thinking about getting into casting???

[6.5marinediesel]

So I've been reloading for a few years know and have pretty good luck with what I'm doing. I work in the automotive industry so I get wheel weights all the time. Just been traiding them off for bullets and primers. I know the weights could go further if I melted and cast them myself. So I'm hoping to get a realistic idea of what the start up cost to get me casting 9mm and 45. Just economical equipment, that'll get the job done. And maybe some tricks you guys may have when casting.

[Outer Rondacker]

Well lets say on the high side of one set of molds for each cal. 65 dollars. Lee pot 100 bucks give or take. You have lead. I take it you have welders gloves sitting around. Safety goggles and a stick. Dry place plug her in and starting casting. Total to make bullets 125.00-175.00. Now to size. Two dies once again so 40-60 bucks. I bet you have a press. If you go with lee you get the free lee alox to get started. So I think you could hit both cals for 200 bucks if you shop rite.

Lee molds are cheap and work well. Same goes for the Lee sizers. Sizers come with lube to get started.

Lee pot is cheap also and works well as a bottom pour. I run a few. I also have lyman mag pots and other then the holding temp better they do the same thing.

I kinda wish I never got into the lyman lube sizer thing years ago. I like the lee sizer that goes on your press better. Reason being with alox and pc my lube sizer does not get much action anymore. The costs of it is much more when getting started out. It does have a place in a reloading room. You know what I am bored I will make you a list.

Lee precision 20 pound pro 4 electric melter
Lee 90346 mold
Lee 90238 or 90464
Lee 90055 sizer
Lee 90046 sizer
Ok that all said you need to slug your barrel for the correct sizing die. Pick your bullet profile for your mold. It is not hard once you put some time in.

[fryboy]

9 is a wee bit harder to achieve great results than the 45,suggest starting with the 45 to hedge your bets and chances of success ( it's a lot more forgiving than the 9 )
Lee mold 15-25
Lee pro 20 or a dipper ( not lee's ) and suitable umm pot to smelt/cast from - I can't put a price on either,if you go for the Lee pot shop around priceways ( factory sales ,titan reloading and Natchez often seem to have some of the better prices )
Lee .452 sizing die 12-20
If using the Lee liquid alox suggest 45/45/10 instead
So in essence not counting the casting pot or pot and dipper 40-50 per caliber 35-40 if you don't count shipping charges,decent dippers can be found for around 20 ,pots at Goodwill or ....you can even make one

[Outer Rondacker]

Oh one more thing. I suggest Titan Reloading for all Lee products. Here is a link. http://www.titanreloading.com/

[swmass]

A Lee mold is 20 dollars for a 2 cavity. A push through sizer die from Lee and some paste wax to mix with your alox would be another 20. A Lee ladle casting pot (not bottom pour) is about 30 bucks.. A bottom pour would be 50, I use a ladle pot and have cast thousands of bullets from this 30 dollar pot. If I add all those big numbers together... It would be 70-100 dollars. Drop the ingots in your pot.. Pour em into the mold and drop em into a bucket of water. Run them through the sizing die and tumble lube them. I melt my wheel weights on a Coleman camp stove.

It is NOT complicated at all.. And you will never regret it and never look back. Don't be afraid to take the plunge, it's not a rich mans hobby by any means. You can spend how ever much you'd like.. But at the end of the day im shootin just like everyone else and I am not heavily invested in this at all.

[6.5marinediesel]

@ router rondacker not sure What you mean by slug the barrel. Are the sizing dies not making the cast bullets to a sammi specks?

[Outer Rondacker]

Yes sir they are but your barrel might not be. You can get sizing dies in any size. For example. I have an older 44 lever and it likes fat bullets. The bore is larger then that of my 44 mag pistol. Slugging is easy. You can us soft lead or you can use round BP balls. Heck I even used solder a few times.

Even going with wsmass prices its only looking like 110 ish to get going. Not sure where one gets molds for 20 bucks shipped but then again I dont know everything. Maybe he will jump back in and teach us both something. Hint hint.

[merlin101]

@ router rondacker not sure What you mean by slug the barrel. Are the sizing dies not making the cast bullets to a sammi specks?
When casting you have the option of 'custom' making the boolits to PROPERLY fit a specific barrel diameter. If you slug the barrel you'll know the exact size to cast for. lots of info on slugging on here, if I was better with a computer I'd ad the links.

