Casting Boolits...

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KeeberAthGA

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Hi everyone,

I'm fairly new (3 months) to reloading... spent the better part of 6 months before that reading every manual/guide I could get my hands on. I am ready to take a really good look at casting my own now.

Looking to get started as inexpensively as possible as I have very limited range access and I only work up small loads until I get a feel for them.

looking for personal recommendations on equipment and the like:

.30 rifle mold, anyone have a personal favorite? I was looking for something in 312-314 range to be resized to .311 ( was thinking that a lee C312-185-1R would serve my purposes nicely)

Sizing I assume the lee lubersizer would be a natural bet?

I have where several people are using coleman stoves to melt lead, should I go ahead and 'bite the bullet' and just get a furnace?

Lead source will be wheel weights

Thanks for any comments in advance and I love the board.

Chris
 
depends on what your shooting that bullet from. I have had pretty good luck with lee molds. here are a few things your going to need.

1. heatsource
2. mold
3. wax candle wax
4. ladle. 2 if possible
5. two old screw drivers flat head.
6. Bucket of water.
7. Towels
8. small cans (soup cans work best)

i purchase my lead mostly scrap yards or ebay. buy in bulk 50lbs or more.
i started out using a coleman stove. Got tired of buying propane and the inconsistancy of heat. So i purchased a lee production IV pot. What a great choice.

Here is a break down of how i do it.
1.put a 3/8 board on table usually a 15x15 piece of plywood. then set the pot on it. plug it in turn to highest setting. put in 10lbs of lead. Put a soup can under the spout
2. Clean out your mold if its not already clean. soap water. then heat up. i usually put it on top of the pot.
3. once the lead is liquified Take a small pea sized amount of wax and drop it in the lead. Now stir it up with the screw driver really good. When done put the screw driver in the bucket of water. Then take the ladle. scoop up all the junk on top and put in another soup can. Now lower the heat to number 7
4. TEST. put the mold under the spout. pull the handle. if it fills up the mold and hardends up on the top it may be too cold. I use the screw driver handle to wack at the sprue plate to break the top of the lead.
5. drop the bullet into the bucket of water. Make sure its not that close to the pot. you do not want any water going into the pot.
6. now repeat. If it was hard to break the spru or if the bullet was not filling out looked like it had a lot of cracks. the mold is not hot enough. heat it up some more. by putting the corner of it into the lead for about 30 seconds.

Ok why i use a screw driver. is when using a lee production pot it will leak. always does. So i use a screw driver to whack the mold. Same time if the spout is leaking after i poured the mold i can adjust the top screw. As i have a screw driver in hand.


Tip #2. i always keep on handy a few paper clips the jumbo size bent like an L shape. Why. because using a lee pot. Once in a while the lead will slow down as it comes out. So when it does i carefully put the L part up the spout move it around. Pull it out. Yep you will notice some powdery stuff coming out and junk. This means time to put some wax in again and scrape the bottom.

Tip #3 put a towel in your bucket and a sponge on top of the water. when you dumpt the bullets in the water they will hit the sponge and roll into the water. A soft towel on the bottome prevents them from getting messed up as they hit the bottom. Also using a sponge and towel prevents alot of splashes.
 
What to shoot them in, and how much?

I shoot a lot of cast bullets, so I am facilitized for casting lots of bullets in little time, operating two furnaces at a time, 4 or 6 cavity molds, and Star sizer/luber. The smaller the quantity you will shoot, or the more tentative you are about this, the simpler, and lower output you should choose, such as a dipper and pot over a Coleman stove, 1 or 2 cavity mold, and Lee lube/size system.

I shoot lots of pistol calibers and several rifle calibers, and I like performance to be about as good as jacketed bullets, both in terms of velocity and accuracy. I use gas checks on everything over about 1200 fps, which requires a different type of mold, and the gas check adds about 3 cents per bullet.

Decide what you are going to shoot at with these bullets. If targets, and only very informally, low performance loads will do you fine. If accuracy is critical, some mold designs have strong followings because of proven results. If you are going to hunt with them, larger diameter bullets are better, especially those with flat noses. If the ranges will be longer, then heavier and faster bullets are in order.

Regardless, your firearm has to be compatible with the bullet. Some firearms can not handle cast, sometimes because of the rifling, other times due to other things. Some firearms like round or pointed nosed bullets. Virtually all tube magazine fed firearms MUST have flat tips on their bullets.

In response to your specific requests for information, cast bullets shoot best when sized least, and I try to lube but not size rifle bullets. For most .308" groove barrels, I try to cast at .311". The Lee 180 grain bullet has given me good results, but I have had better results with the Lyman 311291 and 311041. One that has an even better reputation is the Lyman 311284, but I have not used it. All of these .30 caliber molds are gas check designs, and I've run all of them to 1800 fps, and some to 2200 fps.

