Boolit Casting Newbie: Need starting advice

[taprackbang]

I am a newb to the realm of casting bullets and would like to ask the aficionados here about what
I want to do and what I'll need to get for my initial casting setup.
I currently have a Lee Loadmaster which does a great job for me with general reloading.

I want to cast .308, .223, .40SW and 9mm

Here is what I know I'll need.

1. Lyman mold(s)
2. Lee melting pot
3. Sizing die(s)
4. Table-top stove
5. Lee Alox (Bullet lube)
6. Gas checks
7. Purple Ceresin (?)

I would not mind learning to 'jacket' my bullets, eventually, if that is possible without much
difficulty. I have seen some take spent .22lr cases and use them for jackets for .223.
But, I would like to get the hardest lead bullets I can get for my rifle. Supposedly shock-cooling them
helps this?

Is there a thread on here that gives a general 'laundry list' of items?

Thanks for the time.

[ku4hx]

You're going to get an awful lot of really good advice. When I started out in the early '70s, there was no internet and I had no mentor. I bought Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook and I still refer to it today. I also bought Lyman's loading manual as well as Speer's and Sierra's.

My advice is to start accumulating all the written literature you can get and start with the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. For now, concentrate on the first part of the book which is basically a well written "How To" as well as a treatise on what supplies and equipment you'll need to get started.

Most bullet maker's have load data that covers lead bullets and much of that data is free and downloadable. But every load manual I've every bought had plenty of other good data too.

One thing we all need to do is read all the stickies here and search on specific question you might have.

"Jacketing" bullets is commonly referred to as "swaging" and Corbin makes some nice swaging equipment. But this forum is not really aimed at that activity; I'm sure there are those that are. I swaged jacketed bullets for a number of years using .22 spent casings to form jackets for .22 caliber bullets. I sold all my swaging gear years ago and my boolit making activity now centers exclusively on casting hence my coming here.

Corbin can be found at:
http://www.corbins.com/

[taprackbang]

Thanks for the reply. I did watch a video online showing a guy using the Corbin equipment. Is a bit tedious. I have purchased 308, 190 grain, gas-checked bullets from a company online and was impressed by the performance. This has prompted me to pursue doing it full-out.

[geargnasher]

Start with the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbooks. There's a bit of misinformation in there from time to time, but it will get you started off on the right foot.

Gear

[Wayne Smith]

Remember that the start up cost of swaging is quite expensive. Casting is not. I am still using a Coleman Stove and ladle casting out of several 1qt steel kitchen pots. This is after more than ten years of casting, it is a deliberate decision that continues. I purposely invested most of my casting money into molds, and Lyman is only the beginning. Don't ignore Lee molds, they give good service for the money if cared for and used carefully. My most used molds are from the group buy molds here.

I would suggest, of the calibers you have, that you start either with your .40 as it will be more forgiving than the 9mm, or start with your .308 with some .310-311 boolits, gas check when sizing to your barrel, load like a 30-30, and enjoy. Before you ignore this remember how many deer/bear have been killed with a 30-30. You have a very versatile cartridge there, don't ignore the opportunity. I would suggest you find and read BruceB's sticky on making soft point boolits as well.

You are just getting started. Casting is a very complex process and the learning curve is steep. I'm not there yet, but just from reading in the Swaging section, that learning curve is equally long and steep. My standard advice is don't try to climb two learning curves at the same time!

[MtGun44]

Start reading the stickies. Gear's advice on the Lyman book is right on.

Bill

[ku4hx]

I did watch a video online showing a guy using the Corbin equipment. Is a bit tedious.

Yep, it is, but done right you get a fine product. All things considered, casting was simply the better choice for me so I offloaded my Corbin equipment and adopted casting exclusively.

Casting is as much an art as a science and can be tedious in its own way. But what passion is not worth the tedium?

There are some online videos that are worthwhile, but for the most part I steer clear of them for a variety of reasons. But that's just me.

[taprackbang]

Thanks all for the valuable input.
Will look at the stickies and press the record button in my brain. I think I'll forgo swaging and delve into casting alone. The tedium does not bother me.... Hey, I reload and that's pretty tedious!

[paul h]

Everyone has developed slightly different techniques that work for them, based on what they are trying to achieve, and what has worked for them. A long way of saying there are alot of ways to cast bullets, and few absolutes.

The real key starting out is to use an alloy that will work for your application, but don't get over hung up on this, wheel weights or a similar alloy works for 80-90% of what most of us cast. Melt that alloy and pour it into a hot mold so that the mold fills out completely. And then make sure the bullet is sized for the gun, preferably 0.001" over bore dia, and use a good lube. Stick with those basics and learn the intricacies of your equipment and good results are pretty much guranteed. Don't try and re-invent the wheel, stick with what works, then experiment.

Everyone has their favorite equipment, and a few people down right hate some manufactureres. I've used most of what is out there, and the vast majority of it is capable of making good bullets.

[turmech]

Down load the free book written from a member on this site "From Ingot to target". I belive it is mentioned in several stickys. this answered all of my questions and then some.

[Grandpas50AE]

Like everyone has said so far, get some good casting/loading books, as well as the "From Ingot to Target" mentioned above. Many questions for starting out will be answered, but there is a lot of info there and you won't absorb all of it at once. Just manage the basics at first and you can cast very good boolits pretty soon after beginning. Once you have found what is working, then you can experiment some - it is a great hobby with many opportunities to learn new things. Save the swaging for a later time so you can focus on one technology at a time and you will do well. We will all be here to help anytime.
Welcome to the addiction.

[Echo]

And then make sure the bullet is sized for the gun, preferably 0.001" over bore dia, and use a good lube.

What Paul meant was .001 over groove diameter.

And one thing I have learned from this forum (among many things!) is that, generally speaking, hard is not what is needed. I will bet that most boolits fired by knowledgeable casters measure 12-14 on the Brinnel scale, which is NOT hard. WW's will measure close to this. My boolits generally measure BHN12-13, and I cast for from 38 Special to 30-06 to 44 Magnum. Some Sb, up to 3% Sn, and press on...