does anyone cast their own bullets?

Mr. Buttons

Mr. Buttons

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I have been thinking recently about starting to cast my own bullets. I haven't decided if this process would be more pain than enjoyment.

I would very much like to hear opinions on this from others who cast their own bullets.

I am also curious how much a set up would cost and what types of material people use for bullet casting (ie, wheel weights, etc).

thanks:)
 
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Many people cast their own, and for various reasons:

- cast bullets use less powder and are easier on the barrel, gun and shooter than jacketed;
- cast bullets and bullet molds are avialable in some calibres, weights, etc. not available in jacketed;
- casting bullets is fun;
- etc.

I suggest that you not get into it strictly for the economics, as most cast bullets you might need are available if you look hard enough. You will need:

- a furnace (Lee's most basic is under $50);
- a ladle (under $20);
- flux (~$10 for a lot of lead)
- lube (Lee Alox is about $5 and good for ~1000 bullets)
- molds ($30-80/each)
- sizers ($20-30/each)
- alloy (wheelweight is usually free, lead is sometimes, and linotype almost never)
- books, etc ($20+)

It can easily cost you $150 to get set up, and $50-75 for each bullet shape you wish to cast.
 
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Wheel weights, the most common bullet casting alloy.

Bullet casting enables one to taylor make the ammo to the specs of ones guns and get better accuarcy than jacketed bullets in guns that are suitable for lead bullets

With the cartridges you mentioned, home casting is pretty much mandatory in order to get top accuaracy.

For more info; http://www.castbulletassoc.org/
 
I cast bullets for a couple of rifles and my HG's. If you discount your time, a great way to reduce cost of shooting.

Set up is very easy. You need a mold and handles, a heat source (I use a propane hotplate), a cast iron pot (I use the one that is 14" or so across), a ladel (metal soup one works), a skim (flat ladel with holes in it), gloves, eye protection, parafin wax, a way to hammer open the mold and stir the pot while fluxing (I use a piece of fir lumber). Then you need your 'lead'. I use wheel weights either air or water cooled depending on the application.

Beyond that, just melt, clean, flux, pour. After a few bad bullets, you will get a feel for casting. Not hard to do. For lubing, I use the Lee Liq Alox. Seems to work for everything and super easy to use.

Jerry
 
Don't forget about the bore wear advantages( they dont wear), reduced powder consumption, reduced recoil without reduced accuracy,brass lasts longer on the light loads, you can adjust bullet size to groove diameter & its just cool to send every blessed one down range with love.
 
I cast match bullets for BPCR. Haven't started in handguns yet. I imagine it would be cheaper and easier loading handgun bullets for just ramming off. You go through a lot of lead pouring 525gr bullets for the rifle.

I'd get a second pot for casting wheelweights, just in case. Don't want any contaminants getting in my good lead.
 
I have cast and used cast bullets in an assortment of rifles for more than 40 years. It's not all that difficult, setup need not be very expensive, it certainly has advantages already listed above, and while you should achieve good results fairly quickly, you can keep learning for a very long time.

Basic equipment can work well. You can melt lead with any heat source from the kitchen stove to gas or electric hot plates to camp stoves to the casting furnaces on the market by Lee, Lyman and others. Bullet sizers by Lee are reasonably priced and work very well. Bullet lubricant can be applied by hand - most decent machine grease makes very good bullet lubricant, or Lee's tuble lube isn't bad. These get you out of spending big bucks on lubrisezers until you decide you really need them. I've always needed other stuff worse.

Alloy is important, and as long as they don't change the formulas, wheelweights + 1 or 2% tin is a good alloy and dropped out of the mold into water(2 litre milk carton with rag at the bottom) will make you hard bullets. For soft bullets, try 20:1 lead and tin(about 1 lb 50/50 solder to 10 lb lead).

You need a mould and the proper casting ladle - look at Lee for a first mold and lyman for a ladle.

Lyman has cast bullet data in their reloading manual, together with some basic casting instructions.

For what it's worth, Higginson Powders is the Canadian distributor for Lee's products, and offer very good prices and service as well asgood deals on powder.

I'll leave you with that for now - good luck with your casting.

Grouch
 
Get a copy of Lyman's "Cast Bullet Handbook". This book will move your learning curve up considerably. A good resource book for anyone who casts boolits.

Stay Safe.
 
I agree with Canuck 44 get a good reference book first . It is nice to have something to go back to when things aren't working so well. If you are the do it yourself type of personality you will probably really enjoy casting your own . I personally find it a very enjoyable way to spend time . I even took my castig stuff with me last year when I had to live out of town for 2 months for job training. it killed the dead time very nicely but now I have over 200 hunting bullets for my muzzle loader and almost 3000 for my marlin . ( I did take about 350lbs of lead with me ) I really have to get out more and do more shooting !!
 
airedaleguns1 said:
Good advise, boys, but the one thing you did not warn Naugler about was the danger of melting lead indoors. It,s fumes are deadly and should only be rendered out of doors and down wind. Alex.
Click to expand...

Not true. Lead (including lead alloys like wheelweights and Linotype) does not vaporize at the temperatures used for casting (500-800F), so lead fumes will not be an issue. Lead melts at about 625F and boils at about 3150F, so you can see that lead fumes will be effectively zero at the common 700F casting temp. Flux fumes will be there for sure, but are non-toxic. The rendering of "raw" (right from the tire shop) wheelweights most definetly must be done outside as you are dealing with oil, rubber, plastic and who know what else.

Lead is not absorbed through the skin, but washing of hands after handling is VERY important as it is absorbed by ingestion and inhalation. I can't think of a casting situation that would result in lead dust, but that is a hazard to be avoided as well. Not a bad idea for anyone loading cast bullets (even if you don't cast your own) to ask your doctor to establish a blood lead level at your next checkup and to monitor it at each checkup.

I know, I know, common "wisdom" is that I am wrong and you must never cast indoors and with excellent ventilation. Let's see the proof........
 
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I believe that the danger you speak of is wildly exaggerated. You have to get lead far hotter than bullet casting temperatures to generate those deadly fumes. If you're going to heat the lead to white hot in a forge, it could be a problem, but normal bullet casting won't generate lead fumes. It may generate toxic fumes from the stuff stuck to the lead though, so you are right about the ventilation while you are alloying the lead.
 
This looks like a good set-up for the auxilary burner on my backyard BBQ

Canuck44 - thanks for the advice on the reference book. I'll try to find a copy and use that as a point of reference.
 
Should have added under no circumstance use an aluminum pot to melt lead in. Cast iron only. The last thing you need is a lead bath to ruin your day. Also avoid water around your melt, things get real exciting in a hurray when molten lead meets water ah ere ah let's just say from experience and leave it at that.

Stay Safe
 
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