Extremely "Green," and need some advice.

[Brahma]

As the title states, I'm very new to casting and reloading, and decided to try and pick up both as a hobby since I have put the bottle down and came into a lot of free time. I've been reading through the stickies and tons of threads, and a lot of members have posted on the importance of acquiring a reloading/casting manual or handbook. That being said I was wondering if anyone had some recommendations as to manuals that are geared much more to the beginner reloader/caster? At Barnes & Noble I've seen things like "The ABC's of Reloading," and a few others. Are these worth their weight for a beginner like myself or would I be better off with something else?

Also, is there a way to determine how many pounds of lead is required to cast X amount of bullets? I realize bullet size varies and certain sizes require more or less lead. That being said if i wanted to cast 1,000, 40S&W with a TC roughly how many pounds of lead would I need?

Thanks in advance for everyone's help. Howdy!

[ShooterAZ]

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook would be a good place to start. Other load manuals are helpful for reference. For 1000 40 cal boolits, depending on weight you will need probably somewhere around 25-30 lbs of alloy.

[Love Life]

1lb=7,000 gr

7,000/Bullet weight= Number of bullets per pound.

Example: 7,000gr/125gr=56 125gr bullets per pound

1,000 bullets/56= 17.857142 lbs of lead

or

125gr*1000=125,000gr/7000gr=17.857142 lbs of lead

[David2011]

Take a look at the stickies here and do a search for the LASC website.

David

[lead4me]

7000gr to a lb of lead. So for a 230gr 45ACP I get 30 boolits per lb.

[lead4me]

WOW slow on the post...+1 what Love-life said. Oh and welcome to the site and casting lot of good info here.

[ku4hx]

There are 7,000 grains per pound. The only 40 cal bullet I cast is nominally 175 grains. That works out to 40 boolits per pound. To get 1,000 boolits, I'd have to cast 25 pounds of alloy. But the thing is, that would be only if I let my pot run dry. Since I generally never let my pot get more than half empty, I'd need 1.5*25 or about 38 pounds. That's just my rule of thumb to make sure I have plenty warming up and ready to be added.

Other people do it differently, I just don't like letting my furnace get too low and 1/2 full is the lowest I let it get.

[462]

Any reloading manual, i.e. Lyman, Hornady, Sierra, Speer, teach hand gun and rifle reloading and safety procedures, and list their loads. For boolit casting, either the third or fourth editions of Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbood are the caster's Bible.

If I were to have only two references, they would be Lyman's Reloading Handbook, 45th edition, and Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook, third edition.

[Love Life]

Every now and then I get a chance to beat the other members to posting useful information!

[Brahma]

Y'all have definitely answered my question. Thanks for the help.

[jdgabbard]

Green makes me think of the libs....

[engineer401]

Green makes me think of the libs....

Funny, I thought of RCBS.

[jdgabbard]

I'm a little too politically minded for my own good at the moment, lol

[Brahma]

Yikes, Definitely meant green as in new, and that is every bit worth of clarifying.

[**oneshot**]

Welcome back! My Dad visited the other place and we(and he) were all happy when he came home.

[WHITETAIL]

Brahma, Welcome to the forum!
If nothing elts keep reading here.
Their is a welth of info. here.:castmine:

[cbrick]

Brahma, welcome to CastBoolits.

Here are the best places for a new caster to start reading.

From Ingot to Target (http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_textonly2.pdf)
Complete LASC article index (http://www.lasc.us/ArticleIndex.htm)
The most complete index of Glen E. Fryxell articles on the internet (http://www.lasc.us/ArticlesFryxell.htm)

Down load From Ingot to Target and print it out, you'll refer to it often.

For reloading any of the major reloading books have intructions for reloading. The newest Speer book is good but any of the powder/bullet reloading books will give valuable info.

