Hi all, been reloading a long time and just recently decided to get into making my own bullets. I have smelted over 200 pounds of lead from wheel weights but now I need to get my molds, bottom pour pot and lube/sizer. I have been researching but other than Henry at budget shooter who lists a Lee pot, where do I get these things in Canada? The rcbs lube a matic is what I think I need but can't find it anywhere. Thanks.
Casting equipment??
- Thread starter Mikeyman
- Start date
You can get about anything Lee from Higginson Powder. Depending on what you're casting for and how fast is necessary, you might want to reconsider the bottom pour pot and lubrisizer. You can cast very well with a ladle (lyman or RCBS), size with Lee sizers and tumble lube or hand lube, putting your money into molds and materials.
Grouch
Grouch
Welcome to the casting world!!
I dont know how much money you want to spend,but like any reloading operation you do not have to spend alot to see if it what you like.I know when I started,it consisted of a coleman stove,ladle,303 mould,and a bottle of lee alox....and if it helps,get a casting manual(Lyman is very good)....From that point on for me ,the goodies were aquired for casting....and it never seems to stop!!
Cheers
I dont know how much money you want to spend,but like any reloading operation you do not have to spend alot to see if it what you like.I know when I started,it consisted of a coleman stove,ladle,303 mould,and a bottle of lee alox....and if it helps,get a casting manual(Lyman is very good)....From that point on for me ,the goodies were aquired for casting....and it never seems to stop!!
Cheers
for a pot and some molds, check out titan reloading, they finally got some stuff in from lee and have the best prices i've seen. they ship to canada no problem either. i may order a 20lb pot and some molds right now!
if you can't find the lubeomatic the lyman 4500 is pretty much the same thing, they use the same sizing dies (each make different ones, but each machine can use both styles)
go to cast boolits website for more info on casting, etc.
if you can't find the lubeomatic the lyman 4500 is pretty much the same thing, they use the same sizing dies (each make different ones, but each machine can use both styles)
go to cast boolits website for more info on casting, etc.
Thanks for the info guys, I should have said I will be casting 200gr swc for my 45acp to start. I would like to do 4-5 thousand over the winter to feed my other new addiction of IPSC so I think for the sake of speed I want to start out with a bottom pour pot and a lube/sizer. I have a friend who wants to go in half on the equipment and get some 357 molds so my cost tolerance is higher than normal. I have been reading the Lyman manual and spending alot of time on the cast boolits sitr as well.
i would get 2 sets of each mold, ideally 4, 5, or 6 cavity molds. that way while one mold is cooling (the sprue) you can pour the second and get some good speed. but with that you need to keep the pot topped up so i would get the 20lb hands down or larger. use a hot plate to preheat your ingots so they don't have such a high temp to adjust to and cool your pot.
yup, as well you can put the mold on top of the pot/in the lead to heat it up as well. i also use a blow torch to heat them up to, but never let the torch stop for more then a couple seconds around sharp edges as it can potentially mess up the mold.
if your good with electrical work or like messing around with building things, you can add a PID temperature controller to your pot so it will maintain a constant temperature. i used to get frosted bullets before i made one and i haven't seen a frosted bullet 100lbs of lead later.
I use a LEE 20 lb'er to cast and a 10 lb'er to premelt my lead and pour the liquid into the 20 lb'er. Help's keep thing's running smoothly. That's with a 5 cavity NOE 45-70 HP GC mold. If your gonna run 2 6 cavity mold's run 2 20 lb pot's. 1 to pour and one to pre melt the lead.
I have both LEE and NOE aluminum mold's and have not had any problem's. When a 6 cavity is running right, it doesn't matter who make's it. Open the handle's 10 time's and you have 60 boolit's looking at you.
I had no trouble teaching myself with Lee molds. You have to read and follow the instructions to break them in with the degreasing and smoking of the cavities. Then you need to lube the v-grooves. There are Youtube videos that will show all that.
