Casting Lead balls for the first time _ advice Needed...

[James Kopp]

Just remember if your balls are wrinkled it is too cold. Turn up the temp.

THAT HAPPEN WHEN I GO SWIMMMING IN COLD WATER

 

[Frontstuffer070]

When casting over a fire I don't like to even have a pot. I just melt the lead in a ladle. It's easier to control the temp of the melt that way. Versus having a pot of lead sitting in the coals. I have one of these and it works fantastic for this purpose.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/lym...WcahFFpqFBXebt3-IjMaAotIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[waksupi]

Keep in mind, when ball was being run over a fire, it was usually just one or two balls.

 

[AwwNaww]

The bottom pour ladle from Lyman is a little small. I have one and used it for casting from an electric furnace for many years and it does work well. Waage (two a) makes VERY mice bottom pour ladles in 1# and up capacities that cost only a little more. I highly recommend them.

https://waage.com/search-results.html?q=ladle+bottom+pour

I bought from them direct and think maybe one of those would serve well for a melting pot over a fire.

I recall reading about colonial era native muzzleloading in Africa. Those guys would pry the ball out of the animal and sorta pound it back into more or less caliber and reload. Of course they were likely shooting at parlor room distances.

 

[Daveboone]

Remember "back in the day".....campfire bullet molding was most frequently done only by necessity, and in small quantities....frequently remelting the bullets that were dug out of kills. Small quantitiies of lead /small "pots", required much less heat. Big chunks...big heat. Nothing fun, really, about campfire bullet making. You might try charcoal....easier to get higher heat.

 

[Frontstuffer070]

The bottom pour ladle from Lyman is a little small. I have one and used it for casting from an electric furnace for many years and it does work well. Waage (two a) makes VERY mice bottom pour ladles in 1# and up capacities that cost only a little more. I highly recommend them.

https://waage.com/search-results.html?q=ladle+bottom+pour

I bought from them direct and think maybe one of those would serve well for a melting pot over a fire.

I recall reading about colonial era native muzzleloading in Africa. Those guys would pry the ball out of the animal and sorta pound it back into more or less caliber and reload. Of course they were likely shooting at parlor room distances.

My Lyman ladle holds enough to pour two .54 balls. I'm not after production here just a few round ball cast by a fire is the whole idea. if I want production I break out the 10 or 20LB pot and 6 cavity mold .