A whole bunch of small bullet casting companies have folded in the past couple of years due to the rising cost of lead. They used to be able to buy it for about .50 cents a pound, alloyed, but now it's running them about $1.75 a pound, or more, for alloyed bullet metal. People balk at paying the increased prices for the finished product and won't buy, so there hasn't been any profit in it for a lot of them.
There is a shot producer in Medford, OR, Northwest Shot. He was telling us that the raw materials were costing him $32.25 for 25 pounds at the nearest smelter, which is in Portland. He has to transport it to Medford, a distance of roughly 275 miles, then convert it into shot, and try to make a profit. He decided to only deal in reclaimed shot, which he trades to the clubs at 50 pounds of new shot for each 105 pounds of reclaimed shot. He then sells new shot for around $28.00 per bag, wholesale, which is less than he can buy the raw materials for.
If someone had access to an unlimited supply of wheelweights, and could get their customers to accept the softer alloy (which I prefer anyway), then it might pay.
The other downside is the cost of the casting equipment. A new Magma casting machine, which most of them use, cost $11,350.00, plus about $900.00 per set of molds (it takes 8 double cavity molds per set). The automatic bullet sizer/lubricator is $7,950.00, plus $40.00 per sizing die. These prices don't include shipping, which will be substantial for the casting machine.
I've seen a few used machines on the auction sites, but they go high and some of them have been used pretty hard.
As you can see, making a profit at bullet making can take some time and effort. I know of one person who went into it full time, but dealing with the environmental agency in the state he lives in was enough to make him quit after just a couple of years. That and dealing with people who thought cast bullets were jacketed and constantly complained when they got some leading from driving them too hard.
I view casting as more for my needs than as a commercial venture. I do cast some obsolete bullets for a friend who is in the business of providing those calibers. In fact, I spent yesterday afternoon casting him some bullets that he couldn't get anywhere else. We trade for the bullets, since he also is a gun dealer. When I get enough credit built up from casting, I end up with another gun for my collection. It's a win/win situation.
The bottom line is, I wouldn't cast commercially at this time. It takes too much initial investment and the time involved can be very demanding. And dealing with the public is also a problem, and will only get worse, due to the internet and unreasonable expectations.
Hope this helps.
Fred
