Cast bullet advice/teaching

[41mag]

Ive got three top quality molds fs right now. But as previously stated, you may want to start witht the Lee aluminum molds to learn how to cast first. They are easy to cast with and not as expensive if you mess up.
The above advice about collecting stuff as you can now is good advice.

 

[Quacker]

Thanks guys. I'm definitely going to start looking at it a little harder. Maybe me and the OP Can get together and learn a little from you guys

 

[rosewood]

I started casting about 3 years ago. Begin with typical lube and then found about powder coating. I now lube my gas checked boolits, but PC the plain base boolits. I had leading issues with most of the plain base boolits and had tried every tip I could find on stopping the leading, but was still having issues. Powder coating solved that for me and I haven't looked back.

I retired our toaster oven and bought a new one. The old one is now my powder coat oven. I use straight clip on wheel weights for my cast. Originally I melt/flux them in the plumbers furnace I inherited from my grandfather. Pour them in ingots for future use. I originally used an old muffin pan for the ingots. Then I put them in my Lee melting pot and cast in the selected mold. I water drop them in a cool whip bowl. Drain water and let dry. I try not to handle them with bare hands to keep any oil off of them. Once dry, I put in a cool whip bowl with black air soft bb's and the selected powder coat powder. Shake vigorously then carefully pick up each one and place on tray in toaster oven (I use a piece of hardware cloth on the tray to reduce service area that the PC is touching. Bake for 15 minutes and voila, a coated boolit. I then run the coated boolit though a sizing die and yes the paint stays in place and does not chip off.

The harbor freight powder red PC is supposed to be good, but never stuck well for me. I purchased some clear from a fellow on castboolits forum and I love it. Looks like a typical lead boolit, but shiny.

As for melting and fluxing the wheel weights or other lead source, you can use an old propane fish fry burner and any cast iron pot you have to melt them down.

Rosewood

 

[Tusker6N]

R rosewood
When your doing the initial melting of the wheel weights...the impurities rise to the top and you scoop them off, the heavier impurities sink to the bottom and leave pure lead for pouring into ignots?

 

[rosewood]

The impurities, dirt, metal clips etc all float to the top. Once it is melted, you scoop off those impurities then toss in a pinch of candle wax and stir, additional impurities will come to top and you scoop off. I bought a cheap strainer spoon at family dollar that I use for this. Some of those impurities are toxic, so be sure to dispose of properly. Always do this in a well ventilated area. Outside is a good idea. I keep a fan nearby and aim it in the direction of the pot so it blows it away from me.

There are no "heavier impurities". Lead is the heaviest thing in the mix unless you throw in some gold, which I doubt or you would not need to be casting yourself.

Rosewood

 

[Tusker6N]

I have access to limitless wheel weights(slip-on and stick on) as well as range bullets(pick ups).

I've narrowed my casting choices to:
.308(300blkout subs)220gr
.458(45-70)haven't decided the weight
.375(375h&h mag)250gr

I'm thinking the Lee sizer kits are the way to go.

 

[gh1950]

What are you making bullets for?

Wheel weight metal will always contain impurities, and will not cast as well as pure lead, or lead bullets alloys. It also will cast "light" because of the impurities. Wheel weights tend to have high levels of antimony. Also some are them are zinc compounds, and those will mess up a whole batch of lead.


Lead is the nastiest casting material you can get, in term of the time it takes you to get good metal. Also range lead contains all sorts of alloys, and will give you inconsistent results. My experience has been that range lead produces a very brittle bullet.

Powder coating reminds me of the moly fad - it was going to be the best thing since sliced bread. I've a lot of experience powder coating jigs, and from what I can see, PC offers little or no advantage over traditional lubing with a good hard lube.

I've shot properly sized and lubed bullets regularly in the 1800 fps. range, and never had any real issues. Hard lead bullet with a modern lube,

 

[Tusker6N]

G gh1950

I'm loading for hunting primarily.

Would just buying lead be the best route for consistent results? Trying to keep it cheap; but I don't want to give up performance. I'm guessing there has to be some level of expectation management. Limitations are a concern that I have, as far as accuracy and expansion. The 375 H&H mag is going to be my starting point for casting.

 

[gh1950]

G gh1950

I'm loading for hunting primarily.

Would just buying lead be the best route for consistent results? Trying to keep it cheap; but I don't want to give up performance. I'm guessing there has to be some level of expectation management. Limitations are a concern that I have, as far as accuracy and expansion. The 375 H&H mag is going to be my starting point for casting.

IMO it's best to either find a consistent source of lead (I've got about 300 lbs. of linotype that I use very sparingly) or buy it. The trouble with that is most of the people selling recycled lead have no idea what it really is.

Even at retail prices, good lead is not that expensive as the whole process goes, primers, powder, brass, reloaded, etc. Some times people lose sight of the forest because they ar focusing on the trees. If you are making hunting bullets, how much is an extra dollar a pound really worth to you?

As I said, I cast jigs and bullets. For jigs, I use about anything I can get to melt- I make them to lose them. For bullets I use known alloys that I mostly make. I use plumbers solder or the above mentioned linotype as my alloying compound and make some pretty darn good bullets. I also make it a point to learn what kind of lead sources can provide -x-ray labs, cable sheathing, plumbers lead.

 

[moosensquirrel]

G gh1950

I'm loading for hunting primarily.

Would just buying lead be the best route for consistent results? Trying to keep it cheap; but I don't want to give up performance. I'm guessing there has to be some level of expectation management. Limitations are a concern that I have, as far as accuracy and expansion. The 375 H&H mag is going to be my starting point for casting.

If you just have to do it, do all your melting outdoors as lead fumes have converted many a serviceable brain into Swiss cheese. Oregon Trail makes a good "laser cast" whatever that means, bullet. If you limit the muzzle velocity to 1800fps for a H&H .375, you will be giving up about 1/4 of the muzzle energy you would otherwise obtain. The barrel will probably still lead up to some extent.