[6.5marinediesel]

Im more interested in plunking. Mostly 9mm. I own 3 9mm so speck sizing would be better. As I like to load as much as I can at once. Then shoot in all my guns. Is there more of an advantage to a bottom poor vs not? And I'm a little confused on gas checks, rings.....

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'd recommend the Lee 358-125-RF and a sizer die of .358
WHY?
Most 9mm pistols have oversize barrels and if the boolit is smaller than the barrel groove diameter, that is the most common reason for getting lead fouling.



http://www.titanreloading.com/image/cache/data/Products/90574-250x250.jpg
http://www.titanreloading.com/molds/bullet-molds/357-mag-38spec-38-sw-38colt-np/lee-dc-mold-358-125-rf-

[Outer Rondacker]

Bottom pour faster and cleaner. Gunk floats on lead so the cleanest stuff is on the bottom. Safer.

For 9mm or 45acp you do not need gas checks, GC is just short for that. Big gap in rings is ment for a LUBE SIZER like the ones made by lyman/rcbs and others. Small tight rings is ment for tumble lube both will work with tumble lube. Go with tumble lube to start. It come with the lee sizers you will be buying.

[Jal5]

Find as much of the equipt. Used as you can. Lee molds work and are inexpensive. You can upgrade later if you want but you wont need to.

[RogerDat]

I would avoid buying a casting pot IF there was a 20 lb. propane tank around the house. If the propane tank was available I would go with a turkey or fish fryer for around $40 new or as little as $10 at garage sales (saw two the week after I bought mine new - go figure).

Here is why, you mentioned access to wheel weights. You can with a smaller stainless or cast iron pot from thrift store or Salvation Army / Goodwill ladle cast bullets over a propane burner, you can also "smelt" the wheel weights and other scrap lead in a bigger pot on that burner in order to get the trash out of it and pour it into ingots for use in making bullets. Your Lee electric casting pot is NOT where you want to be melting wheel weights or scrap lead. Only clean lead in your casting pot, dirty lead in your smelting pot.

Agree a two cavity Lee mold at $20 will get you going and the Lee sizer is a good economical choice. The Lee Liquid Alox is inexpensive lube but it is greatly improved by mixing with Johnsons Paste or Liquid furniture wax. Do a search for posts on 45/45/10 or Bens Liquid Lube. The first is the paste wax and mineral spirits mixed with the LLA lube at 45%-45%-10%, the second is something like a 60/40 mix of the LLA and Johnsons liquid furniture wax. Just a little squirt on blow dryer warmed bullets in a half gallon zip lock bag, tumble, dump and let dry. Run them through your $18 Lee sizer kit. There you go lubed bullets a ready for loading. Many would do a second tumble coat of lube after sizing and then load.

So I would call it:

$40 per caliber for 2 cavity mold and sizer from Lee. Comes with bottle of LLA (LeeLiquid Alox) I would add my voice to the 45 better starting caliber.
$40 for heavy duty propane turkey or fish fryer from Wal-Mart or $10 if you can find one used.
$26 for a cast iron Dutch oven from harbor freight to melt "dirty" lead in. Can use thrift store stainless but it needs to be heavy duty. Heat and 100 lbs. of lead can blow out weak pot.
$10 or less for a nice smaller casting pot or two from the thrift store. Stainless or cast iron only. Aluminum fails under load and heat. Good Handles! Impressive what happens when a handle breaks.
$5 for a couple of cooking ladles from thrift store for pouring smelted clean lead into smaller ingots for casting. Bend the bowl at right angle to the handle and there you go.
$6 for some muffin tins from the thrift store for pouring lead into to make small round ingots. Garage sales are good source too. Not expensive new from Wal-Mart either.
$18 for a Lyman Little dipper ladle for pouring the lead into the bullet mold. https://www.google.com/#q=Lyman+little+dipper
$5 for cedar chip pet bedding to use as flux when smelting. You can use sawdust but only if from non-treated or wood without glue, not from the saw at Home Depot. Buy the bedding.
$10 or less for some Johnsons wax to mix with the LLA.
$2 for some thrift store or cheap candles, wax is used to reduce the oxides back into the melted lead. Using a piece the size of a pea to kidney bean is typical.



That Lyman Little Dipper is a really nice casting ladle for not a lot of money.

