Just Starting

[CAO Vision]

Hello all, just joined the ranks here Im looking to get some opinions from all the Master Casters out there. As you can probably tell from the title I am a NOB to the extreme! Is what I want to do is produce good solid .40cal approx. 145-170 gr. Boolits. I have all the equipment for melting and pouring but none of the actual boolit making stuff. So my question to you all is what would you recommend for a good (budget) starting "kit" ie Sizer, molds lube and all that! Also if somebody could tell me EVERYTHING that I will need? Please and Thank you! Also I have literally tons of pure lead will this suffice for casting or is it going to be mandatory to get it harder? Also what is the general perferred poor method? I already have a Lee Production pot and a laddle to cast straight off of a burner if the Prod. Pot isnt the ideal method, I know the Pot doesn't keep up on casting 1oz slugs very well but will it fill a 160gr. Boolit cavity well?

Also if this post doesn't belong in this area I apologize in advance!

-CAO Vision

[shotman]

well first you say 40cal . guessing a simi auto . Pure lead is too soft, need to find some wheel weights to mix in. Lee sizer and tumble lube work good in the 40 heat the lube. bottom pour is better and a 6 bang Lee is the best .
Oh dont forget the Kroil for the mold

[Bad Water Bill]

First off WELCOME TO OUR HOME.

Hold on to the pure stuff unless you really love cleaning bbls. get some wheel weights to work with. Check the on line stores for the best prices on a Lee mould and sizing kit which comes with their liquid lubricant. Lee is the least expensive and still gives good products.

Much more info will be given when you tell us more about what else you have and how long you have been using it. For instance do you reload if so for what. This info will help the family here get you on the right track.

[WHITETAIL]

CAO, Welcome to the forum!:cbpour:

[CAO Vision]

Well been reloading for quite some time! Reload alot of 9, 45, 223, 243, and 308 but mostly 40! Have been reloading cast boolits from two alpha bullets for a little while and love them but Im just looking to get more bang for the buck! I use mainly RCBS products all dies and presses are RCBS, have a RockChucker. Like I mentioned above I have a Lee pro pot bottom pour and a 20lb pot I set on a turkey frier for making larger casts. I dont know what else I can tell you? hope thats enough info. Are the Lee Molds you guys are suggesting the tumble lube molds then run them through the lee sizer that attaches to a single stage press?!
I have looked at these but just assumed with the tumble lube they wouldn't be near as accurate and would lead the barrel something terrible!? Thoughts? FYI I wouldn't mind spending the money on a Lyman 4500 or The RCBS sizer if you can produce better bullets that way! I am looking at $200 to $250 for the initial budget to get into it here!

[bigbets]

CAO what part of Iowa are you from?

[CAO Vision]

East Central, Iowa City area

[CAO Vision]

Anybody? Com'n I figured there would be a ton of people to drop their opinion!

[excavman]

I never did think much of the tumble lube system, tried it. I'd go with Lee molds, Lyman lubrisizer, Lee bottom drop pot. Get about 50 - 100 lbs of wheel-weights, melt and clean it and add a pound of 50-50 bar solder for every 20 lbs of ww, don't forget to flux the mix to keep it all together, pour the mix into ingots for easy handling and you're ready to learn how to make good boolits like us pros do, he,eh,he.

Larry

ps - Get you a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, $20 and worth every penny of it.

[docone31]

I do not like tumble lube. I am sure it works, but I pan lube. I know it works!
Works real well, and with my Push Thru Sizer dies, makes a neat load.

[CAO Vision]

What does "pan lube" mean? Thanks for all the feedback!!!

[waksupi]

Look over your shoulder. There are a few board members right around you there in Iowa.

[Suo Gan]

I would buy a Lee 6 cavity design and a pair of handles, when you get them boil them in dish detergent and clean them with a toothbrush, that mold will probably be stubborn at first try smoking the cavities with a wood match (I have only had to do this with Lee molds), if you scrimp and opt for their two cavity molds, remember they will require extra TLC mostly in the venting department. Buy the Lyman boolit kit (that comes with the CB Handbook), the extry pot works good for keeping production up, you will need the plug in heater for the lube/sizer too. You will need to slug that barrel and buy the appropriate sizer die, .02" over groove diameter (micrometer). Get the Lee expander die. Go to Bullshop and buy his bullplate and his bullet lube flux with the bullet lube or candle wax (about the size of a peanut and stir with a piece of kindling remove slag with old tablespoon), http://bullshop.gunloads.com/tbs_products.htm. Mix WW 50/50 with your pure (can buy ww here or on evilbay if need be), and add 2% tin (solder), water drop them, if you do not add the WW it will do you no good to water drop the pure ones, they need the antimony in WW for that. Many folks will want to buy your pure lead, and you can then buy some harder alloy. $10-20 a bucket at the tire store is about right. A 1000w hotplate and a piece of scrap steel is extremly helpful to get mold up to temp.

If this seems unlinear, sorry it has been a long day.

Remember that you have all the time in the world to get it right, and there is no sense in hurrying and buying a whole barn of stuff you do not need. KIS and take it on in increments. Read and search here often, you will often find that your questions have been covered many times before. Buy as many books as you can afford on the topic. Seek advice. Remember that it ain't rocket science when casting outside the realm of benchrest/competition shooting. It truly is a rewarding hobby.

http://www.castpics.net/ and http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

[HORNET]

By your comment that you've already got the Lee Production Pot, I assume that you mean the 10 pound capacity bottom pour? If so, you're set for melting equipment although it will have problems keeping up with anything over about 2 cavities in the 175 grain range, as you've found with the 1 oz. slugs. The ladle might work better for you to get good fill-out, or you might be good with the bottom pour. There are advocates either way on here and occasional disagreements on the merits of both techniques.
Get some Bullplate Lube from Bullshop, it's about the only thing most of the board agrees on.
I'd recommend getting a 2 cavity Lee as a starter, either the 401-145-SWC or 401-175-TC. It's easier to learn on a 2 cavity (and you won't break the sprue plate lever) and you can upgrade to the 6 cavity later if you decide that you need more capacity. There have been numerous reports on here lately about the TL401-175-SWC casting undersized so I don't recommend it for the time being. The shoulder on the 401-145-SWC may have feeding problems depending on the specific gun involved.The conventional lube designs can still be tumble-lubed and sized with the Lee kit. That kit will get you started and then you can try some of the other things in the Lubes Forum.
As far as the "literally tons of pure lead" (nice problem to have), you can try swapping with someone for some wheel-weight alloy, buy some WW alloy (see the "Swappin' & Sellin' Forum), or sell some and buy some enrichment alloy from Rotometals (link at top of page- check on member discount). See the "Lead & Alloys Forum" for more details as well as the LASC site (link at bottom of page).
I recommend that you spend some time checking the "Stickies and Classics" section at the top of the main index page, including "The Goatlips Casting Pages". Some "Hands-on" from a local board member would probably be very helpful when you get everything together as well. There are LOTS of little details that are easier to pick up that way.
Welcome to the fun, don't believe everything you read about cats or sheep and hang onto your wallet if you visit the Group Buy section.

[mdi]

Several publications out there that would help, especially the Lyman Cast bullet Handbook. Personally I started with Lee dies and molds for my .44 Mag. and would suggest Lee products for starters. I use a Lee 20 lb. bottom pour and it works great; I use two, 2 cavity molds at a time and can do 150 - 200 bullets in a sitting easy with a bad back (can't sit in one position too long). The Lee push through sizing system works pretty good for me; sizing and seating gas checks. Check out the stickies in the Lube section of this forum for some hints to make alox easier to use, and some ideas on pan lubing.