If maximum economy is you goal, look at plain base designs. Plain base designs are very low velocity.

I am a believer in the old NRA formula lubricant: 50% Beeswax, 50% Alox 2138F. It can be applied with a lubricator/sizer (more expensive), by hand (messy), or by putting the bullets base down in a pie pan/pouring melted lube in to fill the lube grooves/using a cookie cutter to cut them out. The cookie cutter is easily made by cutting off a fired cartridge case.

Lee's Liquid Alox is a material similar to Alox 2138F. I have used some of it, but when used as directed I have had a problem with lube from bullet noses building up in the seating die, resulting in progressively deeper seated bullets. The way around this is to thin the Alox with mineral spirits, then dip the bullets while holding bullet noses with tweezers/tongs. I also like Dillon seating dies for seating such bullets, as they can be disassembled for cleaning without losing adjustment.

You will need to bell your cases before loading. I've only recently tried the Lee system, which works well. I have always used the Lyman M dies before.
 
I currently load for 9mm, 40sw, 7.62x54r, and 338 WinMag... with any great regularity. I will probably start casting for all 4 calibers. Both pistol rounds are for my G22 with StormLake barrels, the 54R of course is for the Mosinitis, and 338 is for my A-bolt.

My coleman stove is one of the ole'liquid fuel burners and I have a cubic crap ton of fuel for it, so I don't have to figure that into costs.

Thanks for the feedback.
 
On the lube. i used to use the nra formula. However i really got tired of it. i guess the time to really use it is passing us. As what happens is during the summer months you can size and lubricate the bullets with the nra stuff. I used o use Javalin. Then a day later you go look at the bullets and lube is at the bottom of the container. just melts away. So i just use the lee liquid alox. i have had some very good results. One thing as far as thining it works. If you go to pour out the lla and its too thick. Try thining it. also try putting the lla in some hot water. after a few minutes it will be a little liquidy. Also when pressing in the bullets after every session i clean my dies with very hot water. Keeping them clean regulary will help in reducing them from build up.
 
I would never use an electric furnace (pot) to melt wheel weights in; there is too much junk to get into the valve, and lees valves are not the best in the world to start with.
You should get a propane fired rig like a turkey frier and use a large cast iron pot or dutch oven to melt the wheel weights in; After skimming the clips and junk from the lead, pour the lead into ingot molds or muffin pans.
Then use the ingots to feed clean lead to your lee pot..
 
My coleman stove is one of the ole'liquid fuel burners and I have a cubic crap ton of fuel for it, so I don't have to figure that into costs.
Click to expand...

The problem with the coleman stove is temperature regulation, maintaining a steady temperature. If you don't control the temp, you will have inconsistent weight in your boolits. Mold fill out is the culprit.

Electric furnaces have thermostats that regulate the temp pretty darn well.

Wheel weights are too soft for any velocities over 1600 fps. The lead is just not strong enough, because it is not hard enough. Water dropping is not the answer either. It results in a somewhat harder surface, but it softens with age.

Some don't even bother with wheelweights, they go directly to linotype for rifle boolits. Lino is getting real difficult to find. It was used for years to print newspapers, and other printing. The newer methods of printing has resulted in lino getting hard to find.

Lee sizer dies work fine, BUT they are not available in a wide variety of sizes. .308, .309, adn .311 are all they offer in 30 cal. You do NOT have to have a TL,(tumble lube), boolit mold to use the lee liquid alox and the lee push-through sizer. As mentioned, you can dip the boolit up to the crimp groove in LLA, then place it on wax paper to dry. Then run it through the sizer.

P2220035.jpg

P2220037.jpg

Those are 30 cal 100 grain round nose, (for my 7.62 X 25 tokorav. These were placed on a chunk of cardboard. Then I ran them through a lee .309 sizer. They shot quite well in my CZ-52.
 
Two further items

For a 7.62x54R, you may find groove diameter to be as high as .318". Groove diameters of as large as .315" are not uncommon. You must have a bullet at least as large as the groove diameter, or gasses will blow by the bullet, cutting vast amounts of Lead off the bullet's sides and depositing it in the bore. You can slug a barrel with a fishing sinker, or do a chamber cast with Cerrosafe to find barrel groove and throat configuration. You can also get Lee size diameters different from stock, for slightly more money.

I like fitting a bullet's diameter to the throat of the barrel, very lightly engraving the bullet on chambering. This contributes to accuracy. This is not a condition I want to have with a semi-auto rifle or pistol.
 
