I did it... Finally got equipment to start casting!!!

[enigma]

Hello to all of you shooters and casters out there.

After many years of reading on the subject and collecting as much wheel weights as my wife could handle, I finally decided that it was time for me to start tinkering with bullet casting! The bullets I'm planning of making are for my 375 H&H as to keep the cost of reloading down. I will not be looking for any kind of accuracy right off the bat, but mostly learn this new hobby, and have some fun at the range. This is the equipment I just ordered. I know that some of you might not like Lee products... Once again, I'm not planning on making a living out of casting, just an introduction to it. I do own a few Lee products, mainly their Classic Cast press and a few dies and thought I would give their casting equipment a try, mainly because of the price. So here it goes:

Lee Production pot IV
Lee 379-250-RF Mold intended for the 375 WIN. - 38/55
Lee Diper
Lee Ingot

I also called Lee Precision and ordered a custom made Sizing Kit with a diameter of .377'' as this bullet will be fired in my H&H...

I am very excited at the idea of producing my first bullets, kind of like a kid awaiting his new toys!!! :mrgreen:

Feel free to comment on my purchase, good or bad, I am listening.

I am not planning on using gas checks, since this bullet is not meant for them, and secondly, I will not push the velocity over 1200 fps or so.

Thanks again for your input.

Maurice

[MT Gianni]

Welcome to the silver stream. Look forward to your reports with this gun. Gianni

[VTDW]

I am happy for you bro. You are gonna have soooo much fun.:drinks:

Enjoy,

Dave

[eli]

A thermometer is a must-have, IMO, digital or analog.
I use a Cen Tech P37772? meter from Harbor Freight that uses inexpensive thermal probes and am quite happy with it.
I know a while back, several other forum members bought these meters, that's where I learned about it.
It looks like a 'upgraded' model is $20 at H.F. now, so ask around, it may be a good tool for you.
Cheers

[shotstring]

As you get going, you might find that you need an addition "one or two" items. And maybe some tin and a few pounds of lino to sweeten the alloy. Oh yeah, and then just one more mold.... ;-)

You might just find yourself like I did....unable to walk through your equipment/lead supplies to get to your casting and reloading bench. [smilie=b:

[Shiloh]

I will not be looking for any kind of accuracy right off the bat, but mostly learn this new hobby, and have some fun at the range. This is the equipment I just ordered. I know that some of you might not like Lee products... Once again, I'm not planning on making a living out of casting, just an introduction to it. I do own a few Lee products, mainly their Classic Cast press and a few dies and thought I would give their casting equipment a try, mainly because of the price.
Maurice

You'll be surprised at the accuracy your capable of.

There is nothing wrong with Lee equipment. I have molds, a production pot, push-thru sizer dies and reloading dies. I have stuff from other manufacturers also. There are pluses and minuses in any hobby or diversional activity with the available equipment.

More importantly now you're hooked and another monster is created. :)

Shiloh :castmine:

[enigma]

Thank you everyone for your warm welcome and encouragements! I can't wait to start melting that stuff and making a mess lol:mrgreen: Now my wife is afraid of me getting poisoned by dangerous lead fumes:-D Anyways, I have to run ,but thanks again for your replies. The worst thing about all of this is that I have to wait a few weeks to get my stuff before I can start :cbpour:

Cheers everyone,

Maurice

[mooman76]

Did you slug your barrel. Might want to do that before the custom sizer id made!

[enigma]

Nope, I have not Moonman.

[Steve in TN]

Lee molds are good. My favorite plinking boolit is the Lee 38/357 tumble lube 148 gr. wadcutter. But I use Rooster Jacket made by Rooster Laboratories, it's a lot cleaner than alox. Welcome to the sickness. steve

[shooting on a shoestring]

And may I suggest you stop by a thrift store, or gargage sale and aquire a few smallish pots, spoons and cheese grater. These will be needed when you cook your boolit lube. The Felix recipe would be a great one to start with, and it just might be the one you stick with. It meets all of my needs, shoots great in my revolvers, 30/30, and .22 Hornet (even been to 2600 fps with 225438), and oh yes, its cheap!

Also I use aluminum muffin pans for ingot moulds. In warm weather move my Coleman stove outside and melt my WWs, skim off the clips, flux, and pour into biscuit sized ingots. These stack well. Then in cooler weather, I move inside my shop and when I melt the ingots for casting, they don't smoke and stink from the dirt, grease and debris mixed in with raw WWs.

By the way, don't think too small in the precision department. I've been able to get groups as good as with jacketed in 30/30 and .22 Hornet, and at top end velocities, GC'd of course.

Oh, and experiment with dropping your boolits from the mould into water to quench them. You can get significantly harder boolits, and push them faster.

[Swamprat1052]

I warn you, this stuff is habit forming. lol. Welcome to the world of casting. Once you get hooked, you're hooked.

Swamprat

[wills]

You might like the lyman ladle better. If you see a double boiler cheap get it. When you flux, the flux will flame up. We usually forget to mention this. If you are nervous about flames, have a pot lid around to smother them if they get out of hand.

[HORNET]

enigma, You have done stepped on the slippery slope and are about to start sliding. I'll agree about the Lyman ladle, that little Lee jobbie is about like a small spoon. The RCBS ladle is even better. You might want to start off theating that mold as a single cav. and only use the cav furthest from the handle pivot until you start getting the hang of this. That mold gets HOT quickly running both cavities. Check out Goatlips casting video and ask lots of questions here. It's not that difficult to learn, even I can do it. Hint: Look at .38-55 loading data. That .375 Ouch&Ouch will be just a little slower with the same loads.