johnjohn
Member
I'm with the folks who started casting within a few days after starting to reloading. A little over 20+ yrs. ago
Are more people than ever shooting cast boolits.
- Thread starter AJC1
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lightman
Member
I've been a lifelong caster. I always considered the heyday of casting to have been in the past, maybe slowing down in the 70's. Back then cheap or free lead was very plentiful. Not so much now. It seems like a lot of the newer generations have not had much interest in casting. Misunderstood fear of lead poisoning and the shortage of lead may be some of the causes. And the required work. But there seems to be some renewed interest. Thats good, the hobby can use new casters.
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KeithK
Contributing Member
I have never shot cast boolits, I have only reloaded pistol production bullets from Hornady, and others, usually FMJ HP. I just purchased 200 cast boolits from Graf's I think it was and have yet to reload with them. I am going to do a little schooling learning on this new boolit before actually using them, but i'm looking forward to it.
Keith
Keith
tightgroup tiger
Member
I've been a life long caster also, but I still prefer to buy commercial cast coated bullets when I want them.
I can't compete with their weight consistency.
I can have up to 2 gr of inconsistency with mine, while the commercial caster I buy from has maybe .5gr inconsistency for most of his bullets.
Not to mention I can still buy them at 6-7 cents a bullet for coated lead bullets, where most of the plated bullets now are like twice that now.
I can't compete with their weight consistency.
I can have up to 2 gr of inconsistency with mine, while the commercial caster I buy from has maybe .5gr inconsistency for most of his bullets.
Not to mention I can still buy them at 6-7 cents a bullet for coated lead bullets, where most of the plated bullets now are like twice that now.
THEWELSHM
Member
OP
OP
AJC1
Member
Make sure to check your expander options. The rcbs cowboy dies do a great job, and the lyman m die is infamous. The noe expanders were shown to me and I'm on the wagon because they were available. The universal expander is on Amazon
reloaded_in_pa
Member
About 80% of my pistol loads are with cast. I've just recently started casting some rifle bullets.
Klaatu Barada Nikto
Member
Great timing for this thread. I have never cast a boolit but wanted to start.
Yesterday a 6 cavity .451 cast showed up. I ordered it so long ago I forgot that I had.
So what lead am I looking for? 90-6-4, 92-6-2, et al.
Subsonic, 230g 45 Auto.
Wanted .451 because I plan to powder coat.
Yesterday a 6 cavity .451 cast showed up. I ordered it so long ago I forgot that I had.
So what lead am I looking for? 90-6-4, 92-6-2, et al.
Subsonic, 230g 45 Auto.
Wanted .451 because I plan to powder coat.
reloaded_in_pa
Member
96-2-2 was my last 20 pounds. No issues with hardness or fill out so far. Before that I used 98-2, the 2 being tin.
Klaatu Barada Nikto
Member
Thanks, was also wondering what smelter I should be looking for.
memtb
Member
I was around 4 years of hand loading before I started casting......around 19 years old!
memtb
reloaded_in_pa
Member
I use an old cast iron pot over a turkey fryer burner to melt and mix. For filling molds i have a cheap Lee 5 pound bottom pour that works great. If you plan on casting alot of bullets, I would step up to a 10 or even 20 pound pot.
Catpop
Member
Four things are required to be able to reload your own ammunition
1. Cartridge cases- plenty
2. Projectiles- over a ton of lead in stock
3. Powder- good for my lifetime
4. Primers- enough
All good for my lifetime if I don’t get carried away. By the way I’m 70!
I cast so I don’t have to rely on factory bullets! It’s a very satisfying addition to my reloading experience!
1. Cartridge cases- plenty
2. Projectiles- over a ton of lead in stock
3. Powder- good for my lifetime
4. Primers- enough
All good for my lifetime if I don’t get carried away. By the way I’m 70!
I cast so I don’t have to rely on factory bullets! It’s a very satisfying addition to my reloading experience!
I just started casting this past year. I lucked into a Lee 20lb pot probably 4yrs ago, 3yrs ago got a mess of wheel weights, 2yrs ago separated them and made ingots, and last year finally started casting. So, it was going to happen, just happened to coincide with the rona.
OP
OP
AJC1
Member
If your a scavenger and even if your not a way to test hardness is important. I use the lee tester because of the article done by the Los Angeles shooters club. A bhn of 8 for medium power 45acp loads worked great in my kimber. It's a low pressure round so flat bases and PC will get it done.
The lead sold by rmr was perfect for this application.
Nearly 10 years ago I started reloading. The LGS had some Berry's and Missouri bullets. My reloading was split between them. After realizing in a short time that the shop didn't keep a serious supply on hand, I started ordering directly from both bullet makers. Since then I have bought jacketed bullets from other places.
Some of the cast bullets proven challenging to get that right load. But that is part of the journey.
A little over a year ago I finally found a decent source of lead and acquired the alloys for casting. With a 20 lb pot and a ladle, I entered the casting world.
There are some jacketed and plated bullets I will continue to reload with. And some of Missouri's that will probably be reordered. But with the vast world of molds, it's a new horizon for cast bullets in our guns.
Some of the cast bullets proven challenging to get that right load. But that is part of the journey.
A little over a year ago I finally found a decent source of lead and acquired the alloys for casting. With a 20 lb pot and a ladle, I entered the casting world.
There are some jacketed and plated bullets I will continue to reload with. And some of Missouri's that will probably be reordered. But with the vast world of molds, it's a new horizon for cast bullets in our guns.
Swampman
Old Fart
Been casting 30+ years for both rifle and pistol.
They've always been great for me.
What's your beef with the M Die?
They've always been great for me.
OP
OP
AJC1
Member
I consider PC part of the process but I'm new school in this game.
OP
OP
AJC1
Member
Has notoriety, is well known. Maybe just a bad word choice.
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,371
Things like true Keith semiwadcutters for the .44 and Ray Thompson 158 gc bullets for the .357 are essentially impossible to buy over the counter, especially in the proper hardness and diameter. There are many other valid reasons for casting your own, but ready access to exactly what I want tops the list for me.
"Boolits = as God laid it into the soil, Grand Old Galena, The Silver Stream graciously hand poured into molds for our consumption. . . Bullets= Machine made utilizing Full Length Gas Checks as to provide projectiles for the masses."
Making and shooting bullets isn't for everyone. It takes more knowledge, skill, patience an more knowledge of firearms to make, process, load and shoot booits. Anybody can buy bullets...
Making and shooting bullets isn't for everyone. It takes more knowledge, skill, patience an more knowledge of firearms to make, process, load and shoot booits. Anybody can buy bullets...
THEWELSHM
Member
I use Lino type lead, use a lighter to soot up your molds, and make sure they are hot mate, I shoot Hornady dry lube in a mist when I start good to go for the session, if Lee dies let them cool every batch of ten. I quench my hot bullets into a bucket of cool water with a towel in the bottom. Stay ventilated, AND NEVER PUT WET LEAD BACK INTO THE POT...Don’t ask how I know this...good luck mate stay safe, if a cast doesn’t work out, you get a redo..
Thewelshm
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