Debating on if I want to cast

[Digger1369]

I got into reloading about 6 months ago. I originally started to make some 223 loads for better accuracy and to save a little money. Well, after realizing the money savings will never ever come since I have been shooting WAY more than I ever did before but I love it. Well after loading 223 I decided to start reloading pistol loads. Mainly .40S&W and .45 ACP. I was so surprised on how easy pistol rounds were to load compared to rifle. SO I have shifted mainly to loading pistol for a while.

I will probably shoot 2k-3k of each caliber a year. Is that worth getting into casting? Im a fireman so I work 24 hour shifts and off for 48 hours so I have plenty of spare time and I enjoy reloading. Is there a way to try a handful of lead bullets from someone before buying a mold of that caliber? Id hate to buy a complete set up only to realize I dont like cast bullets or my pistols dont. Thanks in advance

[Leadmelter]

Try and find somebody in your area to mentor you on casting. Yes there is an initial outlay of cash but the equipment will last a life time. As a fire fighter you already know the dangers of molten lead and fumes.
I just got back into casting after a long layoff when every component went over the top in prices. If you cast, you don't have to worry about supply and demand because the supply is your garage(or where ever you cast) and demand is how much do you want to shoot cheap!
Good Luck!
Gerry

[Blammer]

yes, 2-3,000 rnds per year will easily off set your initial investment for casting in the first year.

I'd start with the 45acp for casting and shooting as it will most likely be the easiest to be sucessful at.

Any good 230 gr or Ball type cast boolit mould will work just fine for you.

[BulletFactory]

Do it man, once you pass the learning curve, you'll never go back. Its fun, and the $aving$ are staggering.

[bpratl]

I have been reloading for forty years and just started casting this year because I got into 45 ACP plate & Pin shooting which was consuming about 100 rounds per week and left no ammo for practice. How that I got into casting I can practice all I want without going bankrupt.
It is also rewarding and fun.

[gray wolf]

Well as we used to say
" get closer to the fire or roll out more hose "
Jump in the waters fine, and you got plenty of back up here.
Welcome

Sam

[Lizard333]

I got into reloading about 6 months ago. I originally started to make some 223 loads for better accuracy and to save a little money. Well, after realizing the money savings will never ever come since I have been shooting WAY more than I ever did before but I love it. Well after loading 223 I decided to start reloading pistol loads. Mainly .40S&W and .45 ACP. I was so surprised on how easy pistol rounds were to load compared to rifle. SO I have shifted mainly to loading pistol for a while.

I will probably shoot 2k-3k of each caliber a year. Is that worth getting into casting? Im a fireman so I work 24 hour shifts and off for 48 hours so I have plenty of spare time and I enjoy reloading. Is there a way to try a handful of lead bullets from someone before buying a mold of that caliber? Id hate to buy a complete set up only to realize I dont like cast bullets or my pistols dont. Thanks in advance

The savings have already come to you by allowing you to shoot way more 223 than you ever could have by buying factory ammo. Lets do some math, shall we? These prices are all at Midway.

LEE 10 lb Bottom pour pot = 52.99
Lee 2 cavity mold, your choice = 19.95
Wheel Weights for lead = FREE, that is if you can find them.
Lyman 4500 Lube sizer = 164.99
Sizing die = 22.99
Top Punch = 9.29
Total = 270.21

Assuming you have a cast iron pot to melt your WW's, into ingots into a cupcake tin, this is basically what it will cost you start casting for your 45. For your 40, add another 52.23. This is all assuming you get new stuff, and nothing used.

Here is the cost per 100 boolits:
100 primers = 3.34 dollars
Powder per hundred (Hp-38 @ 4.5 gns) 1.28 dollars
Total cost = 4.62 dollars
Box of Winchester Factor Brass, 46.99
Total Savings = 42.37 PER BOX!!!
Number of rounds needed to pay for all new equipment = 637 rounds.

You said you shoot 2-3K a year. You will save 1110.37 dollars a year.
This is all assuming you still only shoot 2-3K a year. If you are like most of us, and you probly are based on what happened to your 223 shooting, you are probly going to shoot more than that!!
Now if you can't get your WW's for free, Lead is going for about a buck a pound, so the cost of your Boolit is going to cost you about 3.2 cents a piece (for a 45). Still WAY better than a Full Metal Jacket to reload with.

So I guess to answer your question YES!! It is worth it. Good luck and keep us all posted we are hear to help. And thank you for your service, we have have better lives because of your service and those in our Military Branches.:drinks:

[WHITETAIL]

Digger1369, Welcome to the forum!
You are on the right track.
Just keep reading here.
The knowledge here is incredible.:redneck:

[Three44s]

Welcome to the forum Digger!!

You don't need a lubrisizer to begin casting and shooting.

Depending on if your Autos will chamber them or not I'd start with TL boolit design and tumble lube and shoot "as cast".

If they need sizing ....... then buy a Lee sizer kit for which ever handgun you want to start with first.

The lubrisizer can come later and you may get lucky and find one like I did .......... used for fifteen bucks!!!


Enjoy

Three 44s

[wallenba]

Just learning how, and having the skill, and the satisfaction of knowing, "hey I made those", is worth it. Having more accurate and cheaper ammo than the other guy at the range...well that's just a bonus.

