I have a few questions about casting bullets. I have never done this before. Just wanna start a list of everything I will need. How much it will cost to get started. And is it much cheaper than buying bullets. I would like to load for .270 win, .243 win and 9 mm. Also maybe .300 wsm. Any input would help. Thanks
Wanna start casting bullets
- Thread starter ReloaderRick
- Start date
When scrap lead runs about $1/pound and 9mm cast bullets can be had for $85 per thousand, it's marginal savings casting for pistol, and none at all if you factor in your time. Don't let that deter you, though. Casting for rifle is a fantastic savings, however, or else lets you shoot more for the same money.
Buy the Lyman cast bullet handbook. Get an inexpensive Lee bottom pour pot, figure out which molds you'd like to try and order them. Decide how you want to deal with sizing and lubrication - I've always used a lube sizer, but it's cheaper to get into the Lee tumble lube system and push through dies (I've never used them).
You need stuff like safety gear - denim jacket/pants, face shield, gauntlets - because everyone gets splashed sooner or later (and introducing dampness into the pot can cause an even more nasty steam explosion - ALWAYS be certain that anything you go to put in the pot is bone dry).
You will also need some sort of method for smelting your raw lead scrap into ingots for your production pot. You don't want to feed your production pot with scrap metal. I use an old cast aluminum pot and a coleman stove and do 20-30 pounds at a time (of the stove might collapse).
Misc items like a dipper or ladle, some beeswax or paraffin for flux..
BTW If you want to try blending some alloy and need a source of tin, the cheapest I've found is buying spools of 50/50 or tin/antimony wire solder at Wosely plumbing in Winnipeg.
Sorry for the disjointed post. I tend to jump around. start with a good book, though.
Buy the Lyman cast bullet handbook. Get an inexpensive Lee bottom pour pot, figure out which molds you'd like to try and order them. Decide how you want to deal with sizing and lubrication - I've always used a lube sizer, but it's cheaper to get into the Lee tumble lube system and push through dies (I've never used them).
You need stuff like safety gear - denim jacket/pants, face shield, gauntlets - because everyone gets splashed sooner or later (and introducing dampness into the pot can cause an even more nasty steam explosion - ALWAYS be certain that anything you go to put in the pot is bone dry).
You will also need some sort of method for smelting your raw lead scrap into ingots for your production pot. You don't want to feed your production pot with scrap metal. I use an old cast aluminum pot and a coleman stove and do 20-30 pounds at a time (of the stove might collapse).
Misc items like a dipper or ladle, some beeswax or paraffin for flux..
BTW If you want to try blending some alloy and need a source of tin, the cheapest I've found is buying spools of 50/50 or tin/antimony wire solder at Wosely plumbing in Winnipeg.
Sorry for the disjointed post. I tend to jump around. start with a good book, though.
just having some fun
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Most caster cast bullets for the hard to find or expensive cals
Cast bullets in rifle are limited to a max of 2000 fps +- depending on cal
.270 win, .243 win and 9 mm. .300 wsm are not cals that you save a lot on
243 has only a few molds from all the mold makers
300wsm can be done if you want a make a plinker round and with a heaver bullet you could even hunt deer with a cast bullet 150 yd max (think of 30-30 range power)
go to
h t tp://castboolits.gunloads.com/
and start reading
Pretty much agree with what's been said, however I wouldn't use any aluminum pots for Smelting, they have randomly cracked before (same with cast iron, but not as much) and old propane tanks are pretty easy to come by.
I use a Lyman 4500 for sizing and lubing, I make my own lube (Bens red from castboolits) but you can tumble lube too, that's how I started. But I like the look of clean bullets. The new craze is powder coating bullets no lubing is required as the powder coating acts like a copper jacket.
I use a Lyman 4500 for sizing and lubing, I make my own lube (Bens red from castboolits) but you can tumble lube too, that's how I started. But I like the look of clean bullets. The new craze is powder coating bullets no lubing is required as the powder coating acts like a copper jacket.
Has anyone tried copper plating cast bullets? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KM_hr5eCNo
