i have 100# of lead...

[troy_mclure]

now what? lol

with the astronomical price of jacketed bullets, i have decided to cast boolits for my encore 45/70.
i am also new to rifle reloading too!

what good "how to" books do you reccomend? one that explains gas checks?

lead, good places to get it cheap(or even better free!)?

what equipment do i need to make good boolits?

what else do i need to know that i dont know to ask? :confused:

thanks for helping a noob!

[clintsfolly]

start with a Lyman cast bullet book and read the stickies here! welcome and have fun clint:castmine:

[Old Ironsights]

now what?
Get more lead.

100# isn't enough to hardly get started with. ;)

I'm feeling pretty poor sitting on 600# of pure and 1000# WW...

[madman]

Welcome to your new addiction! 100 pounds! don't even blink and you will have 1000 pounds. No kidding!. Lyman's books are good. Just a word of advise. Buy a custom made mold. I know the price is higher but you really get what you pay for in the end product. You have found the beat place for sharing information that there is so ask away. Look around and check out the place. 45nut has done and is doing a right fine job here.

[JIMinPHX]

start with a Lyman cast bullet book and read the stickies here! welcome and have fun clint:castmine:

Ditto on the Lyman book. When you've finished your reading, then it's time to shop for equipment.

& Welcome to the board.

[Echo]

And don't be leery of eBay - it is possible to pay 1/2 price for good, used equipment. RCBS RockChucker's go for ~ $80-90, Ohaus 10-10 scales for $70-80, Lee 10-pounders for $40, Lyman 450 lube/sizers for $60, all about 1/2 the new cost of the equipment, and the stuff is likely as good, or close to as good, as new.

[crabo]

I think that if you will start reading a lot, as you gather more lead, you will see certain principles begin to emerge. When you are first starting out, there is so much information that it boggles the mind.

I would start to cut and paste, and build some information that you can come back and return to to reinforce what you are learning. Start searching the stickys and you will find a lot of information.

One thing to warn you about, is not to ask for the one single "magic" boolit for your gun. There are a lot of good boolits that will be recommended. You may have to try several to find the one that really works for you.

I don't reload for the 45/70, but when I do, I will probably start with the RCBS 405 grain boolit. That is one of the molds that is often recommended for the lever guns. Notice that I said "when I do". I don't have the gun yet, but I have brass and a mold ordered in the group buy.