Noob caster's update.

[AKsoldier]

Well, my equipment is broken in, I've cast approximately 140 each of 228 gr. RN .45 ACP boolits and 300 gr. boolits for my new S&W 460V. I'm out of lead now, but I have 145 lbs of wheel weights (1 5-gallon bucket) waiting to be smelted, and I'm waiting on sizing dies anyway.

Today I decided to try melting down some weights on my camp stove. I commondeered an old cast-iron skilltet from my wife (she doesn't use it anymore anyway, so I'm safe - I hope! ) and threw a handfull off the top of the bucket in the skillet. After the melting process, I'm half convinced I have zinc in there. I think somewhere between the difference in temp between the skillet and the ambient air (outdoors in Alaska - I don't dare try to cook down wheel weights inside!) I am having trouble getting the lead to melt before the zinc. I got some globs of paste-like stuff that I suspect is zinc.

Although it all mixed together in the end, I have set aside the brick (Don't have molds for ingots yet - this was a small batch for learning.) and I don't think I'll use it for anything but a doorstop.

I think the weather here in AK dictates either cooking down the weights in a more temp-controlled environment, or using the cutting method to determine which weights are zinc. I have my side-cutters pulled out of the toolbox ready for duty when the ingot molds arrive.

I am taking my new 460 S&W in to get the cylinder throats and bore gauged tomorrow so I can order a sizing die for it tomorrow as well.

I am in trouble guys! I thought just the practical application of firearms I could drum up was going to put me in the poor house with my gun collection. Now that I have started casting boolits, I can think of at least 6 more guns I MUST have, just so I can cast boolits for them. Help!!!!

[303Guy]

....
I am in trouble guys! I thought just the practical application of firearms I could drum up was going to put me in the poor house with my gun collection. Now that I have started casting boolits, I can think of at least 6 more guns I MUST have, just so I can cast boolits for them. Help!!!!

Ha ha ha! I actually bought some rifles to paper patch for! There's my Pig Gun, my BSA&M carbine and .....

[qajaq59]

Now that I have started casting boolits, I can think of at least 6 more guns I MUST have, just so I can cast boolits for them. Help!!!

Gee, why does that sound so familiar? lol

[lwknight]

Just be careful about keeping your guns in a nice roomy safe. They will multiply.

[AKsoldier]

Just be careful about keeping your guns in a nice roomy safe. They will multiply.

Well, now that you mention it, my two gun cabinets are getting a little crowded. Maybe it is time for that nice, roomy safe.

[AKsoldier]

I tried smelting again on a warmer day, with much better results. I had more time, so I started with very low flame to ensure the lead would slowly begin to melt first. The process worked perfectly, and I now have smelted almost half the bucket with just one RCBS ingot mold. ( My local thrift store was fresh out of muffin pans.) I have also cast about half of that into boolits, and they look very good. They also weigh within a few tenths of a grain of those I cast first with ingots from another member here.

Now if I could just get those sizing dies, I'd be in business!