Bullet casting

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The Happy Kaboomer said:
I cast with 4 molds in rotation to alleviate the over heat problem. I use strictly WW's and sometimes and a little lynotype for rifle bullets. I've found a gas burner with lead pot faster one the melt and remelt than ANY electric pot. I don't have to make ingots. Fill pot with WW's/melt/flux and start casting. Been doing it for over 45 years. Smallest I cast is 32/380. Largest is 444 Marlin & 45/70 with a dozen or so calibers in between. I keep a ton or so of WW's on hand and replenish from my tire dealer as needed.............I'll never run out of bullets.
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You must cast a lot hotter than I do. I only use one mold at a time, from 1 to 6 cavities, and cast at 675 degrees. A 6 cavity 400gr 45 Cal aluminum mold can get hot, so would require me to slow down or cool the mold. I use a PID controller and thermometer so I know the temp is correct.
 
I bought a couple of LEE 380/9mm molds in April 2020 for $22 each (2-cavity molds with handles included) and free shipping. I basically paid myself back for them in my first casting session with each mold. Made 500 102gn round nose and 350 95gn flat nose. It's going to take a while to shoot all those in the little 380. The 102gn round nose makes a great little powder puff plinker in my 9mm with a pinch of W231.

The 6-cavity LEE molds are a little more expensive and you have to buy the handles separately. Dropping 6 bullets at a time really speeds things up when casting. I recommend the 6-cavity molds for calibers you shoot a lot of. I've had the 356-120-TC mold for a few years and it works great. Also have the 356-125-2R mold coming in the mail.
 
Do you have any trouble finding wheel weights made of lead these days?

The Happy Kaboomer said:
I cast with 4 molds in rotation to alleviate the over heat problem. I use strictly WW's and sometimes and a little lynotype for rifle bullets. I've found a gas burner with lead pot faster one the melt and remelt than ANY electric pot. I don't have to make ingots. Fill pot with WW's/melt/flux and start casting. Been doing it for over 45 years. Smallest I cast is 32/380. Largest is 444 Marlin & 45/70 with a dozen or so calibers in between. I keep a ton or so of WW's on hand and replenish from my tire dealer as needed.............I'll never run out of bullets.
Click to expand...
 
gnappi said:
Then there's always that "BIG one" that will make them an island :)
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Looks like it's more likely to be the "Big One" that changes their whole government around by force. You can't keep losing jobs and companies to other states. While you keep raising taxes, and stealing personal liberties and freedom. They've already got bumper to bumper traffic jams from people trying to get the hell out of that place.
 
AJC1 said:
I'm stuck going back so I care
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I lived in CA once.... what a mess. How can you mess up such a beautiful state.

anyways..... Back on topic, just mold lead bullet and coat it in a hot pink and if someone ask, tell them it’s: metal neutral soy base bullets. A wise man told me, truth is only for people who deserve it.
 
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Glenn Berryhill said:
Do you have any trouble finding wheel weights made of lead these days?
Click to expand...

Wheelweight availability varies by location. I'm still finding them around here and I usually see about 70% lead weights. My small local shop is good for a bucket about every 6 weeks. A couple of years ago I bought over 5600# of sorted weights from an older caster that was thinning his stock. These were in Louisiana. In some states they are almost extinct. So, it depends.
 
lightman said:
Wheelweight availability varies by location. I'm still finding them around here and I usually see about 70% lead weights. My small local shop is good for a bucket about every 6 weeks. A couple of years ago I bought over 5600# of sorted weights from an older caster that was thinning his stock. These were in Louisiana. In some states they are almost extinct. So, it depends.
Click to expand...
Sometimes I get wheel weights free, sometimes I pay about $10 for a five gallon bucket of mixed weights that usually net about 60% lead. You'd be surprised how many guys at the tire shop say they haven't seen a lead wheel weight in years, and half a five gallon bucket is lead. Those painted lead weights marked AW fool them all the time.
 
The Happy Kaboomer said:
I cast with 4 molds in rotation to alleviate the over heat problem. I use strictly WW's and sometimes and a little lynotype for rifle bullets. I've found a gas burner with lead pot faster one the melt and remelt than ANY electric pot. I don't have to make ingots. Fill pot with WW's/melt/flux and start casting. Been doing it for over 45 years. Smallest I cast is 32/380. Largest is 444 Marlin & 45/70 with a dozen or so calibers in between. I keep a ton or so of WW's on hand and replenish from my tire dealer as needed.............I'll never run out of bullets.
Click to expand...
What’s the tired old shooter in the photo?
 
WeekendReloader said:
I bought a couple of LEE 380/9mm molds in April 2020 for $22 each (2-cavity molds with handles included) and free shipping. I basically paid myself back for them in my first casting session with each mold. Made 500 102gn round nose and 350 95gn flat nose. It's going to take a while to shoot all those in the little 380. The 102gn round nose makes a great little powder puff plinker in my 9mm with a pinch of W231.

The 6-cavity LEE molds are a little more expensive and you have to buy the handles separately. Dropping 6 bullets at a time really speeds things up when casting. I recommend the 6-cavity molds for calibers you shoot a lot of. I've had the 356-120-TC mold for a few years and it works great. Also have the 356-125-2R mold coming in the mail.
Click to expand...
I have the same Lee 102g mold. It is my main plinking round for the 380 and 9mm. Can't even guess how many thousands I've cast with it.
 
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