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Idaho45guy
02-24-2017, 11:05 PM
I'm helping my dad fill a boolit order and went out to his shop today around Noon and just got back after 6 hours of sitting on a stool hunched over two Lee pots. I use two different 2-bullet molds at a time.

Did 1300 boolits today.

My butt hurts and my back hurts...

188941

188942

jeepyj
02-24-2017, 11:22 PM
I've never kept track of actual boolits but it's quite common to sit and cast for an evening and go through around 20 plus pounds but about three weeks ago I did just shy of 28lbs and I'll agree it can be a bit tough on the back.

Loudy13
02-24-2017, 11:27 PM
20lbs last Friday about 900 .30 cals that was my best so far it took 2 hours and 10 minutes arms were a little sore after that

Idaho45guy
02-24-2017, 11:32 PM
I'd love to get to use molds that cast more than two boolits at a time...

PS Paul
02-24-2017, 11:48 PM
Not sure the count, but I recall one casting session where I cast 60 lbs of alloy in .45, .358, 9mm and .32 handgun boolits using two, four and six-cavity molds. Whew...,

shoot-n-lead
02-24-2017, 11:52 PM
The last casting session I had was in Sept of 2016, I cast 1850. I normally shoot about 4000rds per year and these are normally cast in 2 sessions. I cast odd small lots of some bullets, these are normally only a couple of hundred bullets...this will only be done once or twice per year.

shoot-n-lead
02-25-2017, 12:00 AM
I'd love to get to use molds that cast more than two boolits at a time...

The next time you buy molds...buy molds that have more than 2 cavities.

runfiverun
02-25-2017, 12:07 AM
I done a bit over 40 lbs of 22 boolits one afternoon when beta testing the HM-2 mold design.

6bg6ga
02-25-2017, 12:28 AM
I did 6K bullets in 4 hours. My arm and shoulder hurt the next day.

Artful
02-25-2017, 02:58 AM
Not sure the count, but I recall one casting session where I cast 60 lbs of alloy

Yep I did 60+ in .45,.44,.358, 9 mm using two and four molds. It was a good day as I was working
with my friend and in his nice shop and
one would cut the sprue and dump the boolits.
The other was filling a mold and we had two or three other molds cooling off.

zubrato
02-25-2017, 03:56 AM
Not unusual to go thru about 20-30 lbs of boolits in a session for 9mm. The brass molds are more punishing but the reject rate is much lower.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

gundownunder
02-25-2017, 06:42 AM
A couple months back I thought I'd cast some while I was baking the coatings on the previous batch. I ended up with close to 2500 cast by the time I finished baking the coatings on.
I slept real well that night :-D

tazman
02-25-2017, 07:18 AM
My largest boolit count in a single run was 956 Lee TL356-95-RF using a 6 cavity mold and a Lee 20lb pot. I don't remember how long this took but was certainly less than 3 hours and maybe less than 2. I had an excellent run going that day.

6bg6ga
02-25-2017, 07:28 AM
Those of us with casting machines can probably out do those with hand held molds. At the end of the day no matter what your using you know that you've accomplished something simply because you hurt so bad.

tazman
02-25-2017, 08:28 AM
Those of us with casting machines can probably out do those with hand held molds. At the end of the day no matter what your using you know that you've accomplished something simply because you hurt so bad.

So very true.

mozeppa
02-25-2017, 08:41 AM
i have a 90 pound pot fully loaded...i emptied it twice in one day....so many thousands of 38 spl ...9mm and .380

6bg6ga
02-25-2017, 09:11 AM
So many bullets but somehow still not enough. Must make more must make more must make more.

farmerjim
02-25-2017, 09:15 AM
I'd love to get to use molds that cast more than two boolits at a time...
When I started casting (mid 60's), there was only one place in town to buy molds. I started with a 1 cavity. After casting about 100, I took it back and traded it in for a 4 cavity ( the most I could get at that time) . I will use a 2 cavity for rifles that I don't shoot a lot, But I find that I now like 6 cavity Al the best.
The most I have cast at once is about 2,000 Lee 358-125-RF. I use 2 molds at a time to gain speed.
With the lee bator 22 mold I can only use one. It cools too fast to use 2.

