Thinking about getting into casting...

[goon]

Now that I've been reloading for a few years I'm thinking about getting into casting.
I'd primarliy like to be able to make hard-cast bullets for my 30-30 and the .357 I'll be picking up soon. For some reason, I am really fascinated with the idea of a "solid" for the 30-30 and I'd like to be able to make something in the 170+ grain weight that I could drive up to 2,000 FPS or so.
What do I need to get started?
And although I realize this will be subject to what I can find used, what should I expect to budget for this?
Thanks.

 

[scrat]

60.00-100

Your going to need a supply of lead, molds, sizers, ladel, heat source.

For a heat source i use a lee production 4. works good thats about 45.00 molds can run as low as 20.00 up to hundreds. then if you get a lee size kit they are like 15.00 each. start off with the .30-30 as its so easy to do that one. For lead i just buy mine off of ebay or get it from members. If you are getting lead in wheel weights form. then you need to melt them down flux them and pour into ingot molds. Do not use your lee pot for this. i take an old propane camp stove and an old pot. then use it for all your lead cleaning and fluxing. its very very easy

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

go over to gunload/castboolits.com and ask this question. The experts there will keep you out of trouble and keep you from ruining your wheel weights.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Floppy_D]

Casting is the key factor in inexpensive reloading. Buddy up with some mom and pop tire stores, and find cheap wheel weights. Ingot, cast, and bask in the glory of $8/1000 bullets. You'll need to factor in gas checks with those 30/30 rds. The 357's should be good without, assuming moderate velocity.

 

[lordgroom]

I am new to casting myself. I may be wrong with what I write and I hope others will chime in.

Are you looking for cheap as possible with low production or faster but a little more expensive?

You can go cheap and buy dipper, furnace, Lee tumble lube mold, and a lee lube and sizer kit.

If you want some more speed get a bottom pour furnace. You can buy a good Lee for about $60 before shipping or more expensive furnaces. I love the RCBS but it cost over $300.

Lee molds are a great place to start. When you gain experience the 6 gang molds are a pleasure to use. You can find Lyman molds used for $45 shipped and new lee 6 gang molds for $35 or so plus $12 handles.

I bought a Lyman 45 sizer from Castboolits.com or THR for $45. Sizing dies are $9-$18 depending on new versus used. Top Punches are $8 or so.

Ask at your local tire shop for wheel weights. Typically a 5 gallon bucket of wheelweights for $20 - $25. After processing (smelting out inpurities, removing stems, and steel clips) you will yield abou 80-100 pounds of lead good for casting. At 7000 grains per 1 pound of lead that's 700,000 grains or 4400 bullets for your .357 if you shoot 158 Grain bullets.

For smelting, you will need a cast iron dutch oven, about $25 and the base of a turkey fryer. You will heat the wheelweights until they just melt and use a slotted spon to skim off the steel clips. Remove the tire stems before heating. If you have a thermometer, heat the smelt to 700 and skim. As the temperature increase, zinc can be melted into the solution for disastrous results. After the clips are removed, pour in a small amount of motor oil, toilet ring wax, candle wax, or sawdust. Stir this in and skim off the black that forms. Use a ladel to pour the lead into Cast iron or steel muffin tins (that have rust or a graphite spray on the sides) and you have ingots.

Use these ingots in your furnace and flux again before casting.

I think you can get into casting for $200 and your payback is almost instantaneous. $200 for materials, $25 for wheel weights, propane. Your first 100 pounds of wheel weights make over 4000 bullets. What is the current cost of 4000 bullets? Materials are paid for!

Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me with questions.

 

[Seafarer12]

I just cast for my 45/70 because of the cost of bullets. I think I paid about 60 for a 20lb bottom pour lee pot. I paid about 20 for my mold. I just use the cheap lee sizer. If your going to get into pistol casting spring for the 6 cavity mold.

 

[goon]

Thanks.
I'll be placing some want ads locally to try and get started on getting the stuff together to get started.
I'll also check around at the tire places to see if I can find a source for wheel weights, but I imagine that with the area I'm in, someone will already have beaten me to the punch.

