Considering Casting My Own

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Bacchus

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I've been handloading for a little over a year now and have found that I really enjoy it. Now I'm thinking about casting my own. I know that Lyman has a manual on casting--are there other references that would be good for a beginner?

I've read about some of you getting wheelweights for free. I'm looking for material or someone that will explain wheelweights, where to get them, and how to test them so you know what kinds of metal you're getting.

Thanks!
 
What cal, are you thinking about casting for?

I only cast for 45ACP 38s

Its alot of extra work. I sit down and cast maybe 3or4 times a year. I'll crank out up to 4K at one sitting.
You just might think about buying cast bullets.
 
I'm considering casting also. I've been picking up wheelweights from friendly tire shops while I go through the books learning about it. The way I figure it, it's a good skill to have, much like reloading itself.
And considering some of the more whacko pols talking about bullet taxes and so forth, it may just come in handy in the future.
Especially in our state, PDshooter!
:rolleyes:
 
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The first place I asked claimed that they

re-use all of their wheel weights! I'm considering asking the guy who owns the local range if I can sift some of the dirt in the backstop for old bullets.

I'd probably cast .44 spl, .45 acp, and .30 cal rifle bullets for my '06; supposed to shoot real nice.

-J.
 
I would be interested in knowing how long it takes to cast 1000 45acp bullets. I'm talking actual molding time. Anybody know?
 
I am a new bullet caster. I have casted a few thousand bullets, but got into it within the last year or so. I think it is a lot of fun. Getting the metal is the issue for me. A buddy of mine got a five gallon bucket of wheelweights at a local tire shop. We melted it all down. It was kind of a pain; they throw other junk in the bucket that you have to get out, every weight has a steel clip on it that you have to get out. But, if you want "free bullets" that is the way to go. I found that I actually enjoy bullet casting so the idea of saving money isn't my primary motivation. So, I use lead shot purchased in 25 pound bags for use in shotshell reloading. It give me bullets of adequate hardness for all but the most extreme loads. I am currently casting for .357, .44, .45, .308" rifle bullets, and .311 rifle bullets. After casting, the bullets are sized, lubricated, and if required a gas check is applied. The last three steps are normally one operation in a bullet sizer. The bullets exhibit very nice accuracy. In the rifles, they provide a very substantial savings over jacketed rifle bullets and allow me a lot of practice with light, low noise, low recoil loads.

For me to cast 1000 .45 bullets, it would take probably a whole day of casting. Back in the days when I was deep into action pistol shooting, there is no way I could have kept up with my bullet consumption by casting. It would have taken all my time. I had enough trouble just keeping up with the loading.

For most people, subjects like this boil down to money. IMO, unless you have a lot of time on your hands and are looking to start a new hobby; I would just buy cast bullets. But, if you see this as something that will be fun, and may someday be your only source of bullets because of legislation, then jump right in, the water is fine.
 
Yeah, I'm interested too, but I haven't taken the plunge on getting a lead furnace/pot.

What are people's thoughts here about electric vs gas/propane lead furnaces?

I'm guessing here is that for casting bullets, you have to be pretty consistent as far as technique and temperature, or else you will get inconsistent results. Too hot/cold of lead temperature, too fast/slow of pouring into the mould, etc.

Anyone know of a good place selling cheap/used lead furnaces? I'm thinking like $50 for a > 40lb furnace.
 
I'm not really trying to save money, although that's important, too. Right now, I use cast bullets in 38 and 44.
They're inexpensive (About $20. per 500 bullets) ordered from Midway.

What I'd like to do would be to cast some hollow points and experiment with different weights. I also think it's good "insurance" in case the price of ammo skyrockets.

I would also cast for 308.
 
So far I'm been getting my W/W for free. The local tire shop looks at them as "Haz-Mat":rolleyes: Just last week I picked up 50lbs for free.
Yes! I do enjoy casting, but it can be a real pain in the A$$!.
I bought a bunch of used stuff off a guy about 15yrs ago, that how I got started.
My "Favorite mold is a original H&G-68 6 cavity it cost big bucks at the time. But it is the BMW of molds! :cool:
 
A guy I work with told me that his dad works at a tire shop and they have 55 gallon drums full of wheel weights sitting there. So, of course I told him to find out if they would give them to me. They told him that they sell them for scrap and they don't give them away. So, I quit asking anywhere else. I figured this one shop doesn't know anything all the rest don't.
 
Casting

My wheel weights cast me .20/lb when I buy them. I have a relative who was in the car repair business for years and knows many and those folks give it to him free of charge.

