Favorite Cast Boolit Books

[218bee]

I was wondering if anyone has read the book "Jacketed Performance with Cast Bullets" by Veral Smith and what they thought of it. I see Dave Scovill reference this work in some of his articles in Handloader. What are some of your favorite books on Casting??

[sundog]

218Bee, Veral's book is good. It is a worthwhile read. I have it on my book shelf along with several others of various sources. Is his the best? No, but it's good. He also does a good job promoting his products. I'm not sure that any one particular source is 'the best'.

That siad, is it possible for a new caster to use the cheapest references and equipment out there (Lee) and get going? Yes. Many have done it.

When many of the elder statesmen on this forum began casting the internet had not yet been invented. I cast my first boolit in the early seventies, and all I had for a reference was my mentor who was also a service buddy.

I think the Lyman books are as good a place to start as any - Boolit Casting 101, so to speak. Veral's book tends to be more of an advanced study. Understand the basics and determine what you will need. Find a mentor. Use this forum. Make friends here and learn from them, share your experiences, and pass along your skill to others.

Start hoarding wheel weights and scrap lead, tin, lino, etc.

One other thing. This 'sport' of boolit casting ain't for everone. If you like it, you like it. If you don't you will either give it up or tolerate it only enough to supply your shooting habit.

[mroliver77]

After learning the basics from the Lyman book and a casting buddy I liked casting but was getting so so results. Verals book helped me alot to understand what was going on inside my gun. I highly recomend "Modern Reloading 2" by Richard Lee, The RCBS cast bullet manual is cheap and has some good loads and info too. The internet has been a very big help with this site being the best. J

[Wicky]

I started with the Lyman reloading manual - No. 43 from memory, which had some blackpowder loads that I used in my 58. I then got the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook No.3 which I see is still going! Then the internet and sites such as this have been a tremendous help in slicking up my casting.
As mroliver77 says this site has to be the best area for help with all aspects of casting, as well as having the nicest people on it!:-D

[Morgan Astorbilt]

The N.R.A. Used to publish"Cast Bullets" by Col. E.H.Harrison. This is, in my opinion, the best book out there, but unfortunately it's been out of print for several years. Maybe if everybody wrote to them, they'd bring it out again. [smilie=1:
I won't lend my copy out for love or money.:mrgreen:

Morgan

[Razor]

I have the Lyman and RCBS books..
The books are good, but lurking/asking questions here has really been the most help...

Razor

[Powderpacker]

"Cast Bullets for Beginner and Expert" by Joseph F. Brennan, Jr. is a good book to start with. It's published and distributed by the Cast Bullet Association, Inc. which also publishes an informative bi-monthly magazine, "The Fouling Shot", for it's members . I also second mroliver77's recommendation of "Modern Reloading 2" by Richard Lee .

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The Art of Bullet Casting published by Wolfe Publishing. My edition is from the late 80's. A compendium of articles by Carmichael, Miller and others. Great reading and practical details, research related to all aspects of casting and refining cast boolits. Of interest to beginners, intermediate and advanced levels of casters.

[beemer]

I started out with and still use ''Cast Bullets'' by Col. E.H. Harrison. I was lucky, my copy is hard bound, signed and numbered. There is a lot of cast info in Ken Waters ''Pet Loads''. It is big and fairly expensive but worth every penny. It is not detailed about casting like other cast books but gives good starting loads and a lot of very good 'J' info. And of course this site, if you hang around here you will learn something whether you like it or not.

beemer