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hothandle
01-10-2012, 06:25 AM
First time user. Been reloading for several months and paying through the nose for boolits. Time to start casting and no better place to learn than a good forum. I have several questions for you good folks. 1) In looking for equipment I have looked at a Lyman’s "Master Bullet Casting Kit" (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lymans-Master-Bullet-Casting-Kit-115-volt-2712000-/230703008950?_trksid=p3284.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA% 252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D21%26pmod%3D390365 773430%26ps%3D54) and am totally confused. I thought all you needed was a melting pot and a mold and I see in this kit other equipment. I see everything in the picture except a mold itself. What is the other equipment for that I am seeing? (4500 Bullet Sizer/Lubricator, top punch and sizing die, ingot mold) 2) what can I expect to pay for lead? 3) Is eBay the best place to buy lead?
Any help to help me to get started will be appreciated
Big Sam

alfloyd
01-10-2012, 07:08 AM
First -- Welcome to Cast Boolits.

You can find lead right here on cast boolits for around $1.00 per pound.
Look in the "Swaping & Selling" section. We have some great vendors here that
sell lead and other needed supplies.

Lafaun

kweidner
01-10-2012, 07:09 AM
First time user. Been reloading for several months and paying through the nose for boolits. Time to start casting and no better place to learn than a good forum. I have several questions for you good folks. 1) In looking for equipment I have looked at a Lyman’s "Master Bullet Casting Kit" (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lymans-Master-Bullet-Casting-Kit-115-volt-2712000-/230703008950?_trksid=p3284.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA% 252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D21%26pmod%3D390365 773430%26ps%3D54) and am totally confused. I thought all you needed was a melting pot and a mold and I see in this kit other equipment. I see everything in the picture except a mold itself. What is the other equipment for that I am seeing? (4500 Bullet Sizer/Lubricator, top punch and sizing die, ingot mold) 2) what can I expect to pay for lead? 3) Is eBay the best place to buy lead?
Any help to help me to get started will be appreciated
Big Sam

That kit is much like any reloading kit. It's all the big hardware so to speak no dies/raw components. I too started off that way and IMHO it is worth it. The lubricator/ sizer swages and lubricates boolit to final dimensions. Ingot mold is for turning raw materials into a size you can drop into pot after it is cleaned. Most of us scrounge for lead and pay different things for different types. The vendor sponsors here are a very good source for it. Already cast to ingots. You could start out a little different buying moulds, handles, and try pan lubing. Sizers make the world easier. You can finely tune your boolit to your individual need. Unlike jacketed, fit is critical in lead so most cast .001 bigger than our sizer which is .001 larger that our throats, which is .001 larger than our bbl. It gives the softer boolit a better start in it's life to the target. The manual included in the kit is specifically for lead boolits and the pressures/speeds are different than other relapding manuals. Is all this a must? No but it sure is nice. If you have the extra cash,, go for it. You will still need a mould, sizer, and nose punch for the particular boolit you want to start with. What caliber are you considering for a starting point to begin this adventure?

hothandle
01-10-2012, 07:22 AM
What caliber are you considering for a starting point to begin this adventure?[/QUOTE]
Thanks to both for your help and replies.
to answer your question above. 44rem mag

kweidner
01-10-2012, 07:30 AM
good choice. my favorite as a matter of fact. I like the Keith style. Some prefer different. I started with a 429421 mould and .430 sizer with that one. I now have custom hp mould in same basic config, and a .431 and change sizer. Do a search for a post called " a little help understanding please". It is close to the bottom of page this post is on. Read that. That particular mould is easy to cast with and what took me from a part time caster to every pistol caliber I own shooting cast. That particular sbh was a challenge to get just like I wanted it but well worth it now. I have learned much!

