New to casting... Help needed!

[enigma]

Hello fellow members,

Well I did it! I managed to get 25 pounds of wheel weights from a tire store in my area for free :-D and now its time for me to get some equipment to start casting and smelting :mrgreen: Before I start I do have a few questions.

First of all let me say that I am on a tight budget. I did manage to pick-up the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook while shopping for some primers yesterday. I am looking to cast bullets for my 375 H&H.

Questions:

1) What cast bullet caliber will function the best in a 375 H&H? .376, .377?

2) As for the metler I was thinking of the Lee Production Pot IV... Is it a good choice? Any other better choices for the money?

3) I need a 2 or 4 cavity mold... thinking of getting a Lyman #375449 mold... any advice?

4) Regarding the sizing and lube, where should I start? I was thinking of ordering a custom Lube and Size Kit from Lee since I don't want to invest in a sizing press. Is that a good idea?

5) One other thing I was wondering... How do you folks insert the wax in the bullet grooves?

Please feel free to give me any input or suggestions...

Thanks in advance for your replies,

Maurice

[John Boy]

Maurice, your on the right track with your answers to your questions. Might want to read these 2 articles also...

http://www.austinrifleclub.org/Documents/Articles/Bullet_Casting_Primer.htm#_Contents:

http://www.longrangebpcr.com/8Phases.htm


What cast bullet caliber will function the best in a 375 H&H? .376, .377? ... 377's will seal better in the grooves (obturate)


One other thing I was wondering... How do you folks insert the wax in the bullet grooves? ... pan lube the bullets or use the ALOX with the Lee Luber ... There are always Lube/Sizers for sale on eBay too

[Hunter]

I started with good luck with the Lyman master caster kit and Lyman molds. I have had good luck with that equipment and the price was good.

[44man]

I think we should start to give the new guy some help!
First thing is to NOT melt the wheel weights in the casting pot. Do it outdoors on a coleman stove or one of those turkey fryer stoves. Clean out all the crud, clips and then flux with some wax. Pour into ingots that will fit the casting pot. Don't use any aluminum pans to melt lead, use cast iron or stainless, a small dutch oven is great and keep the weight down on a Coleman stove, they are not strong. Use a slotted spoon or an old stainless tablespoon with a wooden handle rivited on to skim with.
The Lee pot is great, get a 20 pounder.
As you are melting your lead, preheat your mold on a hot plate, don't overdo it, you want the mold at about 500 degrees.
Clean the mold with hot water, a toothbrush and dish soap or use carb cleaner. Smoke the inside of the mold, the top and bottom of the sprue plate. You can use a pencil on the top, Bullplate lube or mold prep too. Make a hardwood stick to cut the sprues and make a bunch of light taps to cut them. I drop them into a big coffee can. The easy way is to drop boolits in a 5 gal bucket of water when you open the mold. As soon as the sprue hardens, wait about 6 seconds before cutting, swing over the water, open the blocks and tap the handle pin to make the boolits fall out. Some guys hang an old towel just into the water with a hole in the center so the boolits roll through it.
OK, gotta go, step in and add to it guys.

[jim4065]

For what it's worth, I just drop my bullets from close up over a doubled 100% cotton towel. If there's any synthetic in the towel it will melt and stick to the bullets sometimes. I like the bucket of water under the hole in the towel idea - does it work at all like heat-treating?

[44man]

It hardens the boolits nicely and if the same tempo is kept up, they will be all so close to the same as to be no problem.