New Guy Checking In

[Michael J. Spangler]

hello everyone.

i wanted to drop in and make an introduction. i have been lurking for a little while doing some research on tools and techniques.
i'm planning on casting for my .45ACP 1911. the only hand gun a currently load for and shoot a lot of. I recently started to get in to reloading a lot more than i used to and would like to be able to load more for my money.

I have a few hobbies to try to divide my time in to. I also do some custom metalworking. http://www.spanglercustomknives.com/Spangler_Custom_Knives/Welcome.html

now it's time to get geared up
i have found a source for WW relatively cheap.
i have a lee melting pot on its way from a friend.
i have a turkey fryer and a pot or two for turning WW into ingots.
i'm sure i could come up with a ladle

though i'm a little stuck on molds and lube sizers. i've opted for the lube/sizer vs the tumble lube because of everything iv'e read. some people hate the tumble lube some people love it.
seems like the lube/sizer had been around for a long time, does the job and there's more info and less messing around with it. i'm not sure which sizer to go with. like most everything else it's a 45/45 split between the lyman and RCBS another 10% mixed between other companies. it's hard to figure out.

as far as molds i'm leaning towards lee 6 cavity but i've heard that their .452-228 gr. RN design does not function well in a 1911.

does anyone have info involving this?

any info on lube/sizers or bullets molds would be greatly appreciated. i'm not against other mold companies or numbers of cavities, just seems is the lee worked, it would be great for the $$

i look forward to casting and hopefully getting in to another good group of people on a forum dedicated to a nice hobby

thanks everyone

[JIMinPHX]

as far as molds i'm leaning towards lee 6 cavity but i've heard that their .452-228 gr. RN design does not function well in a 1911.


Really? That's news to me.

If it does give you trouble, then try some magazines with "wadcutter lips" on them. Those should feed just about anything.

Post #5 in this thread shows what I am talking about - http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=42221

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

[Longrange]

I have not had any problems with round nose in my Sig 1911. I prefer the lee TL TC for my pinking round and for use as hog hunting backup. I have just ordered a MP 200 gr hp mold and am looking forward to trying it out.

The 1911 was designed originally to shoot Round nose.

[Michael J. Spangler]

hey guys.

thanks for the quick reply. i had heard that the lee ogive was off and cased FTF issues. just something i stumbled in to though. that's why i figured i would check it out here.

though looking around that MP200 gr HP mold looks really really sweet. i might take a look in to one of those.

[462]

Michael,
Welcome.

Look into Lyman's casting kit, available from Midway or Midsouth. It consists of a lube/sizer, ingot mould, ladle, Cast Bullet Handbook, and Mini-Mag furnace. Don't know the current price, but it used to go for less than $150. It's like buying the lube/sizer and getting the other components free.

No feeding problems with Lyman's 452473 boolit -- a 225-grain FMJ clone.

[gray wolf]

first off let me say " nice to have you here "
You said you had a pot coming, What size is it ? 10 pound ? 20 pound ?
If it's a ten pound you may want to re-think that 6 hole mold. We just talked about this on another thread in relation to how fast it will drain a lead pot. I have a 4 hole mold that is great to use but it is very hard to keep it fed with a ten pound pot. I have one of the 200 rain HP molds that you said you liked. It gets my ten pound pot down to half in no time flat.
Give it some thought. You may want a hot plate also to warm/heat up your mold so you don't have to many rejects when you start to cast.
I have nothing against anyone that pan lubes or uses Alox for tumble lube, it's just not for me. I use a old Lyman 450 sizer that I got used for 50$$ and it works just fine.
There is a gentleman here on the forum that sells lube, you can find him at the bottom of the page, and don't forget the Bull shop sprue plate lube.
Is the ladle for the smelting ? or are you going to use one for smelting and one for your bullets ?
This is just the start of your questions, you will have more and the answers will be here.
Good luck and again nice to have you.

Sam

[HeavyMetal]

Welcome to the site.

My tip is for a lube sizer: buy a Star!

If you shoot any amount of 45 auto ammo you will thank me for the advise! Do a search for the video Freakshow did on sizing boolits in a Star.

[KYCaster]

Welcome Michael.

The problem with the Lee boolit is the "1R" ogive. Anything that doesn't duplicate the ball profile can cause some feeding issues. Some experimenting with OAL will usually solve the problem, but not always.

