New person here

[giddyupgo55]

wanted to say hi and ask a question. I've read that some folks will drop there bullets into water after they are solid enough, just what does this do to the bullet? I was given all the equipment to cast my own years ago and with the price of things I am starting to look at casting my own. More questions to follow

[archmaker]

If you are using wheel weights, it will make the boolit harder. The reason is the Antimony in the Wheel Weight lead.

Dropping pure lead or a mix without out antimony into water does not give you any advantage other than cooling the boolit off faster.

[archmaker]

And Welcome to the world of casting. I started casting about 20 years ago and still do it off and on, hoping to do it more on then off.

If you enjoy making things and then using what you make, you will enjoy casting!

[badgeredd]

wanted to say hi and ask a question. I've read that some folks will drop there bullets into water after they are solid enough, just what does this do to the bullet? I was given all the equipment to cast my own years ago and with the price of things I am starting to look at casting my own. More questions to follow

Welcome aboard the best shooting forum on the web.

Water dropping ones boolits hardens them if they have antimony in them. I use an alloy that is 20% railroad bearing journal babbitt and 80% WW with a bit of tin added. Air cooled my slugs are in the 15-16 BHN range, but water dropped they go up to the 25-26 range. Harder boolits can be run at higher velocities if all other things are equal. You'll notice that there is a good bit of discussion on this subject and several thoughts as to the good vs. bad results. The general opinion is that a good fitting boolit does not need to be hardened in most hand gun applications. I've generally had very good luck with mine air cooled in rifles up to 2200 fps, and plain based boolits in hand guns up to 1400 fps. I'm sure others with more experience will chime in to give you some other details that will be helpful.

Edd

[44man]

It makes the boolit harder, quicker, but still needs to age a week or so until they reach full hardness. Best to do any sizing soon after casting and let them sit before loading.
Some like to heat treat air cooled boolits at 425* in the oven for an hour and quench saying water dropping is not keeping boolit heat consistent.
I do everything wrong according to theory, ignore the little things and I can not tell any difference when my boolits shoot way under 1" groups at 50 yd's from my revolvers. I shoot a lot of 1" groups at 100 with water dropped that all reach water at different times. [smilie=1:
Just fill a five gallon bucket almost full and set it off to the side away from the lead pot. When the sprue is cut, open the mold and let the boolit fall into the bucket. Makes life REAL easy. :Fire:

[Willbird]

Another side benefit is that it is easier than trying to drop the boolits on a towel, even dropping in careful little piles over a bench covered with a couple bath towels every 250-300 bullets I need to regroup them, dropping them into water I can put 2000 or more in there without having to do anything.

Bill

[docone31]

When I cast, I water drop. I have always done that. The one time I air dropped, the castings deformed.
If they are pure lead, all it does is wet them.
It is just an habit I got into. Makes it easier for me to cast, water drop, cast, water drop.
Keeps it all in one place.

[hoosierlogger]

you must be a Red Sovine fan with a handle like giddyupgo? Welcome from another noob.

[beagle]

Welcome to the zoo. I use two towels and a 5 gallon pail of cold water. One towel goes in the bottom to act as a cushion and another wet towel is draped over the top. A 2" hole is cut in the top towel and it's draped to act as a funnel. This eliminates and dents that the bullets may pick up if you're casting from a DC mould./beagle

[jawjaboy]

Welcome giddyup. :mrgreen:

[giddyupgo55]

Thanks everyone. Looks like I have a lot to learn and a lot of folks willing to help. And yes I am a Red Sovine fan. That is were I came up with the handle.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Giddyupgo, welcome to the zoo