new person seeks advice

[bigbear]

I am new to casting bullets. I am a Winchester 71/348 Winchester nut. Got some molds for 348 bullets, some gaschecks and am now scrouging lead. Need advice on where to get advice on most economical way to get going. I guess I need a Lub-sizer ( can this be had safely second hand)? Do I need a furnace or can I just use My Coleman stove and an old iron skillet? Any help/advice will be sincerely appreciated. I've shot and reloaded for 20 years and have shot lots of cast bullets, just not homemade by me.

[44woody]

bigbear I would not use a frying pan I would get a stainless steel pot with a ladle the frying pan is a little awkward to use and to be safe you do not want that using a coleman stove is fine for a heat source :castmine: 44Woody ps welcome to the board

[Shiloh]

There are lots of folks on the forum who use a dipper to pour boolits. I started with a bottom pour Lee pot I got as an anniversary present from my bride.

I went with the bottom pour as it's what the fellow who mentored me used.
He started out dipping out of a stainless saucepan that was acquired at a Goodwill or Salvation Army store for a buck and a half, and his Coleman stove

I see used Lub-Sizers at gunshows on a regular basis. Most just need cleaning up and any parts needed are available from Lyman. I can't give a price as I never check. I have purchase size dies though for $6-$9. Stay away from the Lyman 45.
It's a good machine but parts are no longer made for it.

Dies for the Lyman 450, 4500, and RCBS machine are interchangeable.

Welcome to the forum. There are some vastly knowledgeable and experienced folks on these forum pages. Many have already made the mistakes that I you and I still make. They're happy to help.

Shiloh

[45nut]

Need advice on where to get advice on most economical way to get going.
You found that right here, welcome to :cbpour:

Look over the threads in our "Classics & Stickies: forum, it is a trove of info.
There is no reason 2nd hand won't work for most of the misc. gear you may not yet have. A goodwill store is a good place to look for a smelting pot as Woody recommended.
Look around,, settle in and enjoy.

[leftiye]

Big bear,
You can stand boolits on their bases in a small pan or large lid and pour melted lube around them to lube the (pan lubing). Melt the lube very gently- maybe in a double boiler to avoid "cooking it"- that means damaging it. Use a ctg. case with the head cut off (expanded so you can push the boolits out) to cut the boolitsout of the lube after it cools.

Sizing can be done in a loading press with push throught dies -either home made or LEE makes them $12.95 each. These methods produce as good or probably better boolits that a lubrisizer does. After this you are in familiar territory- load 'em! Lee also makes a nice 20 lb bottom pour furnace that isn't too expensive. Some guys prefer dip casting with a ladle though and won't use a bottom pour. I guess it's - Try it, you'll like it!

Don't use aluminum pots to melt lead in, they wear our, plus their melting temp is too close to some temps that lead gets to, and they melt (instant BIG problem!). Stainless needs to be sturdy too. I've heard of stainless coming apart.

[DeanoBeanCounter]

:-D Let me add a question to this thread. Would a Teflon coated do any harm or good? My wife is throwing one out. It's got a good heavy bottom. :confused:
Deano

[ammohead]

Deano,

I would guess that the teflon will burn off on the first melting so be sure to do this outside. You may want to burn the teflon off first then clean up with some steel wool or something. If you are dipping, a tall, narrow pot will work better than a low wide pan will.

I have a model 71. I have had excellent results with lyman 350458 and 52 gr of h4831. This is a gas check bullet and you will do well to seat the gas checks with a lubrisizer. Used lubesizers can be found on ebay all the time and on this site once in a while.

ammohead

[shotstring]

Oh sure...now comes the advice that one can use a regular press with push-through dies for sizing bullets after I already went out and bought 2 used Star sizers! :roll:

[Typecaster]

shotstring--

You've got to get into the spirit of this hobby/obsession...you can't have too much cast iron, or lead/lino/tin. I don't know where you're located, but maybe you could think of it as ballast for the house/shop. My wife figures when we have a big earthquake in SoCal, my shop and inventory will be the first stuff to sink.

[454PB]

Oh sure...now comes the advice that one can use a regular press with push-through dies for sizing bullets after I already went out and bought 2 used Star sizers! :roll:

Well I did just the opposite. I have two Lyman 450's and a Star, and I ordered several Lee push through sizers. :drinks:

[mtgrs737]

I would stay away from the teflon pot, the teflon puts off a unhealthy gas when heated at anything over med-high stove temp. It's enough to make you sick and kill pet house birds. This was on one of those news shows, so it may not be accurate, but why chance it? Get one of those small cast iron pots that Lyman or RCBS markets or go to Harbor freight or one of the outfitting stores and see if they don't have a cast iron pot that would work.

[leftiye]

Mtgrs- Believe it! Can't remember the name of the gas but it's both deadly and corrosive.

[shotstring]

Typecaster, I have been considering painting all my lead ingots with gold paint. That way my wife can sit and enjoy gazing on them as much as I do.

It's good to hear that someone like yourself 454, went after the push through sizers even after purchasing some nice lubrisizers. With all the different bullets I have to size (a growing list I'm sad to say..) that may be just the ticket!