BEST ADVICE to a NEWBY . . . . ?

[OS OK]

We have lots of Newbs that come through this forum but many are afraid to post...for whatever reasons.

What would be your best couple of tips for them?
Think about when you first got started...what tripped you up or what was hard for you to grasp?

Maybe you have a good tip on what not to do...what would that be?

[Winger Ed.]

Spend some time here reading the 'stickies'.

It will greatly shortcut their learning curve.

And don't make extra work for yourself.
There's plenty of other people who are more than glad to do that for ya.

[sureYnot]

Do not cast up 15 pounds of boolits with a new mold until you've had success in your firearm.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

[RED BEAR]

Read read read and ask questions the only dumb question is the one not asked.

[truckjohn]

First is to buy or get gifted some cast bullets to try out. Figure out what size your guns need. Make sure that shooting them goes like you think before you drop a pile of $$$ on the stuff. Remember that 500 rifle bullets will last a LONG LONG time for most people. You can still buy 500 cast rifle bullets for less than the cost of the initial setup and that would last most of us well over 10 years. And 500 pistol bullets will still last a long long time unless you are a high volume target shooter.

Why try before you buy? Well - it's another hobby all of it's own. It takes up time. It also requires a stack of dedicated equipment.

Anyway.... So you are getting into it....

Be sure to buy a pair of heavy leather welding gloves. This stuff gets flaming hot and you will burn your hands bad.

Next is to buy a big dipper. You can use a cheap soup ladle if you want - they work fine. The little Lee dippers are cheap but way too small. The RCBS cast iron pouring dipper is fine for smaller molds but too small for the bigger ones.

Last is lube stuff... I waited way too long to buy a lube sizer and wish I had not waited. It simply makes everything 10,000 easier and so much less messy than trying to hand lube bullets.

[mattw]

Best advice... read here and re-read here. Next thing would be.. stick to published loads for a good while. Learn your load, your gun and what to expect. Blowing up a gun would not be a good time to learn that W231 is not a universal fill the case powder for your use! To that end, be very careful when working up a load, start low and ladder it up a few tenths at a time and monitor for signs that indicate you have topped out.

I actually was told one time that most loads work best if smokeless powder is compressed, even though many of those loads are over max load data! I got away from that dude!

[JBinMN]

We have lots of Newbs that come through this forum but many are afraid to post...for whatever reasons.

What would be your best couple of tips for them?
Think about when you first got started...what tripped you up or what was hard for you to grasp?

Maybe you have a good tip on what not to do...what would that be?

I was recently berated by a longtime member here that I was giving out "too advanced" of info for a beginner, and I am supposed to "assume" every beginner is just an ignorant slow learner, rather than posting the info to Help them learn & let them ask questions about what was posted if they did not understand it...
{ I guess I am supposed to take the view that every person who is a new member here is a beginner & is a slow learner as well, so not to overload them with what I consider "pretty simple" methods to make accurate boolits or reloads. How could I think such things?}

So, I think I am not gonna post anymore advice to beginners, or if I do think it is worth it, I will do it by PM. Since I am supposed to just "assume they are ignorant" as a beginner, or that they can't comprehend detailed instructions on how to do something.
{ Killing the whole reason for having an "open forum" about casting & reloading. Because then no one gets the info, but the person that receives the PM... Ain't that a great idea, eh?}


Or, I might just stop posting anything handloading related at all...
{ Just spend my time in a CASTBOOLITS & GUNLOADS forum, talking about other things... ??? Since one is supposed to keep things so simple(K.I.S.S.) that an ignorant "beginning caster", or reloader can understand it & not share anything more complicated about casting & reloading until they have a higher post count, prove up their experience & knowledge, or some ** like that...}

I am now understanding more & more why people leave this forum, and/or, just post to folks to help them by PM.

{Not surprising anymore at all. Just might have to adopt that style myself...}

I have now explained what I was told to do with beginners by someone else here who has been a member for some time & am sharing it so you all can know about this method as well...

