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Thread: Learning the Hard way

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Learning the Hard way

    I am wondering who else here has learned, or is learning without having the luxury of a tutor.

    gwpercle said in the casters age thread, http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...rm-scale/page2 Post #38

    in part,

    "In 1967 I was 17, a high school senior , bought Lyman #358156 1-cavity mould, small cast iron pot dipper, and their Cast Bullet Handbook . Then proceeded to teach myself the hard way.
    Not one other person I knew reloaded ammo much less cast ."

    That describes very close to the way I am learning. I dont have anyone to teach me, except I have the blessing of this forum, and of the internet to research problems and learn from others mistakes.

    I do know a few folks that reload, and cast. However, they are folks I met on forums and live too far to help me, Or, are not close enough friends to be willing to give me any of their time.

    Im still learning all the intricacies, still reading a lot about it, and still asking dumb questions. I do make some nice bullets though, and that wouldnt be possible without the help I've received from all the folks here on castboolits. Thanks to everyone here, past and present.

    ~Bazoo

  2. #2
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    I learned everything the hard way...no mentor/tutor.

    Just be proud that nowadays you have the INTERNET...probably better than a tutor.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
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    I learned from Books and the Internet, no one to tutor me either.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master



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    I learned on the kitchen stove casting round ball when I wasn't supposed to be learning - Then I learned over a wood fire in the back yard
    Last edited by square butte; 07-19-2017 at 09:35 AM.
    Being human is not for sissies.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    I learn the hard way also. Still learning now.I learn from the books for reloading and also some of what my dad taught me of casting fishing weights.I took up doing boolits onmy own. Then I found this site and learning more now.Thanks to alot of you on here for your help.
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I started casting over 40 years ago. No tutor but a mentor who told me what to buy. An H&G 10 cavity mold, Star lubrisizer, 50/50 lube, a Lyman pot and most importantly.....foundry lead.

    He was not able to help me cast as he had physical issues but I read all I could and made good bullets from the start. There was no reason to have him show me anything.

    I think most new casters have "issues" because they are too lazy to read and study....and try to skimp on equipment/alloy. Then there are those that start with something like trying to get a cast load that is accurate and will cycle an AR15. You do not start with a Phd in rocket science until you graduate the engineering program.
    Don Verna


  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I got into reloading in the early to mid 1970's. I was in Law Enforcement, and knew I needed to be proficient and that took practice and that takes ammunition. The practice ammo was OK for accuracy, but poorly fitted to the guns so it required a lot of cleaning after each session to remove the lead. I felt I could do better by making my own. No mentors, just books and magazines. As most did at the time, I started out with jacketed bullets, and with a family and children, soon found that I needed something less expensive. The cast bullet source at the time had about as much lube in the bag as it did on the bullets. Again I thought I could do better. And thus began a life long adventure. It has been a learning experience, not without minor consternation, and of course we do have the stories to tell since we followed the most basic of rules, "Start low and work up".
    I learned that undersized bullets will gas cut and lead the barrel.
    I found out how to make frangible bullets with monotype and that they are easy to identify because of the purple haze on the surface.
    I found out that when shooting very light loads to polish the barrel, powder position is important. Pointing the muzzle toward the ground will move the powder to the front of the long rifle case and may not burn correctly.
    This lead to learning that a heavy hammer bumping on a steel rod works better than many light blows with a hammer as the bullet will upset with the light hammer blows.
    IMR 4350 is not a good powder for very light bullets in a 30-06, but the fireball is impressive at dusk. That is when I got the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 3rd edition.
    Most reloaders and bullet casters want to see the new guy succeed and will encourage and do what they can to help. Many times the rookies can only shoot on weekends, while the more experienced try to get to the range during the week. You may feel alone, but you just have not been there at the right time.

    When you look at the recent poll about casting and ages, there are few young people involved. That is not really a negative, it just means that casting takes time, and so do families.

    Looking back, was learning by my self the "hard way"? Well, that can not really be answered, but at that time, it was the Only Way to get started. But it has been worth it, and it is good to see folks come to the forum, have their troubles in casting, and with encouragement and a little guidance get back on track and start having some fun with this hobby. And they know the importance of sharing the information. It is worthy of your time.
    Dusty

  8. #8
    Boolit Master


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    I learned by reading, reading and reading and taking the warnings seriously when reloading through mostly books. Then the casting of bullets came, reading, whatever I could get my powder/carbon stained fingers on and the interweb, helped me refine my casting of projectiles.
    I know some of you fellows didn't have the access to books and reading material like me and I respect that learning experience you put yourself through.

