Interested in casting bullets

[quilbilly]

Casting is a terrible addiction. Be warned but if you must, and can get hold of the earlier Lyman casting book, I find it a bit better for getting started so read it. That done, welcome to our happy addiction and stick around!

[David2011]

Mazak,

This is THE place. There are a bunch of generous, awesome folks on board here. Welcome to CastBoolits!

My two cents: Once you have the mechanical side met (alloy, way to melt it, mold, etc.) start with the .38. It's way more forgiving as a learning platform for casting and handloading than the 9mm. The 9mm is a high pressure cartridge and the smallest changes in seating depth and powder charges can make a big difference in peak pressure. That's all much less critical in .38 Special. You can make the LCR FUN to shoot with handloads. Let us know where you are because there just might be someone on the site nearby that will be a mentor. Among us there's about a gazillion years of experience. Tat can save you a lot of grief and money.

David

[mazak5962]

Thanks for all the replies. I live in Winchester Tennessee. Been reloading for about a year on a Dillon 550b. I absolutely love it. Looking for a little cheaper way to shoot. I'm shooting the berry's plated boolits right now($90/1000)

[mazak5962]

Casting is a terrible addiction. Be warned but if you must, and can get hold of the earlier Lyman casting book, I find it a bit better for getting started so read it. That done, welcome to our happy addiction and stick around!

Which edition you talking about

[mazak5962]

Mazak,

This is THE place. There are a bunch of generous, awesome folks on board here. Welcome to CastBoolits!

My two cents: Once you have the mechanical side met (alloy, way to melt it, mold, etc.) start with the .38. It's way more forgiving as a learning platform for casting and handloading than the 9mm. The 9mm is a high pressure cartridge and the smallest changes in seating depth and powder charges can make a big difference in peak pressure. That's all much less critical in .38 Special. You can make the LCR FUN to shoot with handloads. Let us know where you are because there just might be someone on the site nearby that will be a mentor. Among us there's about a gazillion years of experience. Tat can save you a lot of grief and money.

David

Thanks David. I live in Winchester, Tennessee

[mazak5962]

Thanks David. I live in Winchester, Tennessee

David, when you talk about 38's being more forgiving, are you talking about reloading or casting or both. I've been reloading 9's and 38's for about a year

[jcren]

Both. Loading cast in a 9 can be pretty quirky, mostly due to the taper of the case. Proper case prep and flaring helps, but picking the right bullet is important too. For example, lee tl style bullets tend to get squeezed down by the brass more than a traditional or solid design. That little 38 can be made to shoot most anything that will fit and be loaded from .22 levels to more than you want with little trouble.

[Wayne Smith]

And the "little .38" can be loaded with as soft as pure and as hard a lino and if the boolit fits it shoots and doesn't lead as long as you load appropriately. The swaged hollow based wadcutters loaded with 2.8gr Bullseye are essentially pure. If you have a problem with the .38 it is relatively easy to figure out why. The 9mm or any other high pressure cartridge tends to have very small critical issues. That is, very small changes cause very large differences. It is thus difficult to diagnose the problems found.

[Half Dog]

Welcome and this is the place where I am being educated on the process.

[toallmy]

And with a 38 you don't have to go looking for the brass ,

[philzilla]

This is the best place to learn