{BTW, I hope this post was not too long & complicated for "beginning casters & reloaders" to read & understand. It would be a **** shame now , wouldn't it... Just doing what a longtime member here says is the "right thing to do for beginners"...Since he has been here such a long time, he must be right, eh?}

[country gent]

I have a couple for new reloaders and casters from experience.
1) keep detailed notes on what your doing, what has worked what didn't
Casting, temps alloys preheats style casting pot used every detail for the given session mould
reloading: dies set used detailed load, brass, any prep done, rifle , press used evert thing you may think of.

this way you can repeat what works and skip what didn't, or repeat results at any time in the future. As time goes and the notes become more complete and detailed they become more valuable.

Read and use a good published source of load data and information. Lymans manuals are very good all around RCBS, Sierra, Hornady, And others are good also. Have a current one on the bench and use it.

[quilbilly]

Do not cast up 15 pounds of boolits with a new mold until you've had success in your firearm.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk
Ain't that the truth!! Don't get too caught up in details of casting. That comes later. High velocity is overrated.

[Kraschenbirn]

Before casting that first batch of boolits, go out and invest in a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullets Handbook and read the text chapters, page by page, taking notes on anything he/she doesn't understand, then, post questions here.

Bill

[swheeler]

1-I would say get yourself a couple reloading manuals and a cast bullet manual, Lyman Third is great. Put one of them beside your bed and start reading at page one until the end, and so on until you have a few under your belt.

2-Never take any load data off the internet without comparing it to some form of published data, verify-verify-verify, typos happen, people get old and transpose numbers and they will swear under oath they are correct- WRONG!

3- Above all else use common sense, start low and work up!!

[bmortell]

if you have a micrometer, when buying a push through sizer die buy the size .001 under and lap it to the exact size you want. the increase in tolerance roundness and smoothness is worth it. the last .430 I bought measured .4295 by .4305 oblong.

you just need to chuck a round rod of anykind in a drill, tape a strip of paper on the front to roll up, and a strip of sandpaper, grit depending on how much to remove. shorten the paper or add tape to fit tight. start by taking a boolit cast of pure, push it through the sizer make sure it contacts fully, measure. spin the drill contraption in it for a moment, squish the boolit top to bottom till it measures a few thousands bigger so it will contact the new larger sizer, size, measure. and repeat till happy. to determine final size you can base off of bore slugging, leading, accuracy ect., I prefer also catching a boolit in water jugs will cloth backstop and seeing if there's any gas cutting from being to small. most times if your close but getting a tiny bit of gas cutting you only need to lap .0005 bigger and it may stop.

guess that's not completely beginner advice but its good after you got basics of casting and loading

[mdi]

1. Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.
2. K.I.S.S. Don't overthink casting.
3. Peruse forums here and read stickies. Trust in castboolits.com for true/good info
and ignore "they said" or "I heard" info.
4. Practice. I've read; "the only way to cast bullets is to cast bullets...

[wv109323]

Get Lyman manual
Bottom pour furnace
Good mold for caliber
Verify lead temperature via thermometer or PID
Hot plate for molds
Star lubrisizer

[OS OK]

I was recently berated by a longtime member here that I was giving out "too advanced" of info for a beginner, and I am supposed to "assume" every beginner is just an ignorant slow learner, rather than posting the info to Help them learn & let them ask questions about what was posted if they did not understand it...
{ I guess I am supposed to take the view that every person who is a new member here is a beginner & is a slow learner as well, so not to overload them with what I consider "pretty simple" methods to make accurate boolits or reloads. How could I think such things?}

So, I think I am not gonna post anymore advice to beginners, or if I do think it is worth it, I will do it by PM. Since I am supposed to just "assume they are ignorant" as a beginner, or that they can't comprehend detailed instructions on how to do something.
{ Killing the whole reason for having an "open forum" about casting & reloading. Because then no one gets the info, but the person that receives the PM... Ain't that a great idea, eh?}


Or, I might just stop posting anything handloading related at all...
{ Just spend my time in a CASTBOOLITS & GUNLOADS forum, talking about other things... ??? Since one is supposed to keep things so simple(K.I.S.S.) that an ignorant "beginning caster", or reloader can understand it & not share anything more complicated about casting & reloading until they have a higher post count, prove up their experience & knowledge, or some ** like that...}

I am now understanding more & more why people leave this forum, and/or, just post to folks to help them by PM.

