Newbie questions.

[axxman928]

Another "newbie" here,
Just acquired a ton of casting equipment.Figured I might as well join
you guys. Probably will be casting 38/357, 45ACP,30/06 and 35 Remington.
Since I have no knowledge of casting ( bought all of mine precast from a
local supplier) would have to start at a very basic level. Are there any books
availible that could take me step by step through the process of casting?
Any help would be appreciated. E-mail addy is tomgriffin5@comcast.net
Thanks in advance, axxman928

[waksupi]

First off, go back through all the archives on this site. And the aimoo site. And then you will find posted somewhere on the board, the archives from the old Shooters.com cast bullet room. Once you have digested all this information, you will have more knowledge on all aspects, than has ever been put together on cast bullets, anywhere.
Also, get the Lyman Cast Bullets handbook.

[Buckshot]

.............Yeah, what waksupi said, but bring a lunch or two :D. And ditto, get the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. Other then that, specific questions, problems, triumphs and tribulations, ask away.

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

[Willbird]

Keith on Sixguns I feel is a good general reference, good reading too, not a must have or have first but still good reading.

beg borrow and or steal all the old handloader magazines you can......all of the great gunwriters cast bullets I think........not all the information is in keeping with modern theory, but workarounds and methods of finding things that work are good to get instilled in your brain, the more directions you can look at a problem in an informed manner the better off you will be.

Dick Lee's book Modern Reloading has tons of good info, once again not always mainstream ideas....but one mans take on reloading and casting bullets...and probably the most comprehensive collection of loading data you will find all in one place.

I like the lyman ctg. reloading manual too.......and the Hogden manual.

I like to Hit Hogden, Alliant, and Accurate arms websites (as well as any other good ctg. specific stuff I find) and print out all the data I can find on the computer for a single ctg. , I then put these pages in the thin presentation folders, the ones with the little metal prongs you bend over after putting thru the holes you punched with your 3 hole punch.

I think it is good to read everything you can find, and distill it down to what works for you and your alloys, ctg. , powder, and loading tools.........no two people end up doing it EXACTLY the same because each caster and re-loader has differant goals and drives that push them this way and that.........

The greatest thing I think is that if you are a scrounger like most of us are the typically most expensive part of the ctg. (the bullet) ends up being almost free materials wise.and cast bullets are easier on barrels, so you don't thread them in and out like the sparkplugs in a top fuel dragster :-)


Bill

[axxman928]

Thanks to all for the advice on the printed matter.Guess I now have a lot
to look at, search for, and a ton of reading to do.Thanks again guys.
axxman928

[drinks]

Axxman;
Another place is Cast Bullets Assn. , they have all sorts of info, new members get a 100 page book that is worth twice the $17 a year dues and 6 issues of a newsletter writen by the members.
Don;D