Cast Bullet Equipment

[TxAg]

If you cast bullets let me know what you think...

I am shooting a 44 mag SBH and plan on casting my own bullets. One day I might try smelting the lead, but for now I will buy alloy and go from there (one step at a time).

What are your recommendations for lube-sizers, and pots, etc?

Any lessons learned that might help me as I get started would be much appreciated.

Tks,
J

 

[calaverasslim]

If you have the money, buy the RCBS set up. If not, go with the Lyman. Pot, lubri-sizer and ladle. Most folks start with wheel weights, some buy stuff from various dealers to melt. I would find some wheel weights, but some linotype from Missouri Bullet Company, mix about 2lbs lino to about 15 w/w and go for it.

You'll need to buy a sizing die and top punch for the lubri-sizer in either 429 or 430.

In the future, you may want to use gas checks on some of the bullets and either of the RCBS or Lyman sizers will work.

Figure out which bullet design you want, and buy either the RCBS or Lyman mold, with RCBS handles.

Casting in not something you can do on the cheap if you want qyuality bullets.

Go to castbullet forum.com, and read all about it

I have been casting for about 20-25 years and enjoy it. Have a ready supply of bullets, but do buy from Missouri Bullet Company on occasion. They have top quality products for the best price.

Good luck

 

[snuffy]

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=645810 $64.99

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=516757 $19.49

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=458891 $139.99


This is the basic cost for a set-up that would get you ready to cast for a 44. Ready to load. The lubrisizer would need a G,H,I die for the size you would need for your SBH.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=303998 $19.99

The Lee Pro 4 20 Lb Furnace is the best one they make, it has the ability to function as a bottom pour, and enough room to allow you to use a ladle if you want to try that method.

The above prices would be the same no matter which handgun caliber(S) you may have. The same would go for rifle, the 2 cav lee molds all cost about the same money. Occasionally midway has a sale that will save a couple bucks off a mold, or other stuff.

The above lee mold can use a gas check. You'd be able to go with magnum loads, or mid range loads as well.

If you'd want to go with Lyman molds, or RCBS, they're in the 60 dollar range. They also require separate handles;

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=217188 $57.99

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=698819 $32.99

 

[USSR]

The previous suggestion that you go to http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/ is a good one. Regarding a lube-sizer and pot, affordable items are the Lee production pots and Lyman Lubri-sizers. To determine what size sizing die you need, you should measure your chamber throats and select a sizing die 1/2 to 1 thousand over that. Casting is a great hobby and will drive down your reloading costs substantially.

Don

 

[TxAg]

When I slugged my cylinder throats they all measured .432. The groove diameter of the barrel is .431. So I would need a .433 sizer? Is one available?

I was planning on getting LBT to make some moulds for me. I am thinking 260 to 270 grain LFN, Gas Checked. But before I order my mould I was going to order a few different types of bullets from Beartooth Bullets and try to figure out what my gun likes.

So is there much difference between the operation of the Lyman and the RCBS Lube-Sizers?

 

[MMCSRET]

There are a great many good and high quality molds available and more than a few of us use the Lee lube/sizing kit for the 44. You can get a mold/lube/sizing die all for less than 50$. That is a good basic way to start out. That said; I use molds from just about every maker and formulate my own alloy and tailor my bullets too the particular firearm. I size and lube using the Lee method for some, the RCBS for others and a Lyman 450 for still others. Casting is an intoxicating, communicable disease; BEWARE!!!!!!!!!

 

[MrWesson]

I prefer the price of lee equipment and it has served me well so far.

Get a 20lb bottom pour pot(~$60) and it has the option for ladle method(you wont use it).

I prefer the lee tumble molds/lee sizer. the only tumble mold they have for .44 mag is a 240gr wadcutter though.

 

[USSR]

When I slugged my cylinder throats they all measured .432. The groove diameter of the barrel is .431. So I would need a .433 sizer? Is one available?

The largest Lyman makes for your bore size is .431. I would go to the cast boolits website and either PM or email a man who goes by "buckshot" on that site. He custom makes these sizing dies for a reasonable price, and has made one in .455 for my .45 Colt. I would have him make a .433 sizing die for you.

So is there much difference between the operation of the Lyman and the RCBS Lube-Sizers?

Essentially the same and use the same sizing dies.

Don

 

[MMCSRET]

You can buy a Lee push thru sizer and then lap it out to the size you need. Easily done and very satisfying when accomplished. Part of the casting mystic is the self modification of tooling to accomplish a satisfactory bullet/bore fit.

 

[Shaky]

Lee will make custom sizers for $30 or so, whatever diameter you want. This option would leave you pan or tumble lubing the bullets, but save the cost of a lube sizer.