I'm now casting and shooting 000 Buck, 1 oz slugs, 158 grain 38 special, 200 grain 44-40 and 230 grain 45 ACP. 44-40 was the last mold I bought and I will not go back to 2 cavity, I will only buy 6 cavity from now on.
You can get a Lee 6 cavity mold for less than a 2 cavity steel mold from other companies. That's a no-brainer to me.
I'm now casting and shooting 000 Buck, 1 oz slugs, 158 grain 38 special, 200 grain 44-40 and 230 grain 45 ACP. 44-40 was the last mold I bought and I will not go back to 2 cavity, I will only buy 6 cavity from now on.
You can get a Lee 6 cavity mold for less than a 2 cavity steel mold from other companies. That's a no-brainer to me.
i like my lee molds as well, but they do not compare to NOE or mihec molds. i always thought people were crazy paying $120+ for a mold when lee sells then for $20, then i bought one for my 500 and man oh man is that thing nice! i just wanted to stare at it all day long!
lee has since redesigned their 2 cavity molds for the better and more like their 6 cavity molds so it's an even better deal.
lee has since redesigned their 2 cavity molds for the better and more like their 6 cavity molds so it's an even better deal.
check out titan reloading. They carry all lee stuff, cheaper prices and fast shipping.
I have two lee production pots, and they both dripped until i put a screw into the bottom hole and used a ladle. I have had a lubrisizer it makes pretty bullets but it is slower than allox and while the bullets are pretty the do not shoot any better. So if I was starting at zero this is what I would get.
Lee magnum melter not a bottom pour
lee molds to make your lead bars
lee molds yes they are not the greatest but they are cheap and they work ok.
lee sizer atleat 2 hundreth over bore bigger is fine smaller is not.
lyman ladle for casting
allox from phishroy a dealer here. His dragon lube is much cheaper than lee.
I have two lee production pots, and they both dripped until i put a screw into the bottom hole and used a ladle. I have had a lubrisizer it makes pretty bullets but it is slower than allox and while the bullets are pretty the do not shoot any better. So if I was starting at zero this is what I would get.
Lee magnum melter not a bottom pour
lee molds to make your lead bars
lee molds yes they are not the greatest but they are cheap and they work ok.
lee sizer atleat 2 hundreth over bore bigger is fine smaller is not.
lyman ladle for casting
allox from phishroy a dealer here. His dragon lube is much cheaper than lee.
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Bassmaster
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Question for you gurus - if I were to tumble lube as JBD suggests is the nose area sticky? The whole bullet is coated correct? When buying 200 gr LSWC in the past they have always been the type with one lube groove which I assumed to be most desireable. I will be shooting them in the 1911 and in competition so I want the method that will produce the "best" bullet.
Once the alox dries for a few days it won't be that sticky anymore, but yes the whole bullet gets coated.
You can do 3 things.
1. wipe each bullet once loaded with a bitt of mineral spirits to remove the lube.
2. Tumble rounds in old media or new, but dedicate it for lube removal only.
3. Use a lube/sizer and then you have ###y looking bullets.
You can do 3 things.
1. wipe each bullet once loaded with a bitt of mineral spirits to remove the lube.
2. Tumble rounds in old media or new, but dedicate it for lube removal only.
3. Use a lube/sizer and then you have ###y looking bullets.
Check out Magma Engineering, they still sell the star equivalent lubesizer just under their name. I believe they bought out Star, they look identical. I recommend getting the heated base if you go that route and they will send to Canada.
Also, check out the Master Caster, you can cast a couple of thousand in less than two hours. If you have more people to go in with it is worthwhile.
I have cast well over 100,000 with the one in my shop. I have about 6 sets of molds on hand. Benefit of this one is the two cavity molds are reasonably priced and they stock just about everything.
Also, check out the Master Caster, you can cast a couple of thousand in less than two hours. If you have more people to go in with it is worthwhile.
I have cast well over 100,000 with the one in my shop. I have about 6 sets of molds on hand. Benefit of this one is the two cavity molds are reasonably priced and they stock just about everything.