drklynoon
01-10-2012, 08:32 AM
Getting starting in casting can be an interesting venture. The intial cost can be a little intimidating but when you are casting for expensive ammo you will reap the benefits rather quickly. As far as pecuring lead Wheel Weights are one of the most common sources. The alloy of the Wheel Weight (WW) is fairly usefull. Straight lead is often to soft for alot of bullets and will leave deposits. One of the first questions to ask when looking to load for the .44 mag is whether to purchase a gas check (GC) style bullet or a plain based bullet. There are many different trains of thought on this subject. The GC adds cost but it alows for softer alloy and a sloppeier fit. I bought the Lyman kit and am very happy with it. I found all the components of the kit useful. There are additions to this kit that you will eventual need. A thermometer is useful. These can be purchased at Lowes or Homedepot. You need to look for one intended for a deep fryer. The next big purchase is smelting equipment. Smelting is the process that takes your WW to the ingots. If you buy ingots from vendors here this step and equipment can be skipped. For smelting I use a heavy duty frier stove and a dutch oven. You can smelt in the Lyman pot but this is recommended due to the filth that builds up from dirty WW's. Not only that but you won't be able to easly drain your Lyman pot after a session. The design of the Lyman minimag is a little goofy due to the element being in the pot. This setup mean that you are hitting the element with the ladle when the pot gets low. Another drawback to the MiniMag is that it is piss poor at maintaining temperature as the pot gets low. The temaperature continues to rise as the material level lowers. I rarely let mine get below half full when casting. This essential makes this a 5 pound pot. Any way I could go on for hours. Cheers and good luck
Nathan

cajun shooter
01-10-2012, 09:19 AM
Casting is like reloading in that you may purchase a very basic tool such as the old cheap Lee hammer type kit. I'm referring to the original kit of the 60's. With it and some powder, bullets, and primers and you are a reloader.
This method of loading is the most basic of all and each tool you add helps make the process easier for you.
The same holds true for casting.You may buy a single cavity mould and use your camp stove to melt lead and cast bullets one at a time.
Each piece of equipment that is purchased from that meager start will give you better and larger quantities of lead bullets.
If on a limited bu get as many are to day, I suggest that you first do some reading that will help you get started on a even balance.
Start by downloading the book From Ingot to Target by Fryxell and Applegate. It is available to you free in the sticky section at the LASC site.
I and others did at one time suggest the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, It's still a very good book but the one I suggested will work great for you.
The hardest thing to do is to read about how others cast with the name brand equipment that cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars and try to figure out where do you start.
Start as I said.
(1) basic heat source; Coleman stove, propane burner(high pressure) ; cast iron dutch oven or very heavy steel pot. Don't even think about cheap aluminum
(2) Mould or Mold; Spend the most you can for this item as it is the heart of your endeavors. If it has to be a cheaper Lee then it will work but it may give you problems that require help to fix. A 2 cavity RCBS would be my first choice then a Saeco and finally a custom mould from Accurate . Start were you funds allow you.
(3) Some persons have shot the bullets straight from their moulds for years by only adding some type of lube. If all your Stars fall into perfect alignment this will work but may fail to give you a bullet that is problem free. Figure on at least using a used or new shallow pan that is at least 9"x9" and do your lubing method called pan lubing. Buy yourself a Kate Cutter made by Buckshot on our forum. It will make this process easy and faster by using a proper made tool.
(4) Buy your lube and don't try making your own when you have too much on your plate at this time. The lubes made by a forum member and sold under the White Label name are cheap and cover any shooting needs. If starting with simple pistol or revolver bullet then his lube BAC will work fine.
(5) You may purchase a Lee sizing kit and also tumble lube your bullets if of the correct design. I don't care for this process but it works for many people with all types of lead bullets. I have loaded since 1969 and casted since 1970 and I'm partial to the older style of lubing.
(6) Your first bullets are now ready to use. As you make progress you will find that the better items make your casting time much shorter while giving you the best bullets that you may shoot. The thing is that they cost money. The above described process will let you decide if you want to become a Master Caster or just buy that which is already made.
(7) Best wishes and luck and I will be more than happy to lend a hand if needed. However it's best if you study that book from cover to cover before asking anyone a question. Take Care and Welcome aboard David

cbrick
01-10-2012, 09:27 AM
Welcome to CastBoolits hothandle,

The first thing you need to learn about casting is that there is only one dumb question and that is the one you don't ask.

Read all you can right here on this forum, there is literally thousands of years of collective experience and most are willing to share that experience. Varied answers and solutions only prove that there are many ways to skin a cat. Some cast for the sole purpose of saving money and the cheapest, fastest they can drop a bullet the better and nothing else much matters. Others take it to a much higher level and have years of experimentation and testing, the only thing that matters to them is the highest quality they can produce.

Where you fit into this is entirely up to you and your goals, regardless here is the single best place to start. The book by Glen E. Fryxell From Ingot To Target, it’s online and it’s free. Download it, print it out because you will refer to it often.

