My first casting

[Fishslayer]

The wheel weight ship has kinda sailed here behind the tofu curtain. Lead WW have been illegal for awhile. I've decided to start casting & was going through the scrapper last week. I'd say over 90% of the WW in the bin were zinc.

However... I DID get 100+ pounds of dive weights, ingots and fishing weights for $50.

 

[41 Mag]

The whole casting thing caught me totally off guard. I started it off simply to feed my 454, but it quickly morphed into somewhat of an addiction. I now have molds in some form or brand for just about every caliber I own, and enough lead to last probably into my 3 grandsons lifetime.

To me it is a hoot to blend it all down into the final product, then head out to test it and see how it does. I also have several HP molds which brought another aspect into it which was blending the alloy to allow expansion but not fragmentation. That is where I am now with a couple of my revolves. I have the 45 ACP and Colt alloy down, now just to get the alloy for the 41's and 44's to cooperate as nicely.


I started off with all of the KISS intentions, but somehow got sidetracked once I got my first HP mold. I can also add, the two best thing I have invested in bar non were a thermometer for the lead pot and the PID controller I hooked up to my Lee 4-20. With those I know with a predictable degree of accuracy exactly what I am doing temp wise and what produced the best bullets from the get go, with what alloy. Yea I know it's a bit more than a basic set up, but it was all for a good cause right?

 

[BBQJOE]

Lead poisoning isnt really that big of a concern when casting, as long as one takes basic precautions.

My buddy told me when he was much younger, he started casting in his basement (no ventilation) and was melting his lead on a coleman stove.
I'm guessing his temps weren't monitored whatsoever.
After some time he became quite ill, and it turned out to be lead poisoning.
From what I understand, (and I could be severely wrong) heavy metals are only released from the body through hair and fingernails.
he said he had black lines or streaks in his for quite awhile.

I see no reason not to be careful when handling or working around lead.

And a question for the scroungers: how do you tell lead WW's from zinc, or is it really obvious?

 

[BBQJOE]

Here is where I found the melting pot:
www.barlowstackle.com
A bit higher than midway, but hey, I'm the kinda guy who'll pay more for something to have it now than wait.

 

[dagger dog]

Joe,
Some are marked ZN, the seel ones FE, but I test each suspicious weight by tying to snip a corner with a diagonal cut plier, you can cut a lead weight and if you are a 500 pound gorilla you MIGHT cut a zinc weight, and they make a diferent sound when striking a weight against a heavy steel object. If you keep your smelt temp at 600-650 the lead will melt and the zinc and steel will float, you can scoop them out with the clips, but you have to keep a close watch on the temp. It's hard for me to do on a turkey fryer.

After two or three sessions like you just accomplished you'll get savy real quick !

 

[jgh4445]

You know you're a real caster when you finish shooting and just can't stand to leave those perfectly good chunks of lead in the backstop so you then go dig the boolits out of the backstop so you can re cast them!

 

[kgpcr]

Very nice!

 

[Arkansas Paul]

And a question for the scroungers: how do you tell lead WW's from zinc, or is it really obvious?

Most of the zinc will have "Zn" stamped on them. Like dagger dog said, once you do it a little bit, you'll be able to spot em pretty quick.

I see no reason not to be careful when handling or working around lead.

Oh, absolutely. I was merely saying it wasn't a big deal, AS LONG AS you took the basic precautions. If you just throw caution to the wind and ignore basic safety principles, just about anything is dangerous.

You know you're a real caster when you finish shooting and just can't stand to leave those perfectly good chunks of lead in the backstop so you then go dig the boolits out of the backstop so you can re cast them!

Now that's funny, because I've done it a lot of times. I usually fill up a big coffee can at least every time I go to the range. Its not a lot, but it's 2-3 ingots.

 

[Trent]

We have guys out "sifting" our backstops at my local club ALL the time.

You're required by law to report the weight of the lead you remove from the site to the EPA, by the way.

 

[BBQJOE]

You're required by law to report the weight of the lead you remove from the site to the EPA, by the way.

I'm certain that way the environmentalists can be certain of how many pounds of lead weren't eaten by seagulls.

 

[kingmt]

I didn't know that. Since that it's my only source for lead I'll have to check with the DNR guy.

 

[blarby]

Good stuff.

I know those 44's from Lee when I see 'em- I have cast more than a few m'self.


They work great hardcast, with LLA thinned 50% with mineral spirits.

I've since moved on for my own 44's, but I get a lot of requests for these. Its a great starter bullet !

 

[Fights Fires]

Casting

Sorry,
you guys are right about melting lead and fumes. I was thinking more in the line of when I would soldier copper pipes with 50/50 soldier when they used it many years ago.