Both Lyman and RCBS offer molds in the 230 gr. ball style. I think the RCBS is available in a 4 cavity. Their quality and customer service are very good.

The Lyman kit that 462 mentioned is a bargain and a good place to start, although there have been some reports of poor quality molds from them recently.

Good luck and have fun with your new hobby.

Jerry

[Michael J. Spangler]

alright,

not sure on the pot size. i'll have to check with him. good advice on the pot size though. i didn't think too much about recovery time on the lead melting.

i just looked into the lyman kit, those are really an awesome deal.
is the star really worth it? i understand it sizes nose first and helps to keep everything concentric. but do the lymans and RCBS sizers do a bad job?

i'll look in to the star a little more. does anyone retail this item or do you have to go straight to the manufacturer? i know how sometimes manufacturers list prices are higher than the actual retail prices.

does anyone have any good resources on lead exposure during casting? this is something i've been wary of, but can't find much info. everything i read states that you're fine as long as you're not eating/smoking ingesting the lead after handling, and of course that pricers are a bigger issue with lead poisoning. but always hearing lead is evil i can't seem to accept what i've read, i just keep searching to find something saying "lead is bad!"

[Michael J. Spangler]

and of course. thanks again guys. i'm glad to be here. can't wait to start casting

[462]

Michael,
Don't worry about lead exposure -- that is directed toward children whose bodies absorb it readily, compared to an adult's which doesn't. Also, lead fumes, at the temperature levels we use, do not break it down to the point where inhaling it is harmful. Wash your hands after handling it, though. If you are still not comfortable, purchase and use a respirator.

My protection to lead exposure is eye protection, long pants, shoes and socks, gloves, and an apron. Lead burns go deep and take a long time to heal.

[Echo]

Welcome, Michael, to the madness (more truth than humor there!). I'll give you my dos centavos...

Lube/sizer - go on eBay and buy a Lyman or LAM/RCBS for about $70-$80 delivered. They use the same dies, and do a good job. I have two LAM's and a Star - the Star is super for lube/sizing fast, and I mean fast. If time is of significant importance, a Star is worthwhile, but for most of us, the others do just fine.

Furnace - The one I use the most (I have several) is my Cute Little Thing, a 3-lb Potter w/external control. I can cast up a small batch (50-70) of boolets for testing purposes. When I find a combination of alloy and mold that works best for whatever application, then I can fire up a larger one. I got enthused with one mold one time, and cast up about 15 lbs of boolets through the Potter! By setting an ingot on the rim of the pot, I warm it so that when I introduce it into the depleted pot, it doesn't drop the temp too much. And I bottom pour. Haven't used a ladle for about 35 years. For you - you don't indicate whether the Lee pot you are getting is a bottom pour or ladle design. I won't get into the bottom vs ladle thing - I just bottom pour, and press on...

Regarding outrunning the pot - it is certainly possible to do, especially with .44-.45 boolets and a 4-6-gang mold. The way that I address the problem is to pre-heat the ingots (as mentioned above) before introducing them to the pot. Keeping the pot nearly full, and putting in fresh (warm) ingots as the level drops a little, keeps from dropping the temp significantly.

Molds - they are all good. Some are great. Many need some TLC before they will behave. I use the Lyman 452460 SWC for my .45's (house gun and wad gun) and have no problems with feeding, but that can probably be traced to the magazines I use. There are several applicable molds around - I'm sure whichever one you choose can be made to function to your satisfaction. I suggest you eschew BB molds. I have none, and don't want any. EBay is a source of vintage molds that can be a good buy.

Lube - I use NRA 50/50, but there are many others that will do the job. And don't forget the BullPlate for the molds!

The main thing I attend to when smelting or casting is to make sure I am wearing socks! Natural fiber (cotton or wool) socks! The idea of a splash of lead, or a hot 250-grainer, landing in my loafer is not my idea of fun. Otherwise, I wear glasses, so no face mask. Short sleeve shirts, shorts, means that I will occasionally catch a wee drop of lead on the arm or knee, and that keeps me aware of what I am doing. I DO wear gloves, for both purposes. Right - I am NOT an anal person!

