Wife at work, kids in bed...

[dsayer]

Dad in the garage, casting lead. :grin:

 

[coloradoclyde]

I drop mine onto an old folded bath towel.... :thumbsup:

 

[dsayer]

I drop mine onto an old folded bath towel.... :thumbsup:

I used to do that too but I don't seem to have any issues just dropping straight into the box. Then I take a batch straight downstairs and cull the ones that don't make the cut.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Don't cast inside your dwelling....Do it outside or in an out building...

One reason is "health concerns"

The other reason is emerging lead/real estate laws.

A whole new set of lead abatement laws may be coming to your area.....

 

[dsayer]

Oh I cast in the garage with the door open and a fan blowing out. But my reloading bench is in my basement where I inspect and weigh everything.

 

[rodwha]

I greatly enjoy casting projectiles! I do mine in the garage as well with the doors open.

 

[coloradoclyde]

:thumbsup:

 

[dsayer]

I greatly enjoy casting projectiles! I do mine in the garage as well with the doors open.

Hey rodwha! You are the reason I found this site. Thank you!

 

[rodwha]

Not sure how I may have helped but I’m glad you’ve come to a great forum with more traditional muzzleloading in mind and helpful people who showed me a patched ball wasn’t a ridiculous projectile beyond 50 yds.

 

[Skychief]

Bottom pour or ladle dsayer? :hmm:

 

[dsayer]

Bottom pour or ladle dsayer? :hmm:

Ladle.

 

[Skychief]

Thinking of going that route myself. My bottom pour likes to aggravate me. :td:

 

[mooman76]

I've used ladle for over 40 years and always worked well for me.

 

[dsayer]

I went with a ladle because I'm a cheapo and the small Lee pot without a bottom pour was much cheaper. :idunno: :haha:

I haven't been casting long but see no reason not to continue with this method.

 

[stubshaft]

:thumbsup:

 

[mooman76]

I started with a cast iron pot, that's why I started with a ladle. It would seem that what people start with, they get used to and usually don't like they other way when they try it. Same with aluminum moulds. They act different so there is a learning curve. A guy close by I met on another sight cam over and we cast together one time. He spent so much time fiddling with his pot trying to get it to work right, he didn't get much cast and was amazed at what I put out. I'm not knocking bottom pour, just saying.

 

[dsayer]

I also went with the aluminum Lee molds because of, you guessed it, the lower cost! :rotf:

Since they're all I know, I don't have any problem with them either. I'm currently doing 535 balls and 380gr REALs. Will eventually get molds (likely also from Lee) for my 44mag revolver, but that's a topic for another forum...

 

[dsayer]

He spent so much time fiddling with his pot trying to get it to work right, he didn't get much cast and was amazed at what I put out. I'm not knocking bottom pour, just saying.

I don't what qualifies as "fast" for casting but I turned on my pot before I started my son's bedtime routine so it as ready when I went to the garage. Knocked out 100 balls and was cleaned up and put away in 30 minutes.

 

[necchi]

Lee mold? Sprue cut indicates your using an alloy and not over-pouring enough.
There are die lines and wrinkles.
Hows that working out for ya?

 

[dsayer]

Lee mold? Sprue cut indicates your using an alloy and not over-pouring enough.
There are die lines and wrinkles.
Hows that working out for ya?

Yes Lee mold. New batch of lead from someone that makes ingots from stick on (not clip on) wheel weights, which I was told are "nearly" pure lead. They do leave a rough sprue cut and it doesn't seem to matter how much over pour I use. They are also a tad tighter in my bore than past batches, which makes me think they're an alloy of sorts. I had a few pounds of salvaged lead pipe that made prettier balls, but these seem to shoot just as well.

A few days rolling around in a box in the back of my vehicle and the lines and any wrinkles are gone anyway. Load with the sprue cut up and fire away.

Oh, and :td: for condescension. You seem to be quite knowledgeable in a number of topics but a bit of a grump for some reason.
How's that working out for ya?