WHY Do You Cast?

[mtgrs737]

I was thinking of the reasons I cast, but I would like to hear why others do. For me it is relaxing and since I am a cheap skate I like to save the money on bullets.


Why do the rest of you cast? :bigsmyl2:

[winelover]

Mainly. because I had a plentiful supply of FREE lead, babbit and solder and the plus side is it lets you practice more especially with handguns. I shoot on a private parcel that has a sand berm that allows me to recycle my alloy every so often.


Winelover

[docone31]

I cast as I am not satisified with production bullets.
I am not an hunter, never have been. I have punched paper from day one, and I still am that way.
With casting, I can control my loads better than conventional loads. Diameters, speed, rpm, all factors that I can control with casting. I also like the involvement. I like takeing recycled something or other, melting it, casting it, and it has another purpose.
All part of the game.

[jonk]

While I do like the recycling satisfaction of making something that is junk useable, it is mainly the cost factor that got me into it. If jacketed bullets were a penny each- heck even a nickel- I might not cast except for muzzleloaders.

At $25+ per box of 100 though my jacketed useage is way down.

[JesterGrin_1]

For myself it was more of a need lol. I started with the Tiny Little Minuscule 535Gr postell of which needed to fit my Sharps for BPCR so I did not have much of a choice other than to cast my own. Then I really messed up and got a couple of Marlins with there oversized barrel I had to make larger diameter BOOLITS to fit them lol. And also I have heard that using lead over jacketed rounds promotes longer barrel life. So to me everything is a plus as I can make the size and style of BOOLITS I might need for the task at hand and to try and increase accuracy. :)

[kawalekm]

For the joy of saying "I made it myself". I can make my own bread, make my own beer, grow my own food, and make my own ammunition.

[Leftoverdj]

The abysmal quality and erratic supply of bulk cast bullets really made me a caster. The introduction of the Lee six cavities helped a lot. I had cast some for decades, but one and two cavities were mortally slow. There came a time that I was shooting PPC at the rate of 5-10k a year and something had to give.

[Huntducks]

2 reasons

1. $$$
2. Coming from a family of plumbers it was natural.

[kodiak1]

The ability to make it the old way. Trying to reproduce the loads of days gone by and black powder era.

Ken.

[high standard 40]

I've always been a person who enjoyed "building things for myself". If it has to do with tools, I like it. Being a shooter, casting and reloading is just a natural evolution.

[Gunslinger]

I started casting with a buddy from the club just to save money. I had bought a few 100 rounds made from cast boolits of off him and noticed they shot at least just as good as the jacketed I was used to buying. BUT after 1 day of smelting and 1 day of casting I was hooked!!! I jumped on the casting train and have no plan on ever getting off it.

I shoot a lot and do so with a good conscience knowing I'm not spending all my money on ammo. And the concept of "shooting less" is NOT an option on my planet.

[EMC45]

'Cause I'm cheap!

[JSnover]

Because I love to be able to "build it myself." Plus it's different. Sure, anyone could do it but most people won't.

[Nora]

I enjoy the hole umbrella of shooting sports. I'd rather do it than buy someone else's if at all possible. I get a hole lot more personal satisfaction knowing I did it my self. If I knew where to go dig for raw lead (burm piles aren't natural) I'd be doing that as well and call it another step in reloading.
Why buy mediocre when you are able to make much better for a LOT cheaper.

[Trey45]

I got into casting my own as part of the natural evolution of reloading. I figured since I'm reloading cartridges anyway, why am I paying someone for their cast boolits, when i can make my own for a lot less money. When I was simply reloading and not casting, my load developement was limited to what projectiles were available on the open market, now that I cast my own, I can load virtually any boolit I can pour. That really opens up more possibilities for accurate load developement.

[tommyn]

save money so I can shoot as much as I want. on fixed income retired and couldn't afford jacketed bullets anymore.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I have lots of reasons, but the number one reason I cast is because the current government doesn't want me to.

Regards,

Dave

[finishman2000]

i started because i was 15, shooting a min of 30 rds a week in the police L league, plus the 30 for my dad who wasn't a shooter at all so it was up to me if i wanted to shoot. I did so i worked for the equipment and then started to pop them out. we used to go to the range and dig the old heads out of the backstop to get my lead. that i don't miss!