{Not surprising anymore at all. Just might have to adopt that style myself...}

I have now explained what I was told to do with beginners by someone else here who has been a member for some time & am sharing it so you all can know about this method as well...

{BTW, I hope this post was not too long & complicated for "beginning casters & reloaders" to read & understand. It would be a **** shame now , wouldn't it... Just doing what a longtime member here says is the "right thing to do for beginners"...Since he has been here such a long time, he must be right, eh?}

JB...it's been this way for along time now, I suppose that there's just one forum left where NEWB's are welcome & encouraged, they have no fear of being berated and we try to bring them up with sound advice and plenty of links to the 'primer' type reading materials. Then we do a lot of discussion and follow through...they have been up and running for a year now this April.

thereloadersnetwork.com and their slack.thereloadersnetwork.com chat channel, lotz of content creators there, it is a most unusual place.

*If I were to give just one sound bit of advice, I'd say to try your best to find a seasoned reloader/caster near your home and get some first hand-hands on experience even before you invest a lot of money in what you think you want...the shop equipment will morph quickly the first year. Most of us have a junk drawer full of miscellaneous tools and gizmos that we have outgrown.

But where do I find a mentor? Just ask...

[daloper]

My best advice is to update their location. It is possible that there will be someone close by that would show them the ropes first hand. Don't be afraid to seek out a mentor.

[GhostHawk]

Bullet fit is king, worry about the other variables after you know you have that sorted.

1-3 thousandths over groove is what I aim for. Most cases 1 or 2 but a given gun needs what it needs. I have a couple of 9mm guns that get .359 or .3595 cast. Smaller keyholes, and shotgun patterns.

Each new caliber is a journey, each will teach you something if your paying attention.
Or in some cases remind you of something you may have forgotten.

Don't sweat the speed. A big cast lead bullet will kill from 800 fps clear on up to high speed jacketed range. Also speed can be counter productive for penetration.

Fast powders like Red Dot to go slow, Slow rifle powders to go fast.

Your choice, you want to spend 3-6 grains of Red Dot? Or 40-55 grains of slow powder?
7k grains in a pound. Do the math.

[JBinMN]

*If I were to give just one sound bit of advice, I'd say to try your best to find a seasoned reloader/caster near your home and get some first hand-hands on experience even before you invest a lot of money in what you think you want...the shop equipment will morph quickly the first year. Most of us have a junk drawer full of miscellaneous tools and gizmos that we have outgrown.

But where do I find a mentor? Just ask...

Funny.. I made that same "suggestion", about finding a "mentor", in the very first post for another "new member" asking a question, and it was the very first suggestion I made in that topic where I got the **, but apparently, I guess it was too complicated for a "beginning caster" or reloader...

Have a look...

Here is the first part (1 of 3 or 4) of my first post there in that topic:


Welcome to CB.GL Forum!
:)

I have a few suggestions for you...

Since you said you got the lead/alloys from a LGS (Local Gun Shop), it means they must know of someone who is casting their own boolits, as well as someone who knows what WW & 60/40 means & how the may be used for casting boolits. ("WW" could mean, SOWW= "Stick On Wheel Weight", or COWW = "Clip On Wheel Weight. While I would reckon they meant COWW, it would be worth asking about them, as there is a difference in hardness with SOWW being about 6-7 BHN & COWW being up around 10-12, IIRC) , and that will also make a difference on how hard or soft your boolits turn out & that can be an issue with leading & other performance problems down the line...

So, #1, I would suggest you ask them there if there is someone who you can talk to ( like a "mentor) to learn a bit more from someone who actually has cast boolits for a while & maybe get some good knowledge from someone "right there" in your area who can help you get on your way.

