MCgunner to get rid of the sprue, "glass it" get yourself a thick piece of glass, get a piece of plywood, cut out a circle to your dimensions. Take another piece of glass and roll 15-25 balls or whatever and roll them around while still warm, it will round them up a bit. I think it's called glassing.
taking the casting plunge
- Thread starter Tinpan58
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MCgunner
Member
Interesting. Never heard of that. Thanks. 
robhof
Member
Some people have put their cast balls in rock tumblers to eliminate the sprue, I just shoot them with the sprue up.
skipjack
Member
I use a disposable lighter to smoke my aluminum molds. Candle
flame may deposit wax residue on the cavities.
I also find it helpful to pre-heat my molds by dipping the corner
of the mold into the melt. Once no lead clings to the mold, it
is hot enough. I set my Lee melter around 8 or 9, and it I get
frosted projectiles, I slow down or dial the heat back.
flame may deposit wax residue on the cavities.
I also find it helpful to pre-heat my molds by dipping the corner
of the mold into the melt. Once no lead clings to the mold, it
is hot enough. I set my Lee melter around 8 or 9, and it I get
frosted projectiles, I slow down or dial the heat back.
Busyhands94
Member
for cap and ball i go with the sprue down, for patched balls the sprue goes up. that's just the way i do it, I'm sure other folk do it that way also.
Skinny 1950
Member
Just got a Lee .452 RNFP mold for .45 Colt and .45ACP... will need to cast wheel weights for the 1911 but pure lead for the 1873 SAA.
I might try the bullets in my 1851 Yank Pietta.
I might try the bullets in my 1851 Yank Pietta.
junkman_01
member
What makes you think you can't shoot wheel weight bullets from the SAA?
I use wheel weight alloy bullets in everything except my rifle-musket when using minies. I have been doing it for 25-30 years and everything is fine with my guns. It's an old wives tale about 'only pure lead in black powder guns'.
I use wheel weight alloy bullets in everything except my rifle-musket when using minies. I have been doing it for 25-30 years and everything is fine with my guns. It's an old wives tale about 'only pure lead in black powder guns'.
robhof
Member
The problem with ww's in B/p guns is starting the harder alloy, it's not a problem with the gun. Air cooled ww's aren't as bad as water quenched(those can get pretty hard). Some owners of small caliber pocket models have bent or broken their loading levers, using hardcast. I use a loader and have no problem, but I also mostly use pure lead or scavanged jacketed bullets, as the cores are very soft lead.
doubleh
Member
I use an iced tea spoon to skim the dross off my furnace. Works great.
I use pure lead in my muzzleloaders and save the wheel weights for bullets for my centerfire handguns. If there is a metal salvage yard in your area you should be able to get pure lead there. I gave 45 cents a pound for the last I bought although that was several months ago.
I have used scrap #4 babbit (it was free) for balls to shoot in my muzzleloaders when just plinking. Now that is hard stuff. It will just shatter when you shoot something hard. It shrinks a little more upon cooling than pure lead but since it's patched it doesn't matter. Just use a little thicker patch material if it's loose in the bore.
I use pure lead in my muzzleloaders and save the wheel weights for bullets for my centerfire handguns. If there is a metal salvage yard in your area you should be able to get pure lead there. I gave 45 cents a pound for the last I bought although that was several months ago.
I have used scrap #4 babbit (it was free) for balls to shoot in my muzzleloaders when just plinking. Now that is hard stuff. It will just shatter when you shoot something hard. It shrinks a little more upon cooling than pure lead but since it's patched it doesn't matter. Just use a little thicker patch material if it's loose in the bore.
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