Hi all newbi here, just got a couple of questions.

[Scotts556]

Hi,

My name is Scott and I've been looking around here for the past couple of weeks and decided that I would join. So first off, what stickies should I read? And second, what books and starter kit should I look into?



Thanks,
Scott

[DeadWood]

Hi Scott! welcome. New to casting myself, just starting to accumulate equipment since joining last winter. Got sidetracked and since am all on board.

Reading Material
Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook a must. they will be coming out with the 4th edition late spring early summer. I would wait and get it not the 3rd edition. Its fine, but as i found out no load data for .40S&W. you can and will learn from this site before getting this manual, but is a definite to have.
"Cast bullets for beginner and expert" . do a search for it can get either a book for $?? or his CD for $5 which has more info than you will know what to do with. Between searchs here and this CD you will start to form more than enough questions. I have this and am glad i bought it!! lots of GREAT info.

My question first to you would be what do you plan on casting for? this will decide what equipment you will want. I hope your not like me b.c. i started with one weapon and have know convinced myself i need to cast for most of what i have.


Start siffting through the "classics & stickies" section

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=35

and you will develop some knowledge and lots of questions.

Good Luck
welcome to the addiction

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Hullo Scotts556 and welcome to the site, what you need to read first , go to the "Goat Lips" stickie and read / look at the excellent Pics and you will get an idea on what you may need to get started, it depends on how you want to set up.....and what you expect from your equipment.

If you don't have the Lyman Cast bullet hand book, you could go to E-Bay and bid on one, and or the RCBS cast bullet handbook, both are up for sale at this time....[smilie=1:

There is also a lot of information on the LACS site at the bottom of the page......the knowledge you need is in the Classics & Stickies at his site....go surfing for info that interest you...:drinks:

[collyer]

Welcome, You will enjoy what Cast Boolits has to offer. I am also fairly new and you can not believe all the information. Good luck:mrgreen:

[Bloodman14]

To answer your questions in order;
1. Read ALL the 'Classics and Stickies', then read them AGAIN.
2. Get Lyman's cast bullet handbook, and read it TWICE.
3. Get 'Modern Reloading, 2nd Edition, and read it twice, too.
4. To get going with basic gear, go to Lee Precision's website and start looking.
5. Welcome to the BEST website in the world!

[MtGun44]

What kind of guns will you be loading for?

If revolvers - go to the handgun section and read the sticky on slugging bbls and
measuring throat diameters, this is the starting point for revolvers.

If semi- auto - what caliber(s)? 9mm causes a lot of heartache from undersized
boolits since many pistols have barrels much larger than the nominal .355 diameter
often claimed. Many 9mms need .357 or even .358 diameter boolits to work well and
not lead and tumble in flight.

Do read the Lyman book, a good starting point.

Bill

[462]

Welcome, Scott.

You are starting out with the right frame of mind when you mentioned READING.

The archives are indispensible. Bookmark it and refer to it often: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/f-8.html

For a starter kit you'll not find anything better than this: http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/master-casting-kit.php
It can be purchased from Midway or Midsouth for a very reasonable price. As you can see, it includes their "Cast Bullet Handbook".

Let us know what guns you will be casting for. You will probably get some quick pointers.

As you read, you'll see that there are often what may be deemed to be conflicting opinions on any particular subject. Keep in mind that the posters are just relaying what has worked for them. It may not work for others, however. But that's why we are here. When it comes to boolit casting, one size does not necessarily fit all. Many times the tides, and the alignment of the planets and stars play a major role, as does the position in which you hold your tongue.

Enjoy!

[Scotts556]

Well thanks for the replys everyone.

The cals. I want to load for is .45 auto. 9mm, 7.62X39 and .223 remington.



Scott

[machinisttx]

Glad to see you found your way over here.[smilie=s:

[Wayne Smith]

Well thanks for the replys everyone.

The cals. I want to load for is .45 auto. 9mm, 7.62X39 and .223 remington.



