Casting not your cup of tea?

[USARO4]

I always read with interest the posts from newbies just getting started and the advice all the old hands give them. Sometimes we advise start out slow and dont spend a lot of money until you're sure you will like our hobby. When I started I was immediately hooked, just like reloading I wanted more and better equipment to improve my product and my production rate. It seems like most of us follow that path. But I'm curious, has anybody tried it and just not liked casting, or do you know of someone like that. Anyone out there feel that casting is just a onerous chore that must be done to keep oneself supplied with bullets?

[Dennis Eugene]

used to feel that way about sizeing with my RCBS lube sizer. Then I got the Star now it's a pleasure to lube size Dennis

[trickg]

As a disclaimer I should say that I don't yet have my own casting equipment. That said, I always enjoyed casting bullets with my Dad when he was still alive - there's just something neat about taking something that looks pretty useless (used WW) and turning them into bright, shiney bullets that can then be fired from a round that you reloaded.

In retrospect I wish I would have learned a lot more from my Dad than I did. While I did some of the work, he was the one who always got everything set up and did the brain work for what was what. Now that I am finally taking steps toward doing this stuff myself, there are so many questions that I would love to be able to ask him, and I would like to get his personal take on some of the things that go into this hobby. At least I have you guys! :)

[felix]

It happens to more folks that you realize. Those on this board, no, it does not happen unless we just get tired, burned out, like "hell, I've been there, time for something different, or just no energy". In my case, it is the latter. It just has to be something different in the same line for me to really get excited and then I WILL find the energy, even though it might be fake. ... felix

[sundog]

I know a guy, former Marine, fellow high power shooter (kinda given that up, too), who just gave it up as too time consuming. I bought all his stuff from him - for cheap.

[Navahojoe]

I bought an RCBS Lubisizer of -Bay, sizing dies,lube, ect, and it got to be a pain in the A**! Went back to Lee Liquid Alox, Johnson Paste Wax, shoot as cast, and it got to be fun again. I wouldn't take the time just for pistol boolits to size and lube with the Lubisizer. The boolits seem to shoot just as good with half the trouble! All is well in the NavahoJoe household again. But, in answer to the question, NO! I have never considered giving up casting. I love casting my own to what ever size I want or need, depending on my molds, instead of having to buy my bullets and take what I get. Must be that "Frugal" nature of mine.
Regards.
NavahoJoe Yeah! I CAST MINE!

[theperfessor]

I'm finding that I like casting and reloading as much as shooting and enjoy making the tools for casting and shooting most of all. It's relaxing to me to get into my machine shop and make things to MY specs and standards instead of dealing with other people's problems and requirements.

To each their own. Fun is where you find it.

[Boerrancher]

It is funny, I always enjoyed casting and reloading. Heck I started both at the ripe old age of 7. I took a long break from it, roughly 3 years do to a round trip to Afghanistan. It is odd now, as I said I have always enjoyed it now it has become a type of therapy for me. Due to my head injury, simple tasks that require fine motor skills and multiple steps oft times are quite difficult.
I can lock myself in my work room for a few hours when I start getting agitated, or am having difficulties, and cast or reload for a few hours.

The multiple and repetitive steps, along with the minor math involved, helps me to re-develop both the mental and fine motor skills that I once had, or at least keep them from deteriorating any further. Simple things like placing a card wad between the boolit and the powder, and remembering if I actually done it or not, are things that I deal with. I have to devise systematic steps and locations to make sure I don't double charge a case, or add wrong on the powder measure.

