Casting Your Own Balls/Conical Bullets

[Wwalstrom]

Question #1 (Lee Bullet Molds @ Cabelas):
I took an extended lunch break to Cabela's, and was looking over the Lee Mold selection. They have a variety of Round Ball Molds (.451/.454/.457 for .44 caliber), and one conical bullet mold ... the .456 diameter/220 grain/2 lube grooves (the other one Cabelas lists on their website is a .450 diameter/2?? grain/2 lube grooves). I removed one from the box and was checking it over, specifically I was looking for a rebated heel for loading in a ball and cap revolver, but was unable to tell if it was or not. I don't recall the Lee part number (I know, I should have written it down), but was wondering if anyone knows anything about this bullet mold. Is it intended for ball and cap revolvers or for black powder cartridges?
Bear in mind, I shoot a pair of Pietta 1858 Remingtons.

Question #2 (Sources of Soft Lead for casting bullets/round balls):
Would it be feasible to use lead shot (intended for reloading shotshells) as a source of casting lead? I'm not talking about the Hardened Target shot, but the soft "chilled" shot. I only ask as I can buy it by the 25 pound bag for $15/bag (plus or minus) ... adding in tax, with a .454 dia/140 grain round ball, I'd be looking at roughly $1.28 for 100 round balls (vs. the 9.99 plus tax for 100 @ Cabelas and my other favorite toy stores). This is also not taking into consideration the 10 25 pound bags I currently have in my inventory. The only problem I can forsee with the chilled lead shot would be the graphite that gets added to help the shot flow through the hopper and charge bars in a reloading press. Would the graphite cause any casting/smelting problems? Would it burn off? Would it be feasible to wash it off, and then thoroughly dry the shot?

Thanks ...

 

[sundance44s]

Sundance44s

I`ve tried the shotgun pellets in my round ball casting before .. it`s a cheap source of clean lead ..... i was hopeing it would be softer than it is .. the balls i cast were a little hard on the loading lever on my remmies ..I did find a use for it though .. it made good cast bullets for my 45/70 ..
That mold in quieston ..sounds more like a cap and ball bullet than a cartrage .. i cast .452 bullets for my remmies when i use the 45 LC conversion cylinders .

 

[motorcycle_dan]

Source of lead

Some sources I've found. Midway will actually sell you lead bars if you want.

Locally I've found the scrap yard that buys aluminum cans. Will also sell the stuff they take in. Lead pipe and many sources of scrap lead. Old window weights, etc. Pretty cheap depending on how energetic they are and how far they have to carry it.

I use wheel weights to cast my modern bullets, Mix in a little linotype and go at it. I have a bunch of tin from bearing babbit but do not currently have leading issues on my centerfire pistols so don't add any.

Depending on where you live there is usually a scrap yard nearby that will sell the lead.

 

[Steve499]

If you decide to use that shot, don't worry about the graphite. It will stay on top of the molten lead and can be skimmed off.

Steve