I smelt outside, cast inside, and am careful about washing my hands before snacking after, or during, the process. Lead dust introduced through the mouth is supposed to be the major way lead is introduced into our systems, so wash often.

And I do go on, sometime...

Again, welcome.

[Michael J. Spangler]

awesome keep it coming guys.

alright as far as the lead exposure i'm not too worried about myself just my daughter, she's only a year and a half old. so i really plan on keeping this casting and smelting setup at my workshop about 7 miles away, where i can shower and change in to clean clothes before i even jump the car to come home.

the pot i'm gong to get i believe is a bottom pour lee. i like the idea of preheating the ingot, this would also evaporate any moisture if present (maybe some condensation?)

i think i'm leaning towards the lyman lube/sizer i think it would be good to get the kit, for the price it's like getting a lube/sizer and the rest is free as stated above.

i'm leaning towards the lee on the molds but i might get a lyman 4 cavity. though i'm sure i'll shoot more as time goes on and boolits are plentiful. i've had 500 rounds of .45 that have lasted me about 4 weeks now. this will b the last week and they'll be gone, but it has been only a few short trips to the range to blow through them. i don't know if the 6 cavity would be overkill for me starting off.

the lube is something i need to do more looking in to. i'm sure i'll just buy it. seems like it's cheap enough with enough different options not to bother with making your own, unless you need to fill a gap that the manufacturers don't?

i am set up for work with metal. i have a respirator/full face shield if need be. all of welding gear, gloves, apron etc. i'm familiar with working with hot metal. though not normally molten, this will be new to me. i rarely get the chance to mess with it, but i am aware of the dangers.

is these a commercial lead removing soap? or a specific type of soap recommended for removal of lead from your skin? or just good ol dial? it's good to know i'm clean before i go home to the baby.

do you guys have resources for buying equipment? other than midwayusa or sinclair? i didn't know if there were other suppliers out there?

thanks again guys

[Blammer]

for removing lead, just don't eat the stuff and wash hands with normal soap and water just like regular and you'll have no problems.

go with the 6C, cast up a bunch at once and then you won't have to do it for a while. It won't be over kill. You can cast up 500 booilts in no time and it'll last you a few weeks. :)

if you go through 500 rnds a week then a star may be the ticket, you can always upgrade later.

I know wiljen is selling lube right now in one pound blocks for cheap, you may want to get some, it's cheaper than buying it by the stick and it's good stuff too.

[Michael J. Spangler]

what is the typical yield for bullet lube? i know there are different size sticks, and of course all lube grooves are different sizes, but could someone let me know what they yield on a particular bullet design and size stick of lube?

i'm sorry i might have typed that wrong, i meant that the 500 rounds lasted me about 4 weeks. so 125 rounds a week. i would imagine this would jump to about double if i can get my schedule a little more consistent at the range.

[gray wolf]

You had better get a 20 pound pot if you go with the 6 hole mold.
As for the lube, it goes a long way. I fill my Lyman 450 and can lube close to a 1000 bullets-- or at least it seems like it. Yes it depends on the bullet. I shoot mostly 45 ACP.

Sam

[Michael J. Spangler]

does it take a whole 2X6 stick to fill it? Thanks

[KYCaster]

does it take a whole 2X6 stick to fill it? Thanks


1X4 sticks for the little sizers, 2X6 for the commercial machines.

Jerry

[Michael J. Spangler]

wow lube is cheap.

i might have a lead on some cheap WW too.

[dragonrider]

Welcome Michael.
You found the right place to answer your questions.
BTW where is Fairhaven, Ma, I am in Linwood, Ma, south Worcester County.

[Michael J. Spangler]

hey man, i'm on the southeastern MA. down near new bedford, dartmouth etc. takes me about an hour and 15 to get up to exit 24 on 495. hope that's a good reference

[dragonrider]

Google Earth says 1 hour and 4 mins. from Linwood. Not so far.

[JIMinPHX]

a
i just looked into the lyman kit, those are really an awesome deal.
is the star really worth it? i understand it sizes nose first and helps to keep everything concentric. but do the lymans and RCBS sizers do a bad job?


A creative individual can figure out how to size nose-first in a Lyman or RCBS luber too.

[JIMinPHX]

If you guys in Mass don't mind taking a ride up 93, near where it crosses 128, you should see if a place called the Collector's Coin Gallery still exists on Main Street in Stoneham.