While there are well experienced & knowledgeable folks here at CB.GL Forum, IMO it is much better to have a source nearby if you can find one to help you pick up on some of the more basics of casting, then add to that with more as you progress in your own knowledge & experience.

Up to you, but that is suggestion #1.
;)

And later on... The following...


Hint; K.I.S.S. Some of the "suggestions" are involved enough, long enough to be a magazine article, and way overkill for a new caster.

Range lead is fine for a beginning caster. I even bought range lead from a Vendor Sponsor here and it normally runs 9-11 BHN (when I started casting I wasn't overly concerned with BHN and 98% of my casting was with wheel weights and range lead). Alloying can wait for now, as making good bullets, learning how to process and load them is more important (bullet to gun fit is very important). BTW, 60/40 is solder not bullet lead.

For now, your most important measurements; Bullet diameter and for your 9mm, groove diameter, and OAL. Just make sure the finished cartridge fits the chamber.

Load data is in your manual, stick with that.

Look at your Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook for casting and loading info.

Most forum responses are good, but many new reloader's threads start out with a simple question, and the next few posts are good answers then they morph into advanced techniques and theory, very often just adding confusion to a new reloader/caster's simple request. Since the newbe isn't informed enough to separate the "wheat from the chaff", he is often left frustrated and confused...

So, again, K.I.S.S.
Go slow. Double check everything. And most important, have fun...

Source:http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?380289-Is-it-safe-to-use-125gr-load-data-for-124-gr-lead-cast&p=4627906&viewfull=1#post4627906


---------------

So, here is a tip for "beginners" or "old hats" alike...

If you are gonna go "sniping" at someone for their posts content, make sure to "kill your target", because otherwise, they will likely "return fire" when they get the chance to "snipe" back...

How is that for a "tip"...

[T_McD]

Meh. Best advice is to just do it, learn a little then ask questions. None of this is terribly difficult and most people learn more from trying for 20 minutes then hours of “reading the stickies”.

[brewer12345]

Lyman 4th
use a hotplate
pick a basic 2 cavity mold for an easy caliber (38 special, 45 ACP, etc.)
figure out bullet fit. much more important than alloy, etc.
consider powder coating. Just started and it is easy and works well.
use safety gear: welder's gloves, leather apron, face shield. This is molten metal we are dealing with.

[samari46]

Brewer12345 hit the nail on the head regarding safety equipment. good pair of welders gloves not some el cheapo made in china ****, welders apron usually made from leather and face sheild.And definitely no darn flip flops. Wear work shoes or decent boots. Do not do any casting when tired all it takes is for your mind to wander to have it come back to bite you. Make your casting setup comfortable and could be done either standing or sitting down. Old coffee table, desk or what have you. Clean all the oil from the new mold with brake cleaner, dish water detergent or alcohol.All 3 work. Get a cheap single hot plate from wally world and use it to preheat the mold. Casting 30-40 rejects from a mold gets old quick. Adaquate ventilation either from opening doors like in your garage. Once you get good bullets coming out or your mold maintain a good casting speed. Gently close the mold blocks don't slam them closed. No need for a wood handle to open or close the sprue plate.I use the welders gloves for that. If melting down wheel weights use a gas burner and cast iron container, an old dutch oven with a lid works great. No aluminum pots cannot take the temps we use. There are themometers you can buy for taking temps of your casting alloys or get one of the infrared gizmos like the ones sold at harbor freight. And take notes and don't get discouraged. I normally size my bullets about 2-3 thousands over groove diameter. Read,read,and read some more about bullet casting, lubes,sizing or anything about casting. I see more than a few references to this website while on other forums. And first thing you should do is slug the barrel you intend to cast for and write down the numbers so you know what you are dealing with. I have a little pocket note pad and write down the numbers of the firearms I want to cast for. And clean out all the copper and powder fouling from either rifle or handgun prior to shooting cast bullets in it. Might take awhile. When I think I've got a clean barrel, run some hoppe's soaked patches and let sit for a couple days. If after you do this and get green patches repeat again until no green. Butch's Bore shine does a great job on copper and powder fouling by the way. I know it feels great when you get good groups and you can say I did this. I load cast bullets for a 1935 Finn model 27 moisin nagant rifle my estimated velocity is about 1600 feet per second. When my 72 year old eyes cooperate I get 2" groups at 100 yds. Less wear and tear on the barrel and fun to shoot. That's all I ask. Someone with better eyes may do better. And after all this scrounge all the wheel weights, lead solder (scrap yards are great for this.) you can. Yeah you are gonna get some zinc and iron wheel weights. Muratic acid is available at pool supply companies for testing for zinc weights and a good magnet for those iron ones. And don't for get the welders gloves, first thing you put on after the face sheild and the last thing you take off. Sounds like a lot to take in and it is. We've all been down this road before. I've found that the collective on this forum knowledge is freely shared so take advantage of it. And since we all have bad days if things aren't working right shut down things ask questions here and try again. Chronographs are great goodies to have and spend what you are able. Best tool for checking speeds, deviations and other stuff. Buy one when you can and when you can afford it. And don't let someone shoot through the screens when you are otherwise occupied. I had one jerk plop himself in my chair and let off a couple shots. Turns out he was a guest of another shooter. The guy he was a guest of almost lost his membership.Frank

