What do I need to cast and make my own bullets?

[chrismetallica1]

Hi All,
Im just sort of making a list of stuff that Im going to have to buy to cast and make my own bullets. So far I have the following

Reloading gear (too much to list)
(http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL480/4004437/20074621/355863696.jpg)

Mold (lee, Lyman and RCBS)
Mold handles
A lee production pot
welders gloves
ESS Advancer safety goggles

What other gear do I need? I know im going to need sizing dies. However am note sure as to which ones. Also what type of saftey gear will I need? Will this and the A2P3 filter be ok?

Mask
http://www.davronline.co.uk/product/jsp-tradesman3-mask-twin-filter-a2p2-respiratory-protection

Filter
http://www.davronline.co.uk/product/jsp-olympus-filter-canister-din-thread-a2p3

I was thinking of either casting in my yard on a nice day or in my shed. However Im not sure as to if I would need some type of Fume extraction. Sorry for all the questions. Im very new to the casting side of things. Untill now I have always bought my cast bullets from a local guy who has a magma casting machine. However I fancied having a go myself and didnt want to invest in an auto caster like his. Any advice is welcome

All the best

Chris

[snaggdit]

Many posts will tell you that smelting scrounged lead into ingots will sometimes smell. If done outside, staying upwind is all you really need to do. When casting, using clean ingots makes very little smell. Fluxing is when you will get some smoke, but that is about it. Most of us do not use masks/filters. If you have sensitive lungs (asthma, other issues) you might want it, though.

I cast in my garage with no additional venting and never notice any odor/smoke/smell. Some even do it indoors.

As for sizing dies, I just posted to another thread that it is important to slug your barrels first so you know what diameter you want to end up sizing your boolits to first before buying the wrong ones.

Welcome to the addiction/money pit, oops, I mean hobby!

[chrismetallica1]

Welcome to the addiction/money pit, oops, I mean hobby!

LOL, I got into the reloading to save money but I have spent more on that buying gear than when I use to shoot factory ammo. I cant resist buying more new or secondhand presses and dies. I only decided to start casting after buying a load of second hand moulds. I stumbled upon this forum by accident and now I quite fancy having a go a bullet swaging as well. However after checking the local gunsmiths it doesnt seem to be popular in the UK no one stocks equipment for it. I might pick some up next time im in the states. Cheers for the advice looks like I will give it a go this weekend. Anyway need to reload some .45acp before I go to the range.

All the best

Chris

[runfiveswife]

its so addicting, but fun to do, and gives you a sense of pride to know that you are shooting something that you made your self, and if you can ever get free wheel weights i would grab them . they are hard to get now.

[sheepdog]

its so addicting, but fun to do, and gives you a sense of pride to know that you are shooting something that you made your self, and if you can ever get free wheel weights i would grab them . they are hard to get now.

Exactly. The other day I shot this homemade target I built to catch my boolits for reuse. So I dug a few out and looked at them over. I kinda got goosebumps looking at my little humble boolit, with my homemade lube and light rifling marks all the way down. I was proud that couple of three wheel weights had gone into making a cartridge more accurate than I could pull off the shelf for next to nothing.

[chrismetallica1]

its so addicting, but fun to do, and gives you a sense of pride to know that you are shooting something that you made your self, and if you can ever get free wheel weights i would grab them . they are hard to get now.

Unfortunately an EU law was enforced a few years ago. Wheel weights in the UK are not lead anymore :(. However my local range has an indoor section with booths. They shoot rimfire and .44, .38 and .357 onto a steel plate backstop. Only the rimfire is copper washed and the 44, .38 and .357 are non jacketed cast rounds. I spoke to them and I can have as much lead as I need. I was going to smelt it with a propane camp stove and cast iorn pan. I bought a load of muffin tins from pound land so hopefully I can cast a bunch of ingots one afternoon and not have to worry about lead for quite some time :grin:

[Gunslinger]

That sounds like a perfect idea. There's probably a lot of lead there just waiting for someone to take it home.

Here in Denmark lead weights have been replaced by zinc weights. But the shops still have a lot of lead weights. Remember when John Doe (who haven't changed his tires for 5 years) buys new ones, his old LEAD WEIGHTS are removed and replaced with new shiny and totally useless zinc weights....

[chrismetallica1]

Gunslinger,
That sounds the same as here. I spoke to the local tire place and thats how I found out the weights were no longer lead. They did tell me that Motorbike wheel weights are still allowed to be lead but most weights are now zinc. However I think the range lead is my best option. There is loads avalible on the steel plate range. All I need is a shovle and a bucket. Range two is even better, Its underground shot into a sand backstop. They have shot there for over 20 years and never changed the sand or reclaimed the lead. There must be tonnes of it in there. If only I could work out a quick way of getting it all out. [smilie=b:

[fredj338]

That sounds like a perfect idea. There's probably a lot of lead there just waiting for someone to take it home.

Here in Denmark lead weights have been replaced by zinc weights. But the shops still have a lot of lead weights. Remember when John Doe (who haven't changed his tires for 5 years) buys new ones, his old LEAD WEIGHTS are removed and replaced with new shiny and totally useless zinc weights....
It's coming here to the states as well. Kalif. is banning lead WW use after 12/09. So the already short supply will dry up completely. I am trying to scrounge/buy as much as I can before teh end of the year.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Hullo Chris, #1 go to the Goatlips sticky and look at what he has to work with, he has a lot of info there, and good advise on smelting/casting. If your working outdoors, stay up-wind and ventilation should not be a problem.

Just a quick look at what you have and what you will need, if you are going to smelt your alloy and make ingots for your casting pot.

Heat source, I would suggest a turkey fryer/propane tank/hose & regulator
A cast Iron dutch oven for a pot.
a ladle for stirring and or pouring alloy.
A slotted spoon for removing trash from your smelt.
Find some used corn muffin pans for cheap ingot molds or make your own, buy new ones.

This is do-able for -+ $200 IMHO

For Casting CB:
You should slug the bores of your guns and determine what size boolit you really need. Most folks use CB's at .001-.003 over bore size to seal the bore and stop leading.
If you have several molds for caliber, you may get boolits that will be fine as cast with out sizing. If so lube and go shooting.
The Lee push through system is the lowest cost for sizing and works fine. If you are shooting large quantities of CB's you may want a Lyman, RCBS, Star , , the Star is the fastest of the 3 and most expensive. I have both kinds and I use the Lees quit a bit these days.

I would get a thermometer , not necessary, but helpful keeping your melt at the right Temp.
A micrometer & caliper if you don't have them.
A cheap hot plate [800-1000w] is nice to have for preheating/keeping molds hot

This should be a good start, you can keep adding/upgrading from now on..Good Luck