bscott433
11-05-2006, 01:35 PM
In an attempt to lower the cost of shooting, and increase fun of reloading I've now taken up casting.
I've been lurking here for about a month, and the bug bit. I remembered as a kid, my dad firing up the Coleman stove with a coffee can full of wheel weights and making fishing sinkers and trot line weights.
Last weekend I went on a wheel weight scavenging run hitting several tire garages. For the total day I ended up with two five gallon pails and one 2 1/2 gallon pail of ww.
Stopped by the local chinese junk tool store and picked up a medium sized cast iron dutch oven. Stopped at the thrift store and picked up several SS soup ladles, slotted spoons, five muffin tins, etc. Figured with the discount turkey fryer that I picked up last year, I should be all set. Purchased a Lee Pro 4-20 this week as well as a Lee two hole mold .452 200gn. SWC. My intention is to load for the .45 ACP as a starter, since that is what I shoot the most.
Got home, sorted weights, fired up the turkey burner, loaded the pot and waited. Didn't take too long, a little stirring and I started skimming off the clips. Loaded more ww, skimmed until I had most of a pot. Fluxed with surplus birthday candles from the dollar store and stirred and skimmed. I ladeled into muffin tins making a big pile of ingots.
Man this is fun!!!
This weekend I fired up the Lee pot, loaded ingots. While that was heating up , I washed the Lee mold in HOT water and Dawn dishwashing detergent with a toothbrush. Took an Exacto knife and cleaned the edges of the cavities carefully. Smoked the mold with my sight smoker thoroughly.
I must be blessed, the first two bullets came out perfect, with perfect release. That continued all morning. I cooled the mold on a wet towel every four or five pours. I ended up with 35 pounds of bullets before calling it a day.
I tumble lubed with LLA, sized with a Lee sizer and lubed again. That is one messy process! I've got to find a better way to lube.
Well that't my story and I'm sticking to it. How did I do for a first timer?
Any feedback appreciated. Sorry for the long post.
Just a little excited to load and shoot.
I've been lurking here for about a month, and the bug bit. I remembered as a kid, my dad firing up the Coleman stove with a coffee can full of wheel weights and making fishing sinkers and trot line weights.
Last weekend I went on a wheel weight scavenging run hitting several tire garages. For the total day I ended up with two five gallon pails and one 2 1/2 gallon pail of ww.
Stopped by the local chinese junk tool store and picked up a medium sized cast iron dutch oven. Stopped at the thrift store and picked up several SS soup ladles, slotted spoons, five muffin tins, etc. Figured with the discount turkey fryer that I picked up last year, I should be all set. Purchased a Lee Pro 4-20 this week as well as a Lee two hole mold .452 200gn. SWC. My intention is to load for the .45 ACP as a starter, since that is what I shoot the most.
Got home, sorted weights, fired up the turkey burner, loaded the pot and waited. Didn't take too long, a little stirring and I started skimming off the clips. Loaded more ww, skimmed until I had most of a pot. Fluxed with surplus birthday candles from the dollar store and stirred and skimmed. I ladeled into muffin tins making a big pile of ingots.
Man this is fun!!!
This weekend I fired up the Lee pot, loaded ingots. While that was heating up , I washed the Lee mold in HOT water and Dawn dishwashing detergent with a toothbrush. Took an Exacto knife and cleaned the edges of the cavities carefully. Smoked the mold with my sight smoker thoroughly.
I must be blessed, the first two bullets came out perfect, with perfect release. That continued all morning. I cooled the mold on a wet towel every four or five pours. I ended up with 35 pounds of bullets before calling it a day.
I tumble lubed with LLA, sized with a Lee sizer and lubed again. That is one messy process! I've got to find a better way to lube.
Well that't my story and I'm sticking to it. How did I do for a first timer?
Any feedback appreciated. Sorry for the long post.
Just a little excited to load and shoot.