I have used Lee furnaces and molds for twenty some years and I would advise getting the Lee six cavity mold. You will have to buy the handles seperate from the mold; but, they are used on the other Lee six cavity molds. It takes me about one hour to cast right at 700 bullets. This does not allow for the initial 20 minutes to bring the pot up to temperature with it full of new lead.

The main thing is to make sure you wear safety glasses and a long sleeve shirt and long pants and shoes. Hot lead will burn you. I know, DUH! You will learn. Also make sure that your lead (wheel weights) are dry when putting them into the pot and even then NEVER put you head or body over the pot!

Lyman is probably the best book out there for the price. Getting advice from someone who has been at it for a while is the best way.

For me it is another enjoyable part of my pastime and gives more self sufficiency against the day.
 
The last time I paid for WW's, I got a brim full 5 gal bucket for $2.

AFAIK, they aren't allowed to reuse WW's, that guy was pulling your leg...Takes me most of a day to cast up a 1000 slugs from a double cavity mold.

You gotta buddy up to the guys in the tire shops to get em free. Drink coffee with them, compliment their girlie calenders, shoot the breeze a little. On the way out they go "Here take em'"
 
Casting my own

I used to cast; still have the pot, moulds, 200+ lbs. of fluxed wheelweights that are in ingots. Why did I stop? I found I enjoyed shooting more than casting, and I can buy really good cast bullets.
I used to get my wheelweights at a local tire shop where I would buy tires. Buying tires seemed to grease the free wheelweights into my truck - I'd usually get 2-3 buckets of them everytime I bought tires/wheels/whatever. The one thing in casting you never want to do is put something with even a minute amount of water into a casting pot with molten metal. This is very dangerous. So...when you get ready to melt and flux your wheelweights - make sure they are dry before you start adding to your hot pot. When they melt the clips float to the top, have something handy to scoop them and the grime off the top with. Some general tips I found useful - cast bullets in a very well ventilated place (outside is ideal), warm your moulds up before using (set them on the side of the pot); all moulds (Lee - inexpensive; RCBS, Lyman, etc) work well - Lee won't rust but I found they can get too hot; I'd suggest two cavity moulds for starting out. I have an RCBS sizer with heated lube plate I used to use - I switched over to using a Lee sizer, it screws into the Rockchucker and is cheap and easy. I used the shake and bake method of lubing toward the end of my casting life - it worked for me.
 
I picked up one of those propane turkey fryers at Lowes on close out for $40 last spring. Unlike most of these things it came with a large cast iron pot instead of an aluminum one which won't work. And the stand is incredibly heavy. The large pot heaped full of ww melts and pours between 60 and 80 lbs of ingots. From a cold start to ready to flux and skim takes 40-45 minutes.

The ingots (9lb ww, 1lb lino) then go into a Lee pot for pouring. I use Lyman 4 cavity dies for 200gr swc 45's and 2 cavity for everything else.

Because I tend to only cast a few times a year I prefer to use a Lyman sizer with a heater and the Thompson hard lubes. The bullets store better and the lube doesn't all stick and come off.

I have been drooling over the production possibilities of the Lee 6 cavity molds with that nice looking sprue cutter. But frankly I'm a little wary of aluminum molds. With the steel Lyman molds I have to be careful to pace myself or I start getting frosted bullets (molds too hot)... anyone here have experience with the Lee 6 cav molds??
 
Yes, I have 3 Alum, molds 2 cavity from NEI. Takes forever to cast out a bunch of 38s:(
My 6 cavity mold is a H&G68. My cast Temp, is around 750-900F the hotter the better! I get frosted bullets all the time. It all go's down range:D
 
For as long as I can remember,tire stores and service stations have been glad to give or sell wheelweights for 8-10 cents lb.
A propane butner such as those that come with Crawfish boiling pots, and a cast iron pot provide an easy way of separating the trash from the lead. Use a soup ladle to pour 1 lb. ingots.

Do your casting, both of the ingots and bullets only in a well ventilated area (lead vapors are hazardous.)

A Lee 10 lb. electric pot with a bottom pour spout makes filling the mold much easier than using a ladle. It takes about 15 minutes to heat a 10 lb. pot.

Use either aluminum or iron molds, 2 or 4 cavity. For efficient use of time use 2 molds so after you fill one it can cool while you fill the other. alternate between molds and it is easy to cast between 700-900 bullets in a couple hours. ( I use molds of the same caliber but different caliber molds just mean you get 2 different calibers that need to be kept separate.

