How often do you cast...

[shoot-n-lead]

Just wondering how often most of you cast.

I have pared down the molds that I cast with and cartridges that I cast for. I guess, streamlining would be a better description as I shoot less calibers than I used to...just more guns of the same caliber. Now, I really only cast with about 6 molds...that pretty much covers everything that I shoot. So, I will cast more bullets at a time and do it less frequently. Example, in the last several days, I have cast the majority of the bullets that I will shoot for the next year. I have a few more to cast, but it will be a fairly small amount.

Now and then, I will give something a try...but that doesn't happen often. I have really worked at simplifying my shooting...I have the loads that my guns prefer and I tend to stick with them, these days.

[richhodg66]

I need to do that. I have too many molds and more things to load for than I should.

I don't cast all that often, maybe every other week. What I need to do is over Summer and Christmas break is cast a bunch of the types I'm likely to shoot most and be done with it for a while.

[Down South]

Ha, I haven't casted in 1-1/2 yrs. I'll crank back up this fall to cast enough to last a couple more yrs. I'll post some pics as I usually do through the process.

[Adk Mike]

I keep Jiffy Peanut Butter Jars on the shelve. Each is full of cast bullets and labeled. When one gets below half I cast some and fill it back up. I do most of my casting in January too cold for much and my shop is heated.

[Leadmelter]

I like to cast a big bunch of boolits and I store them in containers from the dollar store.
Right now I am good to next Spring unless I get some real range time.
Leamelter
MI

[GhostHawk]

I tend to do better with several small sessions scattered throughout the week rather than one 2-3 hour session.

I have slowly been converting over to Lee 6 cavity molds for the rounds I shoot the most.
Plus I have been busy this month casting #1 buckshot, 7/8ths oz Lee Drive Key slugs and .565 round balls for my 20 gauge. They also make a wicked looking buck and ball load.

The buckshot is a little more time intensive as my main mold is a sharpshooter. So I have clipping to do after casting.
But given the price of buckshot loads out there it gives me a nice warm glow when I think of those 3 boxes of Buckshot all pretty waiting for the day they are needed.

I have a pretty big variety of Calibers but at this point I am done buying guns for a while. Every week or 2 I grab one I have not shot recently and go see if it is still shooting well or if the current load needs improvement.

Last week it was my old Yugo SKS with a new Truglo 2x Red Dot scope mounted on the dust cover. Shooting little .314 90 grain truncated cones sized down to .312 over some 4.5 grains of Red Dot. Kinda like a russian K-31 swiss, straight pull bolt action. But I don't have to chase the brass, and it puts em right in the bullseye at 50. Good enough for this week.

[runfiverun]

that's my winter time hobby.
I need to get about 200 lbs of 9mm stuff done this winter.
after I get the empty brass re-filled from this summers shooting, i'll see how far down the buckets are and go from there.
pretty sure I need more rcbs 30-165's too, but they get done on the master caster and is the wife's problem.

[bedbugbilly]

We split our time between MI and AZ. I only cast when I'm in MI for the summer and then only if I am low on a particular boolit. If I buy a new mold to try, I'll cast up a bunch and I keep them all in empty peanut jars. I don't shoot as much as I used to so probably could get by with only a couple of times in the summer to "stock up" on a particular boolit. I have a number of different 38/357 weight/designs and probably have enough to last me four to five years.

This summer, I've cast probably four afternoons total - am going to cast again in another day or so as I added 30-30 and am playing with different molds for that. I really need to "down size" my mold collection as it has gotten a little "out of hand" but I just like playing with different boolits. If I was shooting weekly or in competition, I'm sure I'd be casting a lot more but just don't have the need to at this point.

[dragon813gt]

Not nearly as much as I want to. Used to be one or two times a month. I think I've cast twice this year. I spend as much as possible w/ my two year old son. The lead, molds and guns will be there when I have time.

[waco]

All I gotta say is you guys shoot WAY more than me.........

