New here ..... just gettin started

[ZippyHillbilly]

Howdy from the HillBilly in the WV Just gettin started in this here castin thingy. A rather large pile of lead stuff .... some purchased ... some scrounged from friends and such. I got fair bit o learnin ta do. I figured investing in a cabine tree unit might be wise, so i did. Tested some of my pile of stuff. Figured it was safer than biting the stuff to test hardness. Used it as bubble gum as kid. My first question? Is brinell hardness (regardless of composition and yet a lead alloy) a place to start? I got some stuff that tests 5-6, some 63% tin solder (tests 8), some alloy stuff tests 13, some tin/lead alloy that tests 10 ..... and a large bar of Finn's Copper hard babbit. I understand you can mix alloy and am only beginning to scratch the surface of this mysterious underworld of "alloy mixing". Just lookin fer some direction. Gonna start meltin and makin some ingots this weekend. If nothin more than fer practicin, fluxin and cleanup. I know it can be annoying to have any repetitive posts .... even points to threads I should read will be helpful. Right now I'm kinda runnin in some circles reading various threads. Thank Ya kindly

[nagantguy]

Welcome sir, nice to start the hobby with a pile o lead. Get a notepad and hold on there is more knowledge here than anywhere else in the world on casting, reloading and gunsmithing. Great folks, the pit can at times get rowdy but people are pretty good about acting like rational adults and moving on. I thought I was hooked on casting then my daughter got her first deer this year with boolits we cast and pcd and loaded together, now with a live in casting partner we've kicked it to the next level.

[ZippyHillbilly]

Thanks for the kind words. I got some learnin to do in this arena. Seems a new fella might be best served just plain out buyin some #2 ingots and go from there, but what's the fun in that? I like to make it more complicated ..... yeah. I understand brittleness, softness, balance and such enough to likely be mildly dangerous. I'm in no huge hurry and have all winter to learn. I plan to use this stuff fer plinkin, practice and reduced loads to get wife more practice. I aint no bullseye shooter as such. I know my way around and x ring. I am a hunter as well, but not using cast this year as season is upon us soon. Maybe next year. I have copied and pasted info from various sticky's here to make me a cheat sheet. Have the excel spreadsheet. Ordered some stuff from Lathesmith for my star unit. Just tryin to get a basic understanding as it pertains to alloys as such. thank you

[Bonz]

I cheated and bought some #2 from RotoMetals when I started casting just to be sure that the lead wasn't a factor in my problems

[ZippyHillbilly]

I think I might call that wisdom ..... not cheatin. BTW .... even bein a hillbilly and all ... I get the math behind alloy. Even in percentages of alloy and such. I guess havin more than one tooth helps in that arena.


I cheated and bought some #2 from RotoMetals when I started casting just to be sure that the lead wasn't a factor in my problems

[RogerDat]

This calculator is invaluable for coming up with a recipe. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?105952-Lead-alloy-calculators

This has BHN next to the alloys so you can sort of work from that to make a guess at what you have. But hey if the cast boolit is right size and right hardness then it works. Right? Knowing the alloy really matters from two angles. Not wasting money by over use of expensive alloy E.G the WW (wheel weight) and Solder might be the same hardness but the solder is much more valuable. Or to establish a recipe that provides.... wait for it...... the hardness you need. You have a way to test for hardness use that as your guide. Too soft add some of the harder stuff, too hard add some of the softer stuff. Revolvers and lower velocity ammo is very forgiving and not overly demanding.

Go for a couple percent of tin so it casts well and your off to the races.
That alloy calculator is a spread sheet, if you don't have Microsoft Office you can use the free software Open Office http://www.openoffice.org/ after you install it then the alloy calculator spreadsheet will open in that, if you already have MS Excel that will work too.

Welcome to the addiction.

[Mitch]

Welcome aboard.there is a lot of good info here.you did not say what your plan on casting for rifle er handgun?sounds like you have a good start with some lead.if you are going to cast hangun boolits the stuf that is 13 bhn would be great the most it would need is 1% tin added and it may not need that>a little trile and error will tell.the stuff that is 5 or 6 bhn is pure or close enough to be used as pure.i agree the alloy calculator is a big help.i know what you are saying about the alloy I wondered the same thing.my thought is it might matter for some thing but for some plinkin I doubt it matters much.as time goes along you will learn what you are looking at when scrounging for lead and know more of what the alloy is.

happy melting and good luck
Bob

[country gent]

ID ingots with a set of letter number punches, chisel or punch. as you smelt diffrent alloies into ingots after a few years they all look the same with out some form of ID marking. Permanant marker works short term but fads rubs off over time. Keep detailed notes of alloy blends and its performance this way what works can be duplicated easily. The big thing is to enjoy the journey and see where it takes you.

[ZippyHillbilly]

My plan right now is casting for plinking and practice. Calibers of focus right now are 38 - 357 - 44 - 45. I may graduate to rifle later. Not planning on gas checking anything right now. Shooting ranges will primarily be in the 50yrds or less. Likely 25yds and under. I will be trying to develop a load for my 357 Max TC carbine at some point, but not right now. Mostly all pistol. Thanks for the comments.

