Dumb Noob Questions

[L Erie Caster]

Try this
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-Choice/page46
good product at a fair price

[lightman]

In swapping and selling it comes and goes constantly. Look under vender sponsors. The Captian, for one, has been in the business a long time.

[tazman]

Lots of great comments and helpful suggestions! Thank you very much.

I was planning to get a 20 pound melter rather than a 10 pounder. Since I shoot 38s out of a lever as well as revolvers, I go through at least a couple hundred with every range session so it would be nice to be able to keep up.

I will probably start out tumble lubing with LLA for starters. I figure I can always fiddle with things over time, especially if I buy a lubrisizer.

Silly question: I looked at the buy and sell forum and did not see lead/alloy for sale. Am I missing something?

You aren't missing anything. The sales for lead are not always there. Prices on ebay are nearly the same as long as you shop judiciously.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Lots of great comments and helpful suggestions! Thank you very much.

I was planning to get a 20 pound melter rather than a 10 pounder. Since I shoot 38s out of a lever as well as revolvers, I go through at least a couple hundred with every range session so it would be nice to be able to keep up.

I will probably start out tumble lubing with LLA for starters. I figure I can always fiddle with things over time, especially if I buy a lubrisizer.

Silly question: I looked at the buy and sell forum and did not see lead/alloy for sale. Am I missing something?

You aren't missing anything. The sales for lead are not always there. Prices on ebay are nearly the same as long as you shop judiciously.

Our S&S has a lot of activity, there is usually 10+ new threads for various casting related items every day. When Lead is listed below a market price, it will sell quick, usually within 24 hours. If you are in the market to buy, then watch S&S daily, some of us watch it hourly.

One thing to be watchful for, when buying heavy items (like lead ingots) that will ship via USPS, is that they be packed properly...I've ordered from Kathy (TheCaptain) many times, it's always packed well, the box always arrives intact.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...highlight=lead

[slim1836]

It may help to list where you live, there may be members nearby that can offer advice and supplies.

Slim

[Wayne Smith]

And to specifically respond to your original question, I just yesterday received shipment on my latest Lee mold - .395 RB. My first of the new two cavity design. They are my go to first choice round ball molds.

[KVO]

While you may have a perfect first session, don't be discouraged if it doesn't go so hot. My experience with many new molds (especially aluminum from ALL the makers) has been that they have a high reject rate for the first 2-3 casting sessions. Surely some will disagree with me. Lee molds are hit or miss as to whether or not they drop large enough, are cut centered in the blocks, flat sprue plate, etc. For the money they are worth the gamble most of the time, but you may end up with a "mold kit" that will need some tuning to work its best. I started with Lee and am still very fond of some of them. Just keep an open mind and check back in here as you make progress!

[clum553946]

The only dumb questions are the ones not asked! I think learning on a two cavity is a good idea. It let's you start getting the timing down & keeps the pace slow enough for you to see what's going on. Another plus is that when you get comfortable, you can sell your molds you don't use anymore at swap & sell. You will, as you have already noticed, that there are a lot of members here that are willing to help, that's what's so good about this forum. We have a great bunch of members! If you can find someone local, as has already been suggested, it really cuts down on the learning curve! Welcome to the addiction, part of the fun is the learning of our insidious pastime!

[MT Gianni]

I would rather make my mistakes, and you will, on a $20 mold than a more expensive one.

[Duckiller]

You are just starting. Not sure what you want to do . Get a two cavity Lee mold. If you like it and know what you want you can spend a BUNCH of money on molds.

[Moonie]

The lee 6 cavity have been better quality in the past, I have little experience with the new design used on the 2 cavity but I would suggest a 2 cavity 158 RNFP to begin with. I have this mold in a 6 cavity and it is my favorite 38/357 mold. The 6 cavity are a little more complicated to use and do not come with handles, get the hang of the 2 cavity and then get a 6 cavity if you need to. I have a 125gr version of this boolit that I purchased to feed my brothers girlfriends 38 special 642. I've since started using it in 357 Sig rounds and decided I needed a 6 cavity but haven't pulled the trigger yet. The 6 cavity molds make boolits much faster.

I would agree with getting lead from our vendors or from the S&S section of this forum.

Also do let us know where you live, we are a very helpful group and I'm sure there will be someone near you that is happy to help you get started.

