Thinking of casting my own round balls

hanshi said:

If I didn't cast I likely wouldn't wouldn't shoot. I cast everything I shoot and reload everything modern-wise I shoot. Casting doesn't take that much time or effort....for the most part, but it is sure cheaper than buying ball.

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Loja man said:

Hey all,
Looking for a little bit of feedback. Looking into casting my own round balls. I can get scrap lead from my local scrapyard for $.75 a pound. I can buy as much or as little as I like. I’ve been looking into trying to find it for free, but hasn’t panned out.
They had lead roofing boots and other miscellaneous scrap lead. They also had some ingots. Most of it when dropped on concrete had just a dull thunk with no ring. At $.75 for scrap lead is that reasonable?

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Dwight Dutton said:

First ever casting session last week - took about 50-60 Lb of scrap lead and made those 1Lb Lee and Lyman bars out of it (I have both ingot moulds).

Yesterday was first ever real casting session. 6 1/2 Lb became 361 .440 balls over the space of three hours. I only stopped because it got dark. Honestly at the time it did not look like I had made that much. These would have cost $55 if I bought them ready made - and presently Midway doesn't even have them.

In 2019 I bought a Lee Big Dipper casting kit and just used it for the first time, so this was done with a double cavity mould and a dipper as I do not have a bottom pour pot.

I did buy a Lyman digital lead thermometer but didn't use it this first time - probably should have. Near the end the bullets started getting occasional flanges on them and the lead seemed possibly too runny, it may have been too hot.

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Loja man said:

I would like to hunt with them. But it would cut costs for target shooting!

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oldwood said:

Have been casting projectiles for 70 yrs. , and all round balls for m/l's , since 1970. I have always considered it more enjoyable , than casting anything for a cartridge gun. To make balls and kill deer , and squirrel , etc. , still amazes me , even though I've been doing it for many moons. Compared to the price of modern ammo , m/l balls , flints , and black powder , are cheap..

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ROA457 said:

Cast for sure, but unless I missed it somewhere, no one has mentioned stay away from water!!!! If your casting outside and it starts to rain, one drop of water in that pot will empty it. Hot lead is not something you need to deal with over you or anything else.

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ROA457 said:

Cast for sure, but unless I missed it somewhere, no one has mentioned stay away from water!!!! If your casting outside and it starts to rain, one drop of water in that pot will empty it. Hot lead is not something you need to deal with over you or anything else.

Click to expand...