 

[TxAg]

Thanks All, Great Information. I'll do some research this weekend and am sure I will be back with more questions.

I'm just glad that handloading isn't addictive, I'm sure casting won't be either

 

[jcwit]

Coleman single burner dual fuel gas stove, available at W/M $40.00
Steel pot DO NOT USE ALUMINUM Available at Goodwill $2.00
Molds New or Used $Free to $50.00
Luber Sizer got 2 at gun showes $15.00 each
Lube, I make my own inconsequential

My bigest expense is all the molds, have somewhere around 20 different ones now.

 

[highlander 5]

I have an RCBS 22 lb pot new and love it. Got it used at a lgs short money. actually for what I paid for it the word is theft. RCBS sizer a heater from Midway for the harder lubes.
You'll need some kind of camp stove to melt ww,cast iron pot and something to make ingots out of. Myself I bought a nice double burner camp stove at Dick's,run off a 20 lb propane tank. Cast iron pot I bought at Walmart and bought 2 cast iron corn bread pans that make 8 2 lb ingots each.they look like a cast iron skillet but divided up into 8 wedge shapes. Had a Lee pot for a while,but when I used it I couldn't leave it unattended as it would leak. More than once I had to scrape a puddle of lead off my cellar floor. I have RCBS,Redding,LBT,NEI and Rapine mold blocks no complaints about them. Never had good luck with Lyman or Lee. Oh and in case you are wondering I've been casting my own for near 40 years almost as long as I've been reloading.

 

[armoredman]

I use a Lee 10 pound pot, Lee molds, (except for one awesome NOE mold), and use Lee push through sizers with Lee liquid alox tumble lubed. Works great. I am a small volume caster, only do a few hundred at a time.





Some of my guns are very fond of cast loads.

 

[wgaynor]

I'm thrifty (my wife calls me cheap), which is why I cast my own. I bought a hot plate off of Amazon (get one without a thermostat or take it off and rewire it with heavy gauge wire), bought some old cast iron pots at a flea market, bought my mold and sizer(Lee), lube, and Dipper (Lee) at midway. I spent under $50 for everything but the bullet mold and sizer. You recoup your investment quickly.

Other than that, go to the castboolits website as posted above, and spend some time reading and asking.

 

[PapaG]

You don't always have to size over the chamber size......but most of the time you need to. If you are not casting out of ultra hard metal, sizing to .431 might work as the bullet will slug out to chamber mouth size. Be sure you have a good lube. I still use the old Alox/beeswax formula...used to use one called Javilina. I use the Lyman 429421 in both solid and hollow point form, cast of wheelweights with a little pure lead thrown in, shoot them out of a Charter bulldog, a 624 smith, a 29 smith and an old three screw Ruger. I size to .429 or .430 depending on gun. Two of the guns are .432 and one is ..433 and I don't get leading with any of them. I did get leading with my loads in another super blackhawk when using the same bullet, commercially cast of really hard lead and sized to .430..........and it had that crappy red waxy lube on it. I'm slowly taking the wax off of the fifteen hundred I have left and lubing with alox.
Really hot loads can lead with about anything.
My loads for 44 special run about 775 fps and 44 mag are 1000/1100 with lead. For deer, I buy jacketed bullets.

 

[chris in va]

Thought I was the only one with the ghetto setup.

8" cast iron skillet, hotplate, used Lee bottom pour, some Lee molds and JPW for lube.

 

[TxAg]

So I did some more research this weekend and decided I'm going to go with a Lyman Kit, from Midway USA. It has a 10# furnace, ladle, and 4500 lube sizer for $170. I think that's a pretty good deal and a good place to start. This way I'll feel better about it when I buy more equipment down the road. I figure I can spend any savings now on more moulds. I've figured out its all about rationalizing your purchases.

I did find what I think is a great resource. See below link, and download the pdf "From Ingot to Target: A Cast Bullet Guide for Handgunners".

http://www.lasc.us/

Thanks,
J

 

[Rory McCanuck]

For moulds, it might be worth your while to have a look here:
http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_5_12
He also carries Lee sizers.

 

[Hanzerik]

For moulds, it might be worth your while to have a look here:
http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/inde...x&cPath=1_5_12
He also carries Lee sizers.

Great products from him. I have the six-banger TLC432-265-RF. With straight WWs and a gas check they weigh about 275grs. I use the .432 sizer he sells because my .44Mag Rossi leverguns are about a .431, and regular mass produced cast bullets come in .430. I was getting pretty bad leading until I bumped the size up to .432.

17grs of 2400 under one of these is all I need.