I have a confession to make.

[Dale53]

I have been telling myself that I cast bullets so that I can shoot. Yes, I have been telling that to myself for nearly sixty years.

Today, I had a chance to try out a new used mould I bought at a gun show some time ago (OGCA). It is a two cavity H&G #503, 240-250 gr Keith bullet for the .44 Special and Magnum. I haven't yet weighed and measured them (will do so in a few minutes).

The mould was protected with a light coat of oil. I took it to the washstand and with a "for the purpose" toothbrush, I scrubbed the dickens out of it with liquid hand soap. I rinsed it in hot water and dried it carefully and pre-heated it on a hot plate while my bullet metal was melting.

After the RCBS bottom pour pot was up to heat I started casting. It took a while to get things to start running right. After a few moulds full of wrinkled bullets they started running FINE. A light tap on the hinge and the bullets fell out. I think that I had only two or maybe three bullets that had to be thrown back. The mould really ran well. I ran 20 lbs of bullets in about 1½-2 hours. That should give me something over 500 bullets. Not too bad.

After I finished, I realized, looking at the pile of match quality bullets, that I REALLY enjoyed doing this. It is cold out, snow is coming down steadily (no great accumulation but not much fun out) and I was as warm as a bug in a rug in my heated utility barn at my dedicated casting station.

Yes, I DID say that I REALLY enjoyed this. It was dern near as good as a day at the range, and that is saying something. I could listen to Rush Limbaugh (a dedicated casting station MUST have a talk radio show going:mrgreen:) which then morphed in to Sean Hannity. So, I got my current political events at the same time I am turning out that small pile of bullets. I wish this mould was a four cavity but, no more than I shoot my .44's these days, the two cavity will do. THAT is my confession, I actually LIKE bullet casting (don't tell anyone, they'll think I am nuts...)

So, I have a smile on my face. I did some .430" 200 gr full wad cutters and am in the midst of sizing them. Then, I'll do the Keith bullets.

Ain't life GRAND!!:drinks:

Dale53

[waksupi]

Dale, we were casting together. I was making .38 caliber boolits, and listening to Uncle Rush this morning, too!

[No_1]

I am with ya my brother. Almost daily I pull out a box of moulds and check them to make sure none are corroding and all of the sudden I get a hair to cast from one that catches my eye so over to the pot I go to turn it on, over to the cabinet I go to get the carb cleaner (gets the bulk oil off), over to the sink I go to scrub it with soap & hot water, over to the hot plate I go to heat it up and when everything is ready I start pouring boolits. A few of them will drop almost perfect boolits right away but there are those troublesome ones, you know the ones, they are a PITA to get going, THOSE are the ones I enjoy. I work them, cuss them and finally they start dropping little lead beauties. I cast till I get a good pile, fill the pot back up, flux it and by that time I can cull bad boolits from the pile which I toss back into the now cooling pot. I have coffee cans full of boolits. I end up picking out whatever amount I want to lube / load and whatever is leftover goes into a box that will eventually go back into the pot for "another day" of casting.

Robert

[targetshootr]

It was sounding good until the politics part. Then it turned my stomach.

:castmine:

[FISH4BUGS]

Here in New Hampshire, the winters are kinda long and cold. I have a propane heater that will heat the attached shed to about 40 or so, which is certainly warm enough to cast. Once the heat comes up and the pot is warm, I will cast for 4-6 hours at a time on those cold winter Sundays. On warmer days in the fall and spring I will smelt outside and make ingots. There is nothing like making another 5 gallon bucket of ingots to add to the stash.
I have mostly 4 cavity H&G moulds with a few Lymans and Saecos thrown in for good luck. I cast a large coffee can full of 4 cavity #45's the other day and a smaller can full of Lyman 2 cavity 358627's. Next up sizing and lubing. Did I mention the 2000 unprocessed 223's that need attention?
I enjoy that part of the process much like you guys do. I have a cheapie radio in the shed and will listen to any NASCAR race on, or any sporting event.
It makes for a wonderfully relaxing day. That is why we call it our HOBBY!
We do great no brainer time and we make something of value to us. How can that NOT be good?

[No_1]

Good point and something I failed to mention. Relaxation. The brain effort needed to do this overpowers the everyday BS I have to deal with which gives my mind a few minutes / hours or whatever time is needed rest from it. This is another reason I enjoy it.

Robert

[Cloudpeak]

I put a 240 volt electric heater in my 1 1/2 car, well insulated garage, sealed the insulated garage door and I'm set for the winter. I generally listen to "Slacker Radio" which is a free radio station on the internet with very wide range of music avaliable: http://www.slacker.com/

I've got a wireless router so I can cruise the net on my laptop in the morning while listening to music and smoking a fine cigar. (I used to have some really good coffee with the cigar my my urology doctor said I'd better lay off for awhile----like forever.)

