I am just getting back into reloading after a couple years and prices have really changed which I figured they did but not this much. I load 38, 45, 380 I have normally only used Rainier bullets but I also bought a box of 38 and 45 vance lead bullets a couple years ago but have never used them yet. I would really like to hear are the lead perfectly safe and not going to tear up my guns. I also have been doing some reading on hear trying to locate the cheapest places to order from and have a couple but nobody really giving up the secret places they have found with really good deals. Pros and cons of using lead verse Rainier and who has the best prices of each.
rainier or lead
- Thread starter badbowtie
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I wouldnt think the lead you bought from a few years ago would damage your gun. Maybe get leading if not sized correctly or lubed correctly. Seeing as you bought them from a company im assuming, They should be sized and lubed. I don't see any hard from using them.
Also, As to where to get some good deals, I usually use RMR. Most are pulled bullets and usually jacketed. He does have some plated sometimes but for the jacketed prices, You can opt for them. They include shipping.
http://www.rmrbullets.com/ ( RMR )
A lot of others buy from there. Also, Missouri Bullet company for lead. A lot of others here have bought from them and have nothing but praises to say. The owner is also a member here at these forums.
Also, As to where to get some good deals, I usually use RMR. Most are pulled bullets and usually jacketed. He does have some plated sometimes but for the jacketed prices, You can opt for them. They include shipping.
http://www.rmrbullets.com/ ( RMR )
A lot of others buy from there. Also, Missouri Bullet company for lead. A lot of others here have bought from them and have nothing but praises to say. The owner is also a member here at these forums.
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mgmorden
Member
Lead won't damage your gun and is significantly cheaper. Also tends to take a little less powder to get a lead bullet up to a given velocity vs plated or jacketed.
It can require a bit more cleaning and shouldn't be shot in guns with polygonal rifling (ie, factory glock barrels).
The only reservation I have on it are possible health hazards. Its fine if you're very religious about washing your hands, but I know for example that at least once I've walked out of the reloading room, had the situation slip my mind, and grabbed a snack out of the kitchen without washing my hands. Not sure I have the discipline to use it, but for the cost you certainly can get a lot of shooting in.
It can require a bit more cleaning and shouldn't be shot in guns with polygonal rifling (ie, factory glock barrels).
The only reservation I have on it are possible health hazards. Its fine if you're very religious about washing your hands, but I know for example that at least once I've walked out of the reloading room, had the situation slip my mind, and grabbed a snack out of the kitchen without washing my hands. Not sure I have the discipline to use it, but for the cost you certainly can get a lot of shooting in.
jfh
Member.
If you bought the right size, hardness, and style of lead bullet for the load parameters you have chosen, your bullets are GTG. FWIW, I still have lead bullets from lot purchases I made twenty years ago; they work just fine.
Other than as a curiosity, I don't generally bother with plated bullets.
As Josh45 noted, a cast lead bullet supplier with an excellent reputation is Missouri Bullet. That is, the prices are both competitive and fair. I'm not sure you will find 'secrets' in this product--lead bullets really are a commodity item; if the seller wants to sell them, he has to advertise. If he advertises, Google will find him, and if they don't, you probably don't want to buy from him.
Jim H.
Other than as a curiosity, I don't generally bother with plated bullets.
As Josh45 noted, a cast lead bullet supplier with an excellent reputation is Missouri Bullet. That is, the prices are both competitive and fair. I'm not sure you will find 'secrets' in this product--lead bullets really are a commodity item; if the seller wants to sell them, he has to advertise. If he advertises, Google will find him, and if they don't, you probably don't want to buy from him.
Jim H.
I do have a glock but do not load 40 for it currently since I don't shoot it very often at all. My 45 is a taurus pt145 and my 38 is a taurus revolver and 38 is smith and wesson bodyguard. So no problems shooting lead thru any of them for lower price.
lead gets a lot of bad press. but in most firearms, they are completely safe to shoot. you will most likely get more lead exposure from the primer residue, than you ever will from solid lead. we played with lead my dad had laying around as kids, and it never hurt any of us. i have been casting lead bullets for about 5 years now, shooting them for at least 15, and thru all of the processes, my lead levels are well within the normal range. i have cast roughly 600 pounds of lead (and shot most of it). so do not worry about lead, unless you do have a glock or glock type barrel. you may have to scrub a little lead out of the barrel on occasion, but normally that is from to high of velocity, or a bullet that is to small to seal in the barrel. FIT is the key with cast bullets. one of my revolvers (a 38 spl), has had nothing but lead thru it its entire life. i have never had to scrub lead from it, and i have shot in excess of 4000 rounds thru it in the 3 years i have owned it. i have even loaded it up to 38 + p loads, with no leading at all. the bullets just happen to fit this gun exceptionally well.
