Casting bullets 101 ?

You need a heat source - kitchen stove, electric or propane hotplate, or casting furnace.
Next, a bullet casting ladle(Lyman or RCBS), and an appropriate bullet mold with handles. If you want easy accuracy and velocity from a rifle, you are probably better of with a gas checked bullet design, and will need gas checks.
Then there's the lead - the alloy is important. For smaller calibres or higher velocities, use an alloy that can be hardened(drop bullets from mold into a pail of water with a pad at the bottom being VERY careful not to get water into the mold). This alloy must contain antimony to harden and a little bit(1 or 2%) tin. Most of us use old wheelweights and 1 - 2% tin.
For lower velocities or if your rifle prefers it, 1 part tin to 20 parts lead is good. Don't be hung up on which of the two to use. As someone said 50 years ago or so, some of these questions you have to ask your rifle.
Last but very important you need a reloading manual that covers cast bullets. I suggest the Lyman manual or their cast bullet handbook.
I'm a little out of touch with current costs - for a start try Higginson Powder for Lee molds and accessories, Wholesale Sports for reloading dies(Lyman or RCBS). It depends a lot how much of a factor cost is.
It's a great hobby with a lot of history and a great way to shoot a lot more for a lot less. I'm sure there are lots of people here who will be happy to help you along the way. All the best and I hope you take it up and enjoy it.
Grouch
 
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I would suggest that you hook up with someone who knows bullet casting and sit in on a casting session as well as the lubing and sizing operation. You will learn quickly if it's for you, what some of the equip. is used for, diff. moulds, alloys, etc.
 
Read this link on various lead smelting setups that various users have made up and used. The guy who wrote post #58 did it the best because he's really smart and pretty good looking too :D LOL!!!!

Seriously though. If you're going to get into this, here's what you'll have to ask yourself.

1. Do I have a place to melt down scrap wheel weights (lots and lots of smoke will be produced and there WILL be splattered lead)

2. Can I get a bunch of wheel weights??? If you're going to get into this, I'd suggest you jump in with both feet. Get yourself about 5 x 5 gallon pails and do one huge smelting operation. You'll have enough lead to last for years.

3. You'll need a heat source and something to melt the lead in. I used a propane tiger torch and a 5 gallon steel bucket with the head cut off.
(See post #58 in that link for the other stuff you'll need)

After you've got a bunch of lead ingots, the hard part is over.
Now you need a small melting furnace. I suggest something that will hold at least 8 lbs of lead or more. A mold, a ladle (unless you buy one of those fancy bottom pour pots which I don't recommend because they sometimes won't stop flowing molten lead if their spout gets dirty. You'll need an old spoon and some type of flux. I use Marvalux (sp?). 13.99 for a can that will get you through tens of thousands of bullets.

What am I missing guys???

Oh. Here's the link:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83230&highlight=smelting
 
A roofer is a good source for lead. Most older houses have a lead cover over the soil stack and kitchen sink vent.Most roofers put on the new aluminum and rubber vent caps and the lead sheets go to the garbage. These are pure lead and exactly what you want for casting muzzleloader balls and bullets.As one of the other fellows said you need to add tin for harder bullets for regular guns. You will probably want a "Lube-Sizer" for the cal. you are using too.I thought I was the only Redneck still casting bullets until I got on this site.Good luck and good casting...ST...
 
The one thing I haven`t started yet is casting my own bullets...But given that its difficult to get inexpensive round balls/minies and such, I might start...But just a quick question.....What, exactly does "fluxing" do?...Adding a lube,(or such), to molten lead cleans it? ...Makes it easier to pour? (I thought thats what the tin is for).....
Inquiring minds......
 
I suggested Lyman because it's probably the oldest one. RCBS and Lee both have cast bullet sections. For more depth, a good look at Veral Smith's book(see Lead Bullets Technology) or Joe Brennan has also written a useful book - two volumes now I think.
On my first reply I forgot to mention that it's often necessary to size your bullets. The cheapest bullet sizer is made by Lee, and it does a better job than most.
Good luck. Grouch
 
Before you do anything go out and buy Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook. Read it twice. Once you have done that most of your questions will be answered.

While you are reading the book start figuring out where yuo can get wheelweights - for free. I get mine from the local Canadian Tire Store. Walmart also is a good source as is any of the tire shops. Some charge for them others don't.

Join this forum: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

The guys there have been casting for years and you will get a lot of information and help there. The formula for "Felix" lube is there and I can tell you from experience the lube works.

Casting is not difficult but some basic knowledge is necessary and by doing a little reseach first you will save yourself, time and money.

Take Care

Bob
 
What is the tin for?

