Casting

[WFO2]

I need some advice. I have been reloading for a long time and want to get into casting .I plan on casting for 45ACP , 44MAG , and 38 SPCL . Can you guys kind of give me a starter list of equipment that I will need . I want to make 44 Mag first .Thank you for your time and input in advance .

[OS OK]

If you go to my post here..New Casters…Lets Blend Pb & make INGOTS (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?301055-New-Casters%85Lets-Blend-Pb-amp-make-INGOTS) …It'l be obvious the tools needed for 'smelting/blending'.
I'm sure someone else has already done one on the 'pouring/molds' multiple times, just don't know where it is.
Try searching.
This part is going to be much more subjective in nature.
Here is a thread going now on 'new casting' that ought to be a sticky.. Why People Give Up On Casting (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?303701-Why-People-Give-Up-On-Casting) ...

Good luck

[WFO2]

Thanks for the reply I know I need a melting pot some molds , handles a sizer . But was wondering on thoughts for entry level . Is Lee a good place to start ?

[claude]

Is Lee a good place to start ?

You are going to possibly get many conflicting opinions, but as a new caster myself, I would say yes it is. I say that because until you know casting is for you, you can make perfectly good boolits without mortgaging the first born child. You can pick up from Lee, everything you need to melt, pour, lube, and size perfectly acceptable boolits for less than the price of one of the almighty master blaster furnaces. Should you find the art of casting an enjoyable hobby, and your production needs require it, you can always upgrade.

I enjoy casting, and I have purchased a few custom molds because I could choose my boolit dimensions, and in truth the custom molds are nice, however, I have several Lee molds that make some pretty fine boolits as well and the outlay of hard earned cash was substantially less.

I have a Lee 20lb "drippy" bottom pour, it works fine, it puts molten alloy into the molds reliably, it works.

So, to answer your question, my opinion is yes, Lee is a good place to start.

[jsizemore]

When I got into rifle silhouette, I ask a good friend what rifle I should buy (he had been national smallbore hunter pistol champion). He said to buy as good as you can afford. He said he had spent as much on numerous "starter" guns that he could have bought 2 Anschutz. I bought the Anschutz. If there was any miss I knew what was in error. I can now sell my Anschutz for more then I paid for it.

[tja6435]

First thing I'd do is build a PID to control the temperature of the melt in your pot. That'll save a lot of headache the first time and every time after that you cast boolits.

[Handloader109]

Do searches for the recommendations for the "best" Lee mold for first gun you want to load for. I do mainly 9mm so can't help you there. I'd pick one 2 cavity Lee mold, 20 pound Lee casting pot, buy 60 pounds of lead (recovered range lead should work fine for any of these) from a seller here on the site, and most likely a Lee sizing kit for correct diameter. Nothing more, go cheap, see if you like to cast. Then add other molds and spend your time and money as you see fit and can. If you have a source of lead to reclaim "smelt is misused but describes the process) then go that route, but don't use good casting pot for that. Have fun, can be inexpensive hobby

[WFO2]

Why not use a good pot is range lead really dirty lots of brass ?

[lightman]

As a rule you don't want to smelt your lead in your casting pot. Wheelwrights and range scrap can have lots of dirt and trash that will cause problems in a bottom pour pot. Even sheet lead can be dirty or be heavily oxidized. Most of us have a larger pot for smelting, usually heated on a fish cooker or turkey fryer using propane. There is a good sticky on smelting that you should check out.

[bangerjim]

www.lasc.us (http://www.lasc.us). read read read

And you do not need a PID temp controller at first. Get to know the why's and where's of melting and casting lead. Once you get that down you can branch out with a digital temp controller.

Most range lead is the dirtiest stuff you can find....dirt, grime, poop all intermixed. Even worse than COWW's. You can find anything in there, depending on the range. Even LIVE ammo!

I have two Lee 4-20's (drippy pots) and over the years I have not had a SINGLE drip problem. Get a 4-20 bottom pour. Sure beats dipping lead with a big spoon or ladle! And much faster, too.

Comment to wife: "remember that hobby that was going to save us hundreds of dollars....is now costing us thousands!" It is an addiction. 2 or 3 molds....heck 20 or 30....is just a start! It is fun. So far, I have probably not saved a single dime, but I sure shoot a lot more since I quit buying expensive com-loaded ammo in stores. And I can control the load and make-up of my rounds. Try that with White-box-carp!

Have fun...........:guntootsmiley:

banger

[WFO2]

I see get one of those melting pots for 20 bucks to melt and clean lead. Then use the lee for actual casting .

[popper]

The Lee 4-20 is still pouring 180gr boolits for me. If 400+ gr. you might need a ladle but the Lee pot will still work fine. Try a heavy duty SS mixer pan for smelting - if the wife has one - does ~50# at a time on a turkey frier. Get a decent thermometer to start. I didn't but went straight to PID a year later.

[Yodogsandman]

If you buy lead ingots from the S&S section here, you can probably wait on getting any smelting equipment to start out with. Most ingots from there will be super clean when you get it.

