How much do you cast/reload in a single session?

[Tazza]

I'd like to think so, it uses a standard mould that you could hook handles up to for casting by hand.

The only thing that can cause quality issues is when you drop the projectile fro the mould, if you put a cloth down, you have a cushion for it to hit and not dent, but if you have a pile, there is always the possibility of a dent in it as it's still a little soft when it hits another one.

For my pistol rounds, they still shoot better than i can!

[Dieselhorses]

I'd like to think so, it uses a standard mould that you could hook handles up to for casting by hand.

The only thing that can cause quality issues is when you drop the projectile fro the mould, if you put a cloth down, you have a cushion for it to hit and not dent, but if you have a pile, there is always the possibility of a dent in it as it's still a little soft when it hits another one.

For my pistol rounds, they still shoot better than i can!

Thank you, might dwelve in the automation soon, not sure. I got some "Googling" to do.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[Tazza]

Lots of research to be done, but there are so many people on this forum that will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Feel free to send me a message if you decide to go that route. Hatch did a great job with the electronics for the wymanwin setup.

[Victor N TN]

Before I got so sick about 12 years ago, I would start loading most Saturday mornings and either cast or load 3 or 4 hours and stop for lunch. Then cast or load another 2 or 3 hours. Or until I got too tired to handle the 4 or 6 cavity molds.

[dragon813gt]

Casting is until I feel like stopping. I can go all day which is a lot of 20# pots. The lighter the bullet the more bullets I have at the end. The minimum I will cast is one pot full.

Reloading is completely different. If I’m working up a load I will load ten of each in whatever increment I’m working up in. If I already have a load I count by the primer box. Minimum is 100, I hate having partial boxes lying around. I have a lot of 9mm jacketed bullets that need to be loaded. I will load these by the primer brick.

Rifle rounds are a different story. I load them by the box. Which is typically 50. I have some larger boxes so certain cartridges are loaded by the 100. 223 is like 9mm and loaded in bulk. Either 100, 500 or 1K.

I really do hate having partial boxes of primers lying around. It’s even worse if it’s an odd number or a number that doesn’t fit into a box. Thinking about 19 primers sitting in a box is aggravating me. I have a spreadsheet to keep track of powder and primers so odd numbers annoy me.

I have very limited time to cast and reload. So I try to get as much done in the time I have. Setting up for small runs wastes a lot time. But it’s a necessity for load development.

[kevin c]

I cast to feed my action pistol habit, which goes through two to three thousand rounds a month. I have been casting in two or three morning or afternoon sessions to make a one to two month supply of 3 to 4 K, using a bottom pour with a feeder pot and eight cavity molds. I do that outdoors on my deck at times when there is nothing to break my rhythm. Loading I do in my basement, sometimes on an ad hoc basis of 200 to 400 rounds, but hopefully I'll set up a regular weekly loading session that is long enough to provide extra ammo to stockpile.

Tazza, what is the production rate on your automated Mastercaster? And can you really walk away from it to do other things as it runs?

At this point casting with an 8 cav hand held mold is still fun and interesting for me, and I think there is plenty of room for improvement in my technique in terms of quality and volume. But if an automated casting machine can cut production time with equivalent quality, even if it needs to be attended, but especially if not, the time saving may make it worthwhile for me.

[gundownunder]

For casting, I've got a 40 pound pot and a bottom pour ladle and several 4 gang molds, which I use 2 at a time. Depending on what I'm casting 25 - 30 pounds from the pot will yield about 1000 - 1500 bullets. Then I refill the pot, and if I'm feeling fit, I'll come back in the afternoon and do it all again.
Reloading for my brother, my niece, and myself, I usually end up reloading in batches of about 100 - 250 rounds, and a few times a year, like after the nationals, I'll end up doing 500. Just to put those numbers into perspective, I only own 1 single stage press, no progressives, or turrets.

[Bazoo]

I generally reload small batches. Between 50 and 200 is the norm for me. I cast 100 to 300 or so at a time. Pends on the notion im in. If I am going with a mould that is not giving me any problems.... I might go a while.

[prs]

I used to cast and reload more per session, but it turned fun into work. How many boolits at a session is a guess and varies depending upon wich bullet or slug or ball and mold cavities. But, I notice I typically go through about 20# to 25# of ingots per session.

prs

[Conditor22]

I'm still doing load development so I'm in the 100 - 500 range several times a month

[onelight]

When I cast I try to do a few all day sessions right in a row and only do it a few times a year . Mainly Keith bullets .44 and .357 a couple of GC bullet styles for 44 and a few 45 colt and auto , .32 s and for my 45/70 I used to cast much more when I did the casting for the group of guys I shot with. I need my casting shed finished , can't bring myself to work on it in the heat and humidity we have been having.
I buy a lot of commercial cast for my twice a week range time.

[Hanzy4200]

My situation is unusual, as I have a busy house. 6 kids. I cast for an hour, do something or get called away, come back, ect. My pot has been running since 10 am today. Going down for the 5th time tonight.

[Tripplebeards]

I Normally fill my lee 4/20 pot to the brim and cast till it’s empty. I’m about ready to quit when I get to the last inch or so of melted lead but milk it out to the end. I casted up a pot full of a lee 200 grain hollow point .360’s from my MP mold yesterday. They will keep me going for a while. I like to cast up at least 10 pounds...closer to 20 pounds so when I weigh and sort them in one grain increments So I have the majority, or at least 200/250 all in the same 1 grain variance. When I cast I want enough boolits casted to the same weight that I can ladder testing them with a few powders and have enough left over over a few hunting seasons when I’m done. I have a few piles of unused boolits laying around on reserve so I get carried away. It’s just nice to be able to load and shoot Instead of starting from scratch every time. With bigger batches it keeps my BH more consistent imo. Takes a couple hours for me. I dump lead in my pot and mow the lawn, add more lead and set my mold on top to heat up and then weed wack. By the time I’m done I everything is heated up and ready to start. I then have to pour a good couple dozen to really get the mold hot enough for fill out and then I’m good to start pouring quality boolits.

[Dapaki]

I guess I am the odd-ball as I keep adding lead to the pot as I cast. I gather the boolits off the towel, gather the sprues and toss them back in the pot and top off with ingots. I only run the pot down to empty it to clean it when it drips.

I usually run about 150 boolits at a sitting, my hands get tired easily so I move on to PCing them and when that is done, I cast another batch, PC, rinse and repeat until my hunny gets home or calls me in from the shop.

[Conditor22]

My situation is unusual, as I have a busy house. 6 kids. I cast for an hour, do something or get called away, come back, ect. My pot has been running since 10 am today. Going down for the 5th time tonight.

For casters with kids, I strongly recommend fastening your pot to the bench when it's on. I'd really hate to see a little one pull a pot full of molten lead down on themselves

[Aunegl]

Casting and reloading were the only way for me to play with handgun metallic silhouettes.

[Ozark mike]

Apparently not enuf

[robg]

i cast for about an hour at a time as my hands give me gyp .so cast between 2-3 hundred at a time with 2 or 3 2 cavity molds

[ReloaderEd]

[B][B)]Don't do much reloading anymore. I still have a few small projects such as shooting my 270 Winchester every so often, doing range detail (RSO) at our local gun club. Hunter Safety every month which has been cancelled almost forever now. I used to cast bullets but the lead free range rules dictate the use of jacketed bullets.

[El Greco]

I cast about 18 lbs was very session then I PC and size. I’m running out of shelf room. Then I reload whatever I’m low on. Then I have to go to the range for a lead deposit. And the cycle starts again. In other words, I have to reload to shoot and then I have to shoot to reload.