Airwolf said:
The one thing I haven`t started yet is casting my own bullets...But given that its difficult to get inexpensive round balls/minies and such, I might start...But just a quick question.....What, exactly does "fluxing" do?...Adding a lube,(or such), to molten lead cleans it? ...Makes it easier to pour? (I thought thats what the tin is for).....
Inquiring minds......
Click to expand...

Tin acts as a bullet hardner.You need harder bullets in center fire guns so your barrel doesn't lead up so fast(it will lead up eventually). Muzzel loaders need soft lead.Round balls are "patched" and the minnie' balls or slugs are hollow based which expand when fired to seal the powder gas in the barrel.Hard lead would prevent this reaction. Round balls if they were too hard would go stait through like a full metel jacket thus wounding game. Soft lead flattens out well on impact. A good source for tin is a 50-50 plumbers solder,or 50%lead 50% tin.There are many formulas for mixing tin and lead.I work on a 20-1 ratio_Other casters will differ.If you are encountering severe leading you need more tin.Some guns will lead-up worse than others so no formula is precise or best.you have to do your own experimenting. One word of advise is to wear gloves,glasses ,non-lace up type boots and a heavy leather welders apron or a heavy jacket done up. That will protect you from spills and splashes.Keep away from water of any type because it will cause a explosive reaction if molten lead and water contact each other.One or two drops of water is enough to ruin your day if not your life.One Gunnut suggested dropping your cast slug into water to harden it and this does work but keep the water at least 4 or 5 feet from where you are casting. Cast bullets are a great way to save some $$$ but you will probably just shoot more and more and more...
 
With all due respect to the last poster, tin, while it is a hardner it really doesn't add that much to the hardness of the metal. Antimony is the hardening agent in lead alloy. Tin will allow for somewhat better casting. Water quenching your bullets, dropped right from the mold is a much easier method of hardening your bullets.

As to leading often to hard a bullet is just as much cause for leading as to soft. That said the real culprit in leading outside of a poor barrel lies with the lube you use. Soft lube is often better than hard lube in most applications. The latter is used by commercial casters primarily to keep the lube in the grooves when shipping their bullets. Also hard lube is less likely to melt in the hot sun, a situation that can develop with soft lube.

I use a four gallon pail filled half with water next to me when casting. If you watch what you are doing you can contain the splash of the bullets well within the pail. Water, as has been pointed out does not mix with molten lead, something you do not want to find out for yourself.

The formula for Felix lube is on the Cast bullet forum and has worked well for me in all my pistol and rifle loads including 30-06, .303 Brit and .30-30.

Take Care

Bob
 
Airwolf said:
The one thing I haven`t started yet is casting my own bullets...But given that its difficult to get inexpensive round balls/minies and such, I might start...But just a quick question.....What, exactly does "fluxing" do?...Adding a lube,(or such), to molten lead cleans it? ...Makes it easier to pour? (I thought thats what the tin is for).....
Inquiring minds......
Click to expand...
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Flux seems to gather the impurities in the molten lead to the surface, where it can be skimmed off.
You suggest lube seems to do that. I used to use a bit of beef tallow, about the size of a pea. This seemed to work as good as proper flux does, if you don't mind some smoke.
 
A bar of handsoap scrapings works good for flux,but soap must contain"stearate" or some such, I'm glad someone mentioned the useless hard waxes used by most commercial casters. I have tested those hard waxes and they are poor lubes for bullets, they are used for getting the bullets to market without looking a mess. M.T. Chambers has developed a new lube for smokeless loads that people report actually makes their barrels "shine", the lube and bullets using the lube are avail. from M.T. Chambers Supply.
 
Jeez what ever you do don't use potatoe unless it is bone dry and I mean bone dry. A moist potato chunk will send molten lead flying in all directions. Don't ask me how I know this....

Take Care

Bob
 
Canuck 44 you are right if you use it fresh it will, cut it leave it dry (till it is like leather) and stab her with wire and go to fluxing.
Probably should have added that little tad of advice, Oldtimers.
Ken.
 
kodiak1 said:
Canuck 44 you are right if you use it fresh it will, cut it leave it dry (till it is like leather) and stab her with wire and go to fluxing.
Probably should have added that little tad of advice, Oldtimers.
Ken.
Click to expand...

Good god yes. Make sure it's dry. I was waiting for my lead to melt, and decided to rake the lawn a bit. I pulled up some thatch into a pile and picked it up. I walked to the garbage can the kind of half a$$ed threw it at the can. SOMETHING landed in the pot and POP POP POP!!!! I splattered lead on me, and just about everthing in the garage within a 7 foot radius has at least one tiny splatter of lead on it....including my wifes black van. To hell with everything else....I got that stuff off the van!!!! LOL.

Fortunately for me, it wasn't a powerful explosion, but just a bit of spitting. I must have gotten a wet blade of grass or a water drop in the pot when I threw the grass at the can beside it. Water (in any form, or in any-thing) plus hot lead equals trouble.
 
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