anyone casting their own?

[RET E-7]

Linotype gets expensive real quick! That is when you find it.
Heck even tin is going for some good money!!

Tom

 

[Clarke123]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but:

With Alpha-2 selling .40 S&W Cast and Lubed @ $68 per Thousand, I can't justify getting into casting them myself.
I'm thinking that there has to be about $40 in lead alone ....

 

[RET E-7]

Common calibers and design/weights are normally fairly inexpensive.
When you start casting stuff that is basically outside of the norm (think Beartooth/Cast Performance/Grizzly) style bullets that is where the savings adds up quick!
I cast LBT style bullets for all my handguns plus one rifle. I also cast a lot of "Keith" style SWC's for my handguns also.

Tom

 

[dawgm]

When I factor in driving around to find a shop that will still give the away for free, the energy and time to melt, the inevitable severe burn... I crossed casting my own off my potential hobby list.

 

[oldpapps]

Casting is sometimes very rewarding but always a pain in the back side.
From you entry, "I will", indicates to me that you are not now casting. The first thing to do is to get a manual, Lyman and or RCBS are both good. Read it, you will lean gobs.

Always cast outside or with massive ventilation. The fumes are not good and when fluxing, the smoke stinks. Do it outside or have the wrath of the boss lady.

I have found that for little cash, considering the weight of material to the number of finished product, I do better by going to my favorite metal recycler (junk yard) and buy know quality lead and tin for the mix. But, free is always good. Unknown lead works well for low velocity loadings (38s, 9MM). Remember sometimes some weird stuff will be in those wheel weights, and no matter what you do, the metal just won't fully fill the mold (complete pain in the back side!).
With that said, dollar for dollar when balancing the costs of molds, handles, lead pot, 'G,H & I' dies with sizing press and lub tubes and gas checks, with the cost of the lead (free is nice) and the time and trouble and mess, have you considered inexpensive lead bullets from a good source?
Try contacting Mike Meyers at Illinois Bullet Co. ( meyersmg@msn.com ). I buy from him and like the product. He charges a flat rate USPS $10.35 for as much as will fit up to 70lbs. in a mailing box. (My postman hates me sometimes.)
Note, I have only used his 9MM, .40s, .44s & .45 pistol slugs. He does list 270, 7MM, 30, 32, .357, 35 rifle, and 38 rifle.

If you go with melting your own, I have Lyman, RCBS, H&G, and Lee molds. The Lees are much cheaper to buy and I think work just as well, just don't have as many options in the bullet designs.

Make your lead alloy hard (alloy #2 is too soft for higher speed loads). Linotype is good but expensive and hard to find. I have had good luck with 'Babbitt' (also hard to find) in .224 54 grain gas checked with 748 out of a .223Rem. The loading is soft but cycles auto-loaders and has no leading problems. (The babbit is very hard and lighter, normal lead out of this mold weight in at around 60 grains.)

Pistol velocities are not a demanding. Properly sized and lubed bullets work well.

Remember, before jacked bullets, lead was the only choice.
Enjoy,

OSOK

 

[Clarke123]

Casting is sometimes very rewarding but always a pain in the back side.
From you entry, "I will", indicates to me that you are not now casting. The first thing to do is to get a manual, Lyman and or RCBS are both good. Read it, you will lean gobs.

Always cast outside or with massive ventilation. The fumes are not good and when fluxing, the smoke stinks. Do it outside or have the wrath of the boss lady.

I have found that for little cash, considering the weight of material to the number of finished product, I do better by going to my favorite metal recycler (junk yard) and buy know quality lead and tin for the mix. But, free is always good. Unknown lead works well for low velocity loadings (38s, 9MM). Remember sometimes some weird stuff will be in those wheel weights, and no matter what you do, the metal just won't fully fill the mold (complete pain in the back side!).
With that said, dollar for dollar when balancing the costs of molds, handles, lead pot, 'G,H & I' dies with sizing press and lub tubes and gas checks, with the cost of the lead (free is nice) and the time and trouble and mess, have you considered inexpensive lead bullets from a good source?
Try contacting Mike Meyers at Illinois Bullet Co. ( meyersmg@msn.com ). I buy from him and like the product. He charges a flat rate USPS $10.35 for as much as will fit up to 70lbs. in a mailing box. (My postman hates me sometimes.)
Note, I have only used his 9MM, .40s, .44s & .45 pistol slugs. He does list 270, 7MM, 30, 32, .357, 35 rifle, and 38 rifle.

If you go with melting your own, I have Lyman, RCBS, H&G, and Lee molds. The Lees are much cheaper to buy and I think work just as well, just don't have as many options in the bullet designs.

Make your lead alloy hard (alloy #2 is too soft for higher speed loads). Linotype is good but expensive and hard to find. I have had good luck with 'Babbitt' (also hard to find) in .224 54 grain gas checked with 748 out of a .223Rem. The loading is soft but cycles auto-loaders and has no leading problems. (The babbit is very hard and lighter, normal lead out of this mold weight in at around 60 grains.)

Pistol velocities are not a demanding. Properly sized and lubed bullets work well.

Remember, before jacked bullets, lead was the only choice.
Enjoy,

OSOK

I e-mailed Mike and he got right back to me, including a current price list.
He does have a wide range of product including most of the popular calibers.

.40 S&W, which is the only cast projectile that I current load, is priced exactly the same as Alpha-2 @ $68 per thousand.
The shipping that he posts is $2 cheaper at $13 for up to 65 pounds. Since I usually buy my 40's from Alpha-2 when
he is attending a nearby Gun Show, I will probably stick with him on those as no freight charges are involved.

My other .40 projectiles from from Precision Delta whose FMJ .40 run $120 per thousand (shipped) or $115 per thousand (shipped)
when you buy at least 2k perorder.

 

[oldpapps]

Very good.
Always go with the best for less and shipping gets expensive. And I like to do business at home when I can.

As for 40s. I load 155 grain lead to play with and 155 grain XTPs for carry. I get a good price on the Hornady XTPs.

Don't give up on casting your own. I haven't deer hunted in the last 20 plus years with anything other than cast slugs. I don't think the deer can tell the difference. I hunt on family property in west central Missouri and the normal ranges seldom exceed 75 yards. Lead is good.

OSOK

 

[Clarke123]

Here's the Forum where Mike Meyers advertises his stuff... I'm a member there and didn't know!


http://www.reloadersauction.com/sho...search=&order_field=a.end_time&order_type=ASC

Here's info on Alpha 2

http://www.glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1310885

 

[BigBlack]

I cast and have not paid for lead "yet" but on "purty" days when I'm just not ready to go home and am done shooting and have pillaged the range for brass and am all along at the range I may take 15-20 minutes on the berm with my sifter box and easily walk away with 20-25lbs of usable lead. The pistol berm is the best as most of the bullets found are still intack and not splattered. If you can get to a WMA and do not mind a little time and your the only one there you can pick up a coffee can full of spent bullets real quick.

 

[EMC45]

I agree BB. I have a nice little shaker box that I use for sifting, and it works real well. I got 3 large coffee cans full of bullets in abut 10 minutes time.