[toallmy]

Start now - don't put it off for years .
Practice makes perfect so don't worry about the bad cast boolits , you can recycle them .
Be safe !!!

[Bazoo]

JB, I find your posts helpful and informative and I thank you for your contributions! I for one always appreciate your responses on subjects, especially the detailed responses. Reloading and casting is a game of details and if one can't handle those details they should look for another hobby.

For the beginning reloader or caster. First, read all you can on the subject. Fryxells book from Ingot to Target, Lyman handbooks 46,47,49, cast bullet handbook 3,4. Many of the old Speer manuals are excellent as well. And don't let the few grumpy folks here keep you from joining and asking questions. Don't be afraid to take a step back and regroup if you start getting overwhelmed or have problems. I've nearly given it up several times. Keep at it and ask those questions and you'll get it figured out.

[44Blam]

Best advice for newby. Read.
Also note, casting and reloading boolits is not going to save you money. It will get you new equipment to reload and better molds. AND you will shoot a lot more boolits.
You will not save money, but you will shoot better and more often.

[Shopdog]

I'd say to a newb;

Find your personal balance of reading,hopefully mentorship,and...... just "doing it". Each has their pros and cons,but packaging it,should show the areas you need work on.

And for a "tip",do whatever you have to so that you can "work up" loads at the range. It really gets you going in the fast lane.

[Land Owner]

JB - if one or two responses to your fact-filled posts gets under your craw, don't forget there are 100's of readers that take full measure in what it is you write without saying a word of thanks. Word - THANKS!

to the newbie:

Get the lead and the mould hot! Burn your fingers (not seriously) a time or two experimenting. some of the BEST experience is the result of BAD experience.

Read-read-read and ask questions. We ALL started at the beginning of the "Yellow Brick Road" (or maybe that is the Silver Stream Road?). In NO TIME you will no longer be the new guy...but that is entirely up to you in the beginning and your perseverance to acquire knowledge.

[lightman]

I would suggest reading the book "From Ingot to Target" and Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook first. Then start scrounging for lead. Then buy some basic equipment and try to make bullets.

Finding a mentor would be a good first step too!

[Willbird]

Buy GOOD equipment not cheap junk IMHO :-).

I use reloading tools every week that are older than I am (I was born in 1964). I was looking at a plastic powder funnel sitting on my bench that my dad used when I was a kid and I still use it, ditto for his reloading scale. I have a Lyman lead pot that was his, it still works but I moved up to a RCBS Promelt for larger capacity.

What I was marveling re the powder funnel is how much powder must have been poured through it. It did wear out enough that a 22 hornet case will slide clear through so I did buy another funnel just for 22 hornet :-). This caused me to wonder who actually made than funnel, mine is orange but looks just like this. Maybe it was sold with the Ideal 55 powder measure ? I have one of those that again is as old as I am or older and I still use it.

https://i.imgur.com/Vc8aHZ1.jpg

Went and had a look at the funnel, it is a Fitz Ammo-cone :-).

