suggestions for cast setup

mjcurry

mjcurry

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hi their.

since i have all winter off and nothing to do( and not alot of $ to spend) i was thinking of getting into casting bullets. is their any good started kits available. ive only sen the llyman kit on cabelas. and i guess i need a cast iron pot and a burner? their is alot of auto/tire shops around my place so getting wheel weights is now prob. i would prolly cast for my .375 h&h ,.300wsm , 270 and .44 mag. would it be worth buying the equipment or would it not save me much unless i shot ALOT.

thanx
matt
 
mjcurry said:
hi their.

since i have all winter off and nothing to do( and not alot of $ to spend) i was thinking of getting into casting bullets. is their any good started kits available. ive only sen the llyman kit on cabelas. and i guess i need a cast iron pot and a burner? their is alot of auto/tire shops around my place so getting wheel weights is now prob. i would prolly cast for my .375 h&h ,.300wsm , 270 and .44 mag. would it be worth buying the equipment or would it not save me much unless i shot ALOT.

thanx
matt
Click to expand...

I addressed this similar question not that long ago around here somewhere.Anyhoo, you've mentioned some smaller calibers. The considered starting ground for good luck with cast is 35 cal+,heavy on the plus. I'm not saying the smaller stuff cant be cast for,but in the interest of accuracy and hunting you'll want to keep the contact area up there. Your 44 is a great cast candidate..Is it rifle or pistol? You really wont enjoy the process unless you go bottom pour pot..Dipping from a pot is rectal for more reasons than this site has the capacity for me to write...Lee does not make a lot of good molds, however they do make one for the 44 that flies great,and kills good. If I were you I'd start with the 44 cause its going to go good right of the get go.Cause its a decent size bore and straight cases are very forgiving...So $100 for your pot,$30 for that mold...Flux,not with a bottom pour and wheel weights..You'll want the lee sizer 17-18$. Theres lots of other gunk you can pick up but if you get that your a go..Now I wanta here if its rifle or pistol so we can talk lubes and weather your going to air cool them or water cool them..Let us know...PS,theres also a gas check issue if your shootin them rifle.Sign up here and talk to the boys. Most know their bees wax castboolits.gunloads.com/
 
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To make bullets that are going to travel under 2200 fps you'll be fine with wheel weights. Just go to the hardware store and get some lead free solder. This is 95% tin. You want to add about 1-2% to the wheel weights. Very little. All it's there to do is give the metal better flow qualities. Helps things fill out. If you ever see a cast bullet and the edges arent sharp the guy didnt let the mold warm up,or he cheaped on adding a few inches of tin..When you get your mold wash the crap out of the inside with laquer thinner,acetone,etc..Lee says warm it by dipping in the metal. I prewarm on the stove. I likes my molds good and warm. When you start you may still get a few that are shiney with round edges. They go back carefuilly into the mix. When you start getting them with sharp edges and when you drop em in a nearby container of water you get a hiss sound. Your makin bullets,and water quenching them...These will cut through brush the likes of which nothing jacketed can go through...Pick a mold with a large frontal flat area, thats how cast bullets kill. Not by deformation, but by a big flat nose shoving meat like a bulldozer...The liquid alox lee will give you with the sizer will be fine to get you started....No sense getting into lube sizers yet. Have some fun first...OH,,cast bullets need a minimum of 3 days to cure to their intended hardness.....A copper barrel is not a cast barrel. EVERY ounce of copper has to be cleaned outta that barrel first..You will notice shooting cast that the thing will shoot ok at the beginning but get better and better as the barrel conditions....a lead shootin tube never needs cleaned,NEVER.Well let us know if you have any other questions, we'll try
 
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