I've decided to take the plunge, and start casting. That decision, me being me, sent me into a tailspin. Since I made it, about three days ago, I've been going back over all the notes I've made about casting, boolits, sources and re-reading the posts here that I've found informative in the past. Since I have no idea what I'm doing, that made things worse.
So I decided to make this post, and ask for suggestions. I'll list my priorities along with the (few) decisions I've made, and then read what you guys think.
Priorities:
Success
Quality
By Hand
Sometime Soon
Many, Many
Success means that I want to be able to actually cast successfully. If one method or piece of equipment is easier to deal with or to learn to deal with, that's probably what I'd rather do. I'd rather have success with an automatic transmission than fight a clutch while I'm learning
Quality means that what I buy needs to be the first and last piece of that type that I buy. It means no Lee equipment, and whatever I buy, if I decide to throw up my hands in despair, never cast again and to sell all my guns, that I need to be able to come here, post an ad, and sell it. I can see people here buying a used Accurate mould. Not so much with a Lee. I've taught many apprentices to be carpenters. (Although I use that term loosely in some cases.) It's much easier to teach a brand new ape to use a tablesaw on a big, powerful 5-HP JET cabinet saw than on a flimsy Craftsman homeowner's saw. I want to learn how to cast, not how to compensate for cheap equipment, or how to build work-arounds for bad design.
By Hand means that I don't want to buy a Magma or Ballisticast machine. Yet.
Sometime Soon is relative. Patience is an old man's weapon. I can wait while a custom mould maker builds my mould, I can wait to accumulate the things I need. On the other hand, it needs to happen while I'm still young enough to get down the stairs. I'd rather wait (and pay) for a top-of-the-line mould than fight a $12.95 special, because I won't know what's wrong with the mould, and I won't know if it's me or the mould.
Many, many means that I shoot a 1911, and the more boolits I can make, the better I'll like it.
Note that cost is not on this list.
Decisions:
For pots, I've narrowed it down to the RCBS bottom cast or the Magma. Although I keep thinking about a dipper, a cast iron pot, a thermometer and a propane burner. Then I get twisted about what kind of dipper, and the whole cycle starts all over again.
For moulds, I'm leaning towards Accurate, because I understand his website, I can order one mould, and he has a great reputation here. My first mould will be a .45 ACP200 gr. SWC, he calls it the 45-200H.
(That brings up a question-- I noticed that a couple of the mould makers here don't appear to offer SWC in .45. Is that me or their website, or do they really not offer this mould?)
Miscellaneous notes:
I shoot SA and RIA 1911 milspecs, in .45 and .38 Super.
I shoot Steel Challenge matches, and more training is better.
I reload on a Dillon SDB.
I will need to buy a single stage press of some sort for sizing and lubing.
My wife will beat me if I buy capital equipment that I have to replace later. We're at the point where we can buy the last one first.
So, if you were going to start over, what mistakes would you avoid, and how would you go about it?
I considered posting this in the member's forum, I intend to pay extra attention to our contributors.
Thanks for your opinion.