Optional but darn useful:

Electric hot plate for pre heating molds. You can heat molds by dipping the corner in hot lead or setting near burner but can't beat setting them on a hot plate. $20 new or less from thrift store.
Thermometer able to measure to 1000* I suggest Tel-Tru because even with shipping at $33 it is $11 less than the RCBS version http://www.amazon.com/Tel-Tru-LT225R-Replacement-Thermometer-degrees/dp/B0055777EU/ref=pd_sim_sbs_86_7?ie=UTF8&dpID=31GaboyMhmL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=11XSEZ3F534MDR7GSGQG
Some sort of oil or lubricant for the mold itself (not the cavities) There are a lot of choices, I use AC system oil without dye from the auto parts store but there are choices. Last so darn long I forgot what I paid for it.
Digital postal scale - I got one cheap at Harbor Freight goes to 11 pounds used the online 20% off coupon. When you go to mix lead alloys you will be wanting to weigh fairly small amounts of lead with more accuracy than you would get from a bathroom scale.
Rowell bottom pour ladle for making ingots. Expensive but the lead flows from the bottom up a spout, so no debris or floating crud gets in the ingots.
Nitrile disposable gloves, loading lead you will want to avoid rubbing the lead into your skin by handling bullets without gloves. I think mine were box of like hundreds for less than $10 from Harbor Freight.
$40 for 6 cavity mold for the 9mm plus $13 for handles. You know those 9's will burn through some ammo and dumping bullets from mold 6 at a time is much faster. Double cavity is good to start but you might consider putting the money toward a 6 cavity for 9mm.


I'm not sure what order I would put those optional things in, and I think it is worth buying a good oil/lube for the mold rather than using "whatever". Gloves are important too.

I'm going to assume welding or leather gloves that come over your sleeves, safety glasses, or face shield. If you plan on casting while seated I would think about getting a cheap harbor freight leather apron.

Do a search of the forum for Tinsel fairy, molten lead can blast out with great force if any moisture is driven below the surface. Drop of sweat on an ingot you slide into the pot can send a geyser of lead out. I have had temp change create condensation that created noticeable "thump". That is why I go for face shield over safety glasses but then face burns would mess with my most excellent facial hair and I'm ugly enough I don't want to lose the cover. :-)

There are some really nice molds out there for $80 to $120 that will allow you to do hollow point, or some especially nice designs or weights. Premium quality construction too, but the 20 and 40 dollar Lee molds work well and are a "best buy" for your money. Eventually if you like casting you may want to explore those premium molds, and gas checks, coatings and all that but to get started the Lee Molds are good choice, actually I have to find a reason to buy anything else, like hollow point or different size and weight Lee doesn't make.

[country gent]

I agree with the above on the propane tank cut down and fish frier. Makes a great set up and works for both casting with a ladle and smelting. I still use that basic set up still. I have made small modifications over the years. Lee double cavity moulds are a great start and only 20.00 or so a pop. A good ladle ( lyman or RCBS ) the lee is a glorified spoon a lead thermometer so you know how hot alloy actually is a piece of 1-1/2" or so wood dowel 12" long roughlt ( used to cut sprues ) or a small plastic cap hammer for same ( 8-10 ounces). a slotted poon for stiring and skiming Gloves, saftey glasses, heavy cotton or denim colthing, and possibly an apron. Are good saftey gear. Set up in the garage in front of the open door, in the car port or where there is good ventilation and bring lead up to temp (700*-750*) and clean flux. Pre heat mould on top of pot and ladle in pot for 5-10 mins. Run a few ladles full of lead thru ladle, insure ladle is hot and not plugged. With mouldheated pour each cavity with a large sprue, wait for sprue to "frost" over and give a 3-5 count, break sprue and drop bullets on a folded towel. Repeat. heres the hard part maintain a quick pace dont slow or stop to admire bullets when casting cast. There is time to admire and sort them later. Its a great hobby and with practice experience very rewarding.

[Garyshome]

There is something about getting 30 boolitz [45] out of #1 of lead that is quite addicting. Or even better 56 for 9mm. But it takes up more of your time.

[Blammer]

6.5marinediesel
hey it's me Darrell your neighbor. :)

to get you started casting cheap do this.

YOU, Take your wife out to a really nice place to eat, preferably one she likes, then to a movie, of her choice. Then on the way home tell her you're going to start casting bullets to save money....

That was your expensive part....

