I'd like to try casting bullets...

[John 242]

Hi,
I have no idea what I am doing, but I figure if anybody can help me out, you guys (or gals) can.
I shoot about 500 rounds a month, all pistol in .45 ACP, 9mm Luger, and .38 Sp. I have always been interested in trying to cast my own bullets. I'm also on a budget, so the idea of saving money on bullets is a big incentive. The problem is that I never really knew where to start.
I had no idea where to find lead, or what to do with it once I've found it. Well, after lurking here for a little while, I was motivated enough to try and find some lead. Today after work I drove around a little bit and was able to buy a bucket of wheel weights (110 lbs) for $10.

The guy I bought the weights from said he wasn't sure if he'd have anymore in the future. I am currently checking on other sources for more lead, but this guy did have what he called "plumbers lead".
Any idea what plumbers lead is?
If it's pure lead, Do I want pure lead for casting bullets?

Alloying means mixing tin with lead in order to make the bullets fill out completely in the mold, correct?
Wheel weights can be cast as is without alloying?
Where dose a person get the tin to add to lead?

If I buy the "plumbers lead" should I melt it along with the wheel weights or melt it separate?

I realize that I have asked a lot of questions, sorry. I probably have a hundred more.
Are there any good web sites, aside form this one, where I can learn more about bullet casting?
Thank you very much for the help.
John

[targetshootr]

Here's Goatlips site (http://goatlipstips.cas-town.com/smelting.html) that helped a lot after l got my first buckets. Before buying much equipment I'd make sure you have a source (or ten) for wheel weights cause they seem to be getting hard to find.

[wills]

Hi,
I
The guy I bought the weights from said he wasn't sure if he'd have anymore in the future. I am currently checking on other sources for more lead, but this guy did have what he called "plumbers lead".
Any idea what plumbers lead is?
If it's pure lead, Do I want pure lead for casting bullets?

Yes, you will not need it right away, but if you can get a good deal on it, get it.



Alloying means mixing tin with lead in order to make the bullets fill out completely in the mold, correct?
Wheel weights can be cast as is without alloying?
Where dose a person get the tin to add to lead?

Worry about that later. You can use the wheel weights for now. Later you can get into mixing your own alloy . You may even abandon the white powder fad and want to use 20/1 or 30/1 lead/tin for BPCR.


If I buy the "plumbers lead" should I melt it along with the wheel weights or melt it separate?
Stick with the wheel weights for now, keep the plumbers lead for later use.


I realize that I have asked a lot of questions, sorry. I probably have a hundred more.
Are there any good web sites, aside form this one, where I can learn more about bullet casting?
Thank you very much for the help.
John

This is the best place in the entire universe for you to learn what you need to know.

[Buckshot]

..................Questions here are free, and you'll defianetly get answers. However maybe one of the first best investments you could make would be to buy the Lyman Cast Boolit Handbook. It may answer some questions and it may raise a few other too! However, welcome to the board and since you're a peestol shooster I'd suggest you look closely at the Lee 6 bangers.

Maybe start out with a couple 2 cav's to get your feet wet, but volumn shooting dictates a steady lead supply and 6 cavity moulds!

.................Buckshot

[floodgate]

John 242:

If you can get the plumber's lead for $1.00 per lb. or better, do it. It's not perfectly pure, but is pure enough for making up your alloys as you get more experience, and is fine for muzzle-loaders as-is, if you're into them - or have someone who is you can swap to for other things you might need. The best source for tin is the "lead free" solder; it is usually 95% tin and the other constituents (silver, traces of copper, etc.) won't doany harm. Or 50/50 bar solder if you can find it under $5.00 a bar. Check with any plumbers you may know; roofers and electrical workers also run into lots of lead scrap. You did do OK on the wheel-weight

floodgate

[454PB]

You are doing great, 110 pounds of WWs should keep you busy learning, and when you're not casting, you can be scrounging more lead.

This hobby is progressive for most of us.....don't we all live on a budget? Start simple and plow money in as your interest and enthusiasm increases.

It seems there are a lot of front stuffers looking for plumbers lead, and many have WWs tucked away. Maybe you can work a deal with one of them. I use pure lead mixed with linotype for a very nice alloy used in magnum handgun loads and rifles.

By the way.....welcome to the forum!

[MT Gianni]

If you posted where you are I'm sure that you could spend an afternoon with someone on this board who would be willing to show you the ropes. Gianni.

[wills]

John 242, you still with us?

[Duckiller]

John242 Suggest that you get a round ball mold .38-.45 and a slingshot. Cast your ammo. When you are happy with your slingshot ammo you are an accomplshed caster and ready for boolits. I learned to cast helping my daughter with a 3rd grade project. We made ML cartidges with .45 RB,pepper for powder and 20# bond. Then provided sons with slingshot ammo. Lots easier to remelt school projects and slingshot ammo than boolits. That and a few sinkers or leadhead jigs and you will be ready to cast almost anything. Duckiller

























j

[TCLouis]

does not have a location in their profile is that one can NOT offer to show a person something, reloading, casting, whatever.

For the firearms/calibers I saw in your post I would ignore plumbers lead ("pure" lead) and go for wheel weights.

6 cavity mold for those boolits is 35 bucks, Handles 13 plus shipping from Mid South Shpooters supply.

Boolits can be cast from the simplist to the most extensive system.

Way back, I cast MANY thousand 429215s from a GI canteen cup (stainless), lubed by hand and sized them with a Lyman 310 Tong Tool. Much like Lee's push thru sizing die. In those days I meled everything I could find. There was one six-month period where I recovered most of my boolits and recast them several times. Of course it as a perfect backstop, boolits were easy to recover and I was the ONLY person shooting there.

They looked as good and shot as good as anything a cast today with more extensive equipment.

500 rounds a month sure does sound like 4-6 cavity mold . . . at least.