All in all even though I have difficulties, and it takes longer, the time spent at the reloading bench, be it reloading or casting, makes me feel better when I am done. I can there in my own little world and contemplate a good many things while doing nothing more than filling my mold with molten lead and dumping out hardened projectiles. It gives me time to relax during my periods of agitation. I don't know why I have those periods where every little thing agitates me until I am a mean as a stirred up sidewinder, but I am glad I have something my father and his best friend taught me over 30 years ago to get me through those times and help me relax.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

P.S. - Now those of you who tend to be a bit more liberal than I am can say, "I knew it. He has brain damage. It all makes sense to me now." :kidding:

[trickyasafox]

I think I gotta save up for a star- I have an RCBS- and its nice- but its slooooooow

[miestro_jerry]

I like reloading and casting. I have been reloading since the mid 60s, I learned to cast with some one elses stuff and so I started to cast my own bullets then. But I wanted some different sizes and shapes, so I bought my own molds. Then I moved, needed some CBs, so I bought a Lee bottom pour pot.

Then I need to lube the bullets, so I bought an RCBS luber sizer. Then started to buy different diameter dies for the sizer. At a gun show, I came across a Star sizer for the right price, so I bought it. It had a .358 die. I bought many dies for the Star. The previous owner had a made a box with a drawer for the Star to sit upon. I added a controlable lube heater.

Recently I bought some RD molds and learned about tumble lube. With the secrets on how to get performance out of the bullets that are lubed with Alox:

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,27078.0.html

So I have Lee Sizer dies sets, even for some bullets that normally would be sized in my Star. Tried this on a small scale and this methods does work really well. So I bought a 32oz container of Alox (Xlox) from LS Stuff: http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/liquid-x.html

As that I am not marrried and don't have a live in, taking some things from the kitchen don't cause me any problems, but once the kitchen stuff leaves the kitchen, it becomes shop stuff and never returns to the food handling part of the house.

So I have some enjoyable evenings reloading and I cast out doors so the weather can't be bad, until my foundry building is finally done, then I will cast with a roof over my head and proper ventilation.

jerry

[miestro_jerry]

TrickyasaFox,

The Star is well worth the money, it is a blessing in disguise if you used any of the other luber sizers.

Jerry

[USARO4]

I'm glad the casting is good therapy for you Boerrancher, and thank you for your service to our country. I agree that sizing is one of my least favorite tasks. I'm using Lee push throughs find them quick and easy.

[Wicky]

I enjoy both casting and reloading. I must say that I was a little jaded with casting for a while and was doing it only occasionaly. Since joining this forum - I was only looking for cast loads for my 310 martini - I have been revitalised and amazed at how little I knew, and still know!
My mould count has gone from 5 to 15 - thanks guys.:-D :drinks:

[Rusty Shackleford]

Casting is a time consuming chore, but I consider it the most enjoyable aspect of reloading. The guys that I know who reload all seem to think their time is better spent doing whatever else? I've had sources for free WW's in the past and that has played a part in it for me. I get a big kick out of turning scraps into good as store bought bullets. It sounds kinda corny, but casting my own makes me feel like i'm giving my ammo a personal touch.

[dragonrider]

I find that I enjoy the reloading and casting part of this hobby more than the shooting part. I actually shoot so I can reload, weather or not I get a tight little group don't mean a thing, as long as I get minute of paper plate I'm happy. I have had a Star lubri-sizer for many years but haven't used it for many years because I couldn't get it to work correctly, thus I used a Lyman and found that I didn't like it much and sizing and lubing became an onerous chore, but I continued to use it and neglect my Star. I recently decided to either get the Star working right or get rid of it,................. fortunately I don't have to get rid of it. I think I will retire the Lyman, needs rebuilding anyway. I am now having more fun and enjoying again. I haven't shot a round yet this year but I have cast and lubed 5 or 6 hundred boolits in various calibers. So yes I enjoy casting and have been doing for almost 20 years.

[xr650]

I'm definitely still a newb casting, been reloading for 20 odd yrs.
I enjoy casting. That seems to be all I do.
I will cast this caliber and that caliber. Some I don't have guns for so I give them away (what better way to learn than practice).

I have a fairly good number of boolits that I need to develop loads for.
Maybe soon. Getting pretty hot to cast, even with the AC blowing on me.

Not my cup of tea? I'll let you know in 20 yrs. after I find out.

