What Else Do I Need?

[DanAKAL]

After what seems like a year of extensive searching the net, this site in particular, I think I have an idea of the gear I need to start casting. The initial object of the game here is to feed my Ruger SR1911 and a soon to be mine Ruger Redhawk in 45 Colt that will have the cylinder cut for moon clips to shoot 45 Auto for USPSA shooting. I also shoot multi gun with a Bushmaster 7.62 x 51 and a Remington 870. I'm sure .308 casting for the AR and shotgun slugs will be in my future but for now I'm concentrating on 45 to figure out how to cast boolits. This is the stuff that I have on order. Would some of you guys look through this and give me your ideas on anything I am over looking. Also, life has taught me that the "Buy Once Cry Once" approach is almost always the best.

Furnace - RCBS Pro Melt 20 lb Bottom Pour
Thermometer - RCBS
Molds - Lyman 452374 230 gr RN 4 Cavity, Lyman 452460 200 gr SWC 4 Cavity
Mold Handles - Lyman 4 Cavity
Lube Sizer - RCBS LAM 2
Heater - Lyman That Fits The LAM
Boolit Lube - Randyrat TAC 1
Size Dies - Lyman .451, Lyman .452, Lyman .454
Top Punch - Lyman 374 45 RN, Lyman 460 45 SWC
Lead - Haven't ordered any yet but will be getting Lyman #2 from Roto Metal

Various muffin pans, welders gloves, and safety gear like glasses and apron.

If there is anything lacking please let me know.

Dan

[Sweetpea]

Pure lead for slugging, and a micrometer!

[Cane_man]

"buy once cry once" - i like this! very true, and you know what i look back 5 years later and i never did miss that money anyway and i still have all the stuff and have been enjoying it all that time

[dmclark523]

You may also want to consider a hardness tester as you continue to get into casting. I bought my Cabin Tree last week.

http://www.castingstuff.com/cabinetree_loading_products.htm (http://www.buffaloarms.com/lead_hardness_testers_pr-3903.aspx)
(You can also purchase this through Buffalo Arms, which is what I did) http://www.buffaloarms.com/lead_hardness_testers_pr-3903.aspx

If you plan on purchasing your ingots, you can relatively guess what BHN you're lead will drop out at, air cooled or water quenched.
However, if you ever plan to:
1) Buy raw lead for processing on your own
2) Shoot rifle boolits
3) Hone a particular boolit recipe for competition shooting

You should pick one up.

[jsizemore]

You may find Lyman #2 to be a bit hard for your 1911 needs. For all that you have listed, COWW (clip-on wheelweights) with a little tin will work great. Good Luck.

[40Super]

You can save quite a bit of money by getting a Lee 20lb bottom pour(220volt is the better one) instead of the RCBS(I am a RCBS fan believe it or not). Yes the RCBS is better and the Lee can/ will leak(the 20lb pots are not that bad, it's the 10lb'ers that are bad), but they do work quite good. You can even get 4 or 5 of them for the same price as the RCBS(price is the only reason I am suggesting this). It is a way to get more other stuff(like molds) right now (get the RCBS later?)or the new Lyman with the PID controller?

WW or range lead with a bit of antimony and tin added is perfect for the 45ACP, or you can add 1/4lb of pure to each lb of Lyman #2

[engineer401]

Buy a dimmer switch or PID to control the heater temperature. If the lube gets too hot it'll get real messy.

[Zim]

Old long handled teaspoon & old candles for fluxing the pot.
I like running 2 pots so i don't have to stop while the newly filled pot heats back up.
Of course, I am lazy too.

[cbrick]

I'll second getting some WW ingots for the 45 ACP, Lyman #2 is too hard for that use and much more expensive. Several members here sell WW ingots. I use clip-on WW +2% Sn for almost everything including rifles past 2000 fps.

Since your ordering from Roto Metals if you do get WW alloy get some tin and add 2% by weight to the WW but not to the #2.

On another note . . . It is physically impossible to "flux" any lead alloy with wax. Wax is not flux and cannot flux. It will reduce tin but flux it cannot do.

Another thing you can get and it's free is the book "From Ingot To Target". Down load it and print it out, very worthwhile.

From Ingot To Target (http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_textonly2.pdf)

Rick

[DanAKAL]

MANY MANY THANKS!!! This is just the info that I was looking for!

- I have several dial calipers and micrometers that I already use for loading as well as some left over from years as an engineer.
- I had forgotten all about a lead hardness tester. Probably will be needing one of those. At my first glance the one of the Cabine Tree models seems the best for the money. For you guys that have these do you really use the extra features of the "Dual Purpose" model?
- Good info on the alloy. I will take your advice and get some WW alloy and some tin just in case. Wheel Weights are not easy to come by locally. The shops that have wheel weights want $100 for a bucket of mixed up scraps then they want me to sign something that says I won't make bullets out of them. For all that and then having to sort and clean it I think I'll just buy the alloy I want.
- I have looked over my garage for installing a 220 vac outlet. If it were feasible I would already have the outlet but suffice to say it just ain't gonna happen. As it is I run an extension cord from the dryer outlet in my house for my welder.
- With a thermometer in the molten lead I'm hoping my Pro-Melt thermostat will maintain a +/- 50 degree window. If not then I'll look into a PID controller for the furnace.
- I printed the "From Ingot To Target" document. Yes, all 182 pages of it. Haven't read it yet but this looks like some excellent info.

Again, many thanks. And if you guys think of anything else please let me know.

Dan

[MT Chambers]

Do you have a smelting setup for larger pieces or scrap lead, wheelweights, etc. Otherwise it looks like you have made some very good choices, mostly quality equip. that will provide years of good quality bullets.

[DanAKAL]

Don't really have anything for smelting yet. I can get a cast iron pot locally and I have a propane burner for cooking outside so that should get me started once I find some scrap. It isn't easy to come by locally.

After reading the replies here I started looking for some wheel weight alloy. That isn't the easiest thing to find. Roto Metals doesn't have a mix that works out quite like wheel weights unless I mix different ingots. If I am understanding this correct I need an alloy of about 11-12 BHN for 45 Auto. Someone mentioned that there are guys here that sell wheel weight alloy. Is this a happenstance thing or are there some who have it for sale most of the time? I can get some from the e auction site but would rather deal with someone here if possible. If you guys know anyone with about 50 or so pounds to sell please point me in their direction.

Dan

[rl69]

i hit the local tire shops some give them away some sell them

[MT Chambers]

I only mentioned the smelting set-up because most of us have to smelt before we can cast.

[Beagle333]

What ya gonna weigh your new boolits with?