Major_Tom
06-21-2013, 07:51 PM
Hello everyone,
A few months ago, I purchased my first centerfire rifle, a 1943 German K98 and absolutely fell in love. however I did not fall in love with my ammo costs. I ordered 100 PPU brass and bought 100 Hornady 150 grain speer point bullets. With my powder and primer costs the rounds were still coming to about a dollar a round. After a few reloads the cost has dropped to about $0.50 a round, however working part time and target shooting once almost every 3 days is burning through the $27 a box Hornady bullets really fast.
that being said, my father just received a SAECO bullet sizer lubricator for Fathers day, so I decided to use the money I would usually use to purchase boxes of bullets (and some extra) and purchased a lyman 323470 bullet mold, two sticks of SAECO green lube, lyman neck expander for 8mm, a .323 Sizer die, a 32 caliber top punch, 500 aluminum gas checks, and another 100 PPU brass.
I should have already mentioned, the bore has not been slugged, but the .323 (.3225) bullets I have been firing from the gun have been dead accurate (other than the shooters flaws). I believe other than my alloy metal I am set up to begin casting. A friend of ours will be loaning my father and I his lead pot, and we already have the mold handles. Before we begin on this endeavor, I was wondering if anyone had some first time tips or tricks for a new guy. I am also looking for any suggestions for an alloy mix that will preform well for casting my particular rounds (my current favorite load is 45 grains of IMR 4064 and the 150 grain Hornady bullets mentioned earlier)
Thanks for any and all help, and I look forward to returning to the message board often
A few months ago, I purchased my first centerfire rifle, a 1943 German K98 and absolutely fell in love. however I did not fall in love with my ammo costs. I ordered 100 PPU brass and bought 100 Hornady 150 grain speer point bullets. With my powder and primer costs the rounds were still coming to about a dollar a round. After a few reloads the cost has dropped to about $0.50 a round, however working part time and target shooting once almost every 3 days is burning through the $27 a box Hornady bullets really fast.
that being said, my father just received a SAECO bullet sizer lubricator for Fathers day, so I decided to use the money I would usually use to purchase boxes of bullets (and some extra) and purchased a lyman 323470 bullet mold, two sticks of SAECO green lube, lyman neck expander for 8mm, a .323 Sizer die, a 32 caliber top punch, 500 aluminum gas checks, and another 100 PPU brass.
I should have already mentioned, the bore has not been slugged, but the .323 (.3225) bullets I have been firing from the gun have been dead accurate (other than the shooters flaws). I believe other than my alloy metal I am set up to begin casting. A friend of ours will be loaning my father and I his lead pot, and we already have the mold handles. Before we begin on this endeavor, I was wondering if anyone had some first time tips or tricks for a new guy. I am also looking for any suggestions for an alloy mix that will preform well for casting my particular rounds (my current favorite load is 45 grains of IMR 4064 and the 150 grain Hornady bullets mentioned earlier)
Thanks for any and all help, and I look forward to returning to the message board often