[oldhickory]

I started because I couldn't buy the boolits I needed. Over time it evolved to enjoying it, then doing it again because I couldn't buy the boolits I wanted again in the quality I wanted in handgun calibers. For rifle, I just like the challenge of shooting something I made shoot well...AND CHEAP!:-D There's nothing like spending some time at the range with something pleasent that doesn't rattle your teeth loose and echo off the ridge several miles away. My first cast boolit rifle was, like many of you, a Springfield 45/70. It was my 1896 Krag that really got me into the more modern calibers though, it just proved so nice and accurate that my interest grew and branched out to 30/06, .308, .30/30, and every centerfire rifle I aquired, my latest...A .30 Carbine!

[468]

I just enjoy it...the whole process...going to the tire stores, going to the scrap yards, reading about it, talking about it...firing up the crawfish boiler(turkey frier for you yankees)......

It just feels like I'm doing something right. Saving a few bucks, having some fun, and not everyone on the block is doing it...and Its kinda like what the revolutionaries were doing back in 1776...I know its a stretch but, there is some thin connection there.

...and there is a substantial risk of injury which is always appealing!!! :o

[stubshaft]

For the joy of saying "I made it myself". I can make my own bread, make my own beer, grow my own food, and make my own ammunition.

+1 on that PLUS I'm cheap!:cbpour:

[fredj338]

I started because I couldn;t get the bullet styles I wanted. I cast today pretty much for the same reason, but enjoy casting actually more than reloading. Something about melting down a bunch of scrap & turning out beautiful bullets.

[JeffinNZ]

1) Economy.
2) I like experimenting.
3) Satisfaction of making it myself (hence now making GC's)
4) Challenge.

[WildmanJack]

I started because the Sheriff's armorer gave us these swaged, graphite lubed boolets that made a mess of our hands and reay didn't shoot very well. I bought an H&G #68 4 banger mold and melted all the swaged boolets down and re-cast them. After a lay off of about 20 years, I started again and love watching that silver stream fall into my molds and make pretty bollets, ( oh yeah, I guess I'm cheap too !!!
Jack

[John Guedry]

I'm a tightwad.

[snaggdit]

For the joy of saying "I made it myself". I can make my own bread, make my own beer, grow my own food, and make my own ammunition.

I gotta agree with this, too. I like not having to be dependent on backorders from the shooting suppliers. I got the rest of my garden planted yesterday, started a batch of dandelion wine Sunday and loaded some .380 for the MIL today (with my cast boolits). And I'm cheap:-o

[DirtDobber]

This seems like a good place to start.
Greetings and salutations to all.

I've yet to cast a boolit. Based on information gathered here and a couple other places, I laid out 126 ingots today using a single Lyman 4 cavity mold and some wheel weights. I've got another 150lbs or so to go. You have to start somewhere, so collecting ingots seemed a good idea.

I intend to cast because I like to shoot and bullets have become expensive. My 45acp and 44 Redhawk are my favorites, and I'll want to add my 444 as well. Maybe others if can master the alloys.

So I'm needing a #68 style 4 gang boolit mold and lube/sizer and all the accoutrements that come after ingots, but I'm collecting lead and working toward it.

Thanks for all the great information here.
I have a new adventure to look forward to.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Yup, I enjoy it also, started with lead army men , way back when. It got into my blood and I haven't stopped . I do like all aspects of the Scared Silver Stream, including the shooting.:redneck::redneck::lovebooli:cbpour::Fire ::Fire:

[405]

I guess the same reason as most here. Been reloading a long time, it just gets in the blood. I found if I paid attention, paid my dues, lived it long enough the rewards would come. I can say I haven't saved money by doing it. But I've been able to shoot more, learn more, have become a better rifleman and enjoy it more because of reloading and casting. I also, get a big kick out of designing the specs for some custom molds... and having that work out.

I started out like most with j-bullet reloading. In the right guns I was able to develop loads for targets or hunting that exceeded any available in factory ammo. The same has been true with cast bullets. Another plus is that I can make ammo for guns where factory ammo is rare, not available or TOO expensive. For some of the old originals there simply is no option other than to cast and reload for them. And, in some cases I feel more comfortable with my reloads than with any other ammo.

Like others have mentioned, I sometimes enjoy going to the range when the various high power, once or twice a year shooters show up. They blast and tinker and may put a few on target. They're always full of blow and lingo. They usually show some interest in what I'm shooting especially if it's a Sharps, old Winchester lever or such. Many don't have a clue what those guns are (the Sharps they think is some old musket or muzzleloader or something and the Winchester levers are usually identified as 30-30s??) but they always ask to see the cartridge. They say, "lead bullets eh?". Then they rattle on about their super dino blaster Mag "reach out and touch somthin", pushin Barnes 4X whatevers running at Mach 8 and so on and on. :|

Then when cease fire is called and time to pull targets they either get REALLY quiet or REALLY interested When I pull a target that looks like the one's below. Kinda interesting watching human nature at the range :)

[Trader Vic]

I started casting a little over a year ago because the price I paid for 2000 jacketed bullits was more than what it cost me to get into casting. Those were the last jacketed I bought. I totally enjoy making something out of scrap that most throw away. I've reloaded for more years than I'd like to admit but I can honestly say I wish I would have been casting all those years also. Closing in on retirement & this will give me more to enjoy. I have to give a lot of credit to the guys on this forum, they have made learning to cast a real pleasure. I learn something new here every day.