Scott

Scott, start with the .45! It will be the easiest and most forgiving. The bigger the bore the easier it is to see the lead and make sure you get it all out, too!

[WHITETAIL]

Scott, Welcome to the forum![smilie=s:
Now as for as starting out for
making your own boolets.
You will need to get some lead and
tell every one you know that you
will take any and all lead.
Because you will find it comes from many sorces.:holysheep

[largom]

Welcome aboard Scott! Another good book is "Jacketed Performance With Cast Bullets" by Veral Smith. Veral has a web site at Lead Bullet Technology.

I like your desire to READ first. That is the best approach. Read, take notes and ask questions here. This will save you money and heartaches down the road. One thing you can start doing now is the collecting of wheel weights and lead, best if you can get them for free or cheap.

You are going to like it here!

Larry

[qajaq59]

Welcome aboard Scott.
The reading is a fine idea. And it will save you a whole lot of frustration in the end. And there's loads of info in print and in here. Within a short time you'll have a good idea of what equipment you'll need, or want, without wasting a lot of money.

[sundog]

Howdy, Scott.

http://www.nrastore.com/nra/images/detail/01779detail.jpg

http://www.nrastore.com/nra/Product.aspx?productid=PB%2001779

For only ten bucks, this is the best "How To" out there. It is not a load data manual.

Doing some reading up front you can make a few simple decisions about how and what you will load which can lead to getting the equipment you need. Your 'stuff' does not need to be new, just serviceable and safe. By not getting stuff you do not need you will have more to spend on components. Keep us posted on your progress.

I noticed one of the cartridges you will load for is .223. I took my bolt gun to the range yesterday to check zero (fixin' to get rid of a few coyotes). Careful hand load technique and load testing (not to mention a little work on the gun itself) has produced .5 MOA three shot groups with jacketed, including the first cold barrel round when fired in a fouled barrel. The more I shoot it the better it gets. That's what this hand loading business is all about! When I first got that gun the best it would do was maybe 2.5 MOA.

[Scotts556]

I just thought I should add that I already reload, I'm just looking to get into casting to save a lil more coin and have something else to occupy my time with.

Thanks for all the info everyone,

Scott

[Bass Ackward]

I just thought I should add that I already reload, I'm just looking to get into casting to save a lil more coin and have something else to occupy my time with.

Thanks for all the info everyone,

Scott



You don't have to read or do any certain thing if you can remember to start low and work up. If you don't have the discipline to follow that creedo, then you need to read ALL the stickies and, in the end, come back to the origional rule, start low and come up.

[jlchucker]

Welcome, Scott. When I started using this forum I already was a reloader and caster--or so I thought. I had begun years ago by reading the Lyman manual (an edition in a small, spiral-bound book). After some 30 plus years, I found this website and joined. Since that time I've learned one heck of a lot from reading the stuff the guys here post. Folks serious about casting need to belong to this website. The biggest thing you'll learn, though is that you probably won't save much coin--you'll just shoot more and buy more molds.

[Suo Gan]

Scott, Howdy and welcome. My personal take on getting into the casting game is that if you have common sense, you will be fine. There are topics about cast boolits that get discussed over and over with no end in sight. The constant reiteration is good, but can also be damned confusing to a new guy too. Sometimes there is more than one way to skin a cat. For instance a lot of new guys have trouble with wrinkled boolits. Some will say you definitely have a problem with your alloy, others say clean your mold, still others will say you have vent problems...they all could be right some of the time or even at the same time. What this game requires is that you get some knowledge and just start doing it. Practice makes perfect. At first go slow. Don't push them too fast. That way you can shoot straight ww alloy without getting into complicated mixtures and buying expensive tin and tin alloys. Read up on slugging your bore, reduced loads etc. Buy the Lyman CB Handbook and Joseph Brennans book. Read all of classics and stickies, read all the articles in castpics, read as much of the boolits archive as you can (which has good quality info), go to the cast bullet association forum and join it, and ask questions. Remember to search too, most of the beginning questions have been discussed very often and usually are not case specific.