    I was forced to cast or cut back on shooting, I was not born with free bullets, jacketed bullets have always been too expensive.

    Then it became pride, at first I was proud of making my own and making them work, now making them work and be accurate

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    JBinMN's Avatar
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    The "hard way" I guess it is being called.... Reading, & doing. This forum is an asset. Lots of info & helpful folks for the most part. Would have been nice to have this resource in the mid-70's.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    Casting was 'mentored' by the guys on Shooters.com when I started to cast. Was reloading from 16 and taught by Guns and Ammo and the Sierria manual. Everyone I know who casts other than you guys I taught.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Learned by reading and jumped right in about 79, the farm house still has lead stuck to the kitchen ceiling.
    Aaron

    PS. has been painted!!

  12. #12
    Boolit Master


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    There is an easy way?????
    Quis Quis Quis, Quis Liberat Canes

    /////////BREAKING NEWS////////////
    Millions and millions of American shooters and sportsmen got up, went to work, contributed to society in useful and meaningful ways all over the nation and shot no one today! How do they controll themselves?? Experts Baffled....


    I LIKE IKE

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I'm self taught. I started as a kid, in the late 60's. I read the Lyman Handbook, fired up the pot and started casting. I did start with decent equipment. A 10# Lyman pot and a few 4 cavity Lyman molds. I cast a lot of bad bullets while learning about alloy and mold temp, and of course cleaning a mold.
    I agree with dverna, start with a conventional bullet, like a swc pistol bullet and learn the technique. Then go to hollow points, hollow bases, and things like loading for an AR.
    When I started casting, I had access to type metal. Lino, Mono, Foundry, maybe some others. Not knowing any better I cast pistol bullets with this stuff. It made some beautiful bullets. It was too hard to shoot accurately and you would beat the mold handles really hard trying to dump the bullets. I sheared several linkage bolts in my 450 sizer.
    This age of information is really nice.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    1973 - my Civil War Reenactor days: No mentor, no internet, just a 2nd Edition Cast Bullet Handbook, a Coleman stove, a small cast iron pot, a Lyman dipper, two Lee BP molds, and a pile of soft lead flashing. Still have the Handbook, stove, pot, and dipper...molds went down road with the M/Ls after our battery of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery disbanded. Also have (and occasionally cast!) my first CF mold...a Lyman DC 358156...that I acquired around that same time.

    Bill
    "I'm not often right but I've never been wrong."

    Jimmy Buffett
    "Scarlet Begonias"

  15. #15
    Boolit Master pjames32's Avatar
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    Mostly self taught in the late 60's early 70's. I read everything I could find. Started casting in the 70's when shooting Bullseye pistol. I was able to get some critique of my bullets from another caster. I still think reading the manuals is the best to start. With forums like this, experts are easier to find. You just have to determine who the experts are
    NRA Benefactor Member

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    I learned to cast first. a friend had the reloading press. I cast the bullets he loaded. then I was at the gun shop. a guy comes in wanting to sell a pistol a ruger new model Blackhawk in .357. he wanted almost new price. but it came with extras. a liberty press two sets of dies powder and a powder scale some primers and powder. plus the big thing a copy of the lyman cast bullet manual. I read the book and have been loading ever since.

  17. #17
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    I cast for 5 years before I met another caster. If you think friends eyes glaze over when you talk cast try asking them about lubes.
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

  18. #18
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    I'm not going through that stage right now, but I surely DID way back when I started. Got lots of advice, most of which didn't pan out that well, if at all. I finally just tried trial and error, and knew enough to watch the temp and learn to control it. I melted on the stove, with a good outside vent fan. Ah! Those wonderful days getting started! When this site and a few others showed up, my learning curve steepened greatly! Went back and read the archives when I found it, and gee golly wow did I get a real education in so doing! It sure makes it a lot easier to cast really good, accurate bullets that will do exactly what you want, when you understand the process, the variables, and how to control each of them to get a specific desired result. Places like this, where folks can share their knowledge and experiments, are a real boon to any caster, budding, mature, or otherwise!

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    What great replies, thank you everyone for sharing.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master
    rintinglen's Avatar
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    In 1966 my friend Jim's dad showed me how to cast 30-30 and 38 boolits using single cavity Lyman molds. Between then and 2007, i learned a lot. Then I joined this site and learned a lot more.
    _________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check