Casting your own bullets

bluesclues

bluesclues

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I am new to reloading, and I have a question for those of you that cast your own bullets.

I have noticed that the LEE lead melting and moulding kits are pretty inexpensive.
Can I use the lead bullets that are in the back stop at my local range? The indoor ranges only allow for lead bullets... so there is plenty of flattened lead there for the taking.

Thanks for any advice

Blue :mrgreen:
 
Yep. The range will likely be delighted to have you dig them out too. The lead will have to be cleaned of dirt etc, but lead's lead. Just make sure you get permission in writing before you start digging.
 
My next question is... is there really that much advantage in casting your own bullets? I would be only casting for 9mm. Reletively 1K of lead bullets from WOLF is approx. $40.

How many here cast your own? What is your opinion on this? Also, is casting your own very time consuming?

Thanks again. I have learned alot from reading the posts in this section.

Blue :mrgreen:
 
Blue,

I've started casting my own bullet a few years ago and I just love it :D I cast my own 9mm, 38, 45, 12g slug and in the next few weeks I should receive my buckshots mold...

It all depends how much your time is worth to you... or what would you rather do...
- Have you got some spare time on your hand?
- Are you looking for a new hobby?

If so, casting might be for you... but be warned, it might get addictive...
- You don't pay for your bullet anymore... so you'll shoot more.
- You will cast more bullets... because you want to get your money's worth.
- You might have casted too many bullets and run out of empty brass to reload...
- ...

There's nothing wrong with the Lee molds... I've a few of their 6 cavity and 1 slug mold and they all do a great jobs.

Mike.
 
Sillymike,

Does anything need to be done to the "used" lead? For example, I collect some lead, wash it clean of debris then put it into the melter and wait... Pour the liquid lead into molds... let cool and then inspect? Is there more to it than this? I am not trying to over simplify things, but if this is all there is to it... I should have done this a long time ago.

BTW, with a 6 cavity mold, roughly how quickly are you turning out final product?

Thanks

Blue :mrgreen:
 
Find a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook--it will answer most of your questions plus give you re-loading data.

Unless you are interested in taking up casting as another part of the firearms hobby, I would just buy bulk commercial cast bullets for 9mm.

I used to cast for all of my pistols and many rifles but now only cast for firearms that I cannot buy commercial cast for or for specialty bullets for some cartridges.

good luck, 44Bore.
 
Check with your local garages and tire shops. Best source of casting metal is used wheel weights! I get 'em free by the 5 gallon bucketful! I've got about 200 lbs of ingots cleaned up this summer. Still have about 800lbs waiting to be cleaned and cast into ingots.

The Lee casting stuff, with the exception of their lead ladle (Total POS!), is okay. Some moulds are difficult to cast good bullets, i.e., cast out of round bullets, etc... A better option than the Lee stuff is to go to a junk store and buy the biggest cast iron pot, dutch oven or similar that they have....get two if they have 'em. The cast iron pot plus a Coleman stove (propane or coleman fuel types will work) and a run of the mill soup ladle will get you into the casting game.

BEFORE trying to melt any metal, get the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and read it. Casting can be a fun and safe hobby if you do it right. It'll also save you money in the long run if you must ship in reloading supplies, i.e., live in the boonies like I do.

Most importantly, you Must wear proper safety equipment. Eye protection or full face shield, pair of heavy leather gloves (welders gloves work good) leather apron if you have one (extra layer of protection, but not absolutely necessary) wear cotton fiber clothing, no synthetics. Some sort of mask or respirator will also prevent you from breathing any potentially noxious/poisionus fumes or minute lead particles.

Keep water and sweat away from molten lead. One drop of water and you'll have a lead explosion and molten lead sprayed everywhere!

Check out eBay or the exchange forums here on CGN for used Lyman, RCBS, SAECO or H&G moulds. Far superior to the LEE product.

One of the best resources for newbie casters is the Cast BOOLIT forum here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php Great bunch of guys there, many of them refugees from the now defunct Shooters.com site.
 
The part about "wash the dirt off the used bullets and dump them in the melting pot" may get you injured. Melted lead WHEN A DROP OR TWO OF WATER IS ADDED , THE WATER TURNS TO STEAM AND THE POT FULL OF MOLTEN LEAD EXPLODES. A suggestion is don't wash it , shake the dirt out with the lead in seive , then get rid of any other dirt when you FLUX the molten lead. Do a search of "bullet casting" and you should get lots of info , including what FLUXING is.
 
Thanks for the replies. I will do a more thorough search and read the Lyman manual. I knew there had to be more to it than just "melt and mold".

I do think, however, that this would be a good new part to an already great hobby.

Blue :mrgreen:
 
You are better off as suggested to start with garage lead wheel weight as suggested by Xman. Forget the range stuff unless it is from an indoor range.

I use Lee melting pot and equipment and a RCBS lubrisizer. It is economical ? If you enjoy doing it, bullet are almost free for your time. You are leaning a skill and more than one thing or two about accuracy and how to obtain the best from most guns who can use cast bullet. Many older gun do not shoot right with standard bullet size. Bullet diameter can be varied to make them shoot.

if you shoot IPSC - yuo are better off buying your cast bullet from Wolf .. :mrgreen:
 
I've used range lead before, it works, but is generally very soft, and very dirty, with copper jackets and other debris you have to skim.
I prefer wheel weights.
Water WILL make for a nasty and dangerous explosion.
If you do wash , make sure they are good and dry, OR put ALL the weights you will use into the melt before you add heat. That way the water evaporates before the lead melts.
There is a lot of crap in used lead. Don't put wheel weight directly into a bottom pour pot. The crud will plug the hole, or make it leak. Use an old pot and skim/flux/stir get all the crud out before you put it in your bottom pour.
I prefer a laddle myself, it eliminates the danger of a leaky spout, and I can make bullets with the first melt, after skimming and cleaning.
I cast for 30-30, 44 mag, 44-40, 45-70, and I think I have one for 303 that I have yet to try.
If you are a pistol shooter, the big gang moulds are the only way to go.
 
