Hey guys...brand new caster here.
I've been reading this board for quite a while. I also bought the Lyman book, and a few other books along the way. I've also read a ton of website info, watched youtube vids, etc. I purchased a Lee 20lb pot, and I have a few questions that I see some conflicting information on.
I was given about 1000 lbs. of lead, some of which are already in small ingot sizes. I tried to attach a picture. Some of it looks to be an alloy of some kind and some looks to be pure lead. Do you guys use a hardness tester to test your ingots before you start casting?
I shoot 9mm, 38, 357, and 44 magnum. I make all my loads light due to the fact I don't hunt, I just target shoot. Do I really need to go though the trouble of slugging the barrel or can I grab a mold or two and just get rolling? If so, what are some molds that I can use to get me started? If I am shooting light loads, does the exact hardness matter or can I be close enough due to the relatively low speed of my loads?
That's enough questions to get me started. Any help appreciated.