Rick

[Gtek]

Brahma welcome, also congratulations if you are indeed keeping the Demons under the cap. "Extremely Green" either very smart as bait or lucky use of words to lure. I for one hear that and the hair starts up the neck and had to look. Like others have said, read, read, read, and when you start warming your fingers you will be so much richer in knowledge to react to the situations THAT will arise. I think there is more than enough information in all the sticky's and threads to get you well on your way. This all free and left by a great group of individuals that have been there - done that. Good Luck on both of your trails. Gtek

[mdi]

Welcome! To reloading/casting and Life (I too started reloading a couple years after I met Bill W.). ABCs is good for general reloading and Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook for casting (if you can find a 3rd Edition get it, I believe it's better for a beginner than the 4th). Casting and shooting your own products made for your own guns is prolly the most satisfying aspect of home made ammo....

[Larry Gibson]

Welcome! To reloading/casting and Life (I too started reloading a couple years after I met Bill W.). ABCs is good for general reloading and Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook for casting (if you can find a 3rd Edition get it, I believe it's better for a beginner than the 4th). Casting and shooting your own products made for your own guns is prolly the most satisfying aspect of home made ammo....

+1. Check used book stores for the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook #3. The #3 and #4 Cast Bullet Handbooks are the best "primers" to have for basic cast bullet reloading skills in my humble opinion. You can then build on your reference library with the others. I've been casting my own since '68 (have been shooting cast since '64) and still always reference the manuals for basic info and technique. No matter how much we think we know and will not forget a mind is a terrible thing to lose and the older one gets the more you misplace it............I would get Lyman's #49 Reloading manual (for both jacketed and cast bullets) before I'd get the ABC's manual though.

Larry Gibson

[Brahma]

Didn't cross my mind to check some used book stores. This is looking like far more of a science and less like a skill than I could have ever imagined. It is also somewhat overwhelming, but I know I am in the right place for advice and I hope to begin some casting real soon. However, for now it is time to do some reading, re-reading, and learning.

Once again, thanks to everyone for y'alls kind advice.

[runfiverun]

oh no there is skill and judgement involved.
if we had the equipment to make it a science we wouldn't get any casting done.

[462]

This is looking like far more of a science and less like a skill than I could have ever imagined.

Brahma,
Casting isn't about science. It's about being self sufficient and independent. It's about having an enjoyable and relaxing hobby. It's about inexpensive shooting. I dare say that, if boolit casting was a scientific endeavor, instead of this site having 25,000 members, it would have but a handful.

Relax, you're among friends who want to help.

[cbrick]

This is looking like far more of a science and less like a skill than I could have ever imagined. It is also somewhat overwhelming,

Naw, just do the reading and when questions pop up just come here and ask away. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask. Not science but there are basics and the recommended reading will cover much of that. Might seem overwhelming at first but that's just because it's new, it will all click together before you know it.

Before ya know it you’ll be right here answering questions from a newbie.

Rick

[Brahma]

Well put. I guess a lot of things are overwhelming when new. Seems as if just starting out and taking that first step might be the hardest part. Thanks again to everyone for the help!

[David2011]

Brahma,

Welcome aboard! I once lived in your area. Apologies for the brief post I left earlier. I just don't enjoy typing on a phone that much and it isn't suited for looking up other stuff while already on a website.

LASC, the Los Angeles Silhouette Club, has a lot of well written quality articled including "From Ingot to Target: A Cast Bullet Guide for Handgunners ©" available at http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm.

I see you've been visiting the stickies on this site.

David

[Catsmith]

Brahma, keep pressing on with learning and keeping the cap on. Good job. The from ingot to target is a great ebook that i have found alot of answers to and the lymans manuals are great. As a newb myself, i got overwhelmed quickly and had to step back, start small and ask questions here as they came up. The stickies and search on here can find alot of answers. Keep up the good work!

[Screwbolts]

Your very best sources of QUALITY boolit molds is right here on this Forum in the Group buy section!!!

IMHO, there is only a few custom makers that compare to Quality of what we have here.

if you need gas checks then Blammer is the source of Gator gas checks, there is no comparison to these in quality or price short of getting a Freecheck III from a member of this Forum also.

[arkypete]

Brahma welcome

Try to score as much lead and lead alloy as possible. Tons of the stuff, any useable alloy. Scarfing up lead can become a side hobby to casting.
Jim