First post here so not sure if this belongs here or not...

[PhilB]

Just got back into shooting in the last year after a 30 yr layoff. I want to get back into casting my own bullets as I did before. Right now I reload for .44mag, .357 mag, 9mm. .40 S&W and .45ACP but a friend sells me cast bullets. I've picked up a decent melting pot and am in the process of getting bullet molds of my own. My friend has been nice enough to let me try different cast bullets for each caliber to see which shoots best in my guns. So far I've gotten 100lbs of lead ingots(wheelweight) and will pick up another 400-600lbs of mostly wheelweights and some pure lead. Besides something to size and lube the bullets what else would you recommend I get? I shoot the .357 and .44mag the most and thought about getting a bullet mold for the Lee Tumble lubed bullets as I've read you can shoot them unsized thus saving me the trouble of running them thru a sizer. I appreciate any help and advice you can give an ole fart :) I'm sure there are things I've not thought of.

[Catshooter]

Phil,

The best advice I can give you is read. Read all you can stand from this site. I've been reloading/casting for better than 40 years and I've learned more here in the five years I've been here.

You'll find opinions vary about tumble lubing. Sounded great to me too right up until I tried it. Don't own a single TL mould anymore. But give it a try, the moulds are cheap enough and it may work for you.

I guess if you've been out of the fold for the last 30 years I'd say to you stock up! Primers, powder, brass, lead and moulds.

And welcome to the site!


Cat

[white eagle]

Phil
Welcome and a big o howdy
other than the items you mentioned you may want to get a GOOD measuring
device to measure your boolits
like cat said read a bunch... may want to make yer own lube too !
Have fun :cbpour:

[buck1]

Catshooter is shooting straight. I didnt have much luck with tubble lubing but others do. I sometimes put regular lube on with my fingers and run through a lee sizer. It works great and its cheep too.
Use saftey glasses and long sleeves to cast in .
Get some wax or sawdust to flux with. and geve it a wirl....Buck

[Three44s]

I have good luck with the Tumble lubed boolits and Liquid Alox.

I shoot them as cast as you mention. Saves time and work.

But they have limits ........ primarily you don't want to push them very hard.

For me, they are plinker boolits. Proficiency takes lots of plinkin'!

The Lee sizer is an inexpensive half step past just cast and shoot and .......... a regular lubrisizer can be added later for more technical casting. I found my Lyman used for 15 bucks at the gun shop I haunted in those days!!


Big welcome to the forum!!!

Best regards

Three 44s

[PhilB]

I have good luck with the Tumble lubed boolits and Liquid Alox.

I shoot them as cast as you mention. Saves time and work.

But they have limits ........ primarily you don't want to push them very hard.

For me, they are plinker boolits. Proficiency takes lots of plinkin'!

The Lee sizer is an inexpensive half step past just cast and shoot and .......... a regular lubrisizer can be added later for more technical casting. I found my Lyman used for 15 bucks at the gun shop I haunted in those days!!

That is exactly what I'm looking for, a nice plinking load. Right now I'm using a Keith-style SWC 158gr and 4.2gr Red dot in my .357's. My GP100 likes it and my Handi-Rifle just makes a ragged hole shooting that load. I use a Keith-style 240gr SWC in my .44 with a light charge of Red dot. I thought the tumble lube bullets might work ok there. If I want stout loads I use a gas check bullet cast with straight linotype behind a healthy charge of 296 Winchester. My poor bullet trap wouldn't hold up long shooting the 325 gr SWC's at warp speed.:p Most of my shooting is with what I call target loads. My bullet trap is only 1/4in steel and I don't think it would hold up to full bore loads very long. Thanks everyone for the advice! Maybe an old dog can learn some new tricks.:grin:

[WHITETAIL]

:lovebooliYes,+1
Read a lot on this board.
You will find lots of help here.

[Olevern]

Stock up on all the wheel weights you can get your hands on, when it's gone we'll be cryin in our beers and payin $2.00 or more a pound for alloy from the smelters.

[MtGun44]

The GC, linoype and such are NOT necessary for a stout charge of W296/H110 in .44 mag.

Use Lym 429421 or H&G 503, or RCBS 44-250-K and size to throat diam plus .001 with air cooled
wheel wts and NRA 50-50 or equivalent and you will be just fine. GCs do work but are not
a requirement, and lino is, IMO, not needed either. Some will recommend very hard for
top accy, but I and others get 2" at 50 yds with relatively soft plain base boolits with proper
fit, boolit design and good lube with max loads of 2400, and similar with H110, too, at
max power. One of the first old wives' tale to die should be that "harder is better". Not
necessarily so. Harder has a place, but it causes problems, too, not a universal fix.

I'm with Cat on TL, got rid of mine, but some have had success - as stated, seems to be
best for mild loads, but some get more out of it, too.

Welcome!

Bill

[sirgknight]

The only thing I would add is to get yourself a bullet puller. I think they are still about $15. An indispensable tool for sure. Welcome aboard, mate!!!!!

[MtGun44]

Bullet puller - a handloader's eraser.

I have two. :bigsmyl2:

Bill

[Echo]

Good luck, mate. I TL 38 & 45 boolits, but use a LAM for seating GC's & lube/sizing with 50/50. Lube/sizers can be found @ gun shows cheap, or eBay somewhat higher, generally around $80 delivered. Or Lee sizers are available for ~$20 new, and they work well. Lubing with them is a separate step, though.
And read ALL the stickies! Then read them again!

[m1g]

PhilB,
Get ready to do lotsa reading. I've been reading for a while on this site and it could fill several books, WHEW! Anything you want to know is here or will be if ya ask.
m1g