[mroliver77]

I started casting with a 1 quart discarded STEEL saucepan heated over an salvaged propane burner. A friend gave me a Lyman ladle to use. I git a Lee mold at a gunshow for $10. A sizer die (alox lube included) was another $10. I had a pile of Wheel weights from my tire machine. Total outlay to cast my own = $20. Many use a Coleman stove or an electric hot plate for heat. Ladle pouring works very well. Don't let anybody tell you it does not!

If you want some cast to try send me a $10 and I will send you a couple different types of .45 boolits suitable for the .45acp. PM (personal message) will get my attention the fastest.

Also, you should read Glen Fryxell's FREE book on casting. Even if you only buy cast boolits to shoot it is a very worthwhile study.

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm

or download it here.

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_textonly2.pdf
Jay

[mooman76]

As long as you don't get carried away like many of us, you can really save $ by casting. For the most part the biggest share of money spent on reloading is the coast of the bullet. Try to get with someone in your area so he can show you the ropes. I started out with a cast iron pot and a spoon. Don't get much cheaper than that.

[frkelly74]

You didn't seriously think anybody would say " No, Don't do it. " did you? Consider the source of the info.

By the way, you should cast boolits. Everyone should! Revolvers are easiest to get going good on . Of autos the 45 is the easiest to get going , the most forgiving. Make the boolit fit the bore.

[supersonic]

I got into reloading about 6 months ago. I originally started to make some 223 loads for better accuracy and to save a little money. Well, after realizing the money savings will never ever come since I have been shooting WAY more than I ever did before but I love it. Well after loading 223 I decided to start reloading pistol loads. Mainly .40S&W and .45 ACP. I was so surprised on how easy pistol rounds were to load compared to rifle. SO I have shifted mainly to loading pistol for a while.

I will probably shoot 2k-3k of each caliber a year. Is that worth getting into casting? Im a fireman so I work 24 hour shifts and off for 48 hours so I have plenty of spare time and I enjoy reloading. Is there a way to try a handful of lead bullets from someone before buying a mold of that caliber? Id hate to buy a complete set up only to realize I dont like cast bullets or my pistols dont. Thanks in advance

After 7 yrs. of loading, I decided to. Matter of choice, really.

[Digger1369]

Thank you for all of the useful tips here. If I can find wheel weights for free or cheap here it seems I will try to cast my own. I have called most the tire shops around and they have either swapped over to zinc or steel weights or have someone else already getting them. Hopefully I can find some. There is a wealth of information on this site and it seems this will keep me busy for a while.

[Echo]

I will probably shoot 2k-3k of each caliber a year. Is that worth getting into casting? Im a fireman so I work 24 hour shifts and off for 48 hours so I have plenty of spare time and I enjoy reloading. Is there a way to try a handful of lead bullets from someone before buying a mold of that caliber? Id hate to buy a complete set up only to realize I dont like cast bullets or my pistols dont. Thanks in advance

The math shows the answer - but you certainly won't save that much, you will just shoot more! But you already knew that... And boolit casting can certainly be addicting - very easy to love!

Your guns will like the cast boolits - or will, when you realize each gun is a rule unto itself, and adjustments must be made. Getting into casting can be done inexpensively, or Hoo-Boy, depending on your finances. Most (myself included) would recommend getting in on the ground floor w/Lee equipment and their TL procedure. Or. Step up a half-order of magnitude and get a LAM/Lyman lube/sizer and dies for that process, and skip the TL boolit molds, getting traditional molds from RCBS, or SAECO, skipping the newly manufactured Lyman molds as their QC is questionable these days. If, after giving it a reasonable try, you decide casting is not for you, you can recover some of your investment by selling your equipment on eBay.

[Digger1369]

I use Lee Equipment exclusively for reloading and have yet to have a problem. I know alot of people on other reloading forums talk LEE brand items down and call them junk but most of those people have never tried it. If it wasn't for the reasonable priced Lee press kit I bought I would have never gotten into reloading and I probably wouldn't having a debate with myself on whether to cast or not if if wasn't for their products so I will defiantly try their molds and their sizer dies.

[canyon-ghost]

I started reloading one year and the next, the guys told me to pour my own bullets. Hanging around with silhouette shooters is good, and bad. I've never regretted NOT spending $45 a box for 50 rounds of 22 Hornets, I can make 100 for $15!! I got carried away alright, after ten years I shoot and reload 22 Hornet, 7mmTCU, 32-20 WCF, 32 H&R magnum, 9mm, 41 Remington Magnum and this year, 44 S&W Special. These are all handguns, TC Contenders and 3 calibers cross over into revolvers.
I still shoot 7mm-08 in rifle and 22 lr.
I wouldn't trade a minute of it, casting your own means you'll have several hundred rounds lined up on the shelf waiting for you and it's not going to cost $90 a pop to do it!!

Ron

[1Shirt]

Suggest that if you want to try different boolits before buying mold, suggest you try either Bullshop or Matt's Bullets. Both produce excellent quality, have an large numer of molds, and provide excellent service.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[Char-Gar]

I got into casting for economic reasons. Many years and much equipment later, I think I would have saved money buying my components. Do I regret taking up bullet casting? Not in the least!

[canyon-ghost]

Trying different bullets? Post an ad in the Want to Buy section of Swappin' and Sellin' here. You can get a hundred (or several hundred) from most casters with a little extra time.

Ron

[michiganvet]

A friend of mine stayed with USMC reserves so he could stay on the USMC shooting team. In .45ACP he went to 200 gr bullets for better accuracy due to lighter recoil. Anybody shooting 2-3K per year is shooting targets and might want to consider something in that weight range. Buy different weights and decide for yourself.