new to casting

[tdot527]

hi yal ive been reading around on here a good bit , great site by the way, but ive been reloading for a year or so (40 s&w and 7mm mag mostly) and im wanting to get into casting for the 40 but i need a little more help with the basics here. first what is a good book i can get to help get me started, i heard someone one here mention the lyman manual is that the regular reloading one or is it a special one just for casting. second any pointers on stuff i dont want to do safety wise, i already know dont eat the lead lol, dont get ANY water in the lead, wear welding gloves, and do it outside, anything major im missing? and as far as sizing goes someone mentioned if i get the lee tumble lube molds i dont have to size the bullets err boolits, is that true or is it just depending on my gun?
well sorry if i got to long winded and feel free to give me any pointers even if they are something obvious...i dont wanna do anything stupid ya know

thanks
trey

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Welcome trey. I recommend reading all you can on this site. Stickys have a wealth of knowledge in them. Just be careful with the molten lead. 650-750 degrees of molten lead is nothing to taken for granted. Eye protection all the time, melting pot fastened to the bench and plenty of safety gear. Have fun! This is a great hobby.

[iron mule]

welcome tdot
you will find a lot of god info and people here to help you out as you have allready stated
the lyman book you refered to is the lyman cast bullet handbook/manual
as for as things to do to be safe wear long sleeves and not synthetic material
remove watches bracelets and rings
use eye protection always
welding gloves are not really required in fact they may cause an unsafe condition by causing you not to be able to hold something a better choice would be a lighter pair of gloves
and to make casting an enjoyable activity get comfortable set you work station up at a comfortable height for you either sitting or standing your preference
most important of all enjoy yourself and never be shy about asking questions when you need to
mule

[45nut]

Welcome to the board and the craft of casting.

First off I advise you review the classics and stickies area and view the various stickies in individual area's on the board.
Lyman has a new 4th edition manual out,, but do get the 3rd edition as well for review and comparison of the issues involved,, the old RCBS casting book is valued here too.
The lee molds are designed to be shot as is, no sizing but there can be exceptions of course,, the usual thing with them is lubing twice with thin coats instead of one thick coat. Thin that lee lube with mineral spirits about a 2-1 or even a 3-1 ratio of thinner to lube and that should be close.
Most everything you need to review is covered already, but don't hesitate to ask specifics and don't stand there bewildered when you can ask here and keep moving.
Nobody ever started out an expert, but eventually you too will feel comfortable in passing along the nuggets you will learn.

[chris in va]

Skip the TL designs, you can still tumble lube a 'normal' bullet. You may have to experiment with several designs/shapes before you get one that works well with YOUR gun, but that's half the fun of casting.

Lee molds work quite well, and they also have an inexpensive sizing die in various diameters. Rule of thumb is size the boolit to .002-.003 over bore diameter. You'll want to slug the barrel before you do anything else.

Don't just use eyewear and welding gloves, be sure to cover everything exposed, with cotton if possible (won't melt).

If you post the make/model of your 40, I'm sure there's someone else on here that has the same one and can steer you in the right mold direction.

I've had extremely good luck using 80% Johnson Paste Wax/20% mineral spirits for tumble lube. Dries in one hour under a fan, isn't tacky at all.

[tdot527]

wow thanks for all the replies so fast. the 40 is a s&w m&p compact. now to slug the barrel does it have to be a lead boolit or will a copper plated bullet work(i dont have any lead only ever loaded copper)
thanks again

[mdi]

You can cast buck nekkid if you want, the worst thing to happen will be bad burns. But always wear some kind of eye protection. Burns can heal, but blindness lasts forever. That being said, use common sense when casting. You're handling a liquid at about 700 degrees and that can be really painful if allowed to rest on the skin for more than 1 milisecond. Go slow, use common sense, and you can cast for years without any "incidenses"...

[runfiverun]

you'll probably read a lot here that contradicts a lot of what you do read.
remember that what is written here is what has worked for the poster.
he is using the lead he can find readilly, the lube ingredients he finds in the garage/at work/ at the local drugstore or grocery store.
and it also depends on what he uses to lube with, fingers/pan/tumble/star, or lyman-rcbs.

by reading here you can see what is and isn't working for most people, just by the help questions and seeing the pictures posted.
oh yeah welcome.