NG wants to learn to cast his own.

[Old Sarge]

Hi All
I am new to the whole casting thing. I need to know the best way to learn how. Is there a good book, DVD or someone in the Austin area willing to take me under there wing? Suggestions on what sort of equipment I am going to need and who to buy from? I am looking to cast mainly for pistol calibers, 45ACP, 10, 9MM, 38/357 and 44mag.

Thnaks in advance
Old Sarge

[Russel Nash]

Welcome to the forums!

Basically I would say that I have a six month to a year head start on you as far as casting knowledge or experience goes. So my suggestion to you is to use the advanced search feature and look for threads I started, using my screen name in the search window, and most likely just clicking on the casting equipment forum to specifically search in.

I am guessing that most people here are doing it in a two major step process.

The first major step is to "render" old dirty lead into clean lead (alloy?) ingots.

Like me, I am thinking most people get wheel weights, then put those inside a cast iron dutch oven on a propane turkery fryer. Then they scoop off all the wheelweights and "dross" floating on top.

Then they use a laddle to scoop up the very hot molten lead and gingerly pour that into ingot moulds.

That was the first major step.

Then the next major step is to take the (now cooled) ingots at some later date and melt them, usually, in a bottom pour electric pot. Then using the bottom pour feature, that molten lead gets flowed into the actual boolit moulds.

Some guys will drop their now solidified boolits straight from the mould into a bucket of water to quench and harden. Other guys will drop them into something padded and just let them air cool.

Then, really, the third major step is to run the bullets through a sizer and luber combination machine.

Then you load them up to turn the whole kit and kaboodle into one loaded round of ammunition.

Then shoot them!

:Fire:

[Russel Nash]

Oh, yeah... I am on a few other gun related forums and there seems to be a "newbie to reloading, where to start thread?" every day. Not surprising since, NObody can find ammo on stores' shelves. :-o

Anywhooo... my point is, just like with reloading newbies, I wouldn't go spending hundreds or close to a thousand dollars for a reloading press and all the associated gadgets/doo-dads without having a bunch of components on hand first, especially primers.

So, my advice to you is don't go all hawg wild buying casting equipment if you don't have a steady or regular supply of lead all lined up (or hoarded up) .

It sure would suck to be you to blow about 500 dollars on casting stuff only to find out that NO one has wheelweights, or that NO one is willing to sell them to you.

[Heavy lead]

I've been handloading for years, never casted until about 3 years ago. I don't "smelt" any lead, as I just don't have time to gather wheel weights or anything else, barely have time for casting, but I do because I can and do make such a superior product compared to what you can buy.
As to where to buy supplies, a year ago you would get several different opinions and they all would be right. Now there is only one:
Who has it in stock, I buy stuff right now, just because I may need it if I find it in stock (I bought a new Lee 4-20 pot just to keep in the box in case my main one died, because Natchez had gotten some in). You will have to look at Midway, Midsouth, Grafs, Natchez, and many more and here and everywhere to find stuff (handles seem to be the scarcest thing right now).
Good luck!
Best advice I can say is though: Don't wait until you read all about it to start pouring, half the fun is learning on your own. Just like melting chocolate and pouring it in candy moulds. Just go for it.

[Larry Gibson]

Hi All
I am new to the whole casting thing. I need to know the best way to learn how. Is there a good book, DVD or someone in the Austin area willing to take me under there wing? Suggestions on what sort of equipment I am going to need and who to buy from? I am looking to cast mainly for pistol calibers, 45ACP, 10, 9MM, 38/357 and 44mag.

Thnaks in advance
Old Sarge

Best advise is to purchase a copy of the the 3rd edition Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. This is the primer on casting and loading cast bullets. It also is a manual and gives lots of basic loading data an many cartridges including yours. Reading the Lyman manual will give you all the basic information and some advanced knowledge to begin. Many thousands of us began just that way before the age of "forums" when we were "****" at casting. It is still the best way to get started. The Lyman manual is also a reference you will reach for often. When you completed your "homework" you will have a good idea of the direction you want to go with casting. Then ask questions here and you will get lots of help.

Larry Gibson

[putteral]

I am a bare bones caster. I just have a 6 qt. cast iron pot ( $5 at a garage sale), a Lee ladle, Coleman propane 2 burner camping stove. Smelt and cast at the same time. Have made some of the most accruate boolits I have ever shot.
Finding wheel weights can be a problem. Good Luck and welcome to the addiction!
:castmine:

[markinalpine]

Go to the main page, open up the classic and stickies thread, and start reading. There is a thread referring to the Goatlips page, which is one good page with lots of information and pictures. There are also other good threads with pictures showing how to clean up scrounged wheel-weights, AKA smelting, and using commercial and improvised equipment. I'm using a turkey fryer now for smelting, but I started with a propane camp stove and an old stainless steel sauce pan, which worked very well. I also found several cast iron utensils at a local thrift shop at far less cost than buying new. The good old Dollar stores are also a good source for things like big stainless steel spoons for removing clips and dross from smelted wheel weights.
Then visit some of the sponsor web-sites with links at the tops and bottoms of this forums web pages.

Welcome, and good shooting :Fire:
Mark [smilie=s:

[runfiverun]

there a couple of system to casting.
the basic pour and go with whatever lead you got,then lube however you can,maybe size maybe not.
and the other:mix alloys,cast consistently,size and lube.
both seem to work once you figure them out.

[Gunslinger]

plus 1 on the cast boolit manual from Lyman! I must confess I only recently got the book, but have been casting since last summer. I found this forum not long after I started casting, and have been doing a lot of reading here. I just started reading all the threads... I must admit the guys here THEY are the ones who taught me casting, not the Lyman book. Now I use to book to fresh up on things before I go at it...

I think the best advice anybody can give you is to read the very good threads we have here... start with the stickies....

[jdgabbard]

(handles seem to be the scarcest thing right now).

That is RIGHT ON THE MONEY!

I've been looking for a pair of large lyman/ideal handles for a while now. I've had a pair of Lee handles on order for about a month now, and no dice on getting them as of yet. I've got two molds sitting on my computer desk that I've had for some time and still haven't been able to pour one boolit from them.

My advice is when your buying your molds, buy the Lee two cavity molds. At least they come with handles....

[Wayne Smith]

We have a guy right here who makes some of the best handles you can find. He's in Canada, so you are buying with the money advantage, as well. I just(CRS disease) can't remember his name. Someone else chime in here, please. He's a good guy to deal with, too.

[bingo]

Book reading and trial and error is good. Back in the day that was all trere was. Take some time and read some threads, esp. the stickies.. When you got a question just ask and you shall receive. Nothing like personnel advise(learning from others mistakes is much easier than making them youself)

Good luck, enjoy, and welcme to the addiction.

P.S. Stash some $ from the old lady, you are going to need it. W.W. are getting expensive. I can remember when.....................................

Bingo

P.S.S. I am pretty computer illiterate but I figured out how to send private messages if you want to respond to a reply. I am sure you can too.

[Echo]

RedRiverRick makes the handles, and they are dandies. And the cost is reasonable. And you receive them by return mail. Need I say more?