Buckshot + Casting

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stag15

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Hello,
Im thinking of possibly reloading 12ga shot shells, and have just a few questions; Is it economically a better choice to cast my own 00 buckshot, or is it simply better to buy it? If buying it is the better option, is it fairly plentiful? What is a price I could expect to pay?

Thanks,
 
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If you already have the setup for reloading shotshells and are familiar with casting and have that set up than all you would need to get is a buck shot mold and you can make as many buckshot shells as you can at very low cost.

If you don’t have a press and no setup for casting you may have to invest more money into it so ask yourself if you are willing to spend that much on it if it will become worthwhile for your needs.

I cant remember off the top of my head what a box of buckshot shells sells for these days but ask yourself how many shells do you go through and that may give you an idea as to how much you would want to invest in a set up.
 
Your initial set up could run about $250 or less depending on your involvement into casting, and depending about on supply of lead to shoot. Hulls u can usually get for free at the range, you can expect about $.50-.25 or less a shot. Out of the few dealers above, that actually show what they have, it runs about a $1 shot. So after about 300rnds. loaded you have "paid" off the equipment in savings.

The supply of lead will be a big varying factor of price, you can buy the alloy from suppliers or you have to find a good source as they are trying to ban lead in wheel weights and limit it in other sources, but it will be mostly cheap or free if u are good at talking, aswell the refining process and ingot casting u might be running a gas cooker or stove.

All in all, if you pace yourself to buy or if you are kinda set up for it and/or have some skills it will be cheaper and more fun as there is plenty of stuff u can build yourself.

I now cast buck and slug, I was already to cast long before I was casting for the shotgun, but it doesnt take much to start. I use the Lee LoadAll II for my loading.
 
Look around the gun shows for a cheap lee bottom pour. Buy yourself a .36 cal mould and some pure lead.
I cast a lot of slugs for customers, but I used to cast the .36 round ball for my own use in my blackpowder shotgun. It doesn't take long to cast enough ball to load up a bunch of shells.
As the others have said initial setup cost will be exspensive. But once you have the gear you cal also venture into casting other slugs for yourself.
In the long run you would probably be better off dollar wise to just buy loaded rounds. But no where near as much fun as doing it all yourself.

Marc
 
I could see the .36 or slightly smaller double molds being a bit slow at first, but also when your on a roll it could be just as fast as the lee mold. It wont have to be as nearly as hot as it is smaller.
A bottom pour helps alot I hear, as less movement to pouring and thus less cooling of the mold. so there is some more options.
 
I just started last year on casting slugs, Lyman type.They're great.Picked up a Lee 1 oz slug mould too_Only cast those so far, none loaded for testing.Recently it progressed into buckshot.I've only cast the buckshot, not loaded up any yet.I bought 3 sizes of Sharpshooter buckshot moulds off of Fleabay. 0000,00, and F.

They work well, i recommend them highly.From the 30 lbs or so I've cast with them so far. Run them hot. It's really dirt cheap, when you consider a mould is around $40 shipped, cheaper in multiples. Store bought buckshot is around $30 for 5 lbs. of Hornady brand 00. So one mould is only slightly more than a 5lb bag of factory made. I was alredy mostly rigged up for casting, so the moulds were the only new acquisition.Also- woith the Sharpshooter moulds no separate handles to purchase, unlike the new 00 Lee mould, which also looks interesting.
 
I have also heard good things about the sharpshooter molds, I was tempted to get one but didn't get around to it, recently I just bought the lee buck mold instead.
 
Thanks guys, this helps a lot. I think this will be a great way to go cheap on a great hobby. Now i just have to be careful to not burn my garage down!
 
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