Boolit Casting Equipment and Info

[Richard J.]

On lead. When lead gets hot you have Dross form on the top. Years ago we scrapped it off. Now they say to just put beeswax in it and keep stiring it. Seems we have been throwing away a lot of the antimony all this time. I belong to a lot of Black Powder forums and the experts in metallargey claim you dont want to do this anymore. If you cant get beeswax they recommend butter,saw dust, piece of candle. Just remember it will make smoke. Even with pure lead you need some of this Antimony in it. For the rifle bullets you want to keep as much antimony in it as possible.

RJ

 

[losracani]

I was thinking of casting (9mm and .380) but was wondering about lead fouling? any tips for me and the others who are considering casting? thanks in advance.

 

[JohnAL]

I have shot a literal ton of home cast lead bullets through a .45 and .44 Magnum. If you keep the velocity down leading was never an issue for me. Crank it up and you may spend more time cleaning than shooting.

Note: In 40 years I have never used anything but straight wheel weights. Other sources of lead may give different results.

 

[JohnAL]

On lead. When lead gets hot you have Dross form on the top. Years ago we scrapped it off. Now they say to just put beeswax in it and keep stiring it. Seems we have been throwing away a lot of the antimony all this time.

Yep. After the beeswax, and I have used candle wax, there will still be a little dirt on top you can scrape off but it will get your metals mixed. I think fluxing is the proper term.

If you search you can find beeswax. Check the candle shops or if all else fails http://www.beeswaxco.com/

 

[M.O.A.]

I have shot a literal ton of home cast lead bullets through a .45 and .44 Magnum. If you keep the velocity down leading was never an issue for me. Crank it up and you may spend more time cleaning than shooting.

Note: In 40 years I have never used anything but straight wheel weights. Other sources of lead may give different results.

size them .001 over bore and shoot light charges. Yeah, you're going to spend another 10 minutes on bore cleanup. I never worried about it.

 

[losracani]

I'm taking notes. thanks, all.

 

[shootnstarz]

Haven't heard anybody mention quenching. This is where to hot boolit is dropped from the mould into a bucket of cold water and the resulting rapid cooling is supposed to make the boolit harder. I'm no metalurgist but I do know that's how they harden steel, dipping it red hot into a vat of oil.

Rick

 

[M.O.A.]

Haven't heard anybody mention quenching. This is where to hot boolit is dropped from the mould into a bucket of cold water and the resulting rapid cooling is supposed to make the boolit harder. I'm no metalurgist but I do know that's how they harden steel, dipping it red hot into a vat of oil.

Rick

Quenching Boolits is a definite plus when casting for rifle calibers. Shooting handgun loads below 1400 fps with light charges I haven't seen it have much effect on accuracy or preventing leading. However, it will keep you from frying your fingertips. Lol

 

[M.O.A.]

I was thinking of casting (9mm and .380) but was wondering about lead fouling? any tips for me and the others who are considering casting? thanks in advance.

My earlier comment about an extra 10 minutes notwithstanding, sizing and proper lubricants will make fouling a non issue. Alox does a really good job for the beginner as a bullet lube. If you decide that its a hobby worth pursuing then you can get into a RCBS or other brand lubrisizing press for around 100$. The combination of filling the grooves and proper sizing will eliminate the fouling issue forever.

 

[brasshog]

I have cast a few bullets in the past but lately I have really been fired up about it. I just got my Lyman 4500 Lubrisizer, gas checks, NOE 357 four cavity mold (360150 GC-swc-hp), blue lube, and various sizers in the 38/357 variety but not the handles lmao. They will be in tomorrow and I have 12k empty 38spl brass just begging to be filled. I even went and dug up 200lbs of lead out of the back yard just for the occasion . I'll have a custom keith style (38/357) 175gr swc-hp hopefully before too long once I can sneak the money past the wife lol. All I need now is some 357 mag & max brass.

 

[losracani]

okay I have a new question. I'm looking at the 2 cavity molds from Lee. I want to cast 9mm and 380. The mold comes in .356 as well as the resizing die at .356. my question is when I look at dealers selling cast bullets i.e. CB Bullets, the 380 is in .355 and the 9mm is .356. So I'm hesitant in ordering the mold/resizing die because of that slight .001 difference in size. does it matter or is there something I'm missing from the equation? thanks again.

