Good evening ladies and gents
I'm Gatch, I live in Aussie. I have started shooting IPSC (shadow 2) recently and started reloading (xl650) as soon as my license showed up and I was able to buy powder and primers. Mostly as a cost saving exercise, factory ammo is about 30c a pop and I reload for 20c. Recently I chanced across some videos on youtube by elvisammo and fortunecookie45lc, covering bullet casting and powder coating. After doing a little math I think that with my own cast and pc boolits I can get that cost to under 10c. Which is awesome cause I'm burning about 500 rounds a week at the moment.
So I have absolutely TRAWLED the castboolit pages looking for relevant info and I think I have most of it nutted out. I have copy/pasted below some notes I have made for myself, regarding what I'll need, cost, methodology etc. Something I noticed is there isn't much written about how much time it takes and how much weight you lose from removing the wheel weight clips. If any of you fine gents could take a look through and tell me if I'm missing something glaringly obvious, I would welcome the feedback. I slugged my barrel already (.356). I also attached a .txt if the following text is useful for you to keep or send to another newb you might know.
*** Preparing the scrap lead for ingot making ***
Lead - wheel weights @ $2.20/kg (1kg/15,432gr of prepared lead = approx 104x 147gr or 114x 135gr)
- straight wheel weight lead should be ok when powdercoating
- to compare, 100x 147gr rn copper plated "tigershark" bullets = $14.40 (6.5 home cast : 1 commercial made)
Tin - only if necessary from northern smelters
melting pot (iron or alu) - second hand store $20
lead ladle - long handle ladle - second hand store $10
Spoon for slag - long handle ladle - second hand store $10
3 ring gas burner - $80
gas bottle - $60
saw dust for flux - $5
molds (angle steel, toes up, ends cut 45°, weld on flat or more angle steel to close ends)
metal buckets ($15) or make crates from plywood ($90/sheet) for raw scrap, and another for slag/dross
thermometer up to 500°C ($50)
1- add lead to pot and bring up to temp (start around 375°C)
2- scoop off slag and chunks of ****
3- flux with handful of sawdust
4- mix a bit and scoop off slag again
5- repeat 3 and 4
6- turn heat down and ladel lead to molds (dont go below half pot)
7- turn up heat and repeat step 1-
*** Cast the bullets ***
Melting pot - lee 4-20 $180
Bullet mold (.356 or similar) 5 or 6 cavity (135-147-158gr conical flat nose or round nose) $150-200
Bucket with water for fresh cast bullets and another for sprue
Slag bucket
1- add lead to pot and bring up to temp (start around 375°C)
2- scoop off slag and chunks of ****
3- flux with handful of sawdust
4- mix a bit and scoop off slag again
5- repeat 3 and 4
6- start to pour into mold, discard first few casts into sprue until bullets come out shiny and detailed
7- repeat step 1
*** Pooder coat ***
Plastic tub (recycle #5)
Black bb - $20
Convection oven - new $100
latex or nitrile gloves
oven tray
non stick paper
1- add bullets to tub
2- add bb's
3- add a spoon of powder
4- swish and shake for a few minutes
5- with a gloved hand place on non stick paper and bake in preheated oven at 200°C
6- tip into water
possible molds
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/10...rain-flat-nose
*** Size the booolits ***
Lee breech lock press - new $70
lee size kit .357 - new $35
1- put boolit on punch
2- pull handle
things to get and methodology.txt