[osteodoc08]

Too hot to cast right now. I cast in the fall
and winter for what I shoot the most and may do a few sporadic sessions if I have a new mold or a special project.

[Bzcraig]

Casting is a fall/spring sport for me, mostly. I'm in the process of doing what you've done, paring things down to what I really want to shoot and cast for.

[NoZombies]

Without an air conditioned shop, I don't cast much in the FL heat between about the end of March and the end of October. November to February I try to make enough to last, unfortunately I haven't had a lot of time for shooting, so they have lasted pretty well.

[retread]

Winter is my time for serious casting. I do cast at other times if I am running low or just want to enjoy some relax time, which is at least one a month.

[Garyshome]

When I run out of Boolitz.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Once in a while a month passes without me firing up the pot. Then a month comes and goes, and I have 10 new entries in my casting log book, many times I'll cast with 2 or three different molds during a session (not at the same time, like some other members do). It all varies.

[M-Tecs]

Normally 2 or 3 times a year but when do setup I do very large runs. It's amazing how many you can cast in a day using 6 to 10 cavity molds.

[OS OK]

Aw heck, that's a tough one to answer...obviously when I need them but now I have about 8 thousand of various calibers and profiles along with coatings or lube sized ready to go.
When I get a new mold I'll cast-A-lot with it and then build a stock of that profile...

But, prolly the best answer is when I'm really weighed down with things and want to escape and clear the mind and relax...I'll sit and cast just for the heck of it, turn on the shop stereo and run it like a juke box, loud and basey...and usually with a 6 banger mold so I can have a big pile-O-bullets...kinda like Christmas, a bunch of new toys.

[warf73]

Like several others I cast during the winter months. During the summer I have a to do list I make and try to knock it out before hunting season. Didn't happen but got close going to wrap up 2 more projects and start the last one for the year in a couple weeks.
After that it's back to casting, coating and reloading and hunting.

So to answer the question 5~6 month of casting, doing 2~3 hour casting sessions once I get the weight I'm after in a certain mold/caliber I start coating them. Normally try to cast enough weight to equal 2k rounds sometimes more sometimes less. Then start on the next caliber and so on, till I've got enough loaded ammo for the year.

[dikman]

I do it whenever I need to or sometimes if I just feel like casting a few. A fellow club member just made me a brass 4-gang mold in .38, so I had to try it out. One of the cavities was sticking so I polished it, which fixed it. Cast about 660, and for good measure did 220 for my .44-40.

[Texas by God]

Like others I cast mainly in the winter and try to lay in a year's supply. I've just ordered a new .451 round ball mould and a .401 swc 175 (both Lee) that I need to break in. I'm small taters compared to most on this forum; currently I cast .30 cal 150 Fpgc, .357 swc, and .429 swc. And .451" 230rn. Best, Thomas.

[DerekP Houston]

I haven't cast for a few months now, still plenty on the bench waiting to be stuffed into brass. I could dump half my molds and not really be missing out on any of the calibers, it is just a hobby for me. Easier to cast and reload at home and stay outta trouble. Finding time to get to the range is a bit harder now.

[white eagle]

Just wondering how often most of you cast.

I have pared down the molds that I cast with and cartridges that I cast for. I guess, streamlining would be a better description as I shoot less calibers than I used to...just more guns of the same caliber. Now, I really only cast with about 6 molds...that pretty much covers everything that I shoot. So, I will cast more bullets at a time and do it less frequently. Example, in the last several days, I have cast the majority of the bullets that I will shoot for the next year. I have a few more to cast, but it will be a fairly small amount.

Now and then, I will give something a try...but that doesn't happen often. I have really worked at simplifying my shooting...I have the loads that my guns prefer and I tend to stick with them, these days.



Thats pretty much the same way I do things as well

[toallmy]

As the temperature goes down I will spend more time casting and shooting , in the summer I am pretty busy at work and it's to hot to enjoy long runs of casting or shooting . But I probably still get a little time about every couple weeks to play with the toys through the summer . It's still new for me and even though the coffee cans are mostly full I am going to have a good time this winter , I am looking forward to a nice day to cook up some lead for the winter casting .