44man
02-25-2017, 09:16 AM
I know you fellas dream about it for weeks after.
I cast as needed and might manage a few hundred or at least a 20# pot but my boolits are big. Boredom sets in fast.

robg
02-25-2017, 09:22 AM
Use three two cavity molds, cast about 300 in an hour .that's enough for me as my wrists and back give out after an hour.going to have to get a Lee 6 cavity mold to see it makes me more productive ?

Half Dog
02-25-2017, 09:25 AM
It seems that I'm the slowest. After cleanup I had about 350 good ones.

MarkP
02-25-2017, 09:31 AM
3 hours is about maximum for me, 1 to 1-1/2 hrs is about ideal. The most quantity from a double cavity is around 1,200 (RCBS 244 - 95 gr FN) and 2,500 to 3,000 358 - 105 SWC. from a (6) cavity mold.

Most material in one sitting, I went through 60 pounds of contaminated alloy in a few hours Lyman 12 ga 525 gr slugs, 0.690 RB, Lyman 20 gr 350 gr, 458 - 405's.

L Erie Caster
02-25-2017, 09:38 AM
Somewhere between 500 and 1000 and my hands start hurting so I’m done.

TexasGrunt
02-25-2017, 09:39 AM
Not boolits but I did 600 fishing slabs at one sitting.

200 each 3/4, 1, and 1.5 ounce.

Thankfully all three sizes are in one mold. I must have went through half a gallon of water cooling the mold.

So far with boolits the most in one session has been around 500.

Dusty Ed
02-25-2017, 10:13 AM
Howdy Mozeppa
Just Casting 158gn bullets an a 6 cavity mould ,that would 210000 pours an 1260000 Bullets , that is if you putting back the sprews
I have a Master Caster that holds 45 lbs. it takes me 1.5 hrs to empty it ,I get 25 lbs of bullets ,20 lbs. of sprews , 4.5 hrs for 75 lbs ,that is 9 hrs for 150lbs.
So the way I see it you had 20 man crew working.

mozeppa
02-25-2017, 10:23 AM
Howdy Mozeppa
Just Casting 158gn bullets an a 6 cavity mould ,that would 210000 pours an 1260000 Bullets , that is if you putting back the sprews
I have a Master Caster that holds 45 lbs. it takes me 1.5 hrs to empty it ,I get 25 lbs of bullets ,20 lbs. of sprews , 4.5 hrs for 75 lbs ,that is 9 hrs for 150lbs.
So the way I see it you had 20 man crew working.

i started at 6am that day ...wife brought me lunch and dinner....worked at it until evening.
i put (9) 10 pound bricks in to start kept putting the sprue back in.

i had 9 more bricks sitting on the table and put them in one at a time as the level allowed.
they were gone at 10 pm.

now by my math that's 180 pounds.
and i have been told i could out work a good few men without breaking a sweat.

but none of that really matters as you have as much called me a liar.

OS OK
02-25-2017, 11:19 AM
Last time I sat down for a marathon casting session I cast so many boolits that the neighbor had to use his front loader to get into the garage to borrow something.
The pizza shop put me on auto-delivery.
I went through 3 cases of Kessler.
Never did get up to go pee.
I went through 4 1/2 tons of my stash Pb and didn't make a dent in the stack.
I started sizing and PC'ing while waiting on the sprue to freeze.
Got into several arguments with myself over PC colors.
I kept on until I'd gone through several new pots...just wore them out.
All this with just one cheap Lee 6 banger mold.

Only reason I quit is that my beard grew so long it was getting tangled in the sprues...had to get up and go shave.

Loaded them all up and shot-em the next morning . . . us old Texans don't fool around Pard!

bedbugbilly
02-25-2017, 11:28 AM
I'm low tech and use a pot, a lyman bottom pour ladle and a propane hot plate and it's worked fine for me for 50 some years. I cast standing up and most of my molds are two bangers. I think the most I've cast at one stint has been around 700. (for 38s, 9mm, 45 Colt, 30-30 & 8mm). I cast for a while and then sit to ease the back a little - then usually switch to a different mold so life doesn't get boring. We're going to be moving when we get back to MI this spring from AZ - into condo from our place on the farm. I'm thinking it might be time to get a good Lee bottom pour electric pot to make life a little easier. I'll have a good place to set up in the garage and since I only cast in the summer, I'll still be able to keep ahead on my boolit inventory.