 

[losracani]

that last piece of the puzzle is in place. midway got some 2 cavity molds in stock and I ordered mine right away. now all I need is something to cook with/on. I will use the info on this thread as guidance and let you know how it pans out.

 

[Ric-san]

So let me get this right, you can use a electric deep fryer as your foundry vs buying a dedicated one...??? I know about the cast pot to make the ingots, but I'm just double checking...

 

[JohnAL]

Nope.
Most electric appliances/skillets will not go over 375F to keep from starting cooking oil fires. They are made of aluminum or plain steel and would not hold up to the required temps. You need 700-750F to cast bullets. The temps required are why everything is cast iron. The only electric devices that I know of that would work are the dedicated lead melting pots from Lyman, RCBS, etc.

 

[Ric-san]

John;

Appreciate the info, lesson learned, I thought that would have been too easy...

 

[JohnAL]

Bullet casting is not cheap to get into unless you can find some used stuff.
You can make bullets with some kind of cast iron pot and dipper but it's slow. A friend of mine in TN uses a little cast iron pot on his Coleman stove but he probably doesn't make 100/year and he admits he is burning up his camp stove trying to get it hot enough. An electric pot with bottom pour spout is what you will want in the long run.

You really need a Lubrisizer like the Lyman 4500 or the RCBS branded one. Otherwise your bullets will not be the same diameter and some will not even be round. Sometimes you can find a used Lyman 450 (what I have) or even the older Lyman 45. Just about all of the important parts are interchangeable. Each caliber requires a sizing die. Each bullet nose shape requires a different top punch. It can add up in a hurry. http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/lube-sizing-equipment.php

 

[Ric-san]

I just looked online and lead is $.99/lb on the market and around $2.00 a lb on fleBay...Have not hit any local auto tire places yet for wheel wieghts. It seems that once a person has everything to cast/size/lubricate then load your own ammo may be the way to things now if you want to shoot....its like a big scavenger hunt to get all the pieces...but it can be dome. A few years ago when I was buying 9mm ammo 50 per box for $3.99 at Academy Sports it wasnt worth the effort then, but times have changed. My neighbor has shown me how to reload and he also casts his own bullets, so I'm hooked...back to the hunt

 

[M.O.A.]

okay I have a new question. I'm looking at the 2 cavity molds from Lee. I want to cast 9mm and 380. The mold comes in .356 as well as the resizing die at .356. my question is when I look at dealers selling cast bullets i.e. CB Bullets, the 380 is in .355 and the 9mm is .356. So I'm hesitant in ordering the mold/resizing die because of that slight .001 difference in size. does it matter or is there something I'm missing from the equation? thanks again.[/QUOTE

You want the cast boolits to be .001-.002 oversized to get a good gas seal and minimize fouling. Most people I know use .356 in both calibers with soft alloy. The sizing die gets rid of the casting ridge and ensures that the projectile is perfectly round and of uniform diameter

 

[M.O.A.]

I just looked online and lead is $.99/lb on the market and around $2.00 a lb on fleBay...Have not hit any local auto tire places yet for wheel wieghts. It seems that once a person has everything to cast/size/lubricate then load your own ammo may be the way to things now if you want to shoot....its like a big scavenger hunt to get all the pieces...but it can be dome. A few years ago when I was buying 9mm ammo 50 per box for $3.99 at Academy Sports it wasnt worth the effort then, but times have changed. My neighbor has shown me how to reload and he also casts his own bullets, so I'm hooked...back to the hunt

Make friends with a roofer. think lead roof vents. Generally a case of beer or a bottle of liquor will assure you of more than you will ever use.

 

[shootnstarz]

Roof vents are very soft lead, good for muskets but not for handgun boolits. You will need to add some linotype or mix with harder lead for a good pistol boolit. Wheel weights are about the right hardness for pistol bullets, 50/50 wheel weights and linotype for rifle or higher velocity pistol projos.

I do see pure linotype on feebay often, and it's going for about $2 a pound. But a flat rate box full will make a extrementload of pistol boolits if you mix it with the roof vents.

Scrap yards have lead also, and you can offer to buy weights from tire stores. It's around and can be had, although not as cheaply as it used to. But what hasn't skyrocketed in price, besides my labor charge.

Rick