Newbie to Casting Can Use Advice

[birddog1520]

:-D Hi Troops,

I was referred here from another site.

I just ordered some casting equipment and could use ALL the advice I can get.

I ordered a Lee 4-20 pot and .30 cal. molds with a Lee 309 sizer kit and a Lee Universal case expanding die.

I have very limited experience with casting my own bullets so PLEASE help me out.

Thanks in advance. Randy,The Birddog.:-D

[Lead melter]

Welcome birddog, we can all use all the advice we can get. You did not mention what alloys you have to work with, nor guns to shoot them from, nor how hard you want to drive them. Don't think I'm a smart a$$, but ask a few questions and a bunch of us can jump in there for assistance.
Most of the questions you may need to ask just starting out will probably be best posted in the "Cast Boolit" area at the top of the list.
Give us some details about what you want to do, and then just let us get you even more confused.:kidding:

[kodiak1]

birddog welcome aboard you have a good start in the casting line of tools, What Mould did you get?
As Lead Melter stated it helps for the guy asking the question to put in a tad more info, you won't get ridiculed her haven't seen it yet so ask away and have fun, You are venturing into one of the greatest, funnest hobbies that I think there is.
Ken.

[runfiverun]

there is a posting on here[ how i cast ]find it it will help
and......... the number one piece of advice i can give buy the lyman cast bullet book.
thats where i learned the most and was able to figure the rest out from there
not the way i wanted to learn
but you can always melt-em-down again.
try to find a mentor around town if you can and you can always ask here just be specific
with your q's

runfiverun

[montana_charlie]

There are a few tidbits of advice that can be given regardless of caliber, mould type, or alloy composition. They fall in that category of knowledge called "I Should'a Known That!"

One tidbit is...
That front-heavy cast iron dipper still has to be pushed down to get it submerged in molten lead.
and...
When you think you see the first keeper fall from the mould...DON'T PICK IT UP TO LOOK IT OVER!

If you DO pick it up, don't flip it to your left hand to blow cool air on your right. You will just end up with bandages on both hands...meaning (for at least a week) you'll need a real close friend to wipe your butt for you.

I was only saved because, when I flipped it to my left hand...I missed.

CM

[AZ-Stew]

Plus 1 for what runfiverun said. Get a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and read it so you have the basic knowledge about the bullet casting process. Once you understand the basics, you'll be able to use this forum ask the specific questions you will have to refine your techniques.

We could all give you our take on getting started, but you'd end up reading more (considering the repetition and details that will inevitably left out from each post) to get the same info as you'll get in the Lyman book. No, I'm not trying to run you off. I'm trying to help you take the shortest path.

The Lyman book will get you started down the right path with no BS and no old wive's tales to lead you down the wrong path.

PS Welcome aboard!

Regards,

Stew

[VTDW]

Welcome aboard. These folks are correct about the Lyman book. They still take me to the woodshed every so often...but they do it soooo nicely.:-D

Dave

[birddog1520]

Thanks for the reply's gents.

I will be working mostly with wheel weights.

The mold I ordered is a C309-180-R Lee
I slugged my barrels because of a suggestion from someone else and they all measured around .308 so I figured a little over for cast boolits would not hurt.

My guns are a T\c 30.06 15" encore barrel,a 21 " T\c 30.30 barrel, and a model 99 savage in .300 savage. to start.

I don't know how fast I want to push them that's a question for the future.
I do know that I want to hunt with them down the road so suggestions are very much welcome.

I also will eventually want to get molds for a .41 mag in a Ruger blackhawk and a Colt trooper MkV in .357 mag also a S&W .38 I have a bunch of cast boolits for the revolvers that a friend made for me and want to shoot those up before I start casting for them.

I hope this info helps and I'll get the Lyman book to start reading.

Thanks Again for the advice I'm always ready to learn something new.

Randy,The Birddog.

[wills]

When you flux, the fulx will flame up, this is something we usually forget to mention.

Also, take a look at these threads
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=6774

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=6520

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=6203

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=6108

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=6059

[Lead melter]

birddog,
I can help you get started with the 30-30.

First you will need a supply of 30 caliber gas checks, as you will want to push those boolits a bit harder as you gain experience. Some folks have had good luck shooting that slug sans check, but once your velocity increases, you will want that cup there.

Next, you will need some sort of sizer die to seat and crimp that check. May I suggest the Lee sizer kit in .309", or .308". It is easy to use, cheap...about $12, and comes with a bottle of Lee Liquid Alox [most of us call it LLA] boolit lube. Thin this lube with mineral spirits and it will last a loooooooong time.
Never mind, I just reread your first post.

Now for loading, the RN design kind of scares me in a tubular magazine, but in the box mag of the Savage [good Lord, I wish I had one] or the single shots, there will be no problem as long as you pay attention to OAL and how your guns react to it. Let the guns tell you the OAL.

For a mild load which is cheap and fun, start at 8 grains Unique and work up to 10 grains. Same for Red Dot. Or, 20 grains IMR-3031. These all chrono 1525-1575 fps in my 22" Marlin. I've been working with 30 grains Win 748 under a Lee 170 grainer lately, but as of yet I have not chronographed it. It seems to lose good accuracy after about 10 rounds. I have been using Lee Liquid Alox, but time has not yet permitted experimentation with other lubes. My old Lyman manual lists this at about 1900 fps, but I can't prove it yet.

Keep posting, keep asking, and keep trying. We're all here to help.

[birddog1520]

Thanks for the help it much appreciated. As luck would have it I already own an old dutch oven and a turkey fryer so I can melt ww's seperate. Is it ok to use the lid on the dutch oven or should I let it off to let gasses escape? Or maybe set lid to one side a little?

Thanks Again, Randy,The Birddog.

[wills]

I use a plumbers pot which does not have a lid, but i have seen it suggested you leave the lid slightly ajar. It is good to have the lid or soemting similar handy in case you get overboard with the flux and need to snuff the flames

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

If you're using wheel weights, you should also get yourself a "smelting" setup to allow you to clean your wheel weights before putting them into your Lee "casting" pot. That way, you can remove/burn off most impurities, remove steel clips, etc BEFORE you trash your new pot with contaminants.

There's lots of good posts about that, but asking for an additional quantity of information about smelting setups wouldn't hurt.

Regards,

Dave

[birddog1520]

Thanks for the help.

Dave- this is for a smelting set up I just bought a Lee pro4-20 furnace for the actual casting.

Again Thanks for the advice I can use all I can get.

Randy,The Birddog.

[Halfbreed]

Randy, as most Lee pots have a tendancy to drip (including mine), get a small cheap pair of vice grips to put on top of the pour needle, the little bit of weight really helps with drips, go slow, ask lots of questions along the way, and before you know it, you will be humming along with the "experts"
John