First cast boolits!

[adcoch1]

So I like to shoot cast in my 44s and my 38 special, and have been planning on casting my own for several years. Have slowly accumulated some lead, and a few used molds, a lee 10 lb pot and an rcbs dipper.
Got some wheel weights from someone getting out of casting, and finally tried it out the other day! Fluxed with sawdust and stirred with a paint stick, scooped off the impurities on the surface and had some good lookin lead to work with.

Have never moulded lead before other than plug weights in tubing caps, so fill out is something I need to think about, as well as getting my cadence down so I don't heat up the little molds too fast, or let the big 6 cav lee 240 grn 44 cool off too much.

I wasn't going for perfection right out of the gate, but I have some shootable boolits first time around with not too many culls. Gotta get a sizer and figure out powdercoat, but I'm on my way!243480

[Sig556r]

And so the addiction begins...

[RED BEAR]

Welcome aboard. I hate to point this out but your hooked now there's no turning back. What i can see those don't look bad. If you need any help don't hesitate to ask. The only dumb question is the one not asked.

[WHITETAIL]

welcome to the B.B., and now the insanity begins.:Fire:

[adcoch1]

Thanks red bear! They are ok, a little finning but pretty concentric. Size in at 360 so running through a sizer should make them shootable. I plan to powdercoat, but I may just tumble lube these and try em out. These came out of a used lee two chamber mold, and I was cruising right along. I had more issues with the lee 240 grn 6 cav mold, it takes a bit to heat it up enough to get good fillout. I need a hotplate and a bigger dipper to run that mold effectively I think.

I got good results out of a lyman 148 grn 357 wadcutter mold, its a 4 cav cast iron mold. I just set it in the lead for a min to heat it up and went straight to pouring almost perfect boolits. Shiny, sharp clean lube grooves, and really easy to drop out of the mold. I like that Lyman...

[gwpercle]

Nice looking batch o boolits . Your first are always special .
Welcome to the addiction !
Little advice, I started with a 5 # pot, way too small , 10 # pot better but if you are going to be casting with 4 to 6 cavity moulds...
still too small , I next got a 20 # pot...Love it , wish I had done that 40 years ago....
Keep an eye out for a 20 # pot on sale and snap it up .
I cast with a ladle from an open top 20# magnum melter...bigger is truly better !
Gary

[stubshaft]

You probably realize that you are addicted and have visited the greatest source of enablers and mold pushers there is!

[Petander]

Welcome to the madness!

I remember so clearly my first casting session. Open fire,ladle,big cast iron pot. Melting WW, I made over 1000 bullets the very first day with a single cavity 45-70 mold.

Save some of your first ones.

[mdi]

There's not a whole lot more satisfying than taking some scrap lead and melting it. Then pouring it into a mold and dropping high quality custom boolits then loading and shooting them. Hint; when you see a perfect booit fall out of your mold, don't get too excited and pick it up! BTDT...:roll:

[44Blam]

Just think of all the money your gonna save! Have fun with it! The best part is when you get everything together (your boolits, load, etc) and it works really well.

[adcoch1]

Not likely to save money, but I can shoot what I want and make it myself which is awesome. I will probably end up like some of you guys though with way too many molds. I need to find a good source for free/cheap lead!

[Petrol & Powder]

Welcome to the addiction.

Cast bullets and revolvers go together like bread & butter.

[adcoch1]

I will also most likely try some heavies in 30 cal for the 300blk as well, but starting with revolver ammo for now... It is an addiction, just one try and all I can think about is finding lead and getting a few more molds...

[Winger Ed.]

Your family is probably already planning an intervention.

[Bookworm]

... I need to find a good source for free/cheap lead!

Let us know how that works out:D

Welcome !

[RED BEAR]

I prefer the lee 2 cavity molds i use a ladle and the bigger lee handles hurt my hands after a while. I have a very comfortable chair i use for casting and have my little radio so i can listen to music or talk radio if someone good is on. So i can stay casting for a while but it gets to my hands.

[Daver7]

I will probably end up like some of you guys though with way too many molds.
I'm not sure it's possible to have too many molds

[adcoch1]

My initial shopping has me wanting/needing about a dozen more. My wallet is screaming already!

[John Boy]

adcoch ... your on your way and your start looks good
For 'perfect' bullets with complete fill out and sharp flat bases, if I may:
* Heat the melt and mold up the temperature where the sprue puddle frosts in 5 -8 seconds
* Then with downward pressure on the sprue plate - cut and look at the bases
* They should be perfectly flat in the mold, if so they will be filled out too
* Maintain a steady cadence and with your 4X cavity .... you'll have a pile of good looking bullets to be proud of

[adcoch1]

Thanks John, I may have been running just a bit cool then. It seemed like the faster I went(hotter mold) the better the boolets got. I need to play around with it for sure... I love this hobby already!

[6bg6ga]

Remember to keep lead away from water or moisture.

[bedbugbilly]

Great job! Nothing like setting p and creating a good looking pile of boolits! Enjoy, be safe and have fun!

[RobS]

There is either powder coating or hitek for coating. I did both and preferred hitek coating. Nice looking pills!

[mdi]

You can never have too many molds. Just for my peace of mind, I quit counting at 12 molds, and that was 5 years ago...

[pworley1]

There is no turning back now. Welcome

[bluejay75]

You will save some money by understanding heat control and mold lubrication.

I ruined a couple molds by running them too hot and not lubing the sprue plate and alignment pins during sessions.

Invest in the exact molds to get the desired effect and limit experimentation if you find one that suits your purposes.

Otherwise the addiction is STRONG!!!

[gwpercle]

Welcome to the madness!

I remember so clearly my first casting session. Open fire,ladle,big cast iron pot. Melting WW, I made over 1000 bullets the very first day with a single cavity 45-70 mold.

Save some of your first ones.

Would you believe my mother gave me one of her old cast iron pots to melt lead in ... Two big old cookie sheets to lay on each side of the melting pot ....And she let me cast on our/her gas cooking stove right there in the kitchen ... I ran the exhaust hood and cleaned up afterwards ...
That's what you call a good Mom and an A1 Enabler to her sons boolit casting hobby !
Gary

[adcoch1]

Btw, what do you lube the sprue plate hinge with?

[PowPow]

Remember to keep lead away from water or moisture.

Nobody wants a visit from the Tinsel Fairy. Those who get a visit never forget it. I've not met her yet.

Congrats, OP! Are you using two of the same mold or just using one?

[super6]

from the picture, I see maybe your die half's are not mating completely. One speck of lead between the to half's and your boolets will not be consistent. Otherwise your on your way! use A TITE GRIP

[RED BEAR]

+1 on lubing spruce and mold pins and hinge it really helps i use 2 cycle oil. And take it from someone who has more than my fair share of burn scars you can't have to much protective gear. Be sure to use at very least large safety glasses face shield even better.