Lube and size finished bullets. (Lubrisizer or spray on lube )

5 or 6 sessions per year, winter time preferred (it's hot work) and you have 3500-4000 bullets.

One thing, figuring what my time is worth I don't think I've ever saved a dime by casting my own but it is fun
 
Thanks KP95DAO and PDshooter!

My Lyman 4 cav molds are the 068 so now to decide between the lighter SWC styles and the TC styles. Or, another set for the 068's!

Decisions, decisions.....
 
I've been casting for 35 years. A few things I've learned over the years.

NEVER, NEVER even consider any mold with less than four cavities!!! If you can find a good used Hensley and Gibbs ten cavity mold, thats even better! (assuming you can buy it for less than the price of a newCadillac!)

Lyman electric furnaces, and Lyman four cavity molds are superb.

Find a good used Star lubrisizer if you can, otherwise buy a new Lyman 450

ALWAYS WEAR OSHA APPROVED INDUSTRIAL QUALITY SAFETY GLASSES AND A GOOD QUALITY OSHA APPROVED PAINTERS' MASK WHEN CASTING!!

ALWAYS CAST IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA!!!!
 
What your time is worth.

Can't see trying to figure what your time is worth, unless you are casting instead of working.
 
The only time I cast bullets is when you can't get them fairly cheap, cast by someone else. The long range 45 caliber bullets(500gn USG) and the true Keith styles are either too pricey or just plain unavailable. For black powder loads in the three groove 45-70 Trapdoors, you need to use 20:1 no antimony lead bullets, which are usually a PITA to find. I just cast a bunch of them from the desired alloy, and that's it. For 45ACP, 44Spec 240gn SWC, 38's and 9mm I just buy at the gunshow or from Midway. S/F...Ken M
 
Casting and reloading for 50 years

I have sold many thousands of lead melting pots, lead smelters, bullet molds and lubricators.

The best molds ever made are from the founding California Saeco company made of Meehanite cast iron that does not deform at bulletcasting temperatures like steel and aluminum does. The Ca-Saeco company made Premium quality molds that made bullets to "Win in Competition" their motto. I have 20 H&G molds in my collection from 6 to 10 cavities and used them for years. They only create practice quality bullets. I have had two bulletmaster machines each with Ca-Saeco 2 cavity molds turning out 4,800 cast bullets per hour for me and sold 39 machines.

The best ever bullet lubricator is the San Diego made Star luber that with my innovative idea of nose first sizing can lube bevel base bullets in a fourth of the time of any other luber. My invention of bevel base bullets at the Ca-Saeco company required less case mouth belling of cartridge case mouths and worked well in progressive and automated reloaders and cut case replacement costs from case mouth splitting.

I am selling off some of my collection of bulletcasting tools new in the box from the 1970's and your asking for my sales list will gain you the secret formula of Ca-Saeco Green lube containing automotive STP which reduces bullet resistance in the bore, needing less powder for the FPS and reducing the number of bullet lube grooves needed in the design of Ca-Saeco bullets creating a bigger driving band surface to grip the rifling.

Any tire shop reusing tire weights are ripping their customers off as reused weight steel clips do not hold on the tire rim as solidly and are thrown off nullifying the cost of balancing the tires.

Ask for tire weights for fishing sinkers as nowadays no one need know that you own any guns especially minimum wage tire mounting employees. Only a burglar need know that you are prepared to defend your home and family.

The most accurate bullets come from molds with a maximum of 4 cavities where the sprue swings from the middle of the sprue block. Sprues that swing from the end of a block or the hinge create bullets of increasing weights the further they are away from the hinge.

H&G design molds still exist as they were bought by Netherlands Ballisti-Cast company with a second factory in the USA. 10 cavity molds are no longer made.

Back in the 1940's Ca saeco determined that the best molds could be no larger than 4 cavities. Last year subsequent company Redding Saeco made larger cavity molds to make more money but when the inherent inaccuracy of the bullets produced were discovered by the customers they discontinued the excess cavitity molds and sold off their remaining inventory to some unsuspecting customers that believed in the Saeco name.

In buying bulletcasting and reloading tools the old adage applies of "You Get What You Pay For"

Ask for my Old Timers Sales List at [email protected]

Enclosed is an attachment showing the darker color patterned gunstock quality walnut grips and the boxes that Ca-Saeco molds with handles were sold in in case you see one in an old timers reloading room or at auction. Being of lifetime Meehanite cast iron they will last for generations.
 
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