[Mitch]

I shoot everything but the 44 and use 11 to 13 bhn for all with not gas checks with light to mid range plinking loads with out any problem.just remember boolit fit in the gun is king a lot more so than hardness or alloy of lead.so be sure and slung your barrels and revolver cylinder throats and go from there.country gent is right make sure and mark you ingots.i did not at fist had abunch of ingot that I had no clue what they were.

[ZippyHillbilly]

Thank you fellas and duely noted. I've slugged for other reasons so I am familiar. I like the idea of stamping ingots. Makes sense.

[scottfire1957]

Thank you fellas and duely noted. I've slugged for other reasons so I am familiar. I like the idea of stamping ingots. Makes sense.


You're far more intelligent than you're presenting yourself. Do some reading on this site, some searches. You'll find the answers here before you know to ask the question.

ALMOST everything has been asked, and answered. I know. I've read, and searched.

Questions of experience, that's a whole nuther ball game. THOSE questions and answers I read.

[retread]

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_textonly2.pdf

Download and read this. It really helped and is still helping me. And welcome to the zoo.

[Hickok]

My advice if you are just starting out is to "keep it simple."

Start out with revolvers, the .38/.357 magnums SEEM to have the best chamber throat demensions verses bore/groove diameter to get good results with undue headaches. (Some will disagree, but I have found .44's and 45 Colts handguns can need some work to get proper specs as to chamber throat/ groove diameter for cast shooting). The .38s and .357's just have always worked great for me when getting a good cast load with the least headaches.

Start making boolits with clip-on wheel-weights, add some tin to get good mold fill out, and work up your loads. Clip on Wheel weight alloy is probably where most of us here started out. Remember, it is a learning process, and you need to enjoy it.

[Virginia John]

From one WVer to another welcome.

[Hickok]

John I think there is a good many of us fellows here that have one leg that is longer than the other from walking around the side of a mountain!:redneck:

[ZippyHillbilly]

John I think there is a good many of us fellows here that have one leg that is longer than the other from walking around the side of a mountain!:redneck: LOL ..... you bet!

[bruce381]

make it easy you have a star thats a big deal in its self.
I started with a 1 hole cav lee mold melting lead on a coleman stove in a old tuna can with a lee dipper.
I sized with a old lyman sizer to .358 and they shot fine no lead. used the old 50/50 beeswax lube back then.

[RogerDat]

Don't sweat it too much if you make an alloy that does not shoot well or cast well you can always just re-melt the bullets and add whatever it seems to lack. Do overs are a casters best friend.

Too hard add some plain, too soft add some hard, won't flow and cast well. There you get into a bunch of variables. Mold temp, melt temp, and alloy all have to come together. Or maybe just a little solder for tin is required. But whatever is not going right people here are great about providing solutions to a specific casting problem.

[bangerjim]

And do not forget the hot plate for heating your mold to FULL casting temp B4 ever starting! As necessary for good boolit drops as a pot, lead, and molds. All your rejects and wrinkles will go way from the 1st one! Anyone on here that uses one will swear by (not at) using a hotplate. Excellent small investment.

banger

[Nose Dive]

ZippyHillbilly: WELCOME TO THE MADNESS BUDDY! You're in the right spot for smeltin lead and castin boolits!!

My only suggestion at this point...well only TWO suggestions...Heck...THREE suggestions...are....

1. HAVE FUN HERE! our hobby is a kick and these fellas here can help with any question.... Don't be afraid to get on here ask..."WE LOVE IT"!!
2. READ...READ...READ...(this only counts as one suggestion!) here on "Lead and Lead Alloys" section...you will see about 20 (UGH!) 'stickies'... these are threads about melting metals....finding things...doing things.... and how to do what we do.... MY STRONG SUGGESTION...is you spend the few HOURS and read each all the way through...you will learn...YOU CAN GET HURT if you put bad stuff in your smelt pot!! READ...READ and benefit from all these ole..(red neck fellas as MYSELF) and benefit from their knowledge and experience... These ole boys are SHARP....
3. BE SURE TO STAY SAFE!... you will be melting metals to 700 or 800 degrees,,(THAT IS HOT!) and things can happen if you 'don't know'....

Remeber... It ain't fun if your hurtin'!!

Nose Dive

Cheap, Fast, Good. Kindly pick two.

[ZippyHillbilly]

Thanks for all the input folks ..... I have now acquired most all the things mentioned to start casting over the winter. Even if a wee bit chilly, I can go to range to test things here and there. I am VERY positive I will have questions. I did process the loose lead I had and make ingots. I am enjoying this new hobby and haven't even cast a bullet yet! LOL

[typz2slo]

Welcome. I have been here a while and have only scratched the surface of the information offered on the site. The best advice I was given as a noob was to read the stickies. I found answers to most of my questions there and if I didnt I had the information to point me in the right direction for an answer.