Contemplating Casting, part II.

[kmw1954]

First I will apologize for the previous post and the request to buy some sample bullets. JonB was correct in moving the post. Thank you Jon!

The original post is; http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?384823-WTB-Lee-boolits-(Contemplating-casting-)&p=4685626#post4685626 ... So please disregard the last part of that post and stick with the discussion of molds and equipment here. Please! Any offers please put them in the SS post.

Even though I have been here since March 2016 I have put off the venture into casting because of the problems I ran into trying to source material w/o paying a premium. Also because I primarily shoot and reload 9mm and I am still not ready to deal with all the variables. Right now my thought and focus is to try the .356 molds to load for the 380 auto and then expanding into the 45acp at a later time.

At this point I have not decided if I want to go with an electric pot or a flame fired pot. Right now my thoughts and ideas are racing every which way so if this gets scattered please be patient.

Kevin

[Tom W.]

Use the .358 molds and size them to .357 for your 9mm.

[Land Owner]

A little dab will do ya. The Ranch Dog TL358-100-RF 6-cavity mold (or one of its equivalents) drops my 380 ACP lead alloy boolits at 104 grains (67 boolits per pound of lead/tin alloy), takes minutes to make hundreds, is just plain fun to shoot in a pair of Walther PPK over a smidgeon of IMR 4227, cranks out very well on my RCBS Piggyback II progressive press, and all for pennies on the dollar. Buy the electric pot. You won't regret it. Scrounge some wheel weights and radiator shop lead. 49/49/2 - Pb/WW/Sn and add heat.


https://i.postimg.cc/gJVr7Hnk/Ranch_Dog_TL358-100-RF.jpg

[NyFirefighter357]

You can get your lead through S&S buy from members or vendors like The Captain http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?127-The-Captain . Craig's list can also get you some deals. I recently purchased a Lyman 10lb electric dipping pot, 20lb of 95/5 solder & a new can of Petrobond casting sand for a total cost of $25. It was used for an art project casting decorative gears sponsored by a plumbing company. The solder alone is worth $80 & would retail for $200, the pot is nice if your looking for a dipper style pot cheap they retail for $40 & the sand retails for $50. https://outfitterwarehouse.com/product/big-dipper-casting-furnace-115v-lyman/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkKK07bex4wIVBVYMCh303gHjEAQYAyA BEgII6PD_BwE . I also checked out the local Good Will across from where I met the seller & found a bunch of pewter which is also in the pic.
https://i.imgur.com/BY9awU1l.jpg

[kmw1954]

This evening I was spending some time looking at the different electric pots and one of the first questions I have is how much difference does pot size make? The small inexpensive 4#, a ten# and then the 20#. I think I am most interested in the non-pour type just because of the leaking.

[Wis Tom]

I would go with the electric pot, and I use a #20. I have a turkey fryer setup for making ingots and muffins molds, so then my electric pot only sees clean lead. My wife and I, went to a range, for many years, and picked the berms, collecting thousands of pounds, of bullets, but we no longer go, as I have enough lead smelted down, to shoot for my lifetime, and my children. In fact, I still have 6 5gallon pails full, of bullets, that need smelted down, but just haven't got to them. Have fun in your new adventure of casting.

[country gent]

Size of the pot is somewhat determined by size of bullets cast and your production requirements. What I mean is casting smaller bullets like 22s at 50-70 grns a 4-5lb pot is a long session to empty it from start to finish. Casting big 4ifle bullets at 500-550 grns a 20 lb pot empties quickly, meaning more time melting and fluxing. With your 2 given calibers and bullets in the 90 grn-230grn a 10 lb pot would be good a 20 might be the choice.
As to gas or electric electric is easier to set up and use maintaining temp is easier at first. Gas fired is nice in that you can build your rig yourself and run it easily anywhere. Fas fired takes a little learning curve maintaining temps and running. A good thermometer helps a lot here. With gas fired (depending on burner used) you can have pots for each alloy, or for alloying and casting, or different sizes. All set on the same burner.