I've got my computer, lazy boys, workbench, tools, reloading stuff, casting stuff and an indoor 7 yard range for plate practice with my airsoft 1911. I've been casting when the mood strikes and got kind of carried away. I have about seven, 3# coffee cans full of 9mm, mainly the little 105gr Lee SWC and 3 or 4, 3# cans of 200gr SWC 45's. I've also loaded up 1,000 rounds of 9mm and maybe 700 rounds of 45.

I'm really enjoying this winter! Beats the dickens out of taking care of a bunch of cattle through the winter like I used to do.:razz:

Cloudpeak

[randyrat]

I also worked on my list of bullets i need for shooting. I cast in the "gayrouge" standing on a coooold frozen floor untill the cold gets to me.
I cast for an hour or so and then tomorrow i'll size, lube and load. I have to do this in the winter so i have more time to shoot in the summer/not so frozen days.
I try to cast/load in the winter for all my needs in the summer. Yes it is relaxing and i enjoy this part of my sport. Then summer comes and i have a lot of work to do shooting these bullets up.
It amazes me more people don't understand this concept of casting, but then what would we do if everybody cast bullets

[Dale53]

Sounds like "Great minds travel in like circles":mrgreen:

Dale53

[opentop]

Hey Dale

I'm glad you had a good time today while it was snowing. I wish I could have been there! My night was spent out side starting froze up trucks and changing flat tires. Would have been a lot nicer in a warm place with my mind at ease.

[billyb]

Any time spent in any activity that has any thing to do with gun's is good time's I did not make this up, read it some where and liked it.thought it applied to me. Bill

[GSM]

Yup!

A full pot of lead and some good H&G molds makes for a good "therapy" session.

Seems a shame to send the real pretty ones downrange sometimes.

[copdills]

Thanks for Sharing this Dale , It is a Love and an Art

[jack19512]

After I finished, I realized, looking at the pile of match quality bullets, that I REALLY enjoyed doing this.








My sentiments exactly. When I am casting my mind is freed of all other thoughts for at least a little while anyway. I only have the two cavity molds so it takes me a while to cast a larger number of boolits but this doesn't have to be a bad thing. I have the large 2 lb coffee cans full of cast boolits of various calibers and styles and a quantity of cast reloads ready to shoot, just waiting for the weather to improve.

[Dan Cash]

It was sounding good until the politics part. Then it turned my stomach.

:castmine:

Please puke outside.

[mtgrs737]

Sounds like casting boolits to the sound of conservative talk radio just goes together! I too like H&G moulds, they just seem to cast well! I wish I had more of them.

[k8bor]

I'm using my time right now gunsmithing a rusty rescued 336 in .35 remington. I'm cutting it down to 16". I've already taken a lot of wood off it and shortened the pull to about 12.5"

Last weekend I cast about 500 of the RD 359-190's, and this weekend I'm going to go to work with a new Lee six-cavity 459-200 I just bought. I have a .44 mag 1894C at the gunshop that I still owe about half the cash on yet, and am already casting for that one.

I got that particular mold because I actually am looking forward to shooting BP in it if you can believe it. That mold has the very typical old bp nose shape to it, and I think it will be classy.

I've found I just love hunting with my 1895C, simply because I really feel like a "hunter" with it and the open sights. Casting bullets has allowed me all of this pleasure, and I see nothing at all bad with any of the peculiarities or detail involved with totally "rolling your own" and/or "the art of shooting.

I owe most of the fun I've had the last 16 years to this hobby. (well, besides the grandkids, anyway)

[Heavy lead]

I cast in the basement, usually on the weekends or at night, I usually have the TV on the outdoor channel, or a football or baseball game. I don't listen to Rush much anymore, but I do agree with him and Hannity. Just don't have time during the day. But if I did, sounds cozy.

[montana_charlie]

I have been telling myself that I cast bullets so that I can shoot. Yes, I have been telling that to myself for nearly sixty years.
Now, you have learned the truth.
You actually cast bullets because you enjoy it.

Does that mean you are going to start selling bullets...instead of shooting them?
CM

[1z-bar]

My only problem is that I cant get good reception in my basment to listen to Rush & Hannity:cry: . A least my wife lets me cast in the basement:grin: I'll have to get me a better radio!!

[MoldyJoe]

I Snuck away from work today for a long lunch, drove 10 miles to the junkyard, trudged through a foot of snow, and pried WW off of rusty old hunks when I could find them. While laying in a melting snow bank cussing my blood blisters, and only finding about 20 Lbs and paying $10 for them I realized that, Yeah, I really love this stuff. It's amazing how excited I get when I see a Long chunk of Lead barely hanging on by a thread of Rust, just calling my name. and working myup a sweat prying off that tiny weight that won't even fill up the mold. I came back to work an Hour late, soaking wet, tired and with a huge smile on my face. Is there something wrong with me? Joe

[Matt_G]

I Snuck away from work today for a long lunch, drove 10 miles to the junkyard, trudged through a foot of snow...
For the record, was that uphill...both ways?