[David2011]

You can end up with good boolits the first session. The 358-158-RF is a great design, good for plinking, competition and hunting. I have a six cavity version. IMO the learning curve to get the six cavity mold running is less painful than buying a two cavity and regretting/replacing it later. Straight WW will work but a little added tin (easy to do) will flow and fill out better. Buy from vendors here whenever you can. They're trusted people.

An inexpensive smooth topped hot plate is your best friend on the casting bench. It will preheat and keep your mold hot, saving a lot of effort getting it up to temp. Available at resale shops really cheap or new for $10-$20. Worth every penny.

[Bama]

Lots of great comments and helpful suggestions! Thank you very much.

I was planning to get a 20 pound melter rather than a 10 pounder. Since I shoot 38s out of a lever as well as revolvers, I go through at least a couple hundred with every range session so it would be nice to be able to keep up.

I will probably start out tumble lubing with LLA for starters. I figure I can always fiddle with things over time, especially if I buy a lubrisizer.

Silly question: I looked at the buy and sell forum and did not see lead/alloy for sale. Am I missing something?

Don't overlook Roto Metals at top of this page. They ship quick and have a bunch of info and materials you will probably need in future. They are good to work with and reliable.

[popper]

He's in Denver Metro. 2 hole Lee will get you started and allow mistakes to be 'inexpensive'. Lee uses a soft Al. alloy so the block tops will score easily. You say pistol & rifle so I'd get the Lee and check fit for both. Range scrap & isocore from S&S will work fine. Ben's liquid lube works great and several are/have worked out new formulas as JPW isn't available anymore - BLL works great. Doesn't smoke as much as LLA.
I started & learned with the Lee 20# & 401 2x mould - still have them but moved on to a mould I like better - 4x Accurate. 2x is still fast enough for me.

[slownsteady22]

youtube is your friend as well as this site. Watch.....Read......Cast, be patient and soon your favorite part of reloading will be casting.


Sent from my SM-G925R4 using Tapatalk

[wistlepig1]

Start out right. Get a hotplate to pre-heat your mold, especially if you get a six cavity. Yes, Lee molds are very usable. I have bunches, from one cavity hp/hb to six cavity special order. I use them regularly. Be gentle with them, keep them clean, and don't beat on them and they will last a lifetime of use. I also have Lyman, RCBS, NOE, Mehic, etc. and use them as well.

One more on getting a cheap hotplate for 6 hole molds, things will go much easier for you.

[mto7464]

You can cast more then 100 and hour with a lee 2 hole mold. I cast just under and hour the other day and cast 270. I have the corner of the towel I dump by boolits on damp and after getting going real well i touch the mold to the towel to cool it off every 3 or 4th time. If not the mold gets really hot and you have to slow down. Lee are not the best but they work. I PC almost everything now and love it.

[brewer12345]

Well, I finally got to the range and tried out some test loads with my cast boolits. The dewc was the bee's knees with a fairly stiff charge of 3.8 grains of hp38. Neither revolver much liked any of my 3 attempts with the rnfp loads. However, the rifle shot as well as I am able with these boolits over 3.8 grains of hp38.

Overall I can't complain. I wish one load worked for everything, but wadcutters have always done best in the revolvers. I am particularly pleased to find that the dewc load is at least as accurate as what I worked up for the expensive berrys plated dewc bullet. Guess I can continue casting away.

[jeff100]

I have a lot of molds as I cast for a variety of calibers, rifle and handgun. My molds are a mix of Lee and NOE. About 2/3 of my molds are Lee, most are the six cavity version, in my experience they are a very good value and they work well for me, I get excellent bullets from ALL of my Lee molds. Some time after I started casting I finally acquired a hot plate. That really improved my casting process, allowing me to preheat my molds. Lastly I rely on a good thermometer. Some people claim you don't need one. Maybe some don't but I couldn't cast well without a thermometer, I need to know what the temp of my melt is in my Lee 4-20 pot. Some people call the Lee 4-20 the 'drip-o-matic'. I've learned that you don't smelt lead in your casting pot, clean lead only goes into my Lee 4-20 and I don't have trouble with my pot leaking. Yeah, it drips once in awhile, I just rotate the valve stem and the drip stops. Clean lead, that's the trick with this pot. YMMV...JJ