Heres an example. My casting set up is a bigger propane weed burner, a cut down 25lb propane cylinder ( if you go this route follow all safety precautions cutting tank down). a thermometer and ladles. My pot holds 130lbs of alloy when full, I cast rifle bullets that range from 360grns to 550grns and normally run a 4-5 hour session. The big pot gives me several advantages. Its easy to ladle from and keep the ladle level. The mass makes maintaining temp easier with fewer swings as the mass slows them down. The larger amount means I'm not refilling and waiting as much. Last is the larger amount makes for bigger runs of bullets all the same .

I usually invite 1 or 2 friends over to cast with me around this pot. This is for safety reasons having someone here when casting is a plus if something happens. BUt 3 guys casting big bullets lowers this pot pretty quickly also.

[MT Chambers]

The RCBS PRO-Melt is kinda the standard, unless you want to save money and get a drip-o-matic.

[Gatch]

I did read about a bloke who used a pid controller for a gas setup.

His gas line had a t-joint in it. One side was the pilot flame, it flowed enough gas to slowly warm the empty pot, but not enough to maintain the 50kg or so of lead at pour temp. The other leg of the t has a solenoid operated valve that was controlled by the relay of the pid. I'm not sure how it would go, opening and closing quickly and often. Though I think you can alter the on/off set points through the pid to reduce the amount of switching.

Might not be ideal for you, but it can be done.

[kmw1954]

For a long time I worked maintenance in a food plant that ran 8 different gas ovens making breakfast egg patties, crepes, waffles and pancakes. Really not looking to get back to that.

RCBS Pro Melt, that's a little spendy, $250.00+, for something I am not even sure I'm going to enjoy doing isn't it? Then what, hope I can sell it and recoup 1/2?

[Gatch]

I use a lee 4-20. Couldn't really justify the spend on a bigger brand. It works just fine, sometimes it drips, mostly it doesn't. I'm happy with my putchase.

[country gent]

You might try finding a caster close to you. You might be able to try it first with guidance and instruction from him.

Other wise start small with a burner ( most turkey fryers will handle lead) a used one from a garage sale stand and burner. A cast iron or steel pot again garage sale or thrift store. A good ladle RCBS or Lyman. Mould and handles. Last is a thermometer. This will get you started and your feet wet so to speak. Another heat source is a Coleman stove or gas hot pate.

Also watch swapping and selling here occasionally equipment comes up for sale

[kmw1954]

As stated in post #5 I think Ill be passing on the bottom pour furnaces.

[LenH]

When I first started casting (Around 1975) I bought a Lee 4# pot and a Lyman ladle and a 2 cavity Lyman mold. My brother and I used that little pot
for several years and I still have it and it still works. A friend didn't like casting and I got his old Lyman 10# bottom pour for a song and used it until I moved up
to a Lee 20# bottom pour and then found a deal on a Pro-Melt.

You really don't have to spend a pile of money to get started casting. I got into casting just so I could keep shooting. That Lee 4 pounder cast hundreds of
.45 bullets to keep that .45 Colt shooting. Mind you it would take all afternoon to get 200 or so cast up but it kept me shooting.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

For the 380 I have had excellent accuracy and function with the Lee 358-105-SWC. That was in a Browning 1971 model. Sometimes .358 functions in the 380 and 9mm, if not, .357 diameter should work. I have used a couple LEE pots without problems, using a Lyman dipper. DO NOT try to use the Lee dipper for bullet casting. Lee bullet are inexpensive and are a good start. To start I would advise a simple 2-cavity mold and step-up from there. Depends on how close you are to sources of lead, plain-base cast bullets for handguns are cheap so casting may not be worth it, your time, finances, shooting vs casting vs reloading all play into this.

[kmw1954]

Thanks guys, at this point I still have no clue what kind of volume I'll be doing. Some may be controlled by material availability. Again for now I'm looking at a few 100gr .356" molds to load 380auto and them most likely a 200gr mold for the 45acp. Is it feasible to cast 200gr bullets from a 4# pot of does it become very slow and tedious? Reminder, I have plenty od time to dedicate to this, just don't want it to become laborious and boring to where I won't want to do it..