[462]

Seemed to be the next step in independance. Living in California, I take advantage of as many opportunities as I can to thumb my nose at its anti-gun attitude -- buying as many guns as I can afford, reloading, casting, C & R license...

[mtgrs737]

I can identify with all the comments made here! Casters are an independant lot with a desire to create useful things. Keep up the good work guys!

[ciPeterF]

I cast cause it's a hobby that offers many options.. once you have a formula, you can cast in volume and shoot to your heart's content, other days it's the pursuit of the perfect alloy for a given load (%tin, hardness, hardening, etc), "unlike" woodworking, you can "recycle" six miscuts back together into 6 perfect new ones, it's shiny, and we all like shiny stuff, lots of old books around which have never aging knowledge so you can still persue the hobby late at night with a glass of rum... Simply doesn't get better..

[ghh3rd]

Tight wad.
Enjoy pouring lead (just made over 70lbs of fishing sinkers 1/8oz-3oz with my "unusable" scrap lead)
Oh yeah, and I'm a tight wad.

[303Guy]

For fun! Just for the shear enjoyment of it! The challenge, the laughs, the good chats, and getting to see amazing results like the ones posted here!

[EMC45]

I swore that I would never cast! I am cheap like I posted before, but I like to do it for the fact that I have ammo right at my fingertips when needed! Also it drives people nuts when you outshoot them with "home made junk lead bullets".

[geargnasher]

I'm the kind of person who would make something himself if a better one could be had for free. I built my own two-story house completely by myself (made all the cabinets, doors, moulding, and trim from scratch) , built all 4 of my vehicles from the ground up to my own specs, have restocked over half of my rifles, make all my own knives, etc. Years ago I made my own longbows, shafts, and fletched my own arrows. Tie my own flys and have three split-bamboo flyrods I made myself. I make my own wine and cider, pickle, cook, bake (I have my own unique killer pie crust recipe if anyone wants it), knit, sew, blacksmith, tinker, rig, fabricate, engineer, you name it. They say that "If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself." Well, that is getting more true every day. Can't find a dentist or a doctor or even a store clerk worth a damn anymore, so I do everything I possibly can myself. My wife says I have control issues, but I can never can get her to see things my way[smilie=1:!!!

So naturally I cast my own boolits. It's part of my sickness. Can't believe I haven't gotten into swaging or paper-patching yet, guess I just haven't lived long enough to try it yet. Also can't believe I don't own a metalworking lathe. If I come across a good used one the first thing I want to do is try making bronze boolits!

Gear

[snaggdit]

Also can't believe I don't own a metalworking lathe. If I come across a good used one the first thing I want to do is try making bronze boolits!

What about turning silver ones for the werewolves?[smilie=f:

[mooman76]

I cast because I like making my own anything and I really hate paying for something I could do myself especially for a cheaper cost.

[303Guy]

Also it drives people nuts when you outshoot them with "home made junk lead bullets".
Tee Hee. I love that idea! I did kinda get that from this group.

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-457F_edited.jpg

The general reaction was a stunned silence (including me), especially from the fella who had been telling me for weeks that quite logically, it was impossible for a plain cast bullet to shoot straight because, "Just think out it, how is a soft lead bullet going to grip the rifling?" Tee Hee![smilie=1:
Of course, it's not really a group - it's only three shots, but still. (My companions didn't realize that!):mrgreen: After the third shot I took a really close look through my scope and realized that my shake was as great as the group size!) Anyway, it was fun! (And I'm hooked!)

[Bigjohn]

1) Economy.
2) I like experimenting.
3) Satisfaction of making it myself (hence now making GC's) I don't yet! BJ
4) Challenge.

And I'm a tightwad, why pay someone to do the work for me.

John

[lead Foot]

I like Shooting a lot or a lotta shooting one of the two. My wife at the time would spend my wage before I got home so I needed to keep the cost down. A friend said try casting your own boolits. Oh that's a good idea I thought. Now I have no wife and have a little more money I'm still doing it worse that ever. Now I'm just addicted yes a boolit junkie, I need help!:roll:
Lead foot

[357maximum]

Cause I cannot help myself[smilie=1:


about all the other reasons mentioned already contribute to the above:twisted:

[bertus]

how about having to pay 90$ for a box of 500 .32wc in a gunstore?

