Another Method to Make Small Shot?

[grullaguy]

Now that that the weather has warmed up, I am casting pretty much daily.

I have a small quantity of salvaged #4 shot for my 24 gauge trade gun. I know the shot will run out soon when I start hunting rabbits and I am looking at cheap/free options.

I was wondering if anyone has ever used an old Lee mould to cast small shot?
I am thinking of using one of my older abused moulds and making a "necklace" of #4 cavities radiating from the main cavity. I can't see why it would not work.

Not being a machinist, it is the method of making the cavities which I am unsure of.
I was mostly wondering if anyone has ever tried anything like this in the past.

As I said, I only get out bunny busting once in a while, but I cast frequently.
If this idea worked it would fill my limited shot needs.

[jkpq45]

Sounds like your method may involve the use of a ball-end mill. If you had the ability to adjust the drill press/vertical mill stop so it cut into each half of the mold face exactly half-way, you may be onto something.

[michiganvet]

Magma has a melter with replacable "drippers" for different sizes. Its a little pricy at $400+ but it contains it's own heat source. Their pounds per hour sounds pretty good and you can use a harder alloy for magnum shot. At this point it is a wish list item but with shot around 2 bucks a pound, maybe some day.

[tacklebury]

These molds are pretty cheap. One he has does #4 and OO. ;)

http://buckshotmold.com/

[NZSarge]

These molds are pretty cheap. One he has does #4 and OO.

http://buckshotmold.com/

On this site it looks like you can go smaller to #F

[grullaguy]

Thanks, that is exactly what I was thinking of.

On the bottom of the Buckshot page it shows shot sizes all the way down to #9, but I imagine those moulds would be custom made on request.

[NZSarge]

I think that was showing general sizing. #9 is too small to cast, easier to make or biu a shotmaker

[UNIQUEDOT]

I think that was showing general sizing. #9 is too small to cast, easier to make or biu a shotmaker

Yep that's just a general sizing chart. It's impossible to cast shot that small.