Exactly.
Worth casting your own bullets ?
- Thread starter TightGroup
- Start date
Exactly.
Let's look at it in dollars & cents (all prices from current Canadian suppliers):
Lee 6 cavity mould = $70
mould handles = $25
Lee size die = $32
Lee Production Pot IV 20 pound = $107
Lee Alox Liquid lube= $9
Tax & shipping approx. = $65
Total = $310
So for a little over $300 you're ready to go. The only additional cost is the lead alloy which could vary from free to $3/lb. Let's say you have to pay $3/pound. 124 gr. 9mm bullets run about 18 pounds per thousand so $57 for alloy. Now you're up to about $370.
The cheapest commercially cast bullets you're going to find (9mm) will cost you about $95/1000 so once you have cast 4000 bullets ($380) your cost is completely recouped.
That sounds like a lot of bullets but if you shoot one box of ammo (50 rounds) per week that's 50 x 52 = 2600 bullets so 4000 is only 1.5 year's worth of shooting.
After the initial investment is covered the cost drops to the price of alloy per thousand so even if you're paying top dollar for alloy ($57 for 18 lbs.) you save $95 - $57 = $38/1000 bullets basically to infinity as I have never worn out a mould or casting pot in 40 years of casting 10's of thousands of bullets.
Most everything I have quoted here is for new equipment in Canadian dollars. You can significantly reduce your costs by doing any or all of the following:
- order from places in the states like Titan Reloading
- buy used gear on the EE or at gun shows
- prices quoted are current retail. Look for equipment when it goes on sale
- find a cheaper source of alloy like wheelweights at scrap yards & garages or range lead from backstops. Powder coating will allow you to use cheaper alloys like range lead and you're only looking at another $40-$50 for a used toaster over and a pound of powder which will be good for thousands of bullets.
if you can find a source of cheap/free lead your cost for bullets after the initial 4000 basically drops to $0 aside from the odd bottle of lube or pound of powder. Since bullets are now the most expensive component of a reloaded round you can easily reduce your cost per round by 50% by casting your own projectiles. Keep in mind as well that all these calculations figures are based on the cheapest bullets available (9mm). If you reload for larger calibres like 44 or 45 your savings will increase by up to 25% over commercial cast bullets.
People have noted the time element which definitely is a factor to be considered. However, with a 6 cavity mould you can conservatively cast 600 bullets per hour. Add another hour to size and lube them so 2 hours labour for 600 bullets. Using my calculation of 2600 bullets per year that's only about 8 hours of work spread out over an entire year so not really a major time commitment.
The final thing to consider is that these numbers are based on a casual shooter firing 50 rounds per week. If you shoot more than this your costs drop faster and your initial investment is recouped quicker.
Casting isn't for everyone. When I started 40 years ago you could buy bullets for $25/1000 so the savings were minimal and i did it more for the satisfaction than anything else. Now with the cost of everything going up at a rapid rate, economics has become a much more significant consideration and bullets are the one component that we have some control over (assuming no one is making their own cases, powder or primers).
Lee 6 cavity mould = $70
mould handles = $25
Lee size die = $32
Lee Production Pot IV 20 pound = $107
Lee Alox Liquid lube= $9
Tax & shipping approx. = $65
Total = $310
So for a little over $300 you're ready to go. The only additional cost is the lead alloy which could vary from free to $3/lb. Let's say you have to pay $3/pound. 124 gr. 9mm bullets run about 18 pounds per thousand so $57 for alloy. Now you're up to about $370.
The cheapest commercially cast bullets you're going to find (9mm) will cost you about $95/1000 so once you have cast 4000 bullets ($380) your cost is completely recouped.
That sounds like a lot of bullets but if you shoot one box of ammo (50 rounds) per week that's 50 x 52 = 2600 bullets so 4000 is only 1.5 year's worth of shooting.
After the initial investment is covered the cost drops to the price of alloy per thousand so even if you're paying top dollar for alloy ($57 for 18 lbs.) you save $95 - $57 = $38/1000 bullets basically to infinity as I have never worn out a mould or casting pot in 40 years of casting 10's of thousands of bullets.
Most everything I have quoted here is for new equipment in Canadian dollars. You can significantly reduce your costs by doing any or all of the following:
- order from places in the states like Titan Reloading
- buy used gear on the EE or at gun shows
- prices quoted are current retail. Look for equipment when it goes on sale
- find a cheaper source of alloy like wheelweights at scrap yards & garages or range lead from backstops. Powder coating will allow you to use cheaper alloys like range lead and you're only looking at another $40-$50 for a used toaster over and a pound of powder which will be good for thousands of bullets.
if you can find a source of cheap/free lead your cost for bullets after the initial 4000 basically drops to $0 aside from the odd bottle of lube or pound of powder. Since bullets are now the most expensive component of a reloaded round you can easily reduce your cost per round by 50% by casting your own projectiles. Keep in mind as well that all these calculations figures are based on the cheapest bullets available (9mm). If you reload for larger calibres like 44 or 45 your savings will increase by up to 25% over commercial cast bullets.
