Does anyone cast their own bullets? Do you use wheel weights? Do you have to remove the steel clips? Do you have to pay for these weights or can you find them free? Is this economically a good thing? Thanks!
Yes I got started in order to feed the appetite of my Raging Bull. I simply couldn't count on the supply, nor afford to keep shooting commercial bullets. It has sort of morphed from there to include just about every handgun and rifle caliber I own.
I found very little to no local wheel weights. Not that they aren't in my area, but there are plenty of other casters who have already established connections and for the most part have the local supply sowed up. That said, and as mentioned above there are sources to be found in the classifieds of this and other sites. You might have to pay for the alloy but usually it is around $70 per 65# delivered to your door. Figure in the cost of time and fuel to run around all over town trying to find a partial to full bucket of weights, I found it is just as cheap if not cheaper.
The clips, and most other trash, as mentioned will float to the top when the weights melt. They are easily removed especially if you use some sort of strainer type spoon.
As for the fluxing, yep I do so several times during the main smelting into ingots, and again when in my Lee 4-20 when pouring my bullets. I use sawdust twice in the big pot followed by once with paraffin for a final flux before pouring ingots. Then in the 4-20 I only use a pea sized chunk when the alloy comes up to temp and then after each filling of the pot afterwords. It seems to work as I don't get near the dribble or plugged up spout I see others dealing with.
One thing which hasn't been mentioned is when you DO get to the point you have ingots ready to melt into bullets you might also pick up a 1# roll of 95-5 Silver Solder. When you melt up the alloy and before you start to pour bullets you might add in a couple of Oz's to help with fill out in your mold. this will only be necessary if when you pour you find your bullets aren't filling into the sharper corners of the cavities.
As for sources of info, the one site mentioned above is a great source as is the following,
The Cast Bullet / Hunting Articles Of Glen E. Fryxell. Also be sure to check out the Cast Bullet Notes and From Ingot to Target.
Hope this helps.