Maximumbob54

So I read the reload version of the question and it got me to thinking.

I cast for 9mm, .40, .45, and pretty soon for my 9mm Mak.

For revolvers, I cast .38/.357, .44Special/Magnum, and .45 Colt.

.310 for my .30-30 that is fed into my Marlin 336.

I keep thinking of casting my own buck shot, but I'm getting ahead since I still don't have a shotshell loader yet.

Another future desire is once I find a S&W M58 then I will be casting .41!!!

tx gun runner

I did alot of casting in my life , I'm never going to cast anymore so I'm going to start selling all my stuff off .



I made most my benchrest mould , here two of them .

boolits

25,30,32,35,375,38,40,412,44,45,458,475,500,50

Terry_P

OK guys a little more detail for those of us that aren't into it but might like to get into it. What is your mix? What do you need to get into it? What is your source of lead? Do you clean and degrease first. Do you melt indoors or out?

tx gun runner

I use wheel weights for pistol and rifle stuff , work good for 90% of my shooting . Pure lead for muzzle loader and 25 to 1 for serous rifle target work .

tx gun runner

You need to get a book on cast bullets , it takes over 200 pages of infor to teach you how . This is the best if you can find one under $50 .

countrygun

Big topic. About as big as reloading itself. Mixtures have to be researched for their intended purpose. From pure lead for blackpowder muzzle loaders up to mixture containing tin, antimony. you can debate hardening by dropping in water what flux to use and how often (flux helps remove impurities which rise to the top of the "pot") then there is bottom pouring furnaces vs using a ladle.


The good news is that the mechanics of casting are fairly simple and it doesn't take an arm and a leg to start. Ypu can even use a cast iron pot over a Coleman stove. Choosing the right bullet mold and balancing the right size with sizing if needed and the right alloy for the velocity are the important parts to start with. I could make suggestions from my experience and from my opinions but that just opens the door for offtracking debate. I will say that I am pretty firm about a new caster starting out with one caliber and a plain base bullet. being a plain base bullet this will pretty much rule out a lot of rifle rounds, which generally, in higher velocity rounds, require a gas check be applied to the base of the bullet during the sizing stage. Gas checks are tiny little copper cups that are swaged on the bullets base to protect it from damage in higher velocity loadings. Those have become a subject of debate in magnum handgun rounds, but I think it is safe to say that most folks who cast for big bore handguns don't fiddle with them. the .357 magnum may benefit from them in some loadings.

It isn't a very complicated project one you have chosen your lead mixture, have the dies and handles put together. I am convinced that I can teach the mechanics of it to the average person between lunch an dinner time. The variables however, are the details where the devil resides. the variations are many but the principles behind them are easy to understand.

A good manual and memorizing the safety rules are the first things to do, after that, a bit of study to get a starting point for your chosen round, and it is a simple, safe, economical hobby.

boolits

Maybe need another thread for this discussion but here's what has worked for me. I have a Master Caster from Magma. A little spendy but you won't be able to wear it out. My molds are of course ones that fit that machine. You can do some minor machine work and make LBT molds to fit. Likewise RCBS. Of course Magma molds and Mountain molds - although he no longer cuts his molds for this machine. NEI (if there still in business) cuts molds for this machine. I tried hand casting - just didn't work for me. I used to do the WW thing but it is sooo time concuming, dirt, hot and alot of work. I have since gone to major foundrys to buy 2-6-92.

Terry_P

I shoot quite a bit of cast in my handgun rounds and I have bought the boolits from an internet source like a Missouri. For me the place to start would be a good manual as I like to read up on new stuff before I get started. Thanks guys it provided a lot of good info.

BlkHawk73

All the presses are not set up now. Awaiting stage II of the gun room, the vault, to begin and get completed. Once back up, I'll dig the presses and dies out again. If I recall correctly, I'll be able to do:

.22-250
.45-70
.30-30
.405 Win

.32 mag
.357 mag
.357 max
.40 S&W
.41 mag
.44 mag
.45 LC

may have missed a few but that's the jist of them.