How to get started?

[Cowboy_Dan]

I've been reloading for about a year now, and have discovered that cast works great in every handgun I have tried. I would also like to try cast in my bolt gun. The cast bullet supplies in my area are sparse at best, so I have decided that I should start making my own. The real question how should I get started?

So far, I have acquired some 99.9% pure lead and the latest Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.

I would love to find a mentor in my area if someone would be so kind.

[.45Cole]

Finding a mentor is the best thing you could do. Reading the lyman handbook from cover to cover (ok, without the data) is the more best-er thing you could do. All you need after that are: pot, mold, sizer. Post mentor wanted in the "Our Town" section. Be sure to mention what cartridges you plan to load for. They will probably even help you acquire the hardware. Read through all appropriate sticky's. They're above all the threads in every section, or search .
You came to the right place.

[DrCaveman]

Try to find a source of wheel weights. A local used tire shop might just be the ticket. You need something to play with

If you are feeling inspired, get a bottom pour furnace, brand choice depending on your budget

I pour-cast out the side of a cast iron pan a few years ago when i started. Worked well enough for me to invest further

Read the stickies that interest you, then when you have a question, look first to the stickies!

Welcome!

[Cowboy_Dan]

Thanks for the quick replies. I am readong the Lyman book, and will reread it a couple of times. And thanks for the tip on locating a mentor, I will be posting there.

I had been tossing around the idea of using the propane stove I use for brewing (it's turkey fryer-sized) along with a cast iron pot for ladle casting as a start. If it can boil 7 1/2 gallons of wort down to 6 1/4 in an hour, it *shoud* be able to melt some lead, but it may not be very energy efficient. Would it work and would it work well?

[dondiego]

Dan - The turkey friars work the best for me for smelting raw lead and wheel weights into ingots. I use bottom pours for casting.

[Harter66]

Cowboy,
The turkey burner was all I used for the 1st 5 yr I cast. Mine is 1 of the huge 100kbtu units and I have no trouble running 80# of range scrap . I could also run a smaller pot and manage 10-20# for casting

[Echo]

My recommendation - get a Lee bottom pour furnace. Inexpensive, and utilitarian - I used one for years, then sold it on eBay. Significantly cheaper than the RCBS or Lyman 20-pounder's, and UTILITARIAN! Lee molds work - one may need to fiddle with them more than other makes, but for the price, they can't be beat. Read the sticky on 'Leementing'.
You said you have some pure Pb. Right now there is some foundry type on eBay, about 10 pounds as I remember - just checked, 11 pounds. If you had this, you could mix it 8-1 Pb/Foundry and have dang good alloy. Might have to add a percent of tin, but maybe not. Check http://www.ebay.com/itm/151329806205?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648
I would offer something over $2/lb for this stuff, including shipping. Might get it, might not. I'm not bidding on it - I have all the type metal I need. And I have no pecuniary interest in the product.