My first attempt at casting was a sucess

[ghh3rd]

Although I had a mishap with flaming gasoline spewing onto my hand from the pump on my Coleman stove tonight before I melted any lead, I was able to repair the stove and make my first bullet casts ever. I wrapped my burned hand and slid it into a leather glove. I was determined to make at least one bullet tonight, even if it killed me :-)

I was very surprised at how well it went, right from the beginning. I had enough wheel weigts to fill a small pot, and the stove melted them very quickly. I was going to quit as soon as I got a few good ones, but it seems that all but a couple came out perfect, including the first two, and it was hard to stop.

When I ordered the mold I should have ordered an ingot mold, but found I had an old sinker mold that makes 14 oz sinkers. I was able to make a couple of large sinkers to save the excess lead for next time.

I am excited at the prospect of loading these as soon as I get my press set up. Then I'll have the satisfaction of loading these bullets, but the real pleasure will be looking at the round holes that these will make in a target.

It is a Lee TL358-148-WC double cavity mold. Thanks for everyone's help.

Randy

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/ghh3rd11/IMG_5590.jpg

[AzShooter]

Randy you did very well.

Accidents do happen. Last week my melting pot exploded spraying lead all over me, the ceiling and my grlfriend's car. Only some third degree burns on my hands. I was wearing glasses at the time but I scared the hell out of me.

Still can't figure out the cause but my casting area is now cleaner than it's ever been.

Good luck in the future. Let's see pictures of your groups next.

[ghh3rd]

Holy cow! You didn't throw a live round in the mix, did you? ::shock:: Glad that you weren't hurt too bad, it sure could have been worse.

Randy

[copdills]

Looks Great Man , hope your feeling better today

[Echo]

Sorry to hear of your mishap, but the casting results are top-notch. What will you be shooting them in? What load? And the sinker mold looks handy - easy to put several into your pot, or a furnace.

[ghh3rd]

I just picked up a S&W 642 .38 snub yesterday. I will try it out today at a nearby indoor range with commercial ammo as they don't allow reloads, and I haven't had the opporutnity to set up my reloading equipment that I just received. Reloading will be a first for me too.

I'm not sure on the load but just looked at the Lee Modern Reloading second edition book. I found that for .38 special 158 gr lead bullet with Bullseye the Start is 3.5 grains and the Never Exceed is 3.6 grains.

Randy

[superior]

Those are some good lookin' boolits! They look like soup cans.

[AzShooter]

You are going to be shooting 148 grain wad cutters, not 158 grain lead.

The standard bullseye load for competition is 2.7 grains of Bullseye with the wadccutter you are using. The loading manuals state anywhere with this bullet from 2.7 to a max charge of 4.4 with Bullseye.

Unique also works great with charges of 3.4 to 5.0 and a favorite powder of mine is 231 starting with 2.8 and going to 4.6

Never excede maximum charges. Start with the minimum and work up. If you go up .2 of a grain at a time you will notice your groups tightening up, then they open up. That's when you've exceded the limits of that lode with your bullet.

I'd keep it low and shoot all I could until I could hit the center of the target all day long at 5 yards, then move back to 10 yards, then 15 etc. With a short barreled revolver that's my limit.

Also from a bench test the loads out to 25 yards. You'll be surprised at how well they shoot.

If you get a 158 grain mould. The starting loads listed go from 3.1 grains of Bullsye for 630 fps to a max of 4.1 for 830. I shoot about 20k rounds a year with 4.0 grains out of my Model 627 but that's for competition loads and I need the velocity.

Stay safe, load for accuracy and make your shots count.

[runfiverun]

sounds like water got in your pot, this causes a visit from the tinsel fairy.

[ghh3rd]

AZ shooter - thanks for that! I just looked in my Lee book under 148 (not 158 as earlier) :( and they have a range of 2.6 - 2.8 for Bullseye. Could the Lee charts be on the conservative side for the high limit?

Randy

[AzShooter]

Yes. Most manuals are conservative. You need to look at a lot of manuals.

I have a few 1 lb coffee cans full of wadcutters that I occatiionally send down range with light charges. They sure do group well. But they lose their advantage at 50 yards.