Thinking of casting my own round balls

[Nemo Vir]

If you are going to use kitchen items like pans, PLEASE scratch for lead only or not for food. After we pass away, it may be sold.

 

[64Springer]

If you are going to use kitchen items like pans, PLEASE scratch for lead only or not for food. After we pass away, it may be sold.

Does lead leech into steel and stainless steel permanently?

 

[TDM]

I prefer using pure lead even if it cost more, which it does. Always used a cast iron pot over a propane grill. Finally bought a Lee electric pot. I’m getting fancy now.

 

[necchi]

At $.75 for scrap lead is that reasonable?

Really?

 

[necchi]

Does lead leech into steel and stainless steel permanently?

No. But there can be a significant deposit left that is difficult to remove.
Many/most lead melting pot's are steel, yet designated as for melting/casting lead only.
The concept is further supported by the multitude of lead removal chemicals and techniques from rifle barrels that have been marketed for the past century.
Permanent? No.
But are you going to make chicken noodle soup for your kid in the same pot you used for casting?
Maybe Grandpa's olde pot can be cleaned up and used to make soup.(?)
You can,, but ya better get real busy with that scotch-rite pad. Maybe consider sand-blasting,,

 

[TFoley]

Stick them all in a pot and keep the temperature at 650 degrees.

Everything that's not lead will float to the surface and can be skimmed off.

No need to try and put dents in the weights.


P.S. Why are people talking about pistols? The OP said nothing about pistols.

I mentioned pistols as a way of highlighting the difference between shooting a ball through a rifle and a pistol, and reinforcing the different needs for the softest lead [pistol] and a so-what composition [rifle]. I've heard of folks here shooting ball-bearings and marbles from rifles, simply because the projectile does not need to take the rifling.

Are you always so picky about informative posts? We are all here to learn, no matter how much we think we already know.

 

[Crockford]

Get all the roofing boots you can. They are very soft lead and work great for casting balls. All the tar or other mess on them will float to the top for easy skimming.

 

[SmileMaker]

Not complicated (especially round balls) simple setup and not a bad way to pass the time on a rainy day.

 

[Rifleman1776]

If you're cast only balls, get free wheel weights from tire shops.

Dead soft lead is not required for balls for target shooting.

Will these balls be used for hunting? Soft lead will go SPLAT and expand.

Not everyone agrees with that. Most serious ml'ers go with soft lead all the time. All I have ever used.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

If your going to be making a lot for rondy season.
Ditch the stove it is not cost effective.

A lee electric furnace is the way to go.
Also get a modern Lee mould for making a lot at once.

Ive not seen 75 cent lead in 10 years here. They outlawed it, so 2 bucks is the going black market price.
Good thing Im a registered lead recycler since the 80s. Got over 500 lbs just hanging around.

 

[64Springer]

Not everyone agrees with that. Most serious ml'ers go with soft lead all the time. All I have ever used.

Congratulations on being a serious ml'er.

 

[64Springer]

If your going to be making a lot for rondy season.
Ditch the stove it is not cost effective.

A lee electric furnace is the way to go.
Also get a modern Lee mould for making a lot at once.

Ive not seen 75 cent lead in 10 years here. They outlawed it, so 2 bucks is the going black market price.
Good thing Im a registered lead recycler since the 80s. Got over 500 lbs just hanging around.

Funny how that weight adds up.

My local auto repair shop owner had a sailboat and a zillion pounds of lead ballast.

I had roto metals test a few 50 pound chunks. Some ingots were pure lead. Another ingot was 95.5 lead and 4.5 antimony.

Adding in 5% tin gave me Lyman #2. An excellent alloy for many modern applications.

 

[Loja man]

Well I had some scrap copper and aluminum that I’ve been holding onto from some jobs. Turned those in and bought 126 pounds of lead. Now I just need to get an mold!

 

[BackDraft]

If you are going to use kitchen items like pans, PLEASE scratch for lead only or not for food. After we pass away, it may be sold.

Never thought of that!

 

[Rob M.]

Yep , price sounds good . Get ya a bullet mold and a little flux and your good to go. Always like making round ball ..If you cast some from wheel weight just keep them separated but it all has a purpose . Good luck . Wear gloves ... And eye protection ... The first 2-3 ball throw back into the pot . This heats up the mold and then the rest of the balls will run good ....use a stick of wood or a wood handle to smack open the sprue cutter on tip of the mold ...I dont like aluminum molds but some folks do . Love my steel Lyman Round ball mold .

 

[springfield art]

A caution on wheel weighs is they may be too hard for use in cap and ball revolvers because they put extra strain on the loading levers.

Plus, you want that little "ring" of lead that shaves off as you seat the ball; wheel weight is too hard!

 

[hanshi]

In answer to your question: Yes - and yes, do cast.

 

[Old Grunt]

I really enjoy casting,I do a lot of reloading but I really dont like doing it,I have a few guns that ammo is pretty pricy so I reload,but I look forward to casting,its really pretty easy I have several of both aluminum and steel molds I like both. Its like a lot of hobbies you can do it pretty cheap,a old cast iron pan,a old spoon,a cheap LEE mold,a wood stick of some sort to smack cutter,and something to heat it up,will do a fine job,then a few years later you end up with BooCoo $$$ worth of molds,sizers,electric pots and on and on

 

[64Springer]

Cast 160 bullets this morning.

300 grains with gas checks for the .460 S&W Magnum carbine.

I seat them long in a .45 Colt case with a heavy roll crimp at the wax groove.

Never thought I'd squeeze 1,600 FPS out of them. Still some room to play with them safely.

 

[Loja man]

I spent to much at Friendship last weekend!LOL! I have enough bullets to get me by till the fall shoot. I
hope to buy molds then. I know what size in my 50 cals. I’m waiting to solve my touch hole liner fiasco on my new 45 before I can dial it in and decide on ball size! Then I have to finish my PA Fowler kit and figure out what ball size it likes! Yikes! That’s a lot between now and September!!! But I have the lead so that part is done!!