People have noted the time element which definitely is a factor to be considered. However, with a 6 cavity mould you can conservatively cast 600 bullets per hour. Add another hour to size and lube them so 2 hours labour for 600 bullets. Using my calculation of 2600 bullets per year that's only about 8 hours of work spread out over an entire year so not really a major time commitment.
The final thing to consider is that these numbers are based on a casual shooter firing 50 rounds per week. If you shoot more than this your costs drop faster and your initial investment is recouped quicker.
Casting isn't for everyone. When I started 40 years ago you could buy bullets for $25/1000 so the savings were minimal and i did it more for the satisfaction than anything else. Now with the cost of everything going up at a rapid rate, economics has become a much more significant consideration and bullets are the one component that we have some control over (assuming no one is making their own cases, powder or primers).
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I cast some of my own bullets, I buy precast bullets as well.
On point that hasn't been mentioned, but should be as it is a reality of the art of casting bullets. Yes, an art. If you're lucky, you'll be able to cast nice bullets with an hour or two of setting up your newly purchased equipment. In reality, learning the art is a humbling experience for most new to casting.
The first step is to go to your Dr. and have a lead/blood test. If the results come back OK, you can begin casting. If not, you need to eliminate some of the present sources of lead in your environment. This is a test you should have annually.
Some of the things you should be prepared for:
> Some of your molds will not cast good bullets, nature of the beast, and you will need another mold.
> Some of your molds will cast nice bullets, but they will not shoot very good, you'll need a different mold.
> Some of your guns will not shoot cast bullets worth a hoot, no matter what bullet you have, you'll need a different gun.
> some of you other equipment will not work out well, you'll need to buy more equipment.
I think you get the point, no need to flog the deceased bovine.
I own about 30 molds, I use about five of them. The rest sit in the drawer. YMMV, but that's what my experience is.
I'm not a fan of tumble lubing, prefer to size and lube in a lube-size like a Lyman 4500. Or if I buy cast bullets, I prefer the ones coated with Hi-Tek. Hi-Tek is the top of the line in bullet coating. Powder coating is the entry level bullet coating. I've tried LEE Liquid Alox, and 45-45-10, neither really impress me, again, YMMV.
If you powder coat, your bullets don't need to be as nice or as good as they should be for traditional sizing and lubing.
If I could buy coated bullets for my shooting needs, I would not cast my own.
If you are real good at your craft, you won't need to gas check your bullets. If you are mediocre like me, gas checked bullets are a good thing. I cast gas checked designs in 30 cal for 30-30, and 30-06, 7mm for a 7x57, 35 cal for a 35 Rem and a 350 Rem Mag, 44 cal for 44 Mag. The others get plain base cast or coated.
Do not buy a used LEE mold, they are cheap enough new. Most used LEE molds are junk. Used Lyman molds can be a bargain, I've bought lots, about 1 in five is junk. Unfortunately some of the new Lyman molds are just as bad. RCBS molds seem to be top drawer. Good new, good used. If you buy used, search "Beagle" and "mold" when you have problems.
When you start out, be prepared to learn how to remove lead from you barrels.
I shoot Cowboy action, cast bullets without gas checks is what you have to shoot. If you can't buy a good cast bullet, you have to make your own.
Nitro
On point that hasn't been mentioned, but should be as it is a reality of the art of casting bullets. Yes, an art. If you're lucky, you'll be able to cast nice bullets with an hour or two of setting up your newly purchased equipment. In reality, learning the art is a humbling experience for most new to casting.
The first step is to go to your Dr. and have a lead/blood test. If the results come back OK, you can begin casting. If not, you need to eliminate some of the present sources of lead in your environment. This is a test you should have annually.
Some of the things you should be prepared for:
> Some of your molds will not cast good bullets, nature of the beast, and you will need another mold.
> Some of your molds will cast nice bullets, but they will not shoot very good, you'll need a different mold.
> Some of your guns will not shoot cast bullets worth a hoot, no matter what bullet you have, you'll need a different gun.
> some of you other equipment will not work out well, you'll need to buy more equipment.
I think you get the point, no need to flog the deceased bovine.
I own about 30 molds, I use about five of them. The rest sit in the drawer. YMMV, but that's what my experience is.
I'm not a fan of tumble lubing, prefer to size and lube in a lube-size like a Lyman 4500. Or if I buy cast bullets, I prefer the ones coated with Hi-Tek. Hi-Tek is the top of the line in bullet coating. Powder coating is the entry level bullet coating. I've tried LEE Liquid Alox, and 45-45-10, neither really impress me, again, YMMV.