[Jeff R]

I would recommend coming up with a good record keeping system, from the very beginning. I would make notes about each load you shoot, and keep them for each firearm.

[dverna]

Take all advice with caution. What is perfect for me will likely not be the best for you.

Determine these factors into your questions and decisions....and make sure you know if our “experts” have the same needs as you do.

Calibers you will cast for
Round count for each caliber
How much space you have
How much time you want to spend
Your budget... Then double it.

Read...read....read

Start simple if you can... .38 Spl is ideal. But any low pressure and larger caliber will do.

[Bazoo]

Finding a mentor would be great for someone getting started. I've never had one, I learned casting and loading through the reading of many books and this forum.

[Conditor22]

You can find almost anything related to cast boolits by using the Google search box top fight of the forum.
If you don't get the answer your looking for, rephrase the question.
and yes, don't forget the stickies


https://i.imgur.com/YIxTb5p.png

-------- welcome to CB. If you decided to start casting to save money, forget it. You won't, you'll just shoot more. :bigsmyl2:
Casting boolits (lead bullets) properly is a science, once you know the basics, not a hard science.
There is a lot of good information on CB. The Google search (top right of every forum page) is a gateway to all the knowledge on this forum. IF you can’t find your answer there ask the question (Please be as detailed as possible, pictures help. I would be very surprised if there wasn’t someone on this forum that could answer ANY (firearm related) question you might have)
http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm
1. Boolits need to be cast .0005 to .003 (normally .002) over the slugged diameter of your barrel for accuracy and to avoid leading. If the fit is wrong nothing else will work right.
a. slugging a barrel (it is safer to use a brass rod or a steel rod with a couple of coats of tape to avoid damaging your barrel http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinSlug.htm
b. chamber casting https://www.brownells.com/guntech/cerrosafe/detail.htm?lid=10614
or pound casting http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?356251-Pound-Cast-instructions-(for-rifle-chamber)
2. the right alloy needs to be used for the velocity and purpose of the boolit (don’t fall into the trap of going with too hard an alloy
Testing lead hardness with Graphite drawing/sketching pencils
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?378866-Lead-hardness-pencil-testing-trick

To find the content/alloys in your lead you can contact BNE (a member on this site) type BNE in the search box at the top right of each forum page, go to his profile page, click on “Send Private Message” (PM) Usually You send him 1 pound of lead (he prefers pure) and a very small sample of what you want tested. He’ll test it and send you the list of the alloys and their percentages

Some alloys harden over time
http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Chapter_3_alloySelectionMetallurgy.ht m

Lead alloy calculator (this is helpful but has some problems :( )
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45784&d=1341560870
3. velocity the bullet needs to be pushed hard/fast enough to get the proper spin, have the proper velocity to accurately reach the target but not so hard as to be dangerous or strip the lead off in the grooves instead of spinning the boolit..
The boolit needs to be the right weight for the riffling/twist rate of your barrel
Powders range from fast to slow, you need to choose the right powder for your barrel length & application.
Loading manuals list the best powders for certain calibers and boolit weights.
NEVER use any posted noncommercial load data without first checking commercial load data to see if falls in the safe parameter for your firearm!! There are several firearms out there that can handle much higher pressures than others!!
Link to free online load data
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?337910-CB-load-data-online-sources

Optimum seating depth (still feeds and seats with the best accuracy) will vary with every gun
I read somewhere that you can hold the boolit in the chamber so it's touching the rifling. slide the biggest rod down the barrel and mark where the end of the barrel is. If there is a big gap between the barrel and the rod, you can use a washer the fits snug around the rod to help with marking.
remove the boolit then chamber an empty piece of brass, use the same rod and measure it again. Do the math, this is your max depth. Back it off a couple thou.
now you have to worry about feeding.

[trapper9260]

Before casting that first batch of boolits, go out and invest in a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullets Handbook and read the text chapters, page by page, taking notes on anything he/she doesn't understand, then, post questions here.

