Recommend a casting book or two.

[the_ursus]

Most of what I know (that's not much I might add) is gathered from what others have done and said but I have little in the way of reading material. Does anyone have a favorite casting manuel? RCBS, Lyman, etc? I'm all snowed in and have nothing but time on my hands!!

Luke

[docone31]

In my opinion, the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook is the bible of casting.
Techniques, alloys, load data, theories.
It is the grail.

[beagle]

The Lyman Cast Bullet Book, then the RCBS book and if you can find it, the NRA Cast Bullet Supplement (out of print).

All are outdated but give good information.

After that, this site. People here with the exception of bench rest cast shooting are pretty well on top of things as they exist in the cast bullet world today./beagle

[mooman76]

There is some good info in the Lee load manual and the Lyman load book too but the Lyman cast handbook is the best by far that I know of. Plenty of good info here too and allot you won't find in any manual.

[AZ-Stew]

With all due respect, I'll voice a minor disagreement with beagle.

These tomes aren't "outdated", but rather they have stood the test of time and are still recommended as being excellent references. In my mind, "outdated" suggests they have been replaced by "new and improved" material with loads of newly discovered hints, tips, advances in metallurgy and technique that render the older versions "obsolete".

This IS NOT the case. While there have been some minor advances in lubes and casting accessories since the RCBS and NRA volumes were originally released, the VAST majority of the information contained in them is just as useful today as it was when they were published, to say nothing of the history of the roots of casting they contain.

If you can get your hands on these three books you'll have an exceptional library for learning the basics and a lot of advanced techniques. They'll serve you well.

Regards,

Stew

[sniper7369]

There is some good info in the Lee load manual and the Lyman load book too but the Lyman cast handbook is the best by far that I know of. Plenty of good info here too and allot you won't find in any manual.


+1 When I first started casting I read both of those books first. I still had questions, so I found this place and started searching and reading. Sometimes I'll find info on here that I actually print out and keep with my books.

[beagle]

By outdated I mean that many of the new powders aren't addressed as well as the newer cartridges. As far as I know, there isn't any reference that I would consider up to date as far as cast loads are concerned.

Heck, I still have the old 40s Ideal manuals and they're still useful but the data in them is obsolete. Where do you find Hi Vel #2 and 2400 has changed burning rate.

As far as the basics, they're still just fine for a beginner in learning casting but if you're looking for good data on new powders, you have to seek it out and the internet is the only place you will find it./beagle

[TAWILDCATT]

Beagle is right on outdated,but for the load data.that changes periodicaly.but the basic information is always up to date.
ABC of reloading is good also.I have them all.and Phil Sharps 1945 book.I had to learn the hard way,as the lyman was the lead one I have belding and mull ,mordern bond,and lyman 1945.course I have Lee 1&2.searra/speers and hornady.they become obsolete quickly.
join the cast bullet ass and they send you a book that carries all the best tec.
their book is worth the $17 membership fee.:coffee:

[AZ-Stew]

I concede.

I was considering the techniques for casting, alloys, heat treating, lubes, and other things related strictly to casting, not the load tables.

Best to all,

Regards,

Stew

[Firebricker]

I agree with docone31 Lyman the grail. But theres a ton of other good manuals. Metallic Cartridge REloading 3rd edition has a good casting section. I have L.B.Ts book Jacketed performance with cast boolits on order. Heard it was a good one let you know when get a chance to check it out.

[Bret4207]

Two older books are very good, 3 actually- the already mentioned "The Complete Guide to Handlaoding" by Phil Sharpe, Principals and Practices of Reloading Ammunition" by Earl Naramore and the prize of the 3 "Handloading Ammunition" by J R Mattern. All 3 cover all aspects of reloading, but Mattern and Shapre do the best on cast. Plus, Mattern is fun to read, for me at least.

All the older Lyman books cover casting. I think the first and 3rd copies of their Cast Bullet Handbooks are best. #2 is a ho-hum for me somehow. The RCBS cast book is okay as are Lee's books.

The NRA books, if you can find them are good. Even better is "The Art of Bullet Casting" by Wolfe Publishing, a compilation of cast boolit related articles from Handloader Magazine. They also did 2 Cast Bullet annuals. It's high time Dave Scoville got off his butt and reissued all 3 of these and "The Art ..." vol 2, made up of more recent articles. Maybe if Mike Venturino reads this he could put a bug in Daves ear. (Gee I wish Ken Howell was still editing Handloader!)

Elmer Keith's books covers a lot of cast info, Veral Smiths book is good, Ken Waters Pet Loads has good cast info too.

Hope that helps. Those old, out of print books can be found through the book sellers sites like abe.com, amazon and of course Ebay.

[TimBoothe]

I'm an absolute Newby at this. I took the advice of others and got the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.

[MoldyJoe]

Being new to this I took your advice and just got the Lyman book at Amazon for $20. It was the 1978 version I think. I have a new Speer manual for load data so powder loads won't be an issue. Thanks, Joe

[Pepe Ray]

Moldy Joe'
Hi.- Allow me to point out something to you.
Speer, Hornady, Nosler ad infinitum all have a product to sell. Jacketed bullets.
The only and few lead bullets sold by Speer /Hornady are swaged and are a much different animal.
NONE of the bullet manufacturers give a gnats orifice about cast boolet making OR shooting. They are GREAT resources for what they are but have very little to offer us, the pourers of the silver stream.
If your shooting focus is with cast boolets then watch the road signs or you'll miss the path.
Pepe Ray

[the_ursus]

So I decided to go with the Lyman book on everyone's reccomendation. It should be here this week. Thanks!

[looseprojectile]

are doing well to invest in reading material. The previous posters have given good advice.
One thing that that you will read in Lyman's Cast bullet handbook is, that all their boolits are cast with Linotype metal. BS, NOT necessary. I have trouble making my boolits soft enough. I do have a good supply of lino, though I use it primarily
to sweeten my pure lead. Wheel weights will work well for most applications. Only when you are shooting a gun with shallow rifling such as a lot of .45 autos do you need a somewhat harder alloy. Boolit SIZE makes all the difference and is of great importance.
When starting out casting you find yourself mired in information overload, especially now with the internet. Just start simple and build on your experience.
This forum is the place to ask questions and get good answers. You came to the right place.
Welcome to Cast Boolits.

Life is good