:castmine: I just don't shoot them. :Fire:

Oh and by the way, did you know the group buy conspiracy is truely evil? :twisted:

[azrednek]

I got discouraged when I first started using the older Lee hand tools. Pan lubing, that ridicules Lee spoon and those hand sizing tools were just way to slow. For years I continued to cast my own black powder round and mini balls but never cast anything else.

I had a couple of incidents while casting. Two times while casting I had to deal with bouts of heart arrhythmia, passed out once and wound up being hospitalized. It was automatically assumed I was reacting to the lead even though the levels in my blood were almost non-existent. About a year afterward a good Dr figured out it was a severe allergy to the Mulberry tree I was casting under. By that time I'd given away most my lead and Lee equipment.

Then I just happened to luck into a garage sale. I walked away with a RCBS bottom pour pot, RCBS sizer and numerous molds, top punches and sizing dies. I got it all dirt cheap and originally bought it all with the intention of re-selling it at a gun show for a huge profit. In the cache was a hollow based mold for the Remington cap and ball revolver. I decided to cast a few hundred for my son's revolver before selling it. A month or so later I discovered the hollow based black powder slugs were similar in looks and size to the cast non-hollow based I was buying for my 45 Auto. After loading some in my 45 and seeing the remarkably improved results on paper there was no looking back.

Recently bullet casting itself has became a hobby in itself for me. Previously it was a necessary evil for more accurate handgun ammo and the $$ savings made it worthwhile. Long story short illness has prevented me from pursuing allot of physical activities. I have been in a recovery period for the past several months. Casting is something I can do to keep my mind and hands occupied besides sitting in front of the tv and computer. The only thing holding me back now is Arizona's heat but I have enough cast to keep me occupied at my loading bench in air conditioning for the rest of the summer.

[mooman76]

I must admit I used to love casting and still like it at times but I think I got to the point that I find it a tedious chore but sometimes I don't mind it pending my mood. Maybe it's just that I don't find the time as much as I used to. Can't understand why I still have this addiction to buying moulds all the time but it's part of the addiction I guess!

[USARO4]

Dragonrider, I agree with you, I think I enjoy all the tasks involved in getting ready to shoot, casting, reloading, gun cleaning, etc. as much as the shooting. Azredneck, seems like its good therapy for you too.

[NSP64]

I enjoy the repetative mind numbingness of it:drinks: Have to think too much at work.

[Murphy]

When I began casting over 20 years ago, I got into it for 2 reasons. One was the money factor. Number two was I couldn't buy them boolits Skeeter was always talking about, nor .44 slugs that Keith fella used.

At one point in time, I was casting and shooting 3,000 boolits a month for my own use. Then I got into it as a part time business. I bought a Magma Master Caster & a Star sizer with the auto feed tubes. I probably cast 200,000 rounds in the course of 4-5 years.

Then I slowed down, way down. I wasn't shooting nearly as much and had given up trying to make much money at selling boolits.

Now I cast for 2 simple reasons. Once again for economical purposes, but more than anything else it's the only way to get the boolit I want to use. And there is that chase for the 'right load' for any given gun I own. All hand crafted with pride.

Thanks,

Murphy

[Dale53]

Boerrancher;
Thanks for your service. I cannot claim head injury (well, nothing serious, at least:mrgreen:) but I CAN claim agitation. I worked for thirty years in a rather stressful occupation (nothing like being in combat, I assure you[smilie=1:) but would end up the day feeling "less than perfect". A couple of hours at the reloading bench and "all would be fine, again"). I could actually feel the stress leaving just minutes into the reloading task. Helped me to keep my sanity while others were losing theirs.

I would rather shoot than cast bullets or reload but I do NOT find those tasks distasteful. In fact, they still help me maintain my stability. My wife is a wonderful cook and seamstress (including quilter) and it appears that she feels pretty much the same about her hobbies/work.

I truly believe that "doers" are blessed and that certainly includes US. ("Doers" are people that "do things" whether it is sewing, wood carving, working on cars, or writing or photography.)

Dale53

[joeb33050]

But I'm curious, has anybody tried it and just not liked casting, or do you know of someone like that. Anyone out there feel that casting is just a onerous chore that must be done to keep oneself supplied with bullets?

I've been casting sinjce 1960 and do not like casting, do not enjoy it, don't like the work or the burns or the smell or the heat.
I get satisfaction from having the bullets cast, inspected, weighed, sized, lubed and on the shelf; but would rather not do the work.
Same with reloading.
I shoot rifle bullets, ~100 per week on average.
I change the alloy, mold, size or lube quantity (# grooves lubed) almost every time I shoot.
I'm not crazy about the shooting, either. The range is 100 miles from home, solid 2-1/2 hours each way. It is either very hot, raining, or windy. About 93 yesterday, 147% relative humidity, little to no wind, everyone on the line soaked with sweat and holding/using a sweat mopper.
I like to/want to know "what happens when..." It's all about learning, for me, and always has been that way.
If any of you casting-likers can cast ~perfect bullets, let me know and I'll mail you alloy and mold and let you take over; won't charge you a dime!
joe b.

[Bass Ackward]

If you make casting / reloading like work, it will seem like work. What happens is that we lose our sense of judgement believing that EVERYTHING must be cast, or loaded by us. Even the gun areas that interest us can affect reality. The real problem comes because and when we aren't set up for volume. Then this single purpose can ruin us to casting in general if we are not careful. 22LR is a major sourse of blamer fodder. And if it's an automatic, I automatically buy my stuff.

Plus, if I am any indication, I'd say that we all have periods where we enjoy casting and periods where casting becomes inconvenient as our interests and focus change. And instead of using casting for relaxation, I like to be relaxed before I begin. Rifleman tend to be the most satisfied casters. Rifles are generally lower volume operations. Care, precision and enjoyment are the result. Handgun ammo for me is only reloaded if it is for specific performance levels and it is still not molded from single cavities.

Why even the time of year makes a big difference on my outlook. I cast 98% of my stock in the months of January through March. There is little competition for this time period, so I find casting a relaxing distraction from reruns. Putting on cloths for safety just fits right in with staying warm. And when I am comfortable I mold better bullets as a result. I can mold quicker, and waiting periods for antimony mixes are less of a headache. I shoot better comfortable and relaxed too. So if June rolls around and a particular stock is running low, I prepare to buy some stock for the rest of the year and adjust my volume schedule next winter.

So determining what and when you should be casting and / or reloading for can greatly affect your enjoyment of the hobby. You shouldn't let cost drive every train or casting control your shooting enjoyment. But if you have an itch to have a Gattling gun, cowboy up and prepare for the pain. Again, if anything you want to shoot makes casting / reloading like work, I find you will soon want another hobby.

[Boerrancher]

I am sure that this will most assuredly get me labeled as a nut case, but unlike those of you who cast and reload so you can shoot, I am just the opposite. I shoot so that I cast and reload. Even before I was injured, I developed a love for the hobby. When I was in my teens and early 20's I worked for my father's friend, the one that taught me how to cast. Since we were in the well drilling business, and didn't work much in the winter, so most of our time was spent casting, reloading, and building custom rifles and custom stocks.

I don't have the tools to do the gun smithing work or to cut stocks, I never used power tools for the stocks, only hammers, chisels, draw knives, rasps and files. It just didn't seem right to not work the wood by hand. I helped put myself through college with my custom built rifles. But back to the original topic of casting, There is one aspect of it that I don't like and that is smelting the WW's or other scrap lead. Years ago I didn't mind it, but now it takes me so dang long to do a big batch because I have to break it down into several smaller batches spread out over several days. I am not strong enough or coordinated enough to handle a heavy pot full of molten lead. Yep, smelting is the draw back for me.

