Cast bullet advice/teaching

[rosewood]

So far all I have casted with is clip on wheel weights. My boolits have always casted heavy when compared to what the mold is supposed to drop at. I.E. the 130 grain cast at 133. The 300 grain cast at 316 etc. I have had zero leading using the passing fad Powder coating and had leading otherwise. It is just plain easier to me. I do have some pure lead and some tin solder and some linotype that I have been keeping for when my wheel weight supply dries up, I will start alloying my supply to replicate the wheel weights as close as possible. It must be noted that when you read the stories of Elmer Keith using "hard cast" lead in his handgun loads, he meant something like 12 BHN. There was no such thing as 18 BHN lead alloys being used back in his day. Anything harder than pure lead that was used in black powder, was considered hard cast.

I will agree that zinc is a bad thing. You should carefully inspect the wheel weights and cull any zinc weights. The lead ones will easily deform with a pair of diagonal pliers and the zinc will not. Also, the zinc ones melt at a higher temperature and if you see one floating at the top when the rest have melted, get it out immediately before it melts. Zn wheel weights will have Zn stamped on the side. The rule of thumb is, if you can't cut it with side cutters, throw it to the side. Once you sort enough of them, you will start to recognize the visual differences and will not the cutters to verify.

Pure lead does not fill out the mold well and is very soft. You have to add tin to help the lead to fill out and get good clean sharp edges, tin will also make it harder. Stick on wheel weights are pretty close to pure and will need tin added. It is my understanding that antimony in the alloy allows you to "temper" when you drop a freshly cast boolit in water. Supposedly you can go from 12 BHN to near 18BHN by water dropping it.

By the way, I have been using clip on wheel weights in a Lee 130 grain gas check mold with Lee ALOX lube in my 7mm rifles and have been pushing them to about 2200 FPS and have 0 leading issues with it.

Rosewood

 

[rosewood]

Here is a real good source that walks you though casting. It is a lot of reading and you will refer back to it as you learn and have more questions.
http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm

 

[rosewood]

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.

The 45-70 is one I mainly got in to casting for to save $$. I tried 2 different molds and was having leading issues. Ended up getting a gas check mold that solved the leading issues. I have since gone back and started powder coating my plain base molds and have had good results. I went with the 405 grain boolit, it is quite common and good all around weight for the 45-70. Had to buy a RCBS mold to get a gas checked one in 405 grain. Lee doesn't have a gas checked version.

Rosewood

 

[jeep78]

I cast pure lead for muzzle loaders. If your pure lead is not filling out the mold, your lead is not hot enough.

 

[biker_bill]

I cast pure lead for muzzle loaders. If your pure lead is not filling out the mold, your lead is not hot enough.

I agree, I've also cast .50 round ball and never had an issue with the lead not filling out the mold. (Pure lead)

 

[gh1950]

I cast pure lead for muzzle loaders. If your pure lead is not filling out the mold, your lead is not hot enough.

and your mold is not hot enough.

 

[biker_bill]

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

Yea I just want to expound on the safety portion of this reply.

Casting is not for the careless!
Make sure you are fully clothed especially when melting to make the ingots. No shorts, no short sleeved shirts. Good welders gloves if you can find them and definitely no sandals or flip flops and eye protection the full face mask style works great! Dress for the occasion!

(One drop of sweat rolled off my forehead and fell into the big dutch oven I use for melting the wheel weights into ingots. You would have thought someone threw a firecracker in there the way it exploded! One drop of water or sweat, just one and you'll be glad you're wearing jeans and not short pants so dress appropriately. Be ready to put the lid on God forbid it starts to rain or drizzle when you're out there.)

Lead is a heavy metal that builds up in your body over time, your body does not expel it ever, your body can absorb it in a number of ways and it has serious health consequences.
(Wear gloves whenever you can, R rosewood fan idea is something I do myself. I cast in a shed with both big doors open with the fan on and sometimes if the wind blows crazy, I still step outside until it settles down.)

It's a lot of fun, it's very rewarding, but this is one of those times when you can't be too careful. You're working with molten metal, respect it.

 

[gh1950]

Yea I just want to expound on the safety portion of this reply.

Casting is not for the careless!
Make sure you are fully clothed especially when melting to make the ingots. No shorts, no short sleeved shirts. Good welders gloves if you can find them and definitely no sandals or flip flops and eye protection the full face mask style works great! Dress for the occasion!
.

It's a good time to wear that old flannel shirt your wife wants to throw away. The flannel will catch any lead splatters.

I cast in the garage with the door open, and a small fan blowing across the work area out the door.

This is one of those activities, like reloading, that is really not rocket science but you have to be paying attention to what you are doing, or things go south in a hurry. You will be surprised at what hot lead can melt through or set on fire.

In the FWIW, "back in the day" I read about using silver as an alloying agent. If you want some metal that will really flow and fill out a mold put some silver in it. For obvious reasons, I abandon this line of experimentation, but it's not as hard to do as you would expect if you use the bulk silver coins you can buy. If I were casting large bore rifle hunting bullets, it's something you might want to look into.

I found that I could up the tin and get about the same result.

Speaking of tin, you would be surprised how much solder I find at yards sales and estate sales. I scored about 20 lbs. last year at one yard sale. Another one I score nearly a five gallon bucket of bar solder - must be 50 lbs. Just need to learn what to look for.

 

[rosewood]

and your mold is not hot enough.

I have never experienced this myself, it is just something I have read on the cast boolit forum and in the instructions I read on alloying metals. Guess I should have tested it before I stated it.

I did understand that it wasn't an issue with round balls, just boolits with lube grooves.

 

[rosewood]

Fully clothed definitely applies, but wear cotton, no nylon or the like. If you sweat, never put your head over the pot. A drop of sweat instantly turns to vapor when it hits the lead and as some call it, "you get a visit from the tensile fairy".

Safety glasses should always be worn whether casting or loading. Your eyes are delicate and cannot be replaced.