Cast Boolit Newb

[XD40SW]

Hello everyone,
I've been reloading for a few years now, but I'm a total newb when it comes to casting. In fact I haven't even started yet, I don't have any equipment yet. I am planning on making some purchases in the next few months. I'm not 100% set on it, but I was thinking about the Lee 20-lb bottom pour pot, and a couple Lee 6-Cavity molds. I will be starting off casting for .40S&W(Springfield XD 4") and .45Colt(Taurus Judge 3"). I have an RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme press. I was going to buy the Lee .401 sizing die and just use my regular press, or should I buy a dedicated lube/sizer press? What are everyone's thoughts on the rest of the equipment I should purchase. What are your experiences good or bad? If all goes well with the pistols, I would like to start casting or my rifles too(.223Rem, .243Win, and .30-06). Will I need any further equipment for the rifles other than sizing dies to seat the gas checks? Any input would be much appreciated?

[lbaize3]

Welcome aboard! I have two Lee 20lb bottom pour pots, but end up casting out of a cast iron pot on my Coleman camping stove. I find I can cast longer and get better boolits that way. The cast iron pot is a 3 quart sauce pan I bought on line from Cajun Cookery for about $15. I use a small Rowell ladle from Rotometals, My lead is primarily wheel weights with a small amount of additional tin in the form of 60/40 bar solder and the boolits are air cooled. It is very helpful to have a thermometer to keep the alloy around 700 degrees. I use saw dust to flux. The Lee push through sized is an excellent start, inexpensive and easy to use. Liquid alox is also fine to start out with. All of this is based upon the use of your 40S&W and 45 Colt cartridges. Other calibers might require more sophisticated alloy, lube and sizing....

[Cowboy T]

The equipment you're using is the same equipment I'm using. The .45 Colt is one of the rounds I cast for and shoot a fair amount. Two good moulds are the 452-200-RF and the 452-255-RF. While the 2-cavity moulds do work and are good, I definitely recommend the 6-cavity moulds. They are even better-made and allow you to drop a lot of very good boolits in a relatively short time.

Since you're shooting a Taurus Judge, understand that the rifling is a bit more shallow than in a "typical" .45 Colt. You'll want to make sure you size your boolits for that bore. I've found that 0.455" boolits work best in Judges.

You can most certainly use your Rockchucker for the boolit sizing die. However, personally, I'd recommend spending $28 for Lee's little single-stage "Lee Reloader Press" for boolit-sizing duty. That's what I use, and that thing's sized well over 15,000 boolits and still goin' strong.

All you need for seating the gas checks is the sizing die and your press. Works very nicely. BTW, the liquid Alox that comes with Lee's sizing die kits turns out to be an excellent boolit lube.

[Greg B.]

The only potential problem area I can see with your plan is if you are using dirty wheel weights (keep the zinc and steel ones out of your melt) for boolits. The dirt can clog the spout on a bottom pore. I smelt and flux on an old Coleman white gas two burner with an iron pot and then pour the melted alloy into the bottom pore or else start with clean ingots. You will also want to devise some method to keep your moulds at casting temperature to avoid wrinkles and incomplete fill out.

In terms of gas checks there are supposed to be crimp on and hand press on variants. While I don't use many all the ones I have you can press them on by hand at least for rifle boolits. Others experience may varry.

Before you buy anything get a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Manual and follow the instructions. That should get you started.

Greg B.