Best Wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[DLCTEX]

I began casting as a kid, casting toy soldiers. I liked the casting aspect so much that I would melt down perfectly good soldiers and cast them again. I had always had a fascination with the idea of casting boolits, but never got into it until the passing of a friend who had done some casting. His widow had some of his casting stuff and I bought the pot, a couple molds, and about 300# of lead and WW ingots from her to help her out and the addiction began. I like to cast to escape the pressures of work, and I now shoot to cast, and no longer cast to shoot. I was casting for my 1911 primarily, but recently acquired a 38 special in an offer I couldn't refuse, now I own 8 molds for it. I would never cast commercially as it would become work, not fun, but I cast a lot of boolits and give them away. Did I say I love casting? DALE

[smirker]

This is for Boerrancher.Thank you for your service to you country.I am sorry you were injured but glad you are alive.I am also glad that something as simple as bullet casting gives you focus and allows you to de-compress when you need to.Keep casting and shooting,and good luck with your recovery:drinks:

[runfiveslittlegirl]

see murphy's post and paste here >>------> <------<<




dawns dad

[oldsoldier]

I cast to shoot and shoot to cast, well it does keep me with enough to keep shooting. :mrgreen: :Fire:

[.38 Special]

Elmer Keith, of all people, wrote in Sixguns that casting was a hard and unpleasant job. So the OP can take comfort in company, perhaps.

For me, I sort of enjoy it. I tend to look forward to my once or twice a month casting sessions, but after a few hours at the pot I'm ready for it to be over. I think I get more satisfaction from having made the product than from the process of making it. And of course loading and shooting (accurately, we hope!) the homemade pills is quite a reward.

In an age where nearly any cast boolit can be store-bought, I guess the fact that I'm still casting my own speaks louder than words.

[Dale53]

My father encouraged me to shoot with him. Due to the expense (I assume) he thought it would be a good idea if I learned to cast bullets and reload (I was a teenager of 13 or 14). He bought me Elmer Keith's book "Sixguns and Cartridges" (little blue book printed in 1936) and I followed Elmer's directions EXPLICITLY. I credit that with my "instant" success (accuracy and NEVER any leading). Elmer got it right all of those years ago.

Very little has changed in my lifetime. I get a kick out of remembering when I would cast 50 bullets in a little Lyman cast iron pot on the kitchen stove with a dipper while using a single cavity mould and think that I had really done something. Some time later I met an older fellow (probably in his early thirties[smilie=1:) at a local gun club. He took me to his home and showed me his shop where he and his brother would cast a couple of thousand bullets in a day!! Changed my thinking right on the spot. I then studied bullet casting in volume with him.

My father ended up with the benefit of excellent reloaded ammo beyond all of his expectations (as did I).

I have been casting, loading and shooting ever since (it'll soon be sixty years of pleasant (for the most part) work.

Some years ago, I decided to build a utility building to house a permanent, dedicated casting station. Then, I put in an electric wall heater and air conditioner and insulated the building so I could have an all season work shop. It has worked better than I expected. I am blessed.

Dale53

[trickg]

My father encouraged me to shoot with him. Due to the expense (I assume) he thought it would be a good idea if I learned to cast bullets and reload (I was a teenager of 13 or 14). He bought me Elmer Keith's book "Sixguns and Cartridges" (little blue book printed in 1936) and I followed Elmer's directions EXPLICITLY. I credit that with my "instant" success (accuracy and NEVER any leading). Elmer got it right all of those years ago.

Dale53
It's interesting that you should mention "Sixguns" because Dad had pretty much all of Elmer's books, shared a fair amount of correspondence with Elmer, (I have photocopies of those letters, as well as a trace of Elmer's large left hand) and in general, thought Elmer knew what he was talking about. Dad was also good at casting bullets and to my knowledge, he never had leading problems either.

I had a conversation with my Mom the other night about the fact that she wants to sell the house, and wanted to know what I might want out of the stuff of Dad's that is still there. The books by Elmer Keith are high on my list.

[buckweet]

anyone on here sell round balls ?

.36 .45 .50 .58 .62 ?

[madcaster]

I have thought about giving up casting,even done it once-but I WON'T make THAT mistake again!:)

[RayinNH]

buckweet see link.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=66306

Ray