From Ingot To Target (http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_textonly2.pdf)

Many questions will come up, don't be afraid to ask, we were all brand new to this at one time.

Good luck,

Rick

williamwaco
01-10-2012, 01:39 PM
1) In looking for equipment I have looked at a Lyman’s "Master Bullet Casting Kit" (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lymans-Maste...3430%26ps%3D54) and am totally confused. I thought all you needed was a melting pot and a mold and I see in this kit other equipment. I see everything in the picture except a mold itself. What is the other equipment for that I am seeing? (4500 Bullet Sizer/Lubricator, top punch and sizing die, ingot mold)

2) what can I expect to pay for lead?

3) Is eBay the best place to buy lead?





1)
The second thing you need to learn about reloading is that it is exactly like any other hobby.
Never take advice about what you NEED from the person that is selling it.
Thousands, perhaps millions of bullets have been cast with nothing but a mold, a camp fire, and a large spoon. ( I don't recommend that method )

Your minimum requirement is a mold, some way to melt the lead, some utensil to pour it into the mold and some way to lubricate the bullets. Simplest and least expensive lube method is tumble lube. Then dipping, then pan lube. Then the sizing and lubricating machines. YOU can get started for very little money if you don't mind a little inconvenience.



2)

Unless you can find scrap that someone wants to dispose of, expect to pay around $1.00 per pound.

3) EBAY is not the best place to buy lead. The best place is right here.

See: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18

Please support your forum members. They will be holding your hand for quite a while.
(I will help with the hand holding but I don't sell anything you need to buy.)

462
01-10-2012, 04:55 PM
Every caster will give you equipment advise based upon their experience and/or their particular preferences -- which is how it should be. Keep in mind, though, that what works best for some other caster may not, or won't work for you. (The same is said about guns.)

The more you read, the sooner you will come to understand casting equipment and the entire casting process. Ultimately, you will make equipment buying and casting method decisions that best suit your budget and chosen methods.

I stronly urge you to buy a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and a Lyman Reloading Handbook, and read through them more than once. There aren't any other publications that explain the boolit casting and reloading processes more thoroughly. They are both a text book and a reference, and will serve you well for many years.

The Archive, link toward the bottom of the page, should not be overlooked, as another knowledge gathering source.

Finally, as you start casting and reloading, don't become frustrated when faced with a problem -- it will happen. Regardless the problem, many members have already experienced and solved it (in more ways than one, most often), and all you need to do is ask for assistance, giving as much information as possible.

Enjoy your new-found venture!

Ziptar
01-11-2012, 10:29 AM
Sam,

I see you made it. Welcome to the forum.

MikeS
01-12-2012, 12:55 AM
I would say that while the Lyman kit looks like a good place to start, it might be, and then it might not be. There are people that start casting, and realize they enjoy it as much as reloading, and/or shooting, then there are folks that hate it. I would recommend starting out with inexpensive equipment, just in case you're on of those that hates it, at least you won't have too much invested in it. So, with that in mind, Lee makes lots of stuff that will help get you started fairly inexpensively. You didn't say if you want to cast for rifle or pistol, but for either you will need a melting pot. I would say to start with the Lee 4-20 pot. It's not their cheapest, but it certainly won't break the bank, and is a much better piece of equipment than their 10lb pots. Next you'll need a mould. I personally think if Lee makes the boolit design you want in a 6 cavity mould, that's the one to get. Their 2 cavity moulds are much lower quality than their 6 cavity ones, and a 6 cavity mould, and a set of handles for it will run you about $50.00, where a 2 cavity mould will be around $20.00. The problem with the Lee 2 cavity moulds is they are hit or miss, you might get one that casts great without any need for any further work, or you might get one that needs help, and being totally new to casting you can't be sure if any trouble you're having is you, or the mould! While the same can be said about their 6 cavity moulds, it seems that fewer 6 cavity moulds need help compared to their 2 cavity moulds. Keep in mind, getting a new Lyman 2 cavity mould and handles is going to cost you almost $100.00, if not more, I haven't checked their prices in a while, and after spending that money, you still might get a mould that needs help, newer Lyman moulds seem to drop boolits that are too small.