Then to cast only, you'll just need a pot to melt lead. A Lee 4-20 pro pot is a good first bottom pour pot.
A mold or two
A spoon or small ladle for fluxing/stirring the pot.
Safety glasses and heavy leather gloves
A folded old towel to drop boolits on or quench in a bucket of water
A little wax for flux
tin to add to your ingots for mold fill out (lead free solder,50/50 solder, lead free fishing weights, pewter)
An ingot mold or container for under the spout.
I put a cookie sheet under the whole pot set up (just in case)
A mallet or broom stick for rapping the mold to release boolits
A container to put all your pretty new boolits in.
A sizing die, Lee is cheapest set up and lube comes with it.
Optional is a hot plate, lead thermometer or PID unit.

[popper]

^^^ very good post but I would make tin optional. I would move thermometer toward the top. I know you can do without but make life easy. I am finding paper to be a good flux after judicious stirring to get stuff to the top. It comes out in one piece. Uses up O2 and stuff sticks to it. Maybe I'll try some wax paper too next time.

[WFO2]

Thanks still doing a lot of reading up so far ordered a Lee Production pot IV . Looking a molds right now for 44 mag .

[bangerjim]

WF02.........just be careful. Do not read TOO much! With the avalanche of info on the net today, new casters are overwhelmed and spend way too much time researching, reading and mentally pondering cast.....when the ONLY way to learn it is to get out there and just do it!

That is how most of us did it and we turned out just fine without forums and youtube and web links.

Knowledge is good. Too much can be dangerous!

Have fun. Just get out there and melt some lead and cast some boolits. You will learn real fast what works and what does not. I sure did......without Youtube!!!!!!

banger

[WFO2]

understood any ideas on 240 grain swc molds ? .430 diam ? .429 ? .431 ? like you said a lot of info out there .

[country gent]

The Lee moulds work good but may require some tuning to get right. They are inexpensive and do the job. Keep them lubed properly and they will cast tens of thousands of bullets. Draw backs to Lee moulds are thinner sprue plates, no lock screw on sprue plate bolt, and the aluminum they use is fairly soft. They do work and starting out they do a great job You may decide Lees are all you need even. As to the rest of the gear. A pot for casting bottom pour or ladle is up to you. I pefer to ladle pour but thats me. I would recomend parrfin or beeswax to clean in the casting pot as it dosnt put as much waste into it this can plug restrict spouts and cause other issues. Only clean ingots go into the casting pot so it dosnt take as much to keep it clean. A scraper and old scrap stainless spoon to stir and remove what little crud does come up. An old hammer handle, piece of dowel or small plastic cap hammer about 9-10 ounces to cut sprues tap with. A thermometer is habdy and helps give better control but isnt completely neccessary starting out. But now dont forget your saftey gear billed hat, saftey glasses, heavy shirt and jeans. leather shoes or boots and gloves. A splater of molten metal on sensitive skin can be painfull. You will be working with 700* molten metal while not overly dangerous its not forgiving either.

[bangerjim]

With cast, the normal rules around these daze (not my creation) are cast and size ~0.002 over bore diameter. Slug your barrel and find out what your gun will like to eat.

I have found I can gain 0.002 by using powder coating on boolits I cannot size to where I need. Works great. Once you get the hang of casting, check out the PC threads in alternate coatings on here. A whole new world awaits you!

Just lean to walk B4 you try to run.

bangerjim

[robg]

Yodogsandman is spot on ,no need to spend a fortune to see if you are going to like casting.if you don't I'd be surprised.

[Lead Fred]

Been casting since the 70s, and have never used a PID yet.

Find some Elmer Keith Ideal moulds for the 38 & 44

[dragon813gt]

Bare minimum is a pot, mold and push through sizer. Lee makes all of these at a good price. If you buy their push through sizer it comes w/ Alox for tumble lubing. It works well but I personally can't stand the smell.

Since the OP is talking about 44 Mag he needs to state if it's for pistol or rifle. They have different dimensional requirements w/ the rifles requiring a larger diameter.

I started out on the cheap. Eventually sold off all of my Lee molds and am happier for it. A PID has allowed me to focus on other aspects of casting. It's not a requirement but don't believe people that have never used one yet talk poorly of them.

I would add a casting thermometer to my list as well. It's not a requirement but the more you know the better your results will be.

[WFO2]

Lyman 4-Cavity Bullet Mold #429421 44 Special, 44 Remington Magnum (430 Diameter) 245 Grain Semi-Wadcutter . So far ordered a lee pot and going to order that mold .Leaning toward the RCBS Lubsizer .

[WFO2]

Got good advice on the mold . Now have to find one for 38 specail that is also non gas check .

[Black Chrome]

Got good advice on the mold . Now have to find one for 38 specail that is also non gas check .
Look into a Lee 358-158-RF I just had one show up in the mail from Grafs. I like the look so far even though I havent cast with it yet.

[WFO2]

Man the RCBS Pro pot looks good to I think i'm gonna sell the Lee pot when it gets here to a buddy or use it for a few times till i pull the trigger on the RCBS . Still have to get a few things but hell the journey is fun to . Think I will take a break and load a few 44 rounds .

[Yodogsandman]

Lyman 358477 148gr SWC