Help Getting Started - Casting for Muzzleloading

Morpheus32

Morpheus32

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Good day,

I managed to spend some time reading through all the posts on casting but I need some additional guidance. I am debating getting into casting round ball and Maxi-ball type conicals for my 45, 50 and 54 cal hawken type muzzleloaders. From what I have read in my lyman casting manual, I need to have pure lead given the requirements for muzzleloading. I am currently in Edmonton, where can I source pure lead ingots I assume? Also, what should I invest in for production items ie pot etc? I am looking for efficiency and not too worried about cost. I anticipate that I will be doing it for a while to do a production "run". I have sources the necessary molds locally. I assume I need a process to lube up the projectiles as well.

I would appreciate people's thoughts.

Thanks.
 
Do you only plan on loading for muzzle loaders? If so a simple stove and pot of lead should more then meat your needs. If you also load for pistol or high volume shooting I would go for a 20lb bottom pour pot.
 
Spawn-Inc said:
Do you only plan on loading for muzzle loaders? If so a simple stove and pot of lead should more then meat your needs. If you also load for pistol or high volume shooting I would go for a 20lb bottom pour pot.
Click to expand...

It would be just for muzzleloading at this point. I don't shoot enough to necessitate casting other bullets.
 
Pick up a electric melting pot and I like the Lee R.E.A.L bullets coated in Lee alox. Then scrounge up some lead and your off to the races
 
Myself, I prefer to pan lube them if they are to be shot with black powder. I used a 50/50 mix of crisco and beeswax as a lube, which I melt in a Bain-marie and pour over the bullets in a silicon tray like in the following video.


If bullets are to be used with smokeless powder, my lube is 50/50 paraffin and vaseline, with a couple spoons of STP® Oil Treatment.
 
Thanks for the good info. Do I need to size them? Intuitively it seems to me that slightly oversized is good for muzzleloading and given they need to be pure lead, it should not be a issue. Do I have that right?
 
It depends of the size your molds cast. For a lot of my Lee molds, I don't resize since they are perfect as cast. Use a caliper and measure them to see if you have to resize them or not. If your Minié balls are a little to large, even if they are pure lead, you might need a brass ramrod to seat them, or at least a good bullet starter. But personnaly I've never resized any bullet desgined for my muzzle loaders.
 
Morpheus32 said:
Good day,

....... I need to have pure lead given the requirements for muzzleloading. I am currently in Edmonton, where can I source pure lead ingots I assume? Also, what should I invest in for production items ie pot etc? I am looking for efficiency and not too worried about cost. I anticipate that I will be doing it for a while to do a production "run". I have sources the necessary molds locally. I assume I need a process to lube up the projectiles as well.

I would appreciate people's thoughts.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

With a little luck, a scrap metal yard will have some dead soft lead. Old roof flashing, or lead pipe would fit the bill. A lee melting pot (the one that holds 20 lb) would serve you well for a nice production run of bullets. Lee has push through sizing dies, so you could pan lube and then use one of these set ups.

You can even lube by hand if you're patient, I've done this before and it goes okay. Simply rub/squish some BP compatible lube in the grooves of the bullet, roll the bullet back and forth (on it's side obviously) on butcher paper to even it out, then carefully spin the bullet in one spot. If you're lube isn't too tacky, this works well.
 
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The smaller LEE lead melting pots will get old fast due to the small number of boolits you can get out of a single melt. A larger 10 lb or so pot will let you cast longer between fill-ups.

The less time you spend melting lead the more time you will have to cast. A larger pot will let you add ingots as you go and the volume will let you keep casting without cooling down too much. You can also use the cold ingots to moderate the temps if they get too high as you cast. (cools the melt/ helps stay in proper range)

No matter what pot you get, make sure you get a thermometer to make sure you are in the right range.

For my muzzleloader, I use "Bore Butter". Smells really nice, is easy to apply by hand.
 
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hey, i'm also in edmonton and cast for my 54 and military rifles. you are welcome to come over to try my equipment to see how everything works and take some cast home to see how it shots in your 54. i have the real mold as well as the mimi mold for the 54. send me a pm if you are interested. regards
 
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