That Place used to have some really good prices on new & used firearms and even reloading supplies. The day after Thanksgiving sale there was so good that people would line up in the cold for blocks, just to get in. It's really worth getting put on their newsletter list too. Lots of good stuff comes through there & the guys on the list get first crack at it. That place looks like a tiny little shop, but they do a huge volume of business.

[Michael J. Spangler]

i'll have to look in to that.
i think i'm going to start ordering a few tools over the next few weeks and get started with the casting stuff already.

[Michael J. Spangler]

yeah that's it i'm going to order the lyman casting kits from midway, i have a lee pot on the way form a buddy, along with a big smelting pot and ladle.
i'm going to go with the lee six cavity. even i know its going to be big for the lyman or lee pot i'm going to get but i'm not worried about full on production yet, i just like the reviews on the six cavity, they seem to be built better than their 4 or 2 cavity moulds.

what would you guys suggest for a lube for a .45 acp 230 grain round nose? i know the lyman kit comes with some lube but i'm sure there's better out there for each application.

i have a lead on some wheel weights, a buddy said he can get them for free. i said i would throw him some money anyway. well worth it.

thanks again for the help guys

[Wayne Smith]

Emmert's is easy to make, modify and adequate for all low speed (think 45 ACP) applications as well as BP applications. It's what I use and it works.

[JIMinPHX]

The Lyman kit comes with Supe Moly Lube. As a lubricant, it can't be beat. I've pushed .223 boolits up over 3,000fps with no leading. It's soft enough that you don't need a heater to run it through the lubrisizer. It's a real mess to work with though & if you leave lubed boolits out in open air, that lube will dry out & shrink. Here in Phoenix, that stuff shrinks up in less than a week & then the boolits need to be re-lubed, so I keep my moly lubed boolits in tupperware type containers.

A guy on the board here named Lars (Sp?) sells his "White Label" lube. He sells a few different types. I've read good reviews on all of it. Bullshop, another vendor here, makes a lube called "speed green" that they sell. It also gets good reviews. There are plenty of commercial lubes available from places like Midway. I was having real good results with Rooster HVR, but they stopped carrying that one. I just switched over to Carnuba Red from Lars, which looks to be about equivalent in quality, but much less expensive. I haven't tried it yet though. In the past, I've had good results with Orange Magic on pistol boolits, but you need a heater with that one because it is a fairly hard lube. It worked well on pistol boolits, but it didn't give me the best accuracy on rifle boolits up over 2,000fps. You can also search this board for "Felix Lube" & find a recipe for making your own. There are a lot of lubes out there & almost as many opinions on which one is best.

[462]

Michael,
Now, I understand your concern about lead exposure. I cast in the garage and the grandkids aren't allowed to come in while I'm casting.

Midsouth Shooters Supply is another excellent company. I had a bad experience with Graf & Sons, and refuse to buy from them, however other members are happy with their pricing and customer service.

The lube that will come with your Lyman kit is soft -- no heater required -- and contains moly. I found it to be too messy to work with. I use Jake's lube: http://www.jakesproducts.com/index.htm

[dragonrider]

Michael, yes the Star is really worth it.

[Echo]

One additional comment, Michael - When you start casting, when the boolits are coming out nicely, MEASURE the OD! Imagine the futility of casting up 500 boolits, only to find that they are undersize. Don't ask me how I know.

[Phat Man Mike]

welcome from NE Oklahoma.

[David2011]

Welcome, Michael!

I'm another Star lubrisizer fan. It will size 800-1000/hour. As far as I know buying direct is the only source for new Magma products. You might check Ebay and the other auction sites.

If you need to heat your lube, mount the press on a sheet of aluminum about 6" x 12" x about 1/8" thick and put an old iron on low way out at the end to heat your lube.

Good casting!

David

[Michael J. Spangler]

i think i'll stick with the lyman for now. i don't want to get too deep just encase i really don't enjoy casting ( i doubt this will happen) either way i figure this is a quicker way to get in to it, and i can always upgrade some items later. i imagine it's not a bad thing to have extra tools right?

i'll get a hold of lars to see what he recommends.

david i like the iron idea. my wife might not want me stealing her iron but that's ok.

good idea echo. i'm going to make sure i have my calipers close at hand.

time to order a lee mould.