I'm reloading the 54R for a Remington made Mosin-Nagant m1891. It's got the longest barrel of any Mosin I have ever seen and its nearly immaculate. I slugged it some time ago and it checks out at .310. It's a good shooter already with just milsurp, but i'm wanting to baby the gun now thats it's 92 years old and finese it into stacking bullets at 100yrds. The bore is good and clean, and other than what I put through it, it looks like it didn't see much service.
 
For the 54R I'm having good luck with 314299 with wheel weights at about 750 degree's. I can easily get .312 .313 or .314 out of it. I haven't needed to get it any larger for my Mosin's. I'm easily getting up to the 1600-1700 fps range with 2400 and I think I'm pretty close to that with Trailboss. I need to get the chrony out when I finish up processing this next batch of brass.

Have a good one,
Dave
 
Use a cheap electric hotplate and a steel (or stainless) saucepan to melt the scrap lead. It's much easier than a Coleman stove.

The Lee liquid Alox is good stuff, but I put the bullets in a plastic ice cream bucket, add a few drops of the Alox, and swirl them around. Add a few drops more and do it again if it doesn't look like enough. I've only used about a half a bottle so far, and lubed at least a thousand bullets.
 
I cast for 9mm and 38 Spl, moving into 7.62x39mm as soon as possible, and I use LLA as well. Warm it up in a coffee cup of warm water for a few minutes, dribble it on the boolits, and roll 'em around in a condemmned Tupperware bowl - make sure you get one your wife doesn't mind loosing. Some Hornady OneShot spray case lube works well with sizing, if, like me, you just have the Lee push-through sizing die. Cheap, and works great. Can't afford a lubrisizer. I put boolits in the garage in a big cardboard box, on wax paper, covered with an old crib sheet, (to keep "stuff" from adhering to the lube), to dry overnight after lubing.
Love casting, saves a boatload of money after you amortize your startup costs. I cast/sized/lubed 150 9mm boolits yesterday, cost me about $.25 for the electricity to run the pot, and about $1 for the lead used - priced commercial cast bullets, lately? Ouch.
Welcome to casting, and check out castboolits.com.
 
Get a furnace.

Here's the one I use, mine's 0ver 20 years old.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=209097

I cast for multiple pistol and rifle cartridges. Gas checks are good for high velocity, but I find that proper sizing prevents leading in pistols.

I shoot a full power 180g cast load in the 30-06 with no leading and 2" accuracy at 100 yards.

Tumble lubing is good, but I prefer sizing/lubing in one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/LYMAN-450-LUBE-...tcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
I used to lube mine like snuffy. But it just takes so long. Then you waste a lot of lube. So i just tumble now.
 
I smelt WW over a Coleman stove using an old cast iron frying pan. Most all my casting equipment is Lee and I've had no problems. Just follow the directions to the letter regarding use of their Aluminum moulds. Buy the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. Come join us over at http://castboolits.gunloads.com/ for more detailed information. There's a lot of good people over there.
 
Here is an article I wrote the the m1911.org ezine on casting.
It is not so much the final word on instruction but more to give folks a good idea of what is involved in casting lead bullets.
It may help you.
http://ezine.m1911.org/casting_frame.htm
I also agree that the Cast bullet forum linked above is a great resource, I have learned a lot from those folks.
 
saftey glasses
leather gloves
no alumiunum pots (don`t ask)
a good ladle
lee double cavity molds ( on sale at miway . com now) under $20 each
old smelly candles to flux with(i`m not cheap it just works)
optional now but if you ever use a thermometer you gotta have it
alox is ok for now
dont go to crazy$ castin is not for everyone
stay up wind of the smoke!!
have fun & go slow ,be safe
the one most mistake made by noobs is not gettin the alloy hot enuff (wrinkled boolits )
see ya at cast boolits .com with open arms so to speak!!

WANTED TO ADD : snuffy a mule with a runny nose has been standin over those fine boolits!!!!

GP100man
 
Last edited:
GP100man

you speaketh the truth. DO NOT USE AN ALUMINUM POT OR PAN TO CAST WITH!!!!
 
oh, i forgot, i use crayons to flux. buy the cheap ones at the dollar store. or do like a friend, buy a few boxes of new crayons and trade 'em for all the crayon bits and pieces at his churche's nursury. he is a hero, the kids love it, and he still gets his crayons for fluxin'.
just break 'em off and toss a piece in. the paper will float to the top and easily fished out [i use an old fork]. the paper will catch fire and burn off if left in too long.
 
another hint.....buy a small, cheap fan to blow the fumes and smoke away from you. you can use the fan to blow on the melting pot, or set it so it will suck the smoke and fumes away from the pot.
 
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