First time casting

[agalindo]

Just tried my luck at casting some lead bullets. I bought a set of molds at a garage sale ($5) 158gr .38 and a .30 and .44 molds. I got some wheele weights and just in a matter of 5 min cast 10 bullets. Pretty cool. I'm going to order a bullet sizer/luber and some .40 and 9mm molds to try next.

[hal.9000]

Make darn sure you have plenty of ventalation when you're casting bullets. Remember to flux often. If you're casting them for revolvers, size them to the chamber mouths on the cylinder. If you can get your hands on some linotype, you'll have bullets that you can use on dangerous game with good performance.

[Numinous]

Where do you get your wheel weights from? I was considering just calling all the local tire places to see if they have old stuff they want to get rid of but I'm not sure if they are even allowed to do that.

I decided that I'll buy all the casting stuff I need once I have enough lead that it makes up the cost of the equipment. So I need enough for around $200 worth of bullets or ~100 lbs of lead.

[RoughNTough]

isn't there a barrel leading issue with all lead bullets?

[agalindo]

NuminousWhere do you get your wheel weights from?

I just went to a local Tire dealer and asked if they would let have some of the weights they take off the wheels when they replace the tires. They didn't have a problem with me taking a few. Wasn't shure if it was going to be worth it so I just took a hand full. I haven't gone back to see if I can have more.

RoughNToughisn't there a barrel leading issue with all lead bullets?

If you stay around 1000 fps or below, you minimize the leading problem, also if the lead you use is not pure lead but a mixture of tin etc ... , it will be harder thus less or no leading. I cast .38 and shot them through my charter arms and had no leading. Haven't ordered the 9mm or .40 molds yet but hope to soon. I did ordered 1000 125gr 9mm lead "hard cast" bullets and just last week, loaded 250 for the weekend. Found a place that was pretty cheap, 29.00 per 1K shipping not included. Load was 4.4gr Red Dot at about 1000 fps, don't have a chrony. My son took his XD out to the range and shot them all, when he got back we field stripped the gun, didn't have any leading in the barrel that we could see.

[docholiday]

I know it saves $ but I just can't get past the idea of working with lead. Plus I'm a lazy bastard at heart.

[Numinous]

Originally Posted by docholiday

I know it saves $ but I just can't get past the idea of working with lead. Plus I'm a lazy bastard at heart.

and it really only saves money if you have a local supply of very cheap or free lead. There are enough bullet companies out there where good quality lead cast bullets are very very cheap. Even moreso if you have a local gun store that stocks them. Thats one of the reasons I havn't jumped on the boat yet and started myself.

Working with lead isn't bad if you have good ventalition. It's a time consuming hobby but, just like reloading, people do it because they enjoy it.

It's not always the end that matters, sometimes the journey is just as rewarding.

[WyoBob]

I get free wheel weights. I don't think casting saves much money if you figure your time is worth anything. But, you get to play with fire and molten metal!!! Arh, arh, arh, arh.

I can buy 40 cal lead bullets pretty cheaply but kind of enjoy casting, especially with the Lee 6 cavity mold. But, after each batch of 500 bullets, the glimmer kind of dulls a bit each time. I use Lee tumble lube because I don't want to buy a high priced lube/sizer. It works well and I have no leading problems but I clean the lube off the exposed end of the bullets which is time consuming. If you don't clean the lube off, your fingers get pretty messy after loading the mags a bunch of times.

WyoBob