Who's the new guy?

[357mags]

Hello. I'm going to start reloading as soon as my equipment arrives from MidwayUSA. I'm going to start with jacketed bullets, but want to cast my own eventually. I'm going to start off buying some hard cast bullets before I cast my own. The place I shoot doesn't allow jacketed rounds indoors, only lead. I know that sounds backwards, but when I asked I was told their backstop won't hold up to jacketed bullets. I shoot 357 mags, a 4"S&W 27-2, and a 6" Colt Python. From what I've been reading, leading seems to be the biggest problem to avoid. I plan on buying some 180gr hard cast bullets. Where's the best place to buy them? Any sage advice for the new guy? THANKS

[Bret4207]

Welcome aboard 357. I'm originally from Warren Co and know Wash Co pretty well. Glad to see another "local boy" here!

If I can make any suggestion it's this- forget the whole "hard cast" thing. It's advertising and nothing more. If you want to experience leading the best way I know is to get a "hard cast" boolit with crayon like lube and make sure it's a little undersize for your guns. Then load them on the hot side and you'll be sure to enjoy all the pleasures of a leaded barrel. The worst leading I ever got was from a box of Laser-cast "Silver" boolits, guaranteed "hard cast" and, as I later found out. almost .002 shy of the .358 they were supposed to be. They sure did melt down nice!

Boolit fit is what matters, not "hardness". Since you're shooting a Colt and a Smiff I'd spend my time looking for a boolit sized at least .358 if not .359. .357 will sometimes work in a Colt but rarely in a Smith. .358 is a better bet in a Colt and .359 should work in both unless your guns have odd dimensions.

Do some research in the "Classics and Stickies" section and keep looking through the posts here. You'll figure it out pretty quick.

[missionary5155]

Greetings and WELCOME 357mags
Bret said it RIGHT. I actually start as SOFT as possible with my cast boolits then increase that hardness as need be. Hang around here a while and read up. Plenty of Good fellers here that will get you started reloading. Casting is the next logical step to Independent / affordable shooting. I will put my cast Revolver boolit up agaist anything a factory can offer.
Rifle just takes a bit more work... but there atre fellers launching lead at Full throttle speed.
Mike in Peru He is Risen !

[Echo]

Welcome, 357! What they said - I have been casting for over 40 years, but have learned a TON since joining this forum.. Ask, and you will receive correct answers from the most knowledgeable casting folks in the universe.

[runfiverun]

start smoozing the guy's where you shoot.
bet since they only allow cast there, the regulars cast their own.and see if you can get to clean up the back-stop area.

[357mags]

Thanks fellas! You guys already set me straight. Should my cast bullets be gas checked? Should they also be lubed? Where's good source for the bullets you think I'll do best with? Again THANKS guys.

[cajun shooter]

Welcome to the board, Read the sticky section and buy the Lyman Cast Bullet Book. You need to do some research by reading. If you stay on the forum you will see that every new member ask the same questions. Later David

[Recluse]

Thanks fellas! You guys already set me straight. Should my cast bullets be gas checked? Should they also be lubed? Where's good source for the bullets you think I'll do best with? Again THANKS guys.

Howdy.

Boolits definitely need to be lubed. Gas checks? Depends on the boolit style/make, and velocities you want to achieve. I only shoot one gas-checked boolit, and that's in a .44 Magnum load I've been tinkering and experimenting with for several years.

A good source for the boolits you'll do best with is . . . yourself.

Check out the stickies found at the front of all the forum sections. You'll see where to get your smelting setup and how to do it for a song--or less. (Harbor Freight dutch oven, turkey fryer propane burner, several cheap stainless steel ladles, and ingot mould/s). If you already have a propane burner, you can do your entire smelting setup for less than forty bucks.

Casting your own boolits? Lee bottom pour pot, couple of Lee two-cavity moulds (read the Le-Menting sticking on Moulds/Maintenance forum and follow the steps) and a Lee push-through sizer and you're pretty much set. Probably around a hundred bucks, give or take whatever shipping boils down to.

Start reloading for .38 Special. Much more forgiving than .357 magnum for a beginning reloader. Also will give you a better opportunity to get your casting down as well as your lube/sizing preferences.

Oh, and that hundred or so dollars for the casting set up? It'll pay for itself inside of four boxes of "hardcast" commercial bullets. Take care of the moulds and sizers, they'll last forever--literally. It's like making a one-time investment that just keeps paying off over and over.

:coffee:

[Adk Mike]

Welcome 357 Mag. I've been casting off an on for 30 years for both rifle and pistol. I try to shoot once a week. Mostly with a M1917. Yesterday I shot my 357 a lot with 158 grain cast bullets. The funny thing I read your post we must be neighbors I work in Washington County every day. Small World. Mike

[leadman]

You may want to consider the weight of the boolits you are going to cast. 125 to 158 grain is the range I would recommend.

There are alot of very good 158 grain molds available with the 158 grain round flat nose from Lee a good one.

You can cast three 158s for a little more than two 180 grain. Makes your lead go farther and helps decrease recoil.

[TAWILDCATT]

it may be hard to get reloading supplies.I have an order for some tooling and every thing is back ordered.:coffee:[smilie=1:

[Wayne Smith]

Save your money on the hard cast. Buy a mold or two. Do your reading as suggested, set up to cast right away. Nothing hard or unusual about it, either. Start scrounging lead, either from wheel weights or from plumbers and roofers. As mentioned for a couple hundred you can do it, and actually for less. I still, after ten years, use my Coleman 2 burner stove and a 20lb Cast Iron pot to melt ww and to cast from. I'm not a volume caster, though. I can smelt wws and pour them into molds and then fill the same pot from the molds and cast boolits. A used Coleman, a 1 qt ss kitchen pot, a good thermometer, and a Lyman or RCBS Ladle and you are set.