Trying to get started

[chaos]

I live out in the sticks, well cactus in all reality.

I am wanting to make one online order for everything that I'll need to get started casting. Yes getting stuff shipped is sometimes a pain in the buttocks.

Does someone make a decent kit?

I've been reading a bunch here and am a bit confused.

I'm wanitng to cast for general plinking as well as fur hunting purposes. Will I need to put gas checks on the bullets that I run through my 1894 (44 mag)? as they will be higher velocity that through my Superblackhawks?

Can I use 296 powder behing my lead loads? Iv'e got a pile of it as it's all I ever used before along with 231.

Anyone recommend a good manual for loading cast bullets with these powders?

[runfiverun]

lymans cast bullet book.
when i first started i must have read it 5-6 times.
it will give you a good idea about what ya need.
most of the rest you can learn here.

welcome

[Gar]

Reloading info found here or Lyman 48th Edition Reloading Handbook.

What part of the cactus patch do you live in?

[NVcurmudgeon]

chaos, welcome to our mania. The basic manual that will answer many of your questions is the "current" third edition of the Lyman Handbook of Cast Bullets. It was published in 1980 and is stil a good basic source. I would advise reading it from cover to cover before buying equipment, it will answer many of your questions and raise others that many of us will be happy to answer.

I have not used 296 in my .44s. I have used 231 and 2400, finally settling on Green Dot. My favorite plinking load is 7.0 Green Dot with the RCBS 240 gr. GC and the RCBS 245 SWC (plain base.) This is a very accurate load in my 8 3/8" S&W 629 and a friend's 6" S&W (900+ fps.) In my 24" Marlin Cowboy it is as accurate as anything else I have tried, not sensational, but shoots minute of beer can or clays out to 75 yds. I use mostly the plain base boolit, but have to shorten the cases a little to insure feeding in the Marlin. The GC boolit has a shorter nose and feeds well in standard length .44 Mag brass.

[IcerUSA]

I don't think you'll get a 1 order kit for casting , close maybe . The reason being you may not be able to get everything at one place . Do you have a smelting setup ? Sizer or sizers ? Lubes , store bought or home made ? etc. etc.
Books , I have both of Lyman's and the Lee and also Hornady's 2 volume set and I grab every reloading pamplet I can get from the sporting goods stores I see .
296 will work well in the 44 with the heavier boolits , not sure on the 231 as I have not used it yet .
Plus the need for lead to make the boolits , amount needed for amount you will be shooting plus extra .
There are many facets to this gem we call casting . You can go from econo class to the skies the limit .

Keith

[carpetman]

Chaos----I'll second or third to get the Lyman Manual. Lyman makes their standard manual and a cast bullet manual. Both have information as well as data for loading. If you also shoot jacketed,I'd go with their standard manual as it has jacketed data. As for a kit,which route you gonna take on a bunch of stuff will determine what you need. For example probably the first thing you'll be doing is smelting your material into ingots. You could do a Phd thesis on just what to use for an ingot mold. What best fits? Electric,propane,natural gas, Coleman type stove or buffalo chips. Another thesis on what to flux with. After years and years of research and debating and you finally have some ingots,you are ready to cast---well almost. You have to decide on a mold. Gas check or plain base--pretty easy--not too much decision but then you get to the other end and which nose to use becomes a major decision. You can spend years picking your nose and even have friends picking it. Some people do it all their life. If you get that picked out, you need to decide on which brand of mold. Many swear by Lee as they are cheaper. Many swear at them. Me,I am fond of RCBS. Now you have to melt those ingots to pour them into the mold. You can use like a small cast iron pot and a ladle(dipper) or you can use a bottom pour furnace. I've done both and much prefer the electric bottom pour furnace and again Lee gets cussed,but I have found mine to have been a good buy. Now you have bullets. How do you lube them? One method is use a liquid lube. Another is to run them through a sizer and use a solid lube which is usually applied during sizing. Thats how I do it and I use a RCBS luber/sizer which a Lyman is same principle--to me the big difference for the slight added cost of going RCBS is you get the RCBS great warranty and customer service. Basically I use a Lee furnace and most everything else is RCBS. I do have some Lyman stuff to include their ingot mold--but like I say you may be several years of research away from selecting an ingot mold. Now if you really don't intend on landing some of your cast bullets on the moon and all the associated rocket science that goes with it--get the Lyman manual,get your wheel weights or whatever melt them down and make some bullets.

[HeavyMetal]

You've asked some interesting questions and gotten some interesting answers.

I think your going to have to "pick and choose" from several sources as no one offers a "kit" for casting. More importantly most "Kits" are always lacking something else you must have the get the job done.

Budget might also be a issue. Basic casting stuff: the cheap Lee dipper pot, without bottom pour, a mold in your caliber of choice ( for the 44 mag I will suggest RCBS or Lyman lee doesn't have a boolit design I like in this caliber) A Lyman or RCBS ladle (Lee's is a good stirring stick but doesn't pour as nicely) some Lee tumble lube and one of Lee's push through sizer dies.

This should get you ready to load cast boolits for around a C-note at one of the on line stores like Cabella's or Midway. Later you can mortgage the house for the good stuff if you decide to continue casting!

If you have a bunch of 296 have at it! 296 will give you the most power, however it does not work as well in very cold weather ( but neither do I) I don't like 2400as I just get to much reisdue. A second good choice is 4227 which will perforn consistantly no matter how cold it gets.

Let us know how it works out.

[jlchucker]

Carpetman and Heavymetal laid it out pretty clearly. Over time you'll come up with your own preferences. When you get a mold that casts great bullets for your particular gun, keep it--and don't lend it out.

[Kraschenbirn]

Welcome to the zoo. Drag up a rock, sit down, and don't be bashful about adding your nickle's work. (Used to be "two cents" but you gotta keep up with inflation.)

So far as I'm concerned, the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbooks are the font of knowledge where every beginner should begin...and the rest of us revisit periodically.

Back in ancient times, when I first started casting, I began with an 8-pound plumber's solder pot, a Coleman stove, a Lyman ladle, and one Lee single-cavity mould...oh, yeah, and an old 10" skillet with a broken handle for pan lubing. Sure, it was time consuming, but I believe that starting out with the bare basics, I probably learned a lot more about the process, not to mention developing a better technique, than I would've with "bigger & better."

Like Heavymetal, I've never had much sucess using 296 with cast boolits but have found IMR4227 to work well in all my .357s, .41s, and .44s.

Bill

[JSnover]

Welcome aboard, chaos.
Don't bother looking for The Kit. Lyman offers a package with a melter, dipper and ingot mold but it's a little too basic unless you've got a rifle chambered for 1 lb ingots. You'll need a lot more stuff and the folks here are steering you in the right direction.