Next you will need to size & lube your boolits. You can get a Lee size & lube kit for around $20 some I think, it comes with a sizing die that fits into your reloading press, and a bottle of their Lee Liquid Alox. There are lots thoughts (pro & con) about LLA, but it will certainly get you started without a major equipment purchase. One reason that's important is because there are a few different sizing presses (known as a lubrisizer) out there (the Lyman 4500 is one), and most of them use their own style of resizing dies, (in current production I know of at least 4 different sizing die types, Lee, Lyman/RCBS, SAECO, and Star) which are usually more expensive than the Lee sizing dies are to start with. If you're shooting pistols, and plan on casting LOTS of boolits, then you would probably want to get a Star sizer, it's more expensive than the Lyman, but works in a totally different manner, (the Lyman/RCBS, & SAECO sizers are known as in/out sizers, you insert the boolit to be sized into the top of the die, and remove it from the top as well, the Star is a push thru die, so you put it into the top of the die, and the press pushes it totally thru the die, and it comes out the bottom, the Lee sizers work similar to the Star dies, but they size only, lubing is a separate operation with the Lee process) and it's better to first decide if you even like casting before buying either, because the machine itself is only part of the cost, the individual sizing dies are the other part. You wouldn't want to invest in lots of dies for a Lyman sizer and then decide to get a Star, and have to duplicate all the dies you already have, but for the Star. Much better off once the decision to stick with casting has been made, to bite the boolit, spend a few bucks more, and get the Star initially, so you start your die accumulation for it right from the start. Starting with the Lee sizers is cheaper than buying ANY lubrisizer, and even after you've bought a lubrisizer, they will come in handy having them around.

As for lead, with eBay, it's a **** shoot, you might get good lead, you might not. As others have mentioned, you can find several folks on this site that sell lead, or you can go to a commercial foundry, such as RotoMetals (a forum sponsor) to buy lead that's a completely known item. You will pay more for RotoMetals lead, but there's no question about what you have. If you buy their Hardball alloy, or their Lyman #2 alloy, it IS what they say it is, and for just starting out it might not hurt to buy your first batch of lead, so again if you run into trouble casting, you can rule out the lead being bad as a cause (zinc can contaminate lead, and both steel & zinc wheel weights are now common, so it's possible to get lead that has been 'poisoned' by the zinc (that's one of the biggest problems with eBay lead, not so much of a problem with forum members here). Unless you're buying from a company like RotoMetals, or another boolit caster, it's quite possible to get lead that's been poisoned with zinc from a person that has no idea what the exact composition of their lead is, and they're not trying to 'pull one over on you', they might just not know.

One of the MOST important items you can buy, and I probably should have mentioned this first, is to get a good book on the subject of boolit casting. The Lyman manuals are good, but possibly even better is the book "From Ingot to Target" by Fryxell and Applegate mentioned in the above posts, it's available for free here: http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm

Read thru that book, then read it again, then if you still have questions, ask them here. This web site is the best way to learn about boolit casting, with the capability of asking a question, and getting multiple answers within a few hours!

geargnasher
01-12-2012, 02:03 AM
Every caster will give you equipment advise based upon their experience and/or their particular preferences -- which is how it should be. Keep in mind, though, that what works best for some other caster may not, or won't work for you. (The same is said about guns.)

The more you read, the sooner you will come to understand casting equipment and the entire casting process. Ultimately, you will make equipment buying and casting method decisions that best suit your budget and chosen methods.

I stronly urge you to buy a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and a Lyman Reloading Handbook, and read through them more than once. There aren't any other publications that explain the boolit casting and reloading processes more thoroughly. They are both a text book and a reference, and will serve you well for many years.

The Archive, link toward the bottom of the page, should not be overlooked, as another knowledge gathering source.

Finally, as you start casting and reloading, don't become frustrated when faced with a problem -- it will happen. Regardless the problem, many members have already experienced and solved it (in more ways than one, most often), and all you need to do is ask for assistance, giving as much information as possible.

Enjoy your new-found venture!

Hothandle, print this out and pin it to the wall of your reloading area. Follow through on the advice to get the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook (3rd ed, preferably), and read it. Refer back to this post and CBRick's above frequently for more tips on where to find the answers to the questions you don't yet know to ask, but will as you read and experiment more. If you get stuck on something, just ask! This forum is the best support group I know of for cast boolit triumphs and challenges.

Gear