinch.) This is just to break down and purify the scrap lead and get it into usable form. If you start doing this a lot, you'll want a bigger setup, like a turkey fryer with a cast iron pot.

Now you need a casting furnace and some molds. I recommend a Lee 20-pound bottom-pour furnace and a couple of Lee bullet molds to start, unless you find a deal on some nice used Lyman, RBCS, Ideal, etc. iron molds.

Next you need to be able to lube the bullets and maybe need to size them (they might not need sizing if you get lucky.) Cheapest and easiest is to use Lee Liquid Alox lube. And that's a lot less messy and sticky if you dilute it 50% with melted paste wax, like Johnson or Trewax.