Newbie Saying Hi

[Missoulaz28]

Just wanted to say hi to all of the people here. I've been lurking for a month or so and finally joined.
I am grateful for all of the information I have gotten so far, and am sure I'll have some stupid questions in the next month or so.:roll:

Went out and got some WW today, got two five gallon buckets most of the way full for like $60, not the best deals but now i have something to start with, also made a connection for cheap ones over the summer.

I want to start casting for my 9mm, 357/38spl, and .41 this summer, and figured that if I started collecting now it will help out with the costs.

None of my rifles are really cast boolit guns, but I might have to fix that.:mrgreen:

What are some of your favorite molds for doing the above calibers, once I get some molds I should be ready to go.

Thanks,
Barry

[MGySgt]

Welcome Aboard - the only stupid questions here are the ones not asked. This stuff can get you more then medicene cabinet hurt.

38/357 - Lyman 358477 - can't go wrong with it. 9mm - just starting that one and I don't owne a 41.

Drew

[cbrick]

Missoulaz28, Welcome.

Questions = Good - Not asking and wondering = Bad.

I don't load the 9mm but if I should start I would probably use my lighter 357 moulds, at least to start out. In revolvers I am a big fan of heavy for caliber boolits and one of my favorites is the RCBS 180 gr Silhouette bullet at 192 gr in my alloy. Only have one 41 mould and its an NEI 230 gr SWCGC two cavity brass mould so it must be my favorite. For 38's and whoosie 357 plinking I really like SAECO #382 150 gr SWCPB.

Hope this gives you something to think about. Don't be bad . . . ask!

Rick

[GrizzLeeBear]

The 150 gr. 358477 that Drew mentioned is a very good SWC in the 357. I highly recommend the Lee 358-158-RF as a very good general purpose 357 boolit also. I have both of these molds. I have gone to the Lee boolit and don't use the Lyman boolit mainly because I can cast more, faster with the 6 cavity Lee mold vs. the 4 cavity Lyman. Also, the aluminum Lee mold does not wear me out near as fast as the steel Lyman and the Lee mold is much cheaper to boot. Accuracy wise both shoot great.
If you want to crank up the 357 to full power, the gas checked Lyman 358156 it THE high velocity boolit for the 357.

[454PB]

Hey! Welcome to another Montana guy!

I'm with Cbrick. There are some compromise .357 moulds that work well in 9mm, or maybe you could say 9mm moulds that work in .357/.38.

You never know, what you think is "not really cast boolit guns" may surprise you. One of my most accurate rifles with cast boolits is an old Mossberg .308 Winchester that has a microgroove barrel. It's worth a try in about any rifle before writting it off.

[jhalcott]

Welcome Missoula, I agree with 454 about not knowingwhat's a "cast bullet" gun . I use 7mm's to 45 caliber. Even the OLD 30-06 gets fed cast. Some times I can hit the target too!

[mooman76]

Welcome to the board!

Lee makes a 105g swc that works well in both 9mm and 38/357 and is coservative on lead too. I can't speak for the 41, it's one of the few calibers I don't load but I like the swc's the most in revolvers.

[Kraschenbirn]

Drag up a rock but before you sit down be warned that casting and shooting real boolits can be highly addictive. That said, welcome aboard!

While I've several moulds in the cabinet suitable for .38/.357, the only one I use regularly is the Lyman 358156 which I load w/o checks for standard-velocity .38s and w/checks for hotter (1200 fps+) .357s. So far as 9mm, when I last had one...swapped it for an S&W M17...I got some really good results with 147 gr TCs (similar to the Lyman 356637) that I bought from the now-defunct Bull-X Bullet Company. For your .41, that's kinda gonna depend on the gun you're loading for and what you're planning on using it for. Hunting? Metallic silhouettes? Just a "fun" big-bore shooter?

Bill

[MT Gianni]

The 356402 is a good shooter in the 9 & 38's. The RN 358242 121 gr is another. I lived in Missoula for 20 years before going east of the divide 2 years ago. Check with Jon @ Western Bullets just off of Brooks behind Flannigans. He used to get to a ton of estate sales and can occasionally find what you will need. He also has a lot of bullets cast so you can try a design before you buy a mold and you wont have to pay shipping. Welcome and have fun, Gianni.

[mtgrs737]

Welcome to the forum!! Pull up a chair, put up your feet, and stay awhile!!

My first mould thirty years ago was the Lyman 358477 and I still have it today, it is a fine SWC of around 150 grains. I have cast thousands of that boolit and even sold some when I was in college to pay for more reloading stuff, those were some lean years! I have a Saeco 9mm 124 gr. RN BB four cavity mould that is a joy to case with and a new Lee 124 gr. TC six cavity that should be a winner too. Don't forget to put some of bullshops Bullplate spure plate lube on your list of must haves, you won't cast without it once you try it, I don't.

Hunt down and collect lead WW's as fast as you can and keep an eye out for linotype it is getting harder to find. $60 for two buckets even it they arn't completly full is an OK deal in my book, keep up the good work.

Enjoy your stay!


Mtgrs737

[Missoulaz28]

Thanks again, this seems to be a great forum with lots of info.

Thanks for the mold recommendations, I'll probably go with a 148gr SWC for the 357/38spl, thats what I use now in Berry's plated. I'm thinking something like a 120-125gr RN for the 9mm, Ill look into the Lyman's MT Gianni mentioned.
The .41 will be for target shooting and plinking/informal practice with my four inch Taurus Tracker, I carry 210gr Gold Dots in it for camping/hunting back up.

I called them non cast boolit guns because of the speeds, all I have for long guns are my 300win mag, and a pair of 223's, an AR and a Stevens bolt action. I'm not a fan of downloading for either of the bolt actions, not so sure about the AR either. Maybe I'll have to give them a try.
I was also contemplating getting a Handi Rifle in 45-70 to play with some big cast stuff, might be fun.

I'm definitely on the look out for as many WW as i can get. My grandfather used to cast, so he's going to see if he can find his old stuff so i can use it, might give me a good jump on the supplies.

[winchester243]

Welcome Barry!

I'm new here too, I've found more useful info here than I know what to do with, just letting it absorb in.

BTW my daughter is going to the UofM. At first I was a little dissapointed in her, me and the Mrs. being Bobcats and all, but all is forgiven as I've discovered you can buy beer in growlers at Big Sky Brewery and at Bayerns Brewery. I usually start off at BSB, swing over to Sportsman's Warehouse, then to Bayern, then go see my daughter. :).

[waksupi]

Welcome aboard. Looks like another Montana boy joining the silver stream!

[Cherokee]

Welcome. My suggestions are Lyman 356402 for 9mm, Lyman 358477 for 38/357 mag, 38-158FN Lee for 38/357 Mag, Lyman 410032 for 41 Mag. WW231 will provide good usable loads for all these.

[DLCTEX]

The 223 is a good cast gun IMHO. Doesn't use up much valuable lead either. DALE

[HORNET]

Lots of good suggestions on the 9mm-.357 stuff. You might want to add the Lee TL-410-175-SWC for the .41 for plinking and maybe either the Lyman 410459 or RCBS 41-210-SWC for serious horsepower. That Savage bolt gun in .223 should work just fine. We've got a lot of strange people on here that cast for 22's. They're so much fun that they're just addictive. [smilie=1:
Before long, you'll be saving so much money you'll be just as broke as the rest of us[smilie=w:[smilie=l:

[Missoulaz28]

I'll have to look into casting for the .223, hadn't though about that yet.

Thanks again for all of the suggestions, you guys are really helpful.