[oldhickory]

Aside from the satisfaction of making the projectile you send down range, it's just simply fascinating...I'm drawn to it naturally somehow. "J" bullets have their place and I use them accordingly, but I use cast much more often and I simply can't see myself buying commercial cast boolits!...Mine are better and there's a potential endless supply...I'm self sufficiant in the boolit department! :-D

[Bret4207]

I'm a "do it yourselfer". There isn't much I don't do myself, except work on my wifes car- I'm just not putting up with the hassle. So I make most of my own stuff as I can and want to. I'm a tinkerer and cobber and proud of it. There's a local saying that "all good tractors go to Brets to die". True, but they usually end up coming back to life in far better shape than when they got here. That's just me and that's the way I am and so, I cast.

[gds]

Like so many mentioned,

Cheaper
satisfaction of making my own stuff

But one main reason is because somebody on another board ( i think it was ARFCOM) said you couldn't cast bullets effectively, for your own purposes. I am the type that when someone stands firm that something cannot be done, but they cannot explain why, I am going to challenge it and then try to do it.

Then it got even more fun when somebody (also I think on ARFCOM), that you couldn't cast for rifle calibers. This site and my own trials proved that wrong. I now cast bullets for 7.62x39, 7.62x54, .308, .30-06, .30-30, .30 carbine. And these function in AKs, SKS, M1 Garand, 1919, .30 carbine.

[wiljen]

I needed something to do while I was drinking and shooting up. ;) This way I can hide in my shed and no-one knows about my addictions.

[largom]

I cast because I like making my own anything and I really hate paying for something I could do myself especially for a cheaper cost.


Above says it all. Like a lot of folks, I started reloading [over half a century ago] to save money. As time went on I found that I could produce ammo BETTER than the factory stuff. I'm retired now, got 40 acres with my own range, got a lathe and a mill. Even if it costs me a little more I would rather make it myself. I still like to save money but to be honest about it I probably have over $10,000.00 in reloading stuff. I got back into casting about a year ago, not to save money but for the challenge and to say I made it myself.
I find it amusing that a lot of boolit casters say they cast "to save money", but if you looked at their mold collection, the sizing dies, and all of the other unique equipment we own, are we really saving money. Lets face it, we are addicted, and I don't intend to break the habit.
Larry

[jdgabbard]

At first it was to save money, not its because I like it.

[mtgrs737]

Above says it all. Like a lot of folks, I started reloading [over half a century ago] to save money. As time went on I found that I could produce ammo BETTER than the factory stuff. I'm retired now, got 40 acres with my own range, got a lathe and a mill. Even if it costs me a little more I would rather make it myself. I still like to save money but to be honest about it I probably have over $10,000.00 in reloading stuff. I got back into casting about a year ago, not to save money but for the challenge and to say I made it myself.
I find it amusing that a lot of boolit casters say they cast "to save money", but if you looked at their mold collection, the sizing dies, and all of the other unique equipment we own, are we really saving money. Lets face it, we are addicted, and I don't intend to break the habit.
Larry


Yep! LOL!! I think you are right Larry. I have many moulds and other casting equipment, I would hate to know how much I have tied up in it. It's a hobby that saves money, at least that what I tell the wife. [smilie=1:

Oh no! I just got back from the second hand store with a stainless steel pan and I just know I'm gonna start making my own boolit lube!!! When does this all end? :roll:

[chevyiron420]

i started cause i got my first casting tools for dirt cheep along with my first reloading tools. when i ran out of supplied wadcutters i had to make more and i found out i liked it. after that i had to cast my out to feed the odd caliber rifles i shoot.:castmine:

[geargnasher]

Looks like with all the addicts here we need some sort of support group!

(or more enablers!)

Gear

[jar-wv]

For the joy of saying "I made it myself". I can make my own bread, make my own beer, grow my own food, and make my own ammunition.

I like it. A countryboy can survive.

jar

[superior]

I do it for the same reason a dog licks his "privates ". All my other reasons have already been mentioned in this thread.

[38-55]

YA mean to tell me this isn't a support group ?????
" hi my name is calvin and I cast boolits"
I truly am addicted to the molten metal thing..
Stay safe
Calvin

[Slogg76]

Same as most others...To save $$$. I can hardly afford primers and powder now (the family keeps getting bigger). And the joy of it of course.