 

[lordgroom]

Goon,

Where are you located? I have a NIB Lee 20 lb bottom pour furnace, a Lee 2 cavity 200 Grain SWC bullet mold, and a Lee lube and sizer kit either in .45 or .357 (I'm on vacation at the moment and don't have it in front of me) that I plan to sell. All NIB. I have a slightly used Lee 2 Cavity .38 Spc/ .357 Magnum mold I will probably sell.

 

[goon]

lordgroom - Unfortunately I'm too far away from you to take advantage of most of that.
Seems to me that the furnace would be a bloody heavy thing to ship.

 

[dmftoy1]

The furnace weights maybe 10 pounds . . .less the pot is full of lead.

My best advice would be to scrounge. When you've got a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights you'll probably have already scrounged up a dutch oven and slotted spoon to smelt with. I had some good luck at the local thrift stores and if you have a "harbor freight" nearby I think i got a brand new dutch oven there once for $15 . . .you don't even need to season it for this usage. (I bought a new dutch oven for our camper and took the old camper oven for smelting)

castboolits.gunloads.com is the best advice I was given . . .those guys are great. I'd basically start scrounging for wheel weights and reading like crazy at castboolits . .by the time you have the wheel weights you'll know enough to smelt. After you've done your smelting you'll probably know enough to start casting . . don't get frustrated as it takes a bit to figure out the temps for your molds, etc. (It's actually pretty damn easy though)

FWIW.

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[goon]

That isn't too heavy at all - please check your PM's.

 

[dmftoy1]

Hi Goon! I think you want to PM lordgroom as he's the one with the pot. I was just telling you the weight as I used to own that same model!

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[lordgroom]

Shipping weight is very low on the furnace. Midwayusa charges $8-$10to ship it.

 

[RustyFN]

I would suggest a separate smelting and production setup. When you smelt keep the temp below 700 degrees and you won't have to worry about getting any zinc in your melt. You can scoop the zinc weights off with the clips. Here are a few link that I think will help. Also take Dave's advice and join at Cast Boolits, a lot of great info over there.
http://www.glockpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1842
http://www.glockpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2259
http://www.glockpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2523
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=31792
Rusty

 

[goon]

Lordgroom - check your pm's.

 

[lordgroom]

Reply sent to goon

 

[Jimfern]

is this kit any good?

I've been thinking of trying casting for .311 and .458 bullets to and was thinking of buying this kit:
Lyman Mini-Mag Furnace Master Casting Kit 110 Volt


It's about $140 @ midway:
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=573247

Does anyone have any experience with it?

 

[scrat]

its ok just very expensive you go spend 146 on that. i can buy a lee sizing kit and have the same as what you have. As if your going to top cast might as well take out your camping stove and a old pot. thats what i first did my casting on. You can buy a lee bottom pour pot which is way better. use the press you load with and install the sizing die and size all the bullets. so like i posted earlier you can get into casting for very cheap. my only concern would be how many bullets would you have to cast in order to pay for that 140.00 amount and you stil need the molds. kinda expensive.

 

[SSN Vet]

smelting..... you can do it over a Coleman camp stove (or any other similar heat source) with a cast iron pot

Casting...... need to decide whether you want to ladel cast or use a bottom pour pot (the Lee bottom pours are notorious drippers) but there are remedies.

Lubing...... need to decide whether you want to tumble lube in Alox, or use hard lubes.

I think the Lyman kit is a good deal if you want to use a lube-sizer.

If you're planning on pushing rifle loads up to the velocities you stated, I think you're going to want to play with hard lubes (speed green, Larrs red, etc...) You can do this the cheap way (as I do) and pan lube, or you can get a lube-sizer (which I would prefer, but unfortunately can't afford).

Nothing wrong with the Lee syzing system (I use it with good results), but sizing, seating the gas check and hard lubing all in one step is really nice...

good luck...