Idaho45guy
02-25-2017, 11:50 AM
The next time you buy molds...buy molds that have more than 2 cavities.


These aren't my molds and are for special order boolits sold through a retailer.

runfiverun
02-25-2017, 12:01 PM
Charlie... nobody drinks 3 cases of Kessler.

OS OK
02-25-2017, 12:06 PM
Well . . . I coulda miss counted a weelittlebit...but, whose countin?

shoot-n-lead
02-25-2017, 12:15 PM
Howdy Mozeppa
Just Casting 158gn bullets an a 6 cavity mould ,that would 210000 pours an 1260000 Bullets , that is if you putting back the sprews
I have a Master Caster that holds 45 lbs. it takes me 1.5 hrs to empty it ,I get 25 lbs of bullets ,20 lbs. of sprews , 4.5 hrs for 75 lbs ,that is 9 hrs for 150lbs.
So the way I see it you had 20 man crew working.

DustyEd...Your math is wrong...

90lbs x 2 = 180lbs

180lbs = 1,260,000 grains

1,260,000grs =1329 158gr 6cav pours

1329 6cav pours =7974 158gr bullets

And, this was assuming the sprue's were melted and cast.

Idaho45guy
02-25-2017, 12:26 PM
i started at 6am that day ...wife brought me lunch and dinner....worked at it until evening.
i put (9) 10 pound bricks in to start kept putting the sprue back in.

i had 9 more bricks sitting on the table and put them in one at a time as the level allowed.
they were gone at 10 pm.

now by my math that's 180 pounds.
and i have been told i could out work a good few men without breaking a sweat.

but none of that really matters as you have as much called me a liar.

I'm trying to wrap my head around casing 180lbs of boolits in one day. By one man. Dusty Ed's math suggested 210k pours. When I pour, I have to wait for the lead to flash, which takes 2-3 seconds when the mold is hot. Now, just accounting for the physics of lead having to harden before the mold is opened, that's 210k times 3 seconds, which is 630k seconds waiting for the lead to harden. That equals 175 hours just waiting for lead to cool.

But I think Dusty Eds math is wrong. There are 7k grains in a pound of lead. Assuming you were casting 158gr boolits, that is 44 boolits per lb. Using a 6-cavity mold, you would have to pour a little over 7 times per pound.

So, having to pour 7.38 times per pound, and using a 6-cavity boolit mold, and going through 180lbs of lead, that is 1329 pours. Accounting for the lead flash time as a minimum, that equals just over an hour waiting for lead to flash. Very doable. I've never actually timed myself as to how long it takes me to pour, let it harden, then empty and re-pour, but, I use a pot and a dipper and 2-cavity molds. It's pretty dang slow.

Figuring in 15 seconds per pour, at the 1329 pours you had to do to get through 180lbs of lead, that's only roughly 6 hours...

Your claims are completely believable.

Unless my math is really, really off...

montanamike
02-25-2017, 12:57 PM
Don't remember actual boolit count but somewhere around 2000+ 359-154gr, 150-200 501-700gr, 500 or so 501-350gr. Over 80 lbs of lead in a couple hours through my Lee 20lb pot. Those 700gr boolits really drain that thing fast! 10lbs per 100.

mdi
02-25-2017, 01:06 PM
I too count my cast by the pound. I don't count my cast bullets or my reloads, seems like it takes some of the fun away. My most during one session was about 30 lbs., one and one-half pots full, of 250 gr. .44 cal bullets...

kmrra
02-25-2017, 02:23 PM
probly a little over a thousand at one time , that was 30 years ago , I just cast 2 -3 hundred now days as I need them, but I cast for 7 different bullets tho

quilbilly
02-25-2017, 03:30 PM
I do a lot of casting for my business so I don't need to do many at a time. Usually just 100 or 2 at the end of another project. Yesterday I did about 75 each of 30's and 22's plus a few ingots of my bullet alloy to store.

mozeppa
02-25-2017, 03:34 PM
well i did end up with (6) 30 pound jars of boolits.