I now cast my pistol bullets as the cost vs amount of shooting is getting up there. Add in the massive cost of posting lead and I am well ahead of the game.

Lee 6 cavity tumble lube mold (cost of 1000 commercial cast bullets buys me a mold). You can produce 600 to 1000 bullets in an hour with some practise. liq alox tumble lube makes that part of finishing the bullets super easy. if you use the molds properly, they will come out round and accurate. Very nice stuff.

I use a propane burner and a large cast iron pot and metal soup ladle. Dirt cheap and makes casting volume bullets easy. Plus 'dipping' never has issues with clogged spouts. I really don't like running low on lead, having to add more, waiting for everything to melt and reach temp, then getting the mold up to temp again. With that large pot, I can make a few thousand bullets in a batch.

lead prep whether wheel weights or range lead is the same. Put them all in the cast iron pot COLD!!!!! Light up the propane and LEAVE. Your neighbours will not like you much either. Lots of dirty stinky dangerous smoke. Once things stop smoking and the alloy melts, you can scoop out the obvious chunks of junk. Everything either burns off or floats on lead. I use a kitchen flat ladle with lots of holes in it (how's that for a scientific description) to skim with.

Always put the ladle or scoop on top of the lead just to make sure any and all water is steamed off. If you plunge water below the surface you will have big trouble. Anything on the surface simply sizzles and boils. No explosions.

Sorry, no hollywood special effects here. That comes later.

Now the very important step, fluxing. I use parafin wax found at the grocery store. comes in small balls/pellets. I throw in a nice full table spoon (the exact amount really doesn't matter). Let it melt and it should catch fire all on its own. I stir into the alloy while on fire with a long piece of wood (again Very dry). Now you have some dramatic effects.

Once the fire ends, there will be some grey soot on the top. Skim off and repeat until there is no longer any soot. The alloy is now ready to use. Nice and shiney.

Casting bullets is super easy. To do it well does take a bit of practise but if you make bad bullets, just throw them back in and remelt. Nothing lost. Follow the mold instructions, lube the mold and heat it up before using (saves having to make lots of bad bullets before the mold heats up). I like to smoke the mold with a BBQ propane lighter but any propane lighter will work. You want that black smoke. Candles can work too but messy.

Just keep any water away from the work area. Saying that, I water quench my bullets as the harder bullets work better in high pressure cartridges like 9mm and 40S&W.

Get a copy of the new Lee reloading manual for lots of really great casting info. The Lyman manual is supposed to be great but haven't spent much time with it. The old RCBS book on casting is also a nice reference. Handloader magazine is the only main mag that has lots of great casting info. Get the newest edition for a great read.

With casting, the fun is playing and adjusting with the alloys, sizing, and bullet shape to get a perfectly shooting combo in your firearm. There is little issue getting 2 MOA and some rifle bullets can shoot well under that (my 308 cast rifle is shooting sub MOA and am hoping for around 1/2MOA at 180yds). by matching the bullet to the gun, you can actually get them to shoot better then jacketed bullets.

If you don't count your time, really inexpensive to shoot and raw material is always available at the local tire store. But then you may have to make up some other alloy to work in a different gun. Fun, fun, fun.

enjoy...

Jerry
 
When it comes to wheelweights I suggest you get yourself an old coleman stove. Cast iron pots are around garage sales etc. Melt down your wheelweights into one lb. ingots. Flux lots, I use candle wax. Makes skimming all the metal tabs etc off much easier. Same is true if you are scronging range lead.
 
Casting

I've been casting for forty years and expect to be buried with my ladle.
(My moulds will go to a good home). FWIW, the 9 mm cartridge is the one that has given me the most aggravation in using cast bullets.
While I have gotten good groups with a Browning many years ago,
and my SIG 210 can shoot better than I can hold, the nines take more tweaking than any other cartridge with cast bullets. Many of them lead vigourously and are fussy about the right powder charge and seating depth.
I would try some store bought bullets, to see if they work well for you and if so, you can try to duplicate them yourself. If you were starting off with a .38 Special, I'd say "Go fot it." It's very easy to get good results with a .38.
Just my inflated $.02.
Stew
 
Don't use an aluminum pot, unless it's very thick. I burned through an aluminum pot one time, wasn't pretty, hot lead spurting out the hole, me dancing around for something to catch it with, trying not to get burned or start a fire, and the mess to cleanup after.
Cast iron works good, stainless works good too, and heats faster than cast.
Do not try to move a molten lead pot with a side handle until it has cooled. Modern kitchen pots are not designed for the weight of lead, you will need both hands on the pot to support it. Might be best if you lost the handle all together.
 
slug

I have been using 4.7 gr Unique under Saeco 125 gr lead truncated bullets, 125 gr RN Commercial cast with nary a sign of leading in any of my 9MM (HiPower 2, CZ85, Trojan and Norinco). LOad is extremely accurate and all my guns.
 
BTW, when cleaning your wheelweights, DO NOT try to move the cast iron pot by the handle alone: you'll only succeed in splashing the contents on your feet.
If you really must move that pot, get a vise grip plier and clinch it tightly on the lip of the pot; this will give you a secondary handle to control the pot's movement.
And keep that pot low, near the ground.
Be safe and have fun!
PP. :)
 
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