Time Periods Between Processes

[RedStar Raider]

I have only been casting boolits for two years and seek some answers to my questions. I believe the answers I'll get from these questions will differ depending on experience, and whether you do these processes or not, and the lead you use, etc, but here goes:

How much time do you wait after casting boolits before you size them?
How long do you wait between sizing and then powder coating?
How much time do you wait to lube?
How much time until you allow them to harden before shooting?
Are there other questions I should be seeking answers to?

[jdfoxinc]

I size them any time from immediately to months. Lube goes on at same time. Because I'm building up a stockpile of one to two ammo cans of bullets for each caliber I will load weeks to months + after casting.

I have loaded .45 ACP over 30 years old, that I loaded for IPSIC in my 30s.

[Rcmaveric]

I have established a high/ low amounts. For lubed bullets. They age about 2 weeks before i will use them. But due to the rotation of stock. It will be a while before i get to the new bullets. I size and lube as i need them. Just because i am lazy.

For powder coated bullets. I will size, powder coat and size as gain within a week. Then they go on the shelf and i wont load them for min of two weeks, but it takes about a while plus some before i get to the new stock.

My personal rule of thumb is 2 weeks old before breing loaded and shot. But it takes some times months before i get to the new stock.

I have three jars, i guess they woukd be about quart sized, for each bullet. They hold 20 pounds of bullets. I cast when i get down to the last jar to refill them. Then i shoot off two jar fulls and repeat wheb i get down to the last jar. For lubbed bullets ready to shoot, i have these Tupperware containers look about sandwhich sized but a little bigger. I just refill it when it is empty of sized and lubed bullets.

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[wv109323]

I usually cast all the bullets I anticipate for a years supply. That was about 3500 45 boolits and about 1500 38 boolits. That was over about 2 mos. I then lube in lots of about 500. 500 is a loading session on my Star reloader, about 2 hours.
My alloy is wheel weights and range scrap.
My time table is based on my freetime and not the chararistics of lead.
Through my testing I can find no difference in accuracy in the casting, lubing , and loading for lead boolits for pistol boolits. I shoot nra bullseye

[lightman]

I size and lube anytime between 12 hours after casting up to a year. I load my common pistol calibers in bulk, 2500 to 5000 in a batch. This means several casting sessions before I load them. I've seen no difference in accuracy or in the level of difficulty. I use mostly straight clip on weights.

[dragon813gt]

I have ammo cans full of bullets that were cast years ago. I may get around to sizing and lubing them one day. Other times I size and lube the same day as casting. Water dropped bullets are tougher to size the longer they sit. I just make sure I don’t have to size them much.

I tried storing sized and lubed bullets, in bulk, in ammo cans. It make a mess even w/ hard lubes. It’s easier, and cleaner, to size and lube as needed. I’m not going to take the time to store bullets nearly so there isn’t any lube migration. Ammo cans work for ammo and they work for raw cast bullets to.

[kevin c]

I try to cast in quantity to last a few months. HiTek coating, baking and sizing I do together (sizing one batch as another bakes) at any time. The casts are then ready to load, and can be shot a couple weeks post baking. I store unloaded coated casts in dated batches and load in rotation so usually I can shoot them right away.

[jsizemore]

Most times I size and lube while they are still a little warm from casting. At least the same day.

I can load and shoot the soft stuff right away but 2 weeks to a month for the harder stuff to age harden fully.

[fredj338]

I have only been casting boolits for two years and seek some answers to my questions. I believe the answers I'll get from these questions will differ depending on experience, and whether you do these processes or not, and the lead you use, etc, but here goes:

How much time do you wait after casting boolits before you size them? Usually less than a week. I cast one weekend, size the other.
How long do you wait between sizing and then powder coating? I size after coating, usually the next day or two.
How much time do you wait to lube? Same as size because that is when it they are lubed.
How much time until you allow them to harden before shooting? I have shot them the same weekend I lube/size/coat.
Are there other questions I should be seeking answers to?

There really is no right answer though.

[bob208]

I cast bullets can full at a time then size and lube as I need them some are in the cans for 5 years or more. some get lubed as soon as I can handle them with bare hands.