If you powder coat, your bullets don't need to be as nice or as good as they should be for traditional sizing and lubing.
If I could buy coated bullets for my shooting needs, I would not cast my own.
If you are real good at your craft, you won't need to gas check your bullets. If you are mediocre like me, gas checked bullets are a good thing. I cast gas checked designs in 30 cal for 30-30, and 30-06, 7mm for a 7x57, 35 cal for a 35 Rem and a 350 Rem Mag, 44 cal for 44 Mag. The others get plain base cast or coated.
Do not buy a used LEE mold, they are cheap enough new. Most used LEE molds are junk. Used Lyman molds can be a bargain, I've bought lots, about 1 in five is junk. Unfortunately some of the new Lyman molds are just as bad. RCBS molds seem to be top drawer. Good new, good used. If you buy used, search "Beagle" and "mold" when you have problems.
When you start out, be prepared to learn how to remove lead from you barrels.
I shoot Cowboy action, cast bullets without gas checks is what you have to shoot. If you can't buy a good cast bullet, you have to make your own.
Nitro
I started casting about 40 years ago to save $$$. Going to the range 2-3 X a week with a 30-06 was pricy with jacketed stuff, so casting
allowed me some extra fun time.
Then I got involved with SILHOUETTE shooting, 200-500 Meters offhand with cast bullets. You feel pretty good the first time you knock over a chicken (about a 6” target) @ 200 meters, even better when you hit a pig @ 300 meters but when you knock over a Ram (yup, the size of a Ram) @ 500 Meters it’s a great feeling knowing you made those bullets.
I also hunt deer with cast, 35 Whelen, & 450 Marlin. Performance is wonderful from 30 - 130+++yards.
I’ve also cast for 12 ga slugs (Lyman mold) but have not yet taken game with those. I have used them for offhand practice on moving deer targets with a lot of success & enjoyment.
Casting has saved me a LOT of $$$ but more importantly has provided a LOT of pleasure.
allowed me some extra fun time.
Then I got involved with SILHOUETTE shooting, 200-500 Meters offhand with cast bullets. You feel pretty good the first time you knock over a chicken (about a 6” target) @ 200 meters, even better when you hit a pig @ 300 meters but when you knock over a Ram (yup, the size of a Ram) @ 500 Meters it’s a great feeling knowing you made those bullets.
I also hunt deer with cast, 35 Whelen, & 450 Marlin. Performance is wonderful from 30 - 130+++yards.
I’ve also cast for 12 ga slugs (Lyman mold) but have not yet taken game with those. I have used them for offhand practice on moving deer targets with a lot of success & enjoyment.
Casting has saved me a LOT of $$$ but more importantly has provided a LOT of pleasure.
sillymike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Trying to save money? Shooting isn't necessarily the best option to save $
- For pistol, mild to moderate mold, casting is pretty easy...
- I like the tumble-lube mold (with liquid Alox) from Lee... I shoot them as cast and never had issues.
- If you're going for hotter load, then it gets little more finicky. As in, you have to be more careful with your lead-mix. Too soft and alloy will lead up the barrel. And than there's the gas-check thing... and I like to size the rifle bullets.
- It's easy to fall down the "odd caliber" rabbit hole. As in, find a stupid deal on a fiream because the caliber isn't exactly common and finding factory ammo is either next to impossible of silly expensive... If you reload/cast... Eh! It's just one more set of dies and a mold...
For me, it's not about dollars & cents. If it was, none of us would be shooting!!! I'm 77, retired with time to spare to do the things I enjoy, like shooting, reloading, casting and swaging bullets. Motorcycling and driving my streetrod. Having said that, I started this addiction in my early 20's, newly married with 2 small children and working shift work to boot! I'm blessed with an understanding wife who has no interest in firearms. It was about learning a new skill, a new adventure if you will. I still shoot at least once a week year round, mostly BPCR's with cast bullets.
I make my own lubes, bore cleaners and such, so, more time invested in my hobby. All in all, it keeps me sane, off the couch and engaged, with all my efforts well rewarded with success. Even the failures taught me something. Can't ask for more than that!!!
Stay safe!
I make my own lubes, bore cleaners and such, so, more time invested in my hobby. All in all, it keeps me sane, off the couch and engaged, with all my efforts well rewarded with success. Even the failures taught me something. Can't ask for more than that!!!
Stay safe!
mmcintyre1220
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Tillsonburg, Ontario
Honestly.... I enjoy casting just as much as I enjoy reloading. I started casting just to be able to build a bulk supply of slugs that performed out of my shotguns and at a decent price. Within a few years, I now cast over 20 different calibers and am sitting on around 5000lbs of processed & ready to cast lead. I cast approx 20-25k per year, 95% of which is also powdercoated. Its a very addicting hobby.