The bad press about lead is why I was asking that is what I heard from some people. I also am using all carbide dies so I am not sure if that will make a difference. I also have been reading and trying to find all the info I can on maybe casting my own lead bullets to save even more money.
mgmorden
Member
Carbide dies are fine with lead, but use of the Lee Factory Crimp die is not recommended (IIRC it can swage the the lead down). I've done it before and they all shot fine, but after that one box I heeded the advice of my wiser internet brethren and haven't used the FCD on lead loads anymore 
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If yer thinkin' 'bout casting boolits, be ready for an altogether new hobby. Casting your own bullets is one of the most satisfying aspects of reloading. I take scrap lead and grungy wheel weights and smelt/clean it and cast it into ingots. I then melt some ingots and pour the lead into molds that drop perfect bullets. I then size and lube those bullets for each individual gun. I haven't purchased any bullets in mebbe 5 years and no jacketed bullets in at least 9 years. Sometimes I don't know if I cast/reload so I can shoot more or shoot more so I can cast/load more ammo...
Okay am going to check a couple local tire shops tomorrow and see what I can come up with as far as wheel weights. I have one of them propane turkey fryers to melt them down to ingot sizes. But I need some stainless spoons and ladel. I am looking around and need the casting molds for calibers and I also need the a lee melter is it worth the extra for a 220 or is the 110 work fine. I am not sure what else is all needed were you are talking about lube and sizing what is all involved in that. I am seeing it looks like I can load my own rounds going this route if I can find free lead for less than a third of what it is costing me now to load. I have read were some say I need a sizer and others say depends on which brand molds I use like the lee ones no need to resize.
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FROGO207
Member
The Lee push through sizer for your lead bullets is a no brainer it costs so little. Just couple that with the Lee tumble lube bullets and there is no real work required other than the casting. Just beware of the zinc wheel weights and keep them out of your lead or it will not cast worth a darn and ruin that batch of lead. The zinc melts at a slightly higher temp and if you keep the lead under 675 *F the zinc floats to the top and you can just skim it off.
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I was just looking at lees website and see were they sell the lube and size kit. I would have to buy a single stage press unless I could just use my classic turret and not let it turn. I do not see any thing about the lube tumble on the there site. I am also interested in the lee melting furnace is the 220 worth the extra or the 110 work just fine. So for loading lead bullets I am not supposed to use the factory crimping die on any caliber or revolver verse auto.
FROGO207
Member
The special tumble lubed bullet style is just a multigrooved bullet that they offer. Also the Alox lube they offer is what you shake them in to lube and just let dry. Unless you have good access to your electrical panel and the extra spaces for a double breaker/easy route for a dedicated wire the 110 volt furnace will work just as well. Yes I think that everyone should have at least one single stage press to use for things like sizing, bullet pulling, universal decapping, etc. Lee makes a really inexpensive press to use for those tasks. You do not need a press built like a tank for those tasks and it will work well for that. You might even find a good used press for the job at a reasonable price.
Beat-tu
Member
Badbowtie, I have a separate turret that I keep the miscellaneous dies installed on. Simple to just remove the index rod and replace the turret. HTH.
Tom
Tom
I never thought about removing the index rod and I could put 4 different size sizing dies in a different turret for just this that would not be bad at all to do. I guess starting off and trying this new thing out is the lee melting furnace going to be the easiest and cheapest way to get started in this.
That is the general consensus around here. I don't like the post sizing ring in the FCD and the risk of it resizing the lead bullets. Since you are using a Classic Turret, it is also one less pull of the lever so you make your cartridges faster as well.
I stoped a couple local tire places today and they are all already giving there tire weights to others. I also called a couple more that are more like 20 miles away and they told me all told me they sell them to someone else or they use them or epa says they have to turn them into the dieliver driver trucks. I did find one that told me they just take them to the local scrap dealer and I could buy them if I paid what they get in scrap. I asked how many they have right know and was told they have about half a five gallon bucket full and normally don't do anything with them till they get 2 full buckets. So I may have one place I can get some. So I am going to have to find a couple more sources for them. Also what is a fair amount to pay for a full five gallon bucket. Also I know it is hard to say because zinc can be mixed in but roughly how many say 38 bullets will a five gallon bucket make. Not usre what a full five gallon bucket of wheel weights actually will weight.
Crazy Carl
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Why no Lee FCD with lead? I use 'em & have no problems whatsoever with .45ACP or .41Mag.
mbopp
Member
For all-up 357 and 44Mag loads I use jacketed bullets. But for mid-range loads in these calibers and my 45ACP I use cast lead bullets. Come to think of it, my 45ACP hasn't seen a jacketed bullet since I've had it.
Missouri Bullet is a great supplier. I've also had success with Dardas (love their 38 H&G wadcutter) and Mastercast (Ill.)
No FCD for me, never felt the need for it.
I used to work in a tire shop years back. When I think of the amount of wheelweights we scrapped I want to cry. I could have retired by now.....
Tjconevera has good pricing on Berrys plated bullets.
Missouri Bullet is a great supplier. I've also had success with Dardas (love their 38 H&G wadcutter) and Mastercast (Ill.)
No FCD for me, never felt the need for it.
I used to work in a tire shop years back. When I think of the amount of wheelweights we scrapped I want to cry. I could have retired by now.....
Tjconevera has good pricing on Berrys plated bullets.
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