Sorry, couldn't resist. :mrgreen:

[Dale53]

Actually, once upon a time, I DID cast bullets for other folks. It's not an easy way to make money but it sure was steady. I never did catch up with the demand but had LOTS of satisfied customers.

My two sons helped pay their way through college by casting bullets during a recession around here (no summer work to be had so they MADE work). I can still remember my youngest son casting bullets in the garage (overhead door open with a large box fan behind him) when the outside temperature was near 100 degrees. Now THAT is a strong work ethic:mrgreen:.

1z-bar;
I don't know if it'll work with your radio or not, but years ago, I ran a straight wire for an antenna (drop it down from your roof and bring it in through a window) and see if that helps. Some radios have a place to connect an antenna - just need a length of wire to improve things, many times.

Dale53

[jack19512]

I Snuck away from work today for a long lunch, drove 10 miles to the junkyard, trudged through a foot of snow, and pried WW off of rusty old hunks when I could find them. While laying in a melting snow bank cussing my blood blisters, and only finding about 20 Lbs and paying $10 for them I realized that, Yeah, I really love this stuff.






I thought I was the only one here that done that. I have a junk yard near me that lets me pull the weights off the wheels. I don't get 20 lbs. but what I get don't cost me anything but my time.

I have an abandoned gas station near me in the town I live in that has been out of business for at least 10 years now. I knew the old gentleman that owned it and purchased a lot of my gas off him. I'm sure he is gone now.

For a while now every time I would pass the place I would tell my wife that some day I was going to go in there and see if I might find some wheel weights. Well the other day I stopped there and went in.

The place was a mess, just about all of the windows were broken out, the roof was half fallen in and junk on the floor everywhere. The first thought that went through my mind was of how freak accidents happen to people and how my wife would react after she got the news that the rest of the roof had fallen in on me and killed me and all for the possibility of some old wheel weights.

I looked the place over good and in this one spot, and it was the only spot that was clean and without some sort of trash and junk lay a small pile of wheel weights. Enough to fill a large drinking glass. It's almost like the old guy knew I was going to stop in there and he put them there for me. I hope I never need lead so bad that I have to do something like this again!

[Bret4207]

I enjoy it too Dale. I have the old milk room set up for casting and laoding. I crank up the Keorsun, do chores, take care of a few things and in 45 minutes or so it's a comfortable 50+ degrees at shoulder level. I can cast all day now if I want, but usually end up sidetracked into any of a hundred other projects. I have a radio out there and am fortunate enough to have a local FM station that plays Glenn Beck, Rush, etc. I can listen to Glenn all day, Rush wears me out in an hour or so and Hannity I find irritating. O'Rielly follows them and he's alright, but is no Conservative and then Laura Ingram comes on and she's pretty good. I can also throw in Marty Robbins, Tom Petty, Ian Tyson or The Drifters and really relax.

Sad to say there's just SO much to do here on the farm I don't get to relax too much. Nothing like spending the day on your back on a cold concrete floor trying to find that last unseen bolt on a piece of equipment covered in 50 years of cow crap and chicken droppings. You do learn to keep your mouth shut during that process!

[Cloudpeak]

Sad to say there's just SO much to do here on the farm I don't get to relax too much. Nothing like spending the day on your back on a cold concrete floor trying to find that last unseen bolt on a piece of equipment covered in 50 years of cow crap and chicken droppings. You do learn to keep your mouth shut during that process!


"keep your mouth shut", one of the three rules I live buy: Don't invest with Bernie Madof, "don't get out of the boat: ("Apocalypse Now") and keep your mouth shut when working on farm machinery.

We had four manure trucks and four feed trucks at our family feedlot and, at one time, I was responsible for servicing them all. Lots of bearings on equipment back in those days. Inches of cow poo caked on everything. The worst feedlot chore? Scooping a few tons of manure off a truck that had the bed chain break so you could fix it.

Cloudpeak

[jack19512]

I did pretty good today. I have a do it all auto repair shop in my area that does exhausts, wheel alignment, tires, about any mechanical repair, etc...etc...but have never asked them about getting any wheel weights from them, don't know why I guess I just thought they didn't do that much tire business because of our other full service tire shops like Goodyear and others plus our super Walmart.

I was going right by the place so I decided to give it a shot. I know the people there from business I have gave them in the past so I talked to the owner and asked him if they had any wheel weights they didn't want and he informed me that they were saving them for somebody else that used them also.

I thanked him anyway and started to leave when he told me that he would check and if he had any he would give them to me so I said OK. I followed him back thinking I will maybe get a handful or two but when we got in the back he had a 6 gallon bucket plumb full of weights. Best of all where they had been saving these for somebody else there was no junk or trash in the bucket, just wheel weights. It don't get much better than this. :bigsmyl2: