I started reloading for pistol this year (reloaded for other things since I was 14 or so) and I called around when I was looking for cast lead to load for 45. Since I enjoy shooting, I decided I couldn't justify it with my wife if I had to regularly pay $400 per 1000 for WWB ammo to support my habbit
So I looked around on the forums for recommended casters. I looked on the Cast Boolits site, here, and TFL, then made some phone calls. I called Missouri Bullet, Penn, Mastercast, and Bulletworks in Breckenridge, TX. Jimmy Mitchell the owner of Bulletworks was great to deal with and sounded a lot more helpful and friendly than most of the others I spoke with over the phone. He also seemed very knowledgeable and an experienced shooter so I used his product. I ordered 200 gr LSWC and 230gr RN.
After I received the bullets (less than a week turnaround I believe on 1k of each) I had some questions concerning OAL and amount of bell to put into the cases and some other general loading questions since I was new at this (final crimp size, powder recommendations, etc). He never failed to give me a good answer and didn't make me feel ignorant as a newb to cast lead reloading. I could also tell if he thought a piece of my equipment was less than his standard, he was easy/gentle in how he said it And he also helped with ways to make what I already had work well. Gotta appreciate that.
I ran into an issue with the 200 gr LSWC and my combination of components and the gun (Ruger P90) and was having to seat them to 1.230" (or less) and that was RIGHT at the border of functional judging by the 'plop into the chamber test'. Probably 1.210 would have been a fit to the gun but that's pushing it for OAL and was below the rim of the SWC. At 1.230 (the border line for the plop test) the gun would quit going into full battery once in a while and need a nudge to the slide as it got dirty. I called him and he asked me to describe my exact issues with the function problem and recommended a very slight taper/clearing of the barrel rifling right at the leading edge just past the chamber. He called this "Free-bore" which is a slight ream to clear a touch of the rifling for the first maybe 0.030 - 0.050 deep into the rifling where the bullet sits in the chamber/bore. I was a little hesitant at first to modify my stock barrel (not that a stock stainless Ruger P90 barrel is anything special or ir-replaceable). But I finally sent it to him and he did the work free of charge as a user of his cast bullets. I received the barrel back (1 week turnaround including shipping) a few months ago now it runs great and seems every bit as accurate as it was before. I can now seat the same bullets to 1.270" without any trouble. I usally seat the 200gr SWC to 1.250" - 1.260" after his work. I was very impressed with his service and all the help and will be using his 200 gr SWC bullets as long as he contines to sell/produce them. Great prices and great bullets.
I've been eyeing a 1911 and he's been very helpful with 1911 questions and tuning/suggestions. You can tell he loves 1911's and has been working on them a LONG time. He answered my questions and made recommendations. He sells Rock Island Armory Tactical and Citadel on the budget end (where I'm shopping at this stage in the game). He didn't try to sell me anything but when I asked about my price range he said he thought they were currently the best thing out there and had suggestions about the differences (and his preferences) in the other Armscor made lineup. I held a 1911 just to get a feel for the balance, and mechanisms. In passing I mentioned I had seen a Llama 1911 locally at a pawn shop (saw it there and had to take a quick look at it) and he tastefully recommended against it but again didn't try to sell me anything. I could tell right away I didn't want a used Llama even if it was inexpensive (had small sights, parts looked cheaply made, etc). But he didn't jump on that as an opportunity to say those are junk and make a sale which impressed me.
Anyways, all I can say is he's got good bullets, prices, and he and his wife are some of the best class act people I've ever dealt with. I'll continue using them for my LSWC's. I've also used Bear Creek Moly and the Mitchell/Bulletworks lubed lead seem to run better and cleaner in my gun. I'm a huge fan of their product and their service! If I do buy a new RIA 1911 I'll likely be calling them.
So I looked around on the forums for recommended casters. I looked on the Cast Boolits site, here, and TFL, then made some phone calls. I called Missouri Bullet, Penn, Mastercast, and Bulletworks in Breckenridge, TX. Jimmy Mitchell the owner of Bulletworks was great to deal with and sounded a lot more helpful and friendly than most of the others I spoke with over the phone. He also seemed very knowledgeable and an experienced shooter so I used his product. I ordered 200 gr LSWC and 230gr RN. After I received the bullets (less than a week turnaround I believe on 1k of each) I had some questions concerning OAL and amount of bell to put into the cases and some other general loading questions since I was new at this (final crimp size, powder recommendations, etc). He never failed to give me a good answer and didn't make me feel ignorant as a newb to cast lead reloading. I could also tell if he thought a piece of my equipment was less than his standard, he was easy/gentle in how he said it
And he also helped with ways to make what I already had work well. Gotta appreciate that.I ran into an issue with the 200 gr LSWC and my combination of components and the gun (Ruger P90) and was having to seat them to 1.230" (or less) and that was RIGHT at the border of functional judging by the 'plop into the chamber test'. Probably 1.210 would have been a fit to the gun but that's pushing it for OAL and was below the rim of the SWC. At 1.230 (the border line for the plop test) the gun would quit going into full battery once in a while and need a nudge to the slide as it got dirty. I called him and he asked me to describe my exact issues with the function problem and recommended a very slight taper/clearing of the barrel rifling right at the leading edge just past the chamber. He called this "Free-bore" which is a slight ream to clear a touch of the rifling for the first maybe 0.030 - 0.050 deep into the rifling where the bullet sits in the chamber/bore. I was a little hesitant at first to modify my stock barrel (not that a stock stainless Ruger P90 barrel is anything special or ir-replaceable). But I finally sent it to him and he did the work free of charge as a user of his cast bullets. I received the barrel back (1 week turnaround including shipping) a few months ago now it runs great and seems every bit as accurate as it was before. I can now seat the same bullets to 1.270" without any trouble. I usally seat the 200gr SWC to 1.250" - 1.260" after his work. I was very impressed with his service and all the help and will be using his 200 gr SWC bullets as long as he contines to sell/produce them. Great prices and great bullets.
I've been eyeing a 1911 and he's been very helpful with 1911 questions and tuning/suggestions. You can tell he loves 1911's and has been working on them a LONG time. He answered my questions and made recommendations. He sells Rock Island Armory Tactical and Citadel on the budget end (where I'm shopping at this stage in the game). He didn't try to sell me anything but when I asked about my price range he said he thought they were currently the best thing out there and had suggestions about the differences (and his preferences) in the other Armscor made lineup. I held a 1911 just to get a feel for the balance, and mechanisms. In passing I mentioned I had seen a Llama 1911 locally at a pawn shop (saw it there and had to take a quick look at it) and he tastefully recommended against it but again didn't try to sell me anything. I could tell right away I didn't want a used Llama even if it was inexpensive (had small sights, parts looked cheaply made, etc). But he didn't jump on that as an opportunity to say those are junk and make a sale which impressed me.
Anyways, all I can say is he's got good bullets, prices, and he and his wife are some of the best class act people I've ever dealt with. I'll continue using them for my LSWC's. I've also used Bear Creek Moly and the Mitchell/Bulletworks lubed lead seem to run better and cleaner in my gun. I'm a huge fan of their product and their service! If I do buy a new RIA 1911 I'll likely be calling them.
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