:)

Lee mould, $20 get the 45ACP sized one to start.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/378487/lee-2-cavity-bullet-mold-452-200-swc-45-acp-45-auto-rim-45-colt-long-colt-452-diameter-200-grain-semi-wadcutter

Get a Lee push through sizer die (but only after I advise you on what size to get after we slug your barrel)

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/116429/lee-bullet-lube-and-size-kit-452-diameter

may need the next size but we can see.

I'll let you have some of my JPW to mix with the LLA for some good tumble lube stuff.

A 3 die set of RCBS 45 ACP dies, carbide, you'll thank me later.... $45 (they are on sale now at Midway...)

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/247879/rcbs-carbide-3-die-set-with-taper-crimp-45-acp-45-gap

Use your coleman stove to heat your old cast iron lead pot. (yea I have a cast iron pot you can have. :) )

and a ladle

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/286579/lyman-lead-dipper

get one of your wife's OLD metal scooping spoons, to use to get the slag off the top of your melt. (you'll never be returning it to her so make sure you get the right one...)

get an ingot mould of some sort, not tin or aluminum as they will cause trouble.
(once again, this is where picking the correct container from your wife's kitchen is important and hence the dinner and movie earlier, feel free to ask her what you can have, just to be safe.)

get some thick gloves

you're set for about $100

[Outer Rondacker]

Sounds to me like he has a deal.

[Blammer]

then you can use some of that $10 per pound of powder you got. :)

[Blammer]

you will not need GC's for the 45acp or the 9mm.

(I don't think they make a GC 9mm mould) well if you count using your 38 cal mould, then yes... but no matter you won't need them.

I'd suggest water dropping your cast bullets to harden them up, it should make things easier to start with.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Ranchdog carried a 9mm mold for GC, TLC-356-135-RF. I have one, But yeah, I rarely use it, as a GC is not needed for 9mm Luger.

[sundog]

Ranchdog carried a 9mm mold for GC, TLC-356-135-RF. I have one, But yeah, I rarely use it, as a GC is not needed for 9mm Luger.

Right, GC not really needed, but that is one really good shootin' boolit! Cost of a few GCs won't break the bank. I've been loading with Universal per RDs load notes.

[John Boy]

A PRIMER ON BULLET CASTING COMPONENTS AND SUPPLIERS
http://www.wahsatchdesperadoes.com/A%20PRIMER%20ON%20BULLET%20CASTING%20COMPONENTS%20 AND%20SUPPLIERS.htm

[Tenbender]

There will always be something to buy. Lube sizer's, molds, lube, expander's, thermometer, furnace, ladle, checks, and most is for every cal. size. that there's PC.
It is a long journey . If everyone only cast for one cal. and one weight it would be cheap. That's not going to happen. :Fire:

[Baryngyl]

then you can use some of that $10 per pound of powder you got. :)

Any more of that powder available?


Michael Grace

[2wheelDuke]

As others have said, you need a couple molds, a couple push thru sizers, and that's mostly it. You're already set up to reload.

I'd recommend getting a hold of a turkey fryer and either a dutch oven or a home built smelting pot. I'm not to keen on the idea of raw wheel weights in the melting pot. I've seen it done on dip style lead furnaces, but I'd never do that in my bottom pour for fear of gumming it up.

I already had the turkey fryer burner, and I started with a Harbor Freight skillet I got cheap before I upgraded to a HF dutch oven.

[6.5marinediesel]

Any more of that powder available?


Michael Grace

I have an 8lber of Alliant 300-mp i have no use for. I dont think im a loud to sell on this forum though.

[Blammer]

6.5marine, I'll likely buy it from you. :)

[6.5marinediesel]

6.5marine, I'll likely buy it from you. :)

should've done some trading for the Mauser HAHAha

Wish that stuff worked in 9mm Id go to town on loading it up

[Blammer]

used powder goes for cheap don't ya know... :)

[6.5marinediesel]

Gotta bump this.

My order has been placed. Lee milting pot and two lee molds to start out with. I did buy a few used items to save some money. although I did splurge on a lyman 45 lubesizer from JonB. Thanks for the deal. All in all the sting wasn't to bad. Ill post some picks of my first batch of my very own cast bullets. Thanks to those who took the time to give me advice, I do appreciate it.

[Wayne Smith]

If you have Blammer for a neighbor you are set. Listen to him, learn from him, and then start out on your own. I've taught one of my friends to cast and even though he's a quick study (engineer, don't 'ch kno) he realized he had a lot to learn. He does it differently than I, (I dip, he pours) but he comes over once in a while to cast a hundred or so 457122's with my ladle.