[jleneave]

I intially got into it to save money, but I don't think that I have saved a lot of money after buying all the equipment and new molds every so often. I do get to shoot alot more than before I started casting. Like others have said, I enjoy taking something that is scrap and turning it into something useful that very well may save my life or the life of a loved one. I just all around enjoy the hobby!!

Jody

[lunicy]

I cast cuz I can. If I had an unlimited supply of rounds, I'd probably disassemble them and put boolits in 'em anyway.

Lead is better for your barrels.

When ammo is $375.00 for a box of 50 .38 specials, I'll be shooting still.

When the gov't controls all ammo, I'll be shooting still

[HollowPoint]

Although I have yet to achieve complete selfsufficiency, -and I probably never will- casting my own bullets gets me closer to that goal in life. At least when it comes to fire arms.
I hope to be able to start making my own Gas Checks along with my lead boolits.
When I first joined this forum and was deciding on a username, it was a toss up between HollowPoint or EL Cheapo Grande. Nuff said.

HollowPoint

[Rusty Shackleford]

Because it seems to me that it would be a sin not to. Only my carry guns and home defense weapons get store bought ammo.

I worked at a auto repair facility for 16 years, and became acquainted the guy who sold us new WW's. I asked if he would check with other shops about their used WW's. He said to me once "how many sinkers do you need"? I said, man I make bullets!!! He couldn't believe it, said he never heard of such a thing. Over the years, old Lawrence brought me nearly a ton. On his monthly visits to our shop he would be almost as excited as I was. He was one cool old dude. He didn't know the difference between a 22 short and a 30-06, but he understood why I cast.

[Whitespider]

I’ve never pretended, or believed, that any reloading endeavor would save me money, including casting. I have just so much cash I can throw towards my gun habit, and I’m gonna throw all of that in, it’s just a matter of how much I get for the dollar spent. But I’m also one of those “do it myself” guys; if I can make it, build it, fix it or design it myself I probably won’t pay for it. I even design and make the tools I need in order build something else, drives my wife nuts. Casting was just the natural progression of the reloading process; immediately after reloading my first cartridge, many years ago, I knew that someday I would be casting bullets.

[6.5 mike]

For my old guns. 1st it was the krag, then a m91 rem came along, then the 303 sav. I figured might as well do the 30-30s.
Now I find I need an odd sized boolit for a f/n 7mm. So why not the 8mm's too. Might as well toss the 6.5's in the mix.
I'm not foolish enough to think I'm saving any money, but with what I learn every time I come to this site, I'll enjoy all the aspects of shooting. And I do learn something
each time I come, logged in or not.
I, like others, started reloading for better performance, so casting was going to happen sooner or later. Just took me longer to figure it out.

[qajaq59]

I'm casting because eventually I'll get good at it and nail a nice fat hog with a bullet that I cast and loaded. It's sort of like making your own hunting arrows I guess.

[mtgrs737]

I haven't read a bad reason yet!

[Crash_Corrigan]

I have shot some very small groups of cast boolits from my .45's onto paper plates. I talking here about less than one inch at 25 yds and less then 2" at 50 yds.

However with a rifle I am looking for that 1/2" group at 100 yds and I have not found it yet except with my .223 CZ 527FS and a scope. That thing with j word premium bullets will group at less than 1/2" at 100 if I do my part.

That means, a good solid bencrest, rifle rest, good sighting and trigger control and luck. Iam working on the M-1 and Enfield SMLE with paper patch boolits. I expect to get a lot closer than I am now but it is going to be a lot of fun getting there.

I used to kid myself and said that I did it to save money. No way. I have over 5K in tools, presses, dies, molds and other unique equipment. If I add in reloading benches, tables, stools, shelves and other stuff it goes out of sight.

I love it.

[markinalpine]

...it's FUN, dammit [smilie=w:.

And I haven't been able to buy any commercial rounds for my newest toy, but I did get a mould, Lee 452-255-RF six banger, and I managed to find ONE on-line e-tailer, Grafs, God Bless them, who had casings. Picture posted below.

ps, don't tell the Fearless Reader, or AG Holder, but I loaded those rounds without benefit of a Federal License, and none of those boolits have serial numbers, another reason to cast and load your own.:brokenima

Mark

[markinalpine]

...in my previous post, Kudos to Lee. I took that mould from the box, cleaned it up real good, lubed it with Bullplate, and started casting. It only took about 4 or 5 castings to get up to temperature, and started dropping Bootiful Boolits. I did get a little lead stuck to the faces of the blocks once, because I wasn't paying attention, but when I noticed it dropping boolits with fins, I just scrubbed the faces clean with a piece of old denim, and got back to work. Cast about 700 in a couple of hours with no problems.

Mark :lovebooli