Boolits per pound?

[snaketail]

Is there a formula that will give me a rough estimate of how many boolits I can cast per pound of wheel weight? I'm going to cast 255gr boolits for my .45 Colt and wonder how many casts per pound I should expect.

Please forgive the newbie question, but I finally got all the parts together and am ready to start casting rather than buying.

M

[bdicki]

7000 grains per pound

[bradh]

Yes 7000 grains per pound. 7000 divided by 255 = 27 boolits per pound.

[WildcatFan]

I'm a cheapskate, so I'll prolly be loading my .45Autos to 200g, not 230g. Sheesh.

[11B-101ABN]

There are 7000 grains per pound. Divide 7000 by your boolit weight. 7000/255= 27.45 minus spills and waste count on 25. How many keepers you get is up to your Quality Assurance Inspector. That formula works for powder also, to figure out how many loads you get from a pound of powder.

[scattershot]

7000 grains per pound, divided by the number of grains in your boolit, less some arbitrary figure for dross, sprues, etc. would give you an idea.

[DRNurse1]

7000 grains per pound, divided by the number of grains in your boolit, less some arbitrary figure for dross, sprues, etc. would give you an idea.

Loss from dross, yes, but sprues and boolits failing QC wind up back in my pot---no loss. I cast 0.452 x225 grains and my yield is 31 boolits per pound. I clean and flux my alloy in the smelting process so dross is limited to the sawdust I add to the pot.

5 grains of bullseye makes a lot of cartridges, just sayin'.

[MT Gianni]

The formula will get you close from ww ingots but you also have clips and dross.

[rhead]

I'm a cheapskate, so I'll prolly be loading my .45Autos to 200g, not 230g. Sheesh.

It is certainty something to look at. my advice is don't let the cost of any component be the only determining factor. If the heavier boolit shoots significantly better it might be false economy. I hope that you also gain accuracy. If you lose accuracy it is up to you to decide if the savings is worth it to you.

[DLCTEX]

200 gr. Boolits get you 35 to the pound, which is why I like to go lighter for general shooting.

[6bg6ga]

There are 7000 grains per pound. Divide 7000 by your boolit weight. 7000/255= 27.45 minus spills and waste count on 25. How many keepers you get is up to your Quality Assurance Inspector. That formula works for powder also, to figure out how many loads you get from a pound of powder.

If you have ww that has been melted and is in ingot form the posters information is going to be very close at 25 per lb. Even with ww in ingot form you will still flux several times.

[6bg6ga]

200 gr. Boolits get you 35 to the pound, which is why I like to go lighter for general shooting.

I go highter yet at 185gr for my plinking with my 45acp.

[snaketail]

Thanks -
M

[TXGunNut]

200 gr. Boolits get you 35 to the pound, which is why I like to go lighter for general shooting.

Very true, but my guns happen to like the 200 gr H&G 68 type boolits and the lighter boolit is more pleasant to shoot as well.
I use the 7000 grs/1 lb formula to "count" my boolits, sometimes even brass. Learned that trick inventorying hardware. It's important to know the "as cast" weight rather than the nominal weight to get an accurate "count".

[TXGunNut]

Should someone who can't answer this question for themselves be reloading? A certain amount of understanding of Math and Physics is necessary along with good judgment to be as responsible reloader.

Tim

I'm here to learn, just like the OP. I've been aware of the ratio of grains to pounds since I started reloading but seldom used it until I began casting. The ratio is just one of many useful things found in any loading manual but I'm always finding useful bits of info even in well-read manuals.

[6bg6ga]

Should someone who can't answer this question for themselves be reloading? A certain amount of understanding of Math and Physics is necessary along with good judgment to be as responsible reloader.

Tim

I'd be willing to bet that a few here didn't have all the answers when they started reloading. That may be the reason for this site and the understanding attitude that most of us have here. I have to give him credit for asking for an answer to his question.

[6bg6ga]

If one used the figure 6200 instead of 7000 it would probably figure in the loss factor better. This would account for the loss of fluxing several times. 6200/255=24.31 Looking thru my production its closer as I average 26-27 230gr 45acp and 31 200gr

[dtknowles]

Most of us here try to be self-reliant. If we can do it for ourselves we don't rely on others. This was such a simple thing that coming to this board to ask is silly. Like others have said, the number of grains per pound is in every paper reloading manual. Does the OPer have a reloading manual or read it if he does? Was his real question what is the fraction of a pound of wheelweights that is scrap (clips, paint, etc.)?

We all know there are people out there reloading who should not. They are a danger to themselves and others.

It seems many people here think that anyone should own a gun and reload. I disagree, everyone should have the right to own guns and reload but some people should understand their limitations and decide not to exercise that right.

People who shoot up road signs or shoot after drinking too much or even carrying while drinking need to be convince to either reform or give up their guns.

I am going to give the OPer the benefit of the doubt and assume he either did not phrase his question well or was just lazy and figured it was easier to ask than to figure it out for his self.

The first person to respond to the post took a good approach and listed the conversion factor. Later someone posted a complete answer then the thread drifted to using lighter bullets to get more per pound. If the OPer could not figure out that you get more per pound if you cast lighter bullets, duh.............

Tim

[bangerjim]

"Dam the torpedoes.....full casting ahead!"

I do not worry a single bit about how many boolits I get from a pound! I LOVE and shoot 250 and 300gn 45LC by the hundreds. They fly better, hit harder and perform better than the 5 other lighter molds I have. At $1/# (the most I have invested in ANY of my alloys!), I do not worry about cost at all.

banger

[Boyscout]

Weigh your WW weight ingots not your raw material. My yield on wheel weights has been dropping steadily over the past couple of years with steel and zinc increasing.