[kmw1954]

Ohio Rusty, I got you PM and tried to reply but your mailbox is full. Hope you see this!

[4719dave]

For a long time I worked maintenance in a food plant that ran 8 different gas ovens making breakfast egg patties, crepes, waffles and pancakes. Really not looking to get back to that.

RCBS Pro Melt, that's a little spendy, $250.00+, for something I am not even sure I'm going to enjoy doing isn't it? Then what, hope I can sell it and recoup 1/2?

Buy once and done ….try to buy a used one good luck ...If not buy a 20lb pot .safety first !!!!!not sure ask ,,

[40-82 hiker]

It is very easy to overthink what is needed to start such an endeavor as casting. So, find someone to do some casting with. Period. Before you start buying stuff. I think this may be the one thing that will help you the most.

Also, as a suggestion, don't be closed to a bottom-pour pot. There must be a gazillion of them out there, including mine. I actually need a bottom pour pot as it is hard for me to work a ladle with one hand and a mold with the other for any extended time due to spine/pelvis injuries. JMhO, but I can cast in a more relaxed position using a bottom-pour pot. And yes, I used to cast exclusively with a ladle years ago. Can't now...

[kmw1954]

It is very easy to overthink what is needed to start such an endeavor as casting. So, find someone to do some casting with. Period. Before you start buying stuff. I think this may be the one thing that will help you the most....

As an active member in 3 other forums so far I haven't run across anyone local here in SE Wisconsin or at least not any that are saying. I would enjoy and welcome having a tutor!

[brewer12345]

I would suggest a Lee 20# pot, welder's gloves, leather apron, face shield, thermometer, and a hot plate. Add the mold of your choice (Lee makes decent molds for relatively little money, you can go wild with molds later if you like this hobby). That is about all you need to actually cast. After that, you will need a way to lube or powder coat, and then size. I am a lazy, cheap bugger, so I either tumble lube or shake and bake with Smoke's powder coating, then size with Lee push through dies.

If you are doing much 45, you will appreciate a 20 pound pot. With a 6 cavity Lee 452-200-SWC mold that pot empties fast.

[kmw1954]

brewer thanks for the PM lead for lead! I'm thinking the Lee push thru dies as I have a JR3 press not being used along with some type of coating. I was thinking of watching for a used pot but I doubt that will lead to much savings because of shipping and Titan Reloading is only about an hour drive and they have pretty good pricing.

[brewer12345]

brewer thanks for the PM lead for lead! I'm thinking the Lee push thru dies as I have a JR3 press not being used along with some type of coating. I was thinking of watching for a used pot but I doubt that will lead to much savings because of shipping and Titan Reloading is only about an hour drive and they have pretty good pricing.

Vendor Smoke here sells powder for coating that I have fond to be very good and easy to use. I found a convection toaster oven at goodwill to bake the boolits in.

The Lee does drip at times, but put a little catchpan underneath the spout and it isn't a big deal. A thermometer makes a big difference.

[RegCom7]

I have the Lee Pro 4-20 pot and I'm glad I got it. The occasional drip is not an issue. A ladle pot would be an extra hassle, in my opinion. And I wouldn't want anything smaller than the Lee 4-20.

[kmw1954]

Rusty in Ohio I received your package today. Very nice, a big thank you Sir. Will give you a shout with results.

[David2011]

Agreeing with what Brewer12345said in #21.

No, you will not have to sell an RCBS Pro Melt for half of what you paid. They’re in high demand and we don’t know how long they last yet. Mine is 35-40 years old and has only had the valve and pot replaced once. Parts were sent at no charge and I replaced them myself.

It may be very hard to keep a mold hot enough if you dip and use molds larger than two cavities. I have a ladle furnace and a bottom pour; wouldn’t begin to try to use the ladle furnace for production handgun boolits. There are many casters that dip with a ladle here. I’ve only done a little ladle casting so listen to the experts when they offer their opinions. Personally I would rather cast with a Lee bottom pour than a high end ladle pot.