[Half Dog]

Where I am the weather is casting weather all year. Recently I put some ingots in a pot and left it on the porch. A couple of hours later it was almost at casting temperature. It's during the winter days I need to fire up the casting pot.

[dverna]

I am at the point that I will probably not buy another mold. I never really enjoyed casting that much....just a way to reduce cost for me. I have not cast in over three years as I amassed a large supply of bullets when times/health were good. I desperately need come .40's, but cannot cast right now.

After surgery, I will get back into it next spring. I am planning on purchasing a Master Caster and 98% will be pistol bullets. In the past, I usually ran "marathon sessions" casting over 2000 at a time. Once the mold(s) were running well, my attitude was get it done and get it over with.

I have over 3000 lbs of alloy to play with.

[Alstep]

I start casting when the weather gets cold and I have to fire up the stoker coal stove to heat the house. I hang a lead pot in the stove, and all the smoke and gasses from dirty lead go up the chimney. Eliminates all the stink in the cellar. I then pour the melted lead into ingots, or into an old Lyman electric pot controlled by a PID for consistent temperature. I cast boolits and stay warm while the snow flies here in upstate NY.

[MKN]

I just started casting Sept 3 this year, so I don't have a track record yet, but I am casting 9 mm and 300 BLK now. I made some to try first, had some leading issues, but that seems to be cleared up with using more lube. So I have cast 250 of the 300 BLK, and 1500 of the 9mm. Found a good rhythm of starting a smelting pot ( I built a bottom pour) of range scrap, getting the casting pot going and heating the mold. Then just cast a bunch, check on the smelting pot, cast some more. In 3 hours from set up to final clean up I have 45 lbs of ingots and 600 or so 9 MM and 75 of the 300 BLK.
Matt

[floydboy]

I do mine in the fall and winter. My favorite time to cast is a day that isn't too cool but just pleasant temp wise and it is either raining or just got done raining so you can't do anything else outside. I go to the shop and spend the day casting what ever I need. Usually 2-3 days of those type days and I've got a years supply.

[toallmy]

;-)I'm going to spend some more time shooting when it cools off to . Then ill cast more , a viscous circle I'm looking forward to .

[Kraschenbirn]

'Nother 'winter caster' here. 'Round the time the weather starts turning cruddy - like late Oct., early Nov. - I'll open up my storage cabinet and do an inventory of what's on hand; both loaded ammo and finished boolits. Then, I'll kinda go on a 'binge' for a week or two until I feel I've got enough to fill the thin spots in my reloading inventory. After that, it's size, PC/lube and pack 'em away until the weather closes down our club range and I start my winter reloading. Occasionally, like when I've acquired a new mold, I'll do some short-run casting during the rest of the year but, for the most part, it's Nov. and Dec. for me.

Bill

[gwpercle]

As needed !

I used to cast more when all I had was 1 and 2 cavity moulds. I splurged on a 4 and 3 cavity NOE moulds and with those do not have to cast as often.
I enjoy casting and look forward to the three or four weekends when my wife and daughter leave town and I get to spend Saturday and Sunday casting and sizing little boxes full of boolits .
One weekend might be devoted to melting COWW or lead into ingots.
When you live in Louisiana, casting in mid summer is miserable....cool fall weather is much preferred! The temperatures are still in the 90's around here with muggy humidity. Be glad to see some cool 80 degree weather !

Gary

[Digital Dan]

About every 114.563 days. +/-

[Shiloh]

In spring and fall. To hot and humid in summer, to cold in winter. Been trying to get out everyday this week so far.

Shiloh

[Beagle333]

I cast just about every Saturday in Fall, Winter and Spring. But haven't cast in 3 months due to heat of Summer. It'll start again soon.