Bill

This is what I would say also that way they will know what someone on here is talking about if do not understand ask on here

[wmitty]

Regarding safety : protect your eyes - you won’t like being one-eyed (ask me how I know).

Regarding casting: get the mould hot - wrinkled boolits are demoralizing.

Regarding loading: get the idea of loading to jacketed velocities out of your mind. This is expert level load development when it can be done (I am speaking in terms of rifle loads, here).

Make sure the boolit is groove diameter at least. Learn to use a micrometer and stop wondering why the holes in the target are shaped funny.

[Bazoo]

One thing that has helped me when I was having problems is to separate the casting and reloading. Get reloading down pat first, then learn to cast. For me atleast, frustrations in casting transfer over into reloading. There is nothing wrong with loading a few boxes of jacketed bullets when you start learning to reload.

[Drew P]

If doing it to save money, give up now and don’t even start. If doing it to shoot more and play with explosives, then break out your wallet and join the fun!
Only buy the best tools for the job, regardless of mfg or cost.

[gwpercle]

Don't cast bare footed .

See if you can become good friends with someone in the tire business . The father of my best friend from grade school owned a tire shop , my friend and his father ended up owning a chain of tire shops . Having an unlimited supply of free wheel weights is sweet .

[jimb16]

If you succeed on the first try, you did something wrong! *LOL* Casting can be a challenge and get frustrating. Take notes on what you did. DON'T give up. Show us your results and ask questions. Many times we can get a lot of info from a picture. Have fun and keep trying. Eventually things will come together. These folks have offered a lot of good advice. Make notes and do what they suggested. I've been casting for over 45 years and I still don't get it right every time. You can make small changes to accommodate YOUR firearms. We all do, but that comes with experience and load refinement. Don't expect great results right off the bat. It seldom happens that way. Trial and error are your friends. As Edison said after more than 100 failures to make a successful light bulb, he didn't fail. He merely found more than 100 ways not to make a light bulb! So study, read make notes, experiment, take pics and ask questions. We're here to help. That is my advise to you.

[Drew P]

The tire shop thing is a bust around here. We are over 90% iron or zinc weights and it’s not worth the hassle to even try. So all these COWW and SOWW recipes are gobbledeegook to me.

[gwpercle]

Louisiana still has 90% lead wheel weights .
I Save the zincers because one day someone's going to make a mould to cast zinc boolits

[rintinglen]

Get the mold hot. Really, get it hot 350 degrees or more, before pouring your melt.

Cast as fast as the cooling melt will let you to keep the mold hot.

Drop your boolits on an old towel.

Don't look at the boolits until you get ready to add more lead or until you are done casting.

Size to fit your gun.

The above sentences reflect the best plums of the knowledge I have acquired over the last 52 years. I know a lot about casting, but these represent the core.

[OS OK]

Louisiana still has 90% lead wheel weights .
I Save the zincers because one day someone's going to make a mould to cast zinc boolits

You can cast zinc in a steel mould...

Zinc in 9mm! Low Recoil – Accuracy & Velocity Test – Lyman 356637 Casted in Zinc

https://thereloadersnetwork.com/2019/03/27/zinc-in-9mm-low-recoil-accuracy-velocity-test-lyman-356637-casted-in-zinc/

[Boolseye]

Stay safe and have fun, in that order
keep an open mind...the only dumb question is the unasked one
when you're getting your responses, try not to be reactive.
most folks are just trying to help. Ignore the ones that aren't.


Oh yeah, and heat the mould more.

[tinsnips]

Good is not cheap,an cheap is not good. Buy the best reloading equipment you can afford.

[BD]

Cast and shoot more, look at this forum less

[gwpercle]

Good advice , maybe not the best....
Don't tell your wife about all the money you're going to save by casting your own boolits and reloading your own ammunition . They will hold that small untruth over your head the rest of your married life.
Just tell her it's your hobby .
Gary

[jsizemore]

Don't be scared and don't be stupid.