first post new caster need advise

[Butch B]

I am going to try casting my own boolits. This is where I am now. I am loading for 45 colt and 45-70. 2 old vaqueros and 1 new vaquero 1894 Marlin and 1895 Marlin. None have been slugged. I am using 452. I loaded one box of 454 and could not really tell any difference. I also have a 454 super red hawk but I have only shot 45 colt in it to date. For the past two years I have been smelting ww in a cast iron pot on a turkey cooker, stirring with a cedar stick and fluxing with saw dust. A commercial caster has been casting, sizing and lubing for .02 but he just went up to .03 and he is not very timely. I have been waiting for over a year for 400 405s. Is this too good of a deal to pass up? I am thinking Lee pot (10 or 20 pound ?) a casting thermometer and a Lee 6 gang mold in 200 grains for cowboy boolits to get started. I am thinking about getting on the group buy for the 4 hole 270 SAA mold on this site. Are any people on this site shooting .454 in rugers or marlins? Should I get the Lee sizing die? I know this is getting too long. I would be thank full for any pointers.
Thanks, Butch

[454PB]

First, a hearty welcome to the forum!

I would discourage a newbie from starting out with a 6 cavity mould. It's far better to learn with a 2 cavity, then move up if desired. I cast with two 2 cavity moulds at a time and can crank out 5 to 6 hundred an hour once the alloy is up to temperature.

If you can get cast and sized boolits of quality for 3 cents each, you getting a smoking deal. I assume you are supplying the lead?

I use both a 10 pound and 20 pound Lee bottom draw pot. They work fine and have a long life, but require a little attention to spout cleanliness to avoid "dripping". For the bigger boolits you mention, I recommend the Pro-4-20.

The Lee sizing dies work fine, it's the lubing method that is messy and slow.

My Marlin GS 45/70 has a .457" bore, which is smaller than most owners report. I size to .4585" and the gun is a tack driver.

My Ruger SRH in .454 Casull wants .452" boolits, and refuses to even chamber anything larger.

[geargnasher]

There is likely a wide range of cylinder throat dimensions between that wide production spread of Rugers. Ruger once made cylinder throats correctly, then began making them too small, then more recently too large or very inconsistent. That measurement is far more important in a revolver than groove diameter, as you can shoot .003-4" over groove diameter in .45 Colt at standard (SAA) pressures with no ill effects.

I'm assuming you want "one size fits all" boolits for the .45 Colts, so I would stick with what has been working, as you say .452". The WW alloy you have will be perfect, air cooled. You might be able to use Lee Liquid Alox with those, but your guns might not like it. Some do, some don't, and why is beyond the scope of one post. Recluse has a sticky in the lube forum here that explains a better way of using LLA, and it DOES work much better than the way Lee says to do it.

I would recommend getting a Lyman sizer, a .452" and .459" H&I dies, top punches for the boolits you intend to use (see Castpics.net http://www.castpics.net/ for a list of Lyman punches that fit Lee boolits), and get some BAC lube from White Label Lubes (link at bottom of page, http://www.lsstuff.com/index.html).

Lee Pro 4-20 pots are great, the thermometer isn't necessary but helps. You can get good, cheap thermometers from various places, same ones sold by name-brand casting equipment companies at inflated prices.

Like 454PB said, dont' start with a Lee six-cavity. Like most Lee products, you need to be very experienced in troubleshooting to make them work well. The two-cavity moulds are far better and will keep you from pulling your hair out as much. Preheat the moulds before casting by dipping the bottom in the molten lead (hold the blocks closed!) and then the tip of the sprue plate, until lead won't stick to either. Then cast hot and fast with a generous puddle of lead on top of the sprue plate.

One more secret you need to know: Bullplate sprue lube. I use something I've found better on aluminum moulds, but Bullplate works and is much better than the bullet lube that Lee recommends for mould lube. Put Bullplate on both sides of the sprue plate and alignment pins, nowhere else. Keep the cavites squeaky clean and totally free of grease and oils, for even a trace will make wrinkled boolits.

And you thought YOU were long-winded :D. Take two asprin and call me in the morning :kidding:

Gear

[missionary5155]

Good morning & WELCOME to the hive.
Looks like your Q´s were answered...
BUT I will say.. the good deal on boolits is worth nothing if you have to wait.
I refuse to be waiting on someone to do something I can do. Plus you will learn alot about yourself and weapons as you go through casting your own. The equipment will pay for itself and you will not be sitting about waiting.
I started out on my own with a Coleman 2 burner stove (I still smelt on it) and yard sale pots, spoons, ladels... Molds I had to buy and borrow. Lubed by finger and in pans. Still do ! Except I do have those other tools now that increase production when I need lots.

[casterofboolits]

Since you are already smelting wheelweights, a minimal investment will allow you to start casting your own boolits. A Lee 20 pound pot and two cavity mould, push thru size die and pan lube the boolits will get you started. If you then need more production, buy another two cavity mould for $20.00.

Be fore warned, casting your own boolits is addictive. I started with Lee single cavity moulds, ten pound pot, pan lubed and used the Lee hammer powered, beat thru size die.

This then morphed into a twenty pound pot, two cavity moulds and an RCBS lube sizer. Then four cavity Lyman moulds and a Star lube sizer. Then a CH Mk 5a progressive press to feed an IPSC habit. One of the Stars was fitted with an auto feed and an MA Systems Collator.

Now I have three Star lube sizers and a Magma Lube Master, Eight and six cavity H&G moulds, etc., etc. The list goes on.

But that's just me. Just keep it simple to start and learn the basics of making good boolits.

[1Shirt]

Good advise given by all of the above! You will become addicted if you are not already there!
Good Luck!
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[qajaq59]

Welcome to the forum.

And about all I can add is, GO FOR IT!!!

[Doby45]

I think a plug for casting is even in the Bible. Something along the lines of "go forth, be fruitful and multipy" Now if THAT is not a message of multiplying your WWs into boolits, I don't know what is. ;)

[82nd airborne]

if you want to make LLA work well do this: 1/2 bottle of lla, 20ish crayons and a good spoonful of axle grease, melt it all together and then tumble lube. it will set up as hard an thick as the "good" loobs do, and works at some decent velocities. It is ugly though.

[Cherokee]

Welcome to the forum. You've already gotten some good advice, go for it.

[ghh3rd]

Welcome the the addiction.