Idaho45guy
02-25-2017, 08:38 PM
I get paid by the boolit, so I count boolits... Grain of boolits varies, but I checked today and they were 530 and 550 grain. Roughly 13 bullets per pound, times 2400 bullets cast yesterday and today means I cast 184lbs of lead the last two days... Seems about right since I unpacked and processed four 50lb boxes of lead.

Kevinkd
02-25-2017, 08:41 PM
Yes, his 180lbs is definitely doable. I use a lee 20lb pot that I normally put 2 of my 'muffin' tin ingots on the edge to start heating them while I pour. All sprues go back immediately into pot. In a 4 hour session, I've poured close to 100lbs of 9mm 120gr lee (using a 6 cavity mold - will never pour pistol boolits unless its a 6 cavity - just so much faster). My ammo crate with an old sweatshirt in it (my drop area) weighed ALOT, back was a little sore.

Usually about 75-80 lbs per session. Love me some lead, its so addictive, so calming just pouring away, no phones, no kids, nothing.... Zen like...

jimb16
02-25-2017, 08:49 PM
Dawn to dusk on one saturday. Actual count, 1647; .38 SWCs and .45 RNs. Can't do that **** any more. I'm too old and back just won't take that these days. Around 500/day is about my limit now. This morning it was only 150 8mm 185 grain boolits this morning. But then I also PD'ed them and sized them today too.

Pmg
02-26-2017, 07:18 AM
I know you fellas dream about it for weeks after.
I cast as needed and might manage a few hundred or at least a 20# pot but my boolits are big. Boredom sets in fast.

I agree I also get bored before I have as many done as I set out to do

barrabruce
02-26-2017, 08:14 AM
I'm in the chicken feed category I think.

single cavity 30 cal mould probably 100-150 a session and double cavity hp mould roughly 300.
Mostly good ones that is.
working on the hp mould but getting used to it.
takes me roughly 2 hrs to set up cast and put away things after so roughly and hr or so good casting.
Enough to keep me going.
I give up when it becomes work or things start to go haywire.

LAKEMASTER
02-26-2017, 08:36 AM
500 was my biggest run. Now I seem to make 250ish at a time.

I only own 5/6 cavity molds so i really can't complain.

Lee style molds make short work of heavy production. I love my noe molds but lee takes the cake

imashooter2
02-26-2017, 08:59 AM
This pile of 59 pounds isn't unusual...
189062

dragon813gt
02-26-2017, 09:48 AM
I done a bit over 40 lbs of 22 boolits one afternoon when beta testing the HM-2 mold design.

That's a lot of casting of itty bitty bullets. I've cast over a hundred pounds in a day. I don't bother counting bullets until it's time to load them. Typically it's around 15-35 pounds at a time. I think this was two full pots worth.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa39/dragon813gt/TimeToMakeAmmo/6C22F129-AF9C-4E52-A280-C14F2A78E1BE.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/dragon813gt/media/TimeToMakeAmmo/6C22F129-AF9C-4E52-A280-C14F2A78E1BE.jpg.html)

W/ heavy bullets you go through a lot of lead fast.

Strtspdlx
02-26-2017, 01:35 PM
ive gone through 150 or so pounds of lead over 4 different molds on a sunday when I'm not working. But it was more for the learning experience then it was for usable boolits. now I generally run through at most 25-30 pounds and call it quits. If I had a more comfortable setup id imagine I could go longer.