[shoot-n-lead]

I understand you guys down south not casting in the summer months...this past week has been around 90 and the humidity has been very high. It made for some rather sweaty hours trying to get my bullet pile up a little. I have a about 1000 more to go and I will be done for a while...and kinda proud of it.

One thing I did discover while working on the bullets...I NEED another mold. HEHEHE:-D

[avogunner]

I keep Jiffy Peanut Butter Jars on the shelve. Each is full of cast bullets and labeled. When one gets below half I cast some and fill it back up......

Yeah, this is pretty much what I do, casting "as needed" when I run low of, or out of, a particular boolit. Fortunately, I cast in my basement where it's cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

[sw282]

l hope l have enough boolits to last me til the first Sat in Nov... That's when our last Silhouette
match of the year is held. This will give me enough time til the first match in Feb to cast some 44s
and resupply my stock for another year.. That usually amounts to app 5000rds a year. l may try
and up my supply a bit for the 220gr Thompson mold since l ran out of them in August

[pupsdad]

As needed but I'm always in need.
3 calibers 5 molds, but I'm putting a 8mm Mauser together for cast.

[Shiloh]

Finally got out with the LEE 8mm.
It wouldn't cast after the usual new mold prep. Finally as if by magic, after about 100 casts, it started dropping perfect boolits.
Go figure.

Shiloh

[robg]

Usually cast with 2or3 molds at a time every few weeks unless its too hot or cold ,my little shed has no heating .only cast for an hour or two as my wrists give me gyp after that .

[1988-4551]

Intry to cast everything I'll need for the year when it's not hunting or trapping season which gives me a pretty good window weather wise and time too. I probably do more fewer loads than most folks here especially since I went electric. Used to cast very primitively over a carefully tended campfire.

[AZ Pete]

Winter time only, in central Arizona. I usually keep a couple of years supply on hand, then top off the bullet cans as needed, in the winter.

[Victor N TN]

When I was shooting competition in more than one discipline, I cast minimum 1 Saturday a month year 'round. Any more, how about every other Saturday, October through April? I store the cast bullets in freezer type zip lock bags until ready to size & gas check. Then I store in machine shop "shop trays".

[Doggonekid]

I do what most people do. I cast during the winter. I cast some ingots last week. It was hot. I will wait another month or so. I cast on my days off. I usually get about 10 days of casting per winter and that fills my bottles, cans, and ammo boxes for the next year. I have been going through about 400 LBS of lead each year. When my favorite bolts are 400 GR it dosen't take long to get through a lot of the silver stuff.

[rintinglen]

I cast usually once or twice a month, usually comparatively small runs,200-300 boolits, with long runs every once in a while of molds that I shoot a lot of. There are a few boolits that get considerably more play time, but a lot of my shooting consists of experiments using different molds.

[marlin39a]

Whenever I feel like it. I'm in northern Arizona. Morning in the summer. Afternoon in winter. Year round up here.

[vrh]

I spend around 1 full day of casting for each of my two rifles and another day casting for my 2 pistols. I do weigh each and keep them within a certain weight range. The culls go back into the pot. Another day is spent on gas checking and sizing bullets for the rifles. Then another day is spent on sizing bullets casted for pistols. Then after all of that I powder coat everything. I need more time !!! :drinks:

[daloper]

I am new to casting and I set it up in the back garage where I store the tractor. While casting one day while it was raining I noticed that the roof was leaking. Haven't been out to the building in the ran in some years. Now instead of casting I am busy stripping the roof and putting a new one on.

[DerekP Houston]

I am new to casting and I set it up in the back garage where I store the tractor. While casting one day while it was raining I noticed that the roof was leaking. Haven't been out to the building in the ran in some years. Now instead of casting I am busy stripping the roof and putting a new one on.

At least you found the leak before stuff got ruined =). I find 2 more projects that need doing when i start on one. New reloading/lawn equipment shed will need to be built at the next house, I'm trying to decide how large to build it.