Newby needs pointing in the right direction....

[ssn vet]

Greetings all,

I've been re-loading for some 9 months now and am already itching to go to the next level....casting.

I've surfed around the forum here for the better part of an afternoon and was hoping to find a sticky with 'must read' type articles for newbs like me....perhaps with equipment lists and tips. None to be found....:???:

Did I miss something? any links would be appreciated.

thanks in advance.....

one who seeks the way of the silver stream

[montana_charlie]

Lyman sells an outfit they call their “Master Casting Kit’’. It includes all of the basic items needed...except a bullet mould. Even has the book that many have relied on to get going.

You could buy the kit.

Or...if you just check out what the items are in it...you will have a basic list to work from. Then you can choose something else to replace any particular item in the kit.

For instance, a cast iron skillet and large pile of wood COULD replace the elecrtic furnace.
Empty (and dry) pop cans CAN replace the ingot mould. It's best to avoid aluminum when choosing your main tools, although aluminum bullet moulds (and the pop cans) are OK.

If you go for the kit, read the book a few times. Then, after you have become so proficient that the kit is no longer satisfactory, you will probably already have ideas of 'what else' you prefer to have.

Even if you don't buy the kit...buy the book.

CM

[45nut]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=35

there is the direction to look for LOTS of information such as you are looking for, I tried to select some basics and especially interesting threads in there.
Welcome to the forum.

[Pat I.]

The only advice I'd like to offer if you're buying this stuff for the first time is to either buy good or buy cheap. If you're like me and everyone else I know you'll be thinking about replacing the stuff you buy now anyway so if it's good from the start you won't have to and if it's cheap from the start it won't hurt as much. Some guys are probably still on their first set up but I don't know many.

Only other thing I'd recommend is get a 20 lb pot to save you some aggravation.

[Bob Jones]

The Lee 4-20 is hard to beat for the price. That's what I bought to start with and still using it, can't imagine any reason to change, it works great and it was about $65.

[targetshootr]

Here's a great pictorial by Goatlips.

http://goatlipstips.cas-town.com/smelting.html

[Buckshot]

............ssn vet, a 'Nuke', eh? Well welcome anyway from a Destroyerman :-). For guys new to casting I used to suggest merely Tumble lubing to start out with, as a lube-sizer, some lube, and a couple dies and nose punches will be a major portion of the price in getting started. However to me anyway, it seems that having the ability to truly lube a boolit well, and seat GC's is handled so well by a lube-sizer that NOT having one to start with may cause dissatisfaction with first attempts.

If the budget is that limited, then the lube-sizer could be left out as there are other means at less expense. Better to be actually DOING rather then missing out on the whole deal. You don't mention what the main thrust will be, rifle or pistol? By holding both to the lower velocities you can very well dispense with GC's, and Tumble Lubing works very well.

..................Buckshot

[ssn vet]

thanks for the replies guys.....here's some more specific info. on my "casting aspirations"......

Calibers to start with........

.30-30 (for a micro-groove Marlin)

7.62x39 (for a hungry Saiga)

so I'm imagining velocities up in the 1,600+ fps range.

Does that put me in gas check range?

I can load jacketed for my "all ahead flank" loads

I re-load on a Lee Classic Turret press.....

have been thinking of picking up an inexpensive single stage for de-capping before tumbling....so getting right in to a lube-sizer sounds like a reasonable way to go. Does it take much force to swage down a thousanth or two? If not, I'm thinking that I could get by with even the cheasy little Lee re-loader (or maybe the aluminum D-frame).

As far as pots go......do people "smelt" their WW in the same pot they cast from?

Or should that casting pot be use only for clean lead?

I've got a white gas (Coleman fuel) single burner camp stove that I never use any more. Does this have any potential for smelting or ladel casting if I get a garage sale cast iron pot? It sure boils water fast.....much more so than any propane stove I've used. Maybe if I put a little sheet metal shroud around it to keep the heat in it would do the trick.

As far as lead supplies go.....I'm sitting on ~10 lbs of scrap roofing flashing. Is this pure lead?

Would I need to alloy pure lead if I'm shooting ~1,600 fps with gas checks?

and now I'm out of questions.....

[Leftoverdj]

The Lee sizing die will work fine in either your Classic Turret, or "the cheesy little ReLoder." It'll size and crimp the GCs. but it won't lubricate. You'll have to lube by other means, usually by Liquid Alox. Lubrisizers lube the bullet as they size, but they are a substantial investment. You can get the Reloder AND the Lee Manual for about $25 from Midway. I love my Reloder, while admitting it is an utter ***. It's good enough to do the light stuff and keep my good presses free for the heavy work.

The scrap you have is close enough to pure lead and nowhere near hard enough for rifle bullets. Your first chore is to go chasing scrap WW, lino, range scrap, etc. Your Coleman should do fine for cleaning up the scrap, and it's best to use a separate pot for the actual casting.

Yes, you are going to need gas checked bullets for those velocities. The Lee C312-155-2R is the handsdown choice for the Saiga, and it should do well singleloaded in the .30-30.

[wiljen]

www.castpics.net is a website partner to this one and has tons of good articles as well. Take a look through it as you have time. I'm still rereading articles as time permits.

[AZ-Stew]

Greetings, and welcome, Bubblehead (said with no ill intent)!

