Need info. on casting bullets

[tggdeer]

I am thinking of getting started casting bullets for 45acp springfield 1911, 9 mm XDM, and 40 s&w XD.
Do I need a brinnel tester?
Do I need to consider adding tin to tire weight lead?
What is the best lube ?
What manufacturer mold should I use?

Any other information would be appreciated.

 

[RustyFN]

This is a good read. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=346199. Also a good place to check out is http://castboolits.gunloads.com/.

Do I need a brinnel tester?
No but it's nice to have. The Lee tester works good and doesn't cost a lot.
Do I need to consider adding tin to tire weight lead?
Not unless you have trouble filling out the mould. If you are having trouble getting the shoulders nice and sharp then add a little. I will add 24 inches of 95/5 solder 1/8 inch round to a 20 pound pot. That is 95% tin and 5% antimony.
What is the best lube ?
I use White Label lube, Carnauba Red. It's cheap and very good lube. I don't get leading in my 1911. You can find it here, http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/
What manufacturer mold should I use?
I don't have experience with a lot of different moulds. I use Lyman and like them a lot.

 

[mbopp]

Weeks of reading here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

 

[rfwobbly]

+1 Maybe even months or reading.

 

[popper]

Lee moulds, sizers and melters are good for the $$. You will need LOTS of lead. COWW and 2% tin. Alox for lube. 15# gave me ~500 180 gr. CB yesterday, 50 were culls. Look for ~130 gr 9mm, 160 .40 and 200+ for 45. I like SWC or TC best - those 9mm RN are harder to get fit and load. My XD loves the lead. http://castboolits.com will give you all the info you need.

 

[dbarnhart]

What manufacturer mold should I use?

Lee makes good inexpensive molds. When I started casting I started with .45acp, I think I paid $20 for my Lee mold. Some people love Lee, some people hate Lee.

RCBS and Lyman both sell a nice line of molds at reasonable prices.

A step above that would be a mold from one of the custom mold-makers like Accurate, NOE, Ballisti-Cast, etc. My current 'go-to' mold for .45acp is a 2-cavity brass mold from Accurate Molds, I think I paid about $115 for it (as opposed to $20 for the Lee mold).

My only regret with my Accurate mold is that I went for a 2-cavity instead of a 4-cav or 6-cav mold. Now that I have the process and everything running smoothly it would be nice to be making a lot more bullets in the same amount of time.

 

[mdi]

I would suggest starting with casting bullets for the 45 ACP. Choose a "tried and true" bullet from any of the mold manufacturers (225-230 gr. RN) and stick with that until you get the process down pat (casting, mold temp., melt temp., alloy, lubes, sizes, and loads). I've read on several forums of problems casting for the 9mm (high pressure and various barrel dimensions) so I believe the 45 ACP will be the easiest, most forgiving to cast bullets for...

Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook is prolly the best text for bullet casting on the market. I prefer the 3rd Edition, but the 4th will do.

I cast successfuly for 8-10 years before I got a Hardness tester. 99% of my alloy was from wheel weights and when sized correctly, my bullets didn't lead. Once in a while I tossed in some 50/50 solder to make fill out a bit easier and kept this alloy seperate.

Casting is prolly the most satisfying aspect of "home made ammo". It is a hobby that keeps me connected with my shooting when I can't go out and shoot and in itself, is great fun...

 

[Steel185]

I make my own lubes, but i bought some of the componets from the lube link in previous posts.

Hardness tester, i have a Lee i've used it twice. its nice to have but unless you have lots of other materials to mix in the alloy you don't have many options. I mean if you only have wheel weights, what are you going to add to change it. its nice to have, but not nessecary.

Molds: I have some RCBS, a Lyman, several customs, Lee, customs made by Lee. I personally like the Lee molds, they are cheap but they make good bullets when you figure them out. and no matter where you get them, each mold is alittle different and you have to figure them out regardless. If you go to castboolits forum, there are usually group buys for 1911 45 all the time, be prepared to wait several months. Also Ranch Dog has some good molds, he uses Lee but provides them with specs he determines from his own test and research. They always work well.

I usually cast 45 and larger, but then again thats all i shoot.

 

[Uncle Richard]

I am thinking of getting started casting bullets for 45acp springfield 1911, 9 mm XDM, and 40 s&w XD.
Do I need a brinnel tester?
Do I need to consider adding tin to tire weight lead?
What is the best lube ?
What manufacturer mold should I use?

Any other information would be appreciated.

to be honest, i used to cast my own bullets but my bullet demand was greater than my supply of time.

If your willing.. pennbullets.com makes fantastic lead bullets. Sometimes the owner (Bob Palermo) will have blemished bullets for 1/2 price (like $0.05/bullet), which you need to ask over the phone. He says their blemished, but don't see anything wrong with them. Matter a fact, they have been some of the most accurate loads i've done.

 

[jim147]

Another place to read.

www.castpics.net

jim

 

[Steel185]

uncle richard is right, it takes a good deal of time. I'd say the same amount that reloading takes if not more. Also the upfront cost is not as high as reloading but it isn't insignificant. Even if you go the most econicmal route, it will cost around $100-$150 to get the basics, and then extra molds go on top. Then lubing has different price levels, pan is the cheapest, but slowest, and then it goes up. Luber/sizers are selling on the used market for much higher than they should be, they are almost at "new" prices.

I'd look at how much time you want to spend making bullets and rounds, vs shooting them. I have more time than money and only shoot 300-400rds a month, much more than that and I'd just have to buy to save time.

Also the lead source is a big varable, sometimes you can get it for free, other times its up to $1 a pound. Wheel weights are good cheap source, also if you have a radiological pharmacy around your area, they sometimes have lead there they will sell for cheap. You have to look around. Thats why casters are sometimes scavengers, some guys pick up wheel weights off the roads when they walk to ride bikes, I'm not that desperate.....yet

 

[RustyFN]

Very true. If you don't have much spare time you might be better off buying them. I use a four cacity Lyman mould and if my memory is working I can cast 1,000 200 grain SWC's in around 2.5 hours. I will normally size and lube them a couple of days later and that's another 3 hours or so on a Lyman lube/sizer.

 

[tggdeer]

'Thanks for all the information. I think I will try to obtain several hundre pounds of lead before I purchase any molds. I already have a melting pot that I use for making fishing weights.