Silvercreek Farmer
02-26-2017, 02:01 PM
I don't weigh or count, but my sessions are probably around 500-700 boolits out of Lee 6 cavity molds and a 20 lb bottom pour pot. I usually have to make myself quit. By the time I get the lead and mold warmed up, I want to just keep going!

zubrato
02-26-2017, 04:44 PM
Thing I hate most, when you're dead tired and exhausted is when the lead and mold decide to cooperate and drop perfect boolits. I end up pushing myself until my hands are swollen from holding my brass molds and have to lubrisize 1.5-2k boolits. That's the real choke point for how much I cast in a session and the least fun part.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

adam_mac84
02-26-2017, 06:39 PM
INSPIRING! I am about to start the casting journey, and hope to be able to sock away a few thousand for reloading... no more buying coated/FMJ online hopefully!!! (we will see how the lead sources remain over time haha)

rintinglen
02-27-2017, 02:18 PM
Back in my salad days, I had a job where I could cast. I was a night watchman at an Auto repair center that had a radiator repair shop with an out door area that I could use. I'd cast until my 10 lb drip-o-matic was nearly empty, toss in the sprues and then fill the pot. I would go and do my rounds while things melted, come Back, have a cup of coffee, the cast up another 8 or nine pounds. A typical Friday night would see me casting about 40 pounds of Cramer 18H 38 wad cutters. Right at 2000 boolits, IIRC.

lightman
02-27-2017, 03:57 PM
I usually average 1000 to 1200 at a session. I'm starting to cast in a new to me place and have had to make a few changes. I'm now using the steel workbench in my shop. My old stool was not the right height and made my back sore. Bought a new shorter stool this week. My landing zone was not at a comfortable height so I built a shallow wooden box. Hopefully when I get everything set up to be comfortable I can stay at it longer.

Shiloh
02-27-2017, 07:11 PM
About 24 lbs. of alloy. 45's and 30's
Almost 45 lbs in 3 days.
Shiloh

41mag
02-27-2017, 10:08 PM
Made it through somewhere between 60-70# of alloy, in six different molds and 4 calibers this past Sat. Got started around 6am and shut it down around 5:30 that evening.

stinjie
02-27-2017, 10:36 PM
I keep telling myself that 1000 boolits will get turned out each weekend.Most I got to was 750.And that was over a 3 day weekend at Memorial Day.Dogs want,need attention,fed,let outside.Stop every now and then to let the wife know she has a husband.

Beau Cassidy
02-27-2017, 11:28 PM
180 lbs is absolutely doable. I cast 175 lbs of 9mm in 3 weekends last spring going about 3 or 4 hrs a session. That included heating up the 40 lb magma. Sprues go back in. Ingots go on the rim of the pot. Bose headphones on Waylon and Willie. If the wife leaves me alone I can role pretty hard. I try not go crank up unless I have at least 3 or 4 hrs to roll.

MKN
03-03-2017, 07:50 PM
Mann some of you guys are in BEAST MODE casting ! the only volume bullet I pour is the 9 mm in a lee 6 mold , 124 gr. after 15 + lbs I am toast, about 800 - 900 bullets.
Matt

Smk SHoe
03-04-2017, 09:29 PM
Pounds of lead is kinda misleading. I would much rather do 50 lbs of 230grn .45 bullets ( i run 2 six gang lee's) vs 30 lbs of those $^%#$@*&%^ .223 bullets that drop at 60 grns. ( I usually run my 20 lb pot down to about half 3 times.) Then on the forth fill up I unplug and go take a nap.

Idaho45guy
03-04-2017, 10:04 PM
Another 150lbs over the last couple of days... Only worked 5-6 hours per day before my rear end started to hurt. Casting match quality 500+ grain boolits 2 at a time is very labor intensive.

Digital Dan
03-05-2017, 09:03 AM
Have one double cavity mould, rest are singles. ~600 bullets in one day is my best effort for the single cavity moulds.

TexasGrunt
03-05-2017, 09:31 AM
Pounds of lead is kinda misleading. I would much rather do 50 lbs of 230grn .45 bullets ( i run 2 six gang lee's) vs 30 lbs of those $^%#$@*&%^ .223 bullets that drop at 60 grns. ( I usually run my 20 lb pot down to about half 3 times.) Then on the forth fill up I unplug and go take a nap.

Very true. I ran through 50 lbs of lead yesterday, 1, 1.5 and 2 ounces at a time. Only took a couple of hours, casting one at a time. 50 lbs of .22 boolits would be a couple of days of work with my 2 cavity.