Starting out casting balls and bullets

[337]

I just use an old tuna can a pair of channel locks and a gas grill side burner.
Just make sure to be careful and wear safety glasses and leather gloves.
Do it outdoors or in a well ventilated area careful of the fumes, wash hands good after handling.

 

[Woody Morgan]

I have started in casting recently...my advice....start scrounging lead now, and dont pass up any! It is alot harder to find now than ever. Check scrap yards, salvage yards, etc. Also...like handloading, be sure to do it in a distraction free environment...hot lead is very unpleasant to have accidents with.
And I dont mean to sound...dumb, but wear solid shoes/boots when casting. You really dont want drips on your sandaled feet.

Keep an eye on the For Sale forum. Members here have been providing decent lead at a good price.

wm

 

[oldwood]

If you can find one of those old time ice cube tongs to handle hot bullets/balls , they work great also to put hot cut off sprues back in the pot

 

[Woody Morgan]

If you can find one of those old time ice cube tongs to handle hot bullets/balls , they work great also to put hot cut off sprues back in the pot

Leather gloves work well too. Should be wearing them anyway. Don't forget eye protection and leather footwear.
Oh. 800 degree liquid metal splatters so don't cast nekkid.

wm

 

[Brokenbear]

I used to cast from a cast iron pot and a Lyman dipper on a hot plate ..I was not retired at the time but jacketed bulk bullets got so cheap I went to bulk bullet buying ....It was hot and messy ..I maybe it was I who was messy ....go forward 20 years and I recently moved back into black powder Colts ...

I find a Lee Pro 4-20 at Midway for $75 delivered ...that's not a lot more than a Lyman or RCBS dipper, a decent cast iron pot, and a heat source that IS NOT costly to run ..of course you can wait and scrounge as I too have done many times ..but I splurged for the bottom feed Lee pot ..I am not sorry!

I then bought a new Lee 2 cavity .454 round ball mold for $30 delivered ..
Then lead for less than $3 a pound
A pound of lead will make 48 lead .454 44cal balls
The first 500 balls If you had bought them($12 to $15/100) would have nearly paid for the Lee Pro 4/20
The next 250 balls would pay off the balance on the Lee pot and cleared the tally sheet for the lee mold

From there on Pardner you have $3 a pound in 486 balls so your cost of your projectile is now $0.00617

It's so dang cheap it is like having your fingers in the cookie jar bullet wise ..and the neat think is the bottom pour is so eazy to work with ..and for a lifetime as others have verified.

You just have to go out and shoot'em up ..anyone who says he reloads or cast boolits to save money is sadly misspoken ..he/she does it to shoot MORE for the same $$

Bear

 

[brewer12345]

If you are going to cast minies, I suggest the following:

- A lee bottom pour 20 pound pot
- a cheap hotplate (thrift store is fine)
- a lead thermometer
- mold(s)
- protective gear (face shield, leather apron, gloves, long sleeve shirt and pants, suitable shoes)

Other than that, you will need a supply of lead (dead soft/pure lead), some wax, and a few odds and ends (oil to lube the mold, etc.). I'd guess if you buy all the equipment new it will run you $200.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Oh. 800 degree liquid metal splatters so don't cast naked.

Hmmmmm..... Maybe something new to try......

 

[Woody Morgan]

Hmmmmm..... Maybe something new to try......

Please. No video.

wm

 

[oldwood]

The scaring will last a lifetime , so wear at least an apron.

 

[Dude]

The scaring will last a lifetime , so wear at least an apron.

That scary, huh?

 

[Winchester97]

Have 2 of the Lee 10lb bottom pour pots with zero issues. They drip a bit, but a quick turn with a srewdriver stops it... They just plain work. Lee molds have proven to be a great value, I also have a bunch of Thompson Center aluminum molds, and they are great. Lyman molds are dead reliable, and cast great once they are hot, and for anything hard to find, or custom, Tom at Accurate Molds can make up anything you need. The quality of his molds is awesome!