I was a Chief GMM, spent most of my time on Adams class DDGs, and at the NWS, Yorktown, VA.

It might be in your best interest to buy the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and read through the "how to" section. It'll give you a good overview of what you'll need, and it'll give you load data you'll need later.

Also, use this link: http://www.lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/index.htm and click the "Casting" button at the top of the page. Scroll down about half wa on the page and click the "Cast Bullet Guide" box below either the Pistol Bullet Moulds or Rifle Bullet Moulds section. You'll get a .PDF file you cam print and read that gives a short overview of casting and equipment.

Regards,

Stew

[ssn vet]

thanks for the replies....great links!

yup! a nuke and a bubble head.....what could be worse? an "O" ganger as well :) and what could be worse than that? a 16 week OCS wonder Ensign :mrgreen: I'm as bad as they get!

But ya know what they say shipmates.....there's only two classes of warships.... Submarines and targets. [smilie=1:

I'll definitely pick up the Lyman book when I order my "stuff". Anybody out there got prices that will beat Midways? They got the Lee Pro 4-20 on sale for $59.

I haven't figured out what Lino is yet.....an alloying metal mix...Tin/Antimony? I think I'd rather by Tin/Antimony and use my flashing lead for the first batches. Then I can save the smelting and WW aquisitions for later.

I gather that you can just squirt some Alox into the plastic cylinder on top of the Lee sizer, roll them around and dump out onto a tray to dry? Is that the way it works? Is Alox sufficient lube for the rifle velocities I mentioned?

Hey Stew....I had a GMC for a DI and company chief at OCS. He was in the first class of Navy Chiefs to go through the USMC DI school and they made a uniform reg. change to let these guys don the "smoky bear" with a Chief's anchor. For some unexplainable reason, he just loved to kick our a$$e$!! :???:

That was before the zero tolerance for ............you name it, drugs, dui, hazing, etc... rules all came out. So a good boot up our rears was still considered good for "building character." That was fine with me....I loved to drill :twisted:

[wiljen]

I haven't figured out what Lino is yet.....an alloying metal mix...Tin/Antimony? I think I'd rather by Tin/Antimony and use my flashing lead for the first batches. Then I can save the smelting and WW acquisitions for later.


linotype is an alloy made of 84% lead, 12% Antimony, and 4% Tin. It was used in printing because it has no slush stage (Eutectic). It goes from all solid to liquid or vice versa at 467F. This meant that fill out was as close to perfect as possible for use in creating printing plates.

Depending on what type of flashing you have, you may be able to create a good alloy by simply adding about 1-2% Tin to make it easier to cast. Some roof flashing is listed as 6% and has that amount of antimony present, other flashing is nearly pure lead and will need considerable fortification.

You'll find that muzzle loaders will usually trade pure lead for WW at a favorable ratio and buying Antimony/Tin to fortify lead with is more costly than trading or scrounging WW.

I'd suggest determining the hardness of your flashing first. If its pure lead, trade it 2:1 WW:lead or 1.5:1 WW:Lead depending on what Muzzleloaders in your neck of the woods are willing to do.



I gather that you can just squirt some Alox into the plastic cylinder on top of the Lee sizer, roll them around and dump out onto a tray to dry? Is that the way it works? Is Alox sufficient lube for the rifle velocities I mentioned?


I don't use the lee container for mixing alox but dipping or rolling them in a bowl and allowing them to dry is all thats needed. I shoot 155gr .311 heat treated at about 1700fps using gaschecks and alox with no leading problems at all.

You might read the casting for the SKS article on castpics.

[ssn vet]

I just called the garage where I get my truck serviced to see if he had wheel weights.

Turns out he's a 20 year re-loader and 15 year caster!

He says "Bring down a bucket and I'll fill ya up"

[wiljen]

WW mixed 50/50 with your flashing then heat treated should make good 7.62x39s. I've been shooting the NEI 311155 at .312 using heat treated WW a gc and LLA lube. The load was a standard primer and 15gr of Blue Dot - turns in about 1550fps with good accuracy. Just from my experience the powder for the 7.62x39 would be AA1680 though. It has done a great job in both jacketed and cast loads in several SKS and AK style rifles as well as a contender barrel.

[corvette8n]

Welcome:-D
My casting equipment is all Lee, I didn't want to spend too much money in case I drop this hobby.( so far fat chance of that).
I use the 150gr fngc double cavity mold.
I tumble lube with Lee alox, then install gas checks with the Lee sizer.
Load and shoot 30-30 with 8gr of Unique. These are just plinking loads used in my 336 Marlin(microgrove) and pre and post 64 Win 94's. I probably dont need the gas checks, but incase I load a full house load the bullets are ready.
I used the Lee press you get with the Modern reloading manual. I think I paid about $20 bucks for the book and press together on sale.
My Lee pot came from a gun store that went out of business and was 30% off.
drilled holes in a spoon from the dollar store to skim off dross.
face it I'm hooked:???:

[AZ-Stew]

Oops. I forgot to mention...

You might want to shop a gun show or two before shelling out for a new copy of the cast bullet manual. Even if you can only find an earlier edition, the "how to" hasn't changed much, but you'll save a few $$.

In addition, I'm not hyping Lyman. Once you decide on the items you need, you can buy them from a number of manufacturers. I have casting tools from Lee, Lyman, Saeco and RCBS. All have their good and bad points.

Regards,

Stew