Need a recomdation for a starter kit.

[Old Sarge]

Hi All
I would like to start casting my own soon. So I was wondering if I would do better to buy an all in one kit or piece what I need together?

Do I need to have a heated lube sizer? Biggest bullet I plan on doing would be a 44 cal? I am thinking that I want to get a bottom pour pot not the dip in one? I would like to start out doing either 45 cal 200grn SWC or a 9mm round nose 125grn. I like the bullets from Missouri Bullet Co anyone know what type mold they are?

Thanks
Old Sarge

[Harter66]

I myself started w/a 2qt cast iron pot,an open burner and a Lee 358-158RNFP. I still only use maybe 5 of the 6 sizers I have. I do have a couple of electric pots now and I think this spring I will get a bottom pour. I've only bee casting about 7yr. Probably the Lee kit will ''get your foot in the door'' quickest. A lot of folks here will suggest a thermometer also. A kit is probably the quickest and most cost effective way to start,but I didn't have enough all at once to do that.

[paul h]

I started with a used lee bottom pour furnace and a two cavity lee mold. I'm hard pressed to suggest anything other than trying a few different lee two cavity molds to learn the basics and see what bullets work well for your use and not only are Lee's inexspensive to purchase, so long as you didn't abuse them you can sell them for near new price used.

I've never had a dedicated lube sizer heater. I mostly use softer lubes that don't require a heater, and when the garage gets really cold during the winter I just use a heat gun to warm up the lube sizer. A good heat gun costs much less than a dedicated lube sizer heater, and is much more useful for other projects. You can lube/size 100's of bullets before you need to add some more heat to the lube sizer.

If your budget can swing it, getting a lube sizer is a time saver of pan lubing, but a lee push through sizer and pan or tumble lubing work just fine. The ultimate time saver is a lee 6 cavity mold with tumble lubed bullets.

[runfiverun]

I'd not get a kit.
a lee 20 pound pot, a mold/handles, and some lee sizers is enough to start with.
you can pan lube/lee size until you want something somewhat faster then a sizer is nice.
I started casting without a sizing machine and got one a few months later, then quickly ponied up for a star right after sizing about 5 boolits in the lyman.

[jeepyj]

Being a frugal fellow as I am I'd start with Runfiverun's advice. I've cast a pretty large amount of boolits with entry level level equipment. I shoot with a few guys that like factory loads and I generally shoot my own hand casts... I've yet to see them out shoot my hand loads. Over time if you watch this site and your local gun shop you will be able to continue to upgrade if it becomes a pure passion if not your only out a couple hundred bucks.
Good luck
Jeepyj

[Mk42gunner]

You do not need a heated lubrisizer unless you are going to use hard lubes, or size outside in the winter.

I will recommend an electric pot, they are a lot more comfortable to use than a cast iron pot on a Coleman stove, for me.

If you get the Lee 4-20, you can easily dip from it as well as bottom pour. My RCBS lead dipper works very well with the 4-20. Sometimes the ladling makes a better bullet than the bottom pour, sometimes it is the other way. The key is trying both ways, then making up your mind.

Robert

[country gent]

The advantages to the kits are evrything is there ready to go. The drawback is the molds available are limited. Buying by the peice is a bigger chore and takes longer sometimes. The plus is you can research ask opinions and get just what you want from the start. Knowing what bullets you want to shoot helps as you only have to find the bullet mold for it. ( Keep in mind some of the custom casters have pretty extensive tool rooms available and custom molds that may not be available) First is to decide how involved you want to get from the start. Then your actual requirements as to alloys needed, quanities needed, and such. Lubricator/ sizers are nice. A lee push thru sizer and liquid alox will cover alot also, and it uses your existing press.
Get all your requirements down on paper in front of you then your "budget not only in money but time also in another cloumn. Writing it down makes it easier to see where your going. As to molds Lees are good and inexpensive, while some of the customs can be close to 300.00 for a set. How many rounds of a given caliber do you shoot a month? How much time is available to cast this number of slugs a month?

[Lefty Red]

I use allot of Lee products, and have thier bottom pour pot. But I just ordered a "kit" from Midway for their Lyman started kit for a smelting pot. At $70, you get their 10# pot, ladle, ingot mold, and a great manual.
Lefty

[captaint]

Welcome sarge.. I currently use a dippin pot and a bottom pour. Believe me, there's nothing wrong with the ladle pour deal. Works real well. If I remember right, I can even fill all 6 cavities of a Lee 9mm mold with one RCBS ladle full. I bottom pour often, though. Mike

[Lead Fred]

Ive been pan lubing for decades, and tumble lubing is even easier.
I did the camp stove thing for years, got tired of filling the propane bottles.
I even have a 1930s kerosene smelting furnace Ive never used. Someday when I have nuttin better to do, Ill fire it up.
Got a 20lb Lee furnace, not bottom pour. Ill never go back to the old ways until there is on electricity.