skeeter1911
07-16-2009, 01:51 PM
I picked up some used casting gear from an elderly competition shooter/retired LEO who is getting out of reloading. He said he is at the point where he will be buying factory ammo now and his kids aren't interested in reloading. I’m anxious to cast up my first batch of boolits and avoid as many mistakes as possible. So I could use some input from the members here.
I want to start with .45 acp. I have three different .45 moulds available to me: Lyman 452460 (2 cavity and 4 cavity) and two H&G #130 (4 cavity). So far I’ve acquired about 120 lbs of unknown lead in the form of a sailboat keel (free) and just over 100 lbs of Linotype spacers ($50) which I will smelt separately. I also reload shot shells for clay birds and have some magnum shot (labeled 6% antimony) available to alloy with.
I’m still trying to score some WW which are very scarce (tire shops) or seem very expensive ($0.50/lb at the scrap metal places) in my area.
I read the Lyman 3rd edition book and it shows the #2 Alloy for the 452460 mould. I’m pretty sure I need a hardness tester to check out the boat keel to try to get an idea of how “pure” it might be.
For smelting I have an old 4 quart SS pot and a Coleman stove and ingot moulds.
For casting I have an old Lyman Mould Master XX that has some surface rust in the pot itself. The seller demo’ed the pot by casting about 15, 1lb ingots prior to purchase, so it seems to work okay.
As part of the 'package' I aquired, I also have a Star lubesizer with a .451 size dies. Still need to slug may barrel. I was under the impression that most commercial cast boolits are .452.
Questions:
1) Would either of these moulds have an advantage for a beginner?
2) Assuming the boat keel is fairly pure, how can I approximate the #2 alloy with the materials I have listed above? Or should I wait until I score some WW?
3) It appears a little elbow grease and steel wool will clean up the MM XX pot, any other recommendations for this task? Later tonight, I can post a picture if it would help.
4) If after slugging my barrel I determine I need a .452 boolit, can my existing .451 size die be enlarged? How would one go about this or should it be done by a 'pro'?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
I want to start with .45 acp. I have three different .45 moulds available to me: Lyman 452460 (2 cavity and 4 cavity) and two H&G #130 (4 cavity). So far I’ve acquired about 120 lbs of unknown lead in the form of a sailboat keel (free) and just over 100 lbs of Linotype spacers ($50) which I will smelt separately. I also reload shot shells for clay birds and have some magnum shot (labeled 6% antimony) available to alloy with.
I’m still trying to score some WW which are very scarce (tire shops) or seem very expensive ($0.50/lb at the scrap metal places) in my area.
I read the Lyman 3rd edition book and it shows the #2 Alloy for the 452460 mould. I’m pretty sure I need a hardness tester to check out the boat keel to try to get an idea of how “pure” it might be.
For smelting I have an old 4 quart SS pot and a Coleman stove and ingot moulds.
For casting I have an old Lyman Mould Master XX that has some surface rust in the pot itself. The seller demo’ed the pot by casting about 15, 1lb ingots prior to purchase, so it seems to work okay.
As part of the 'package' I aquired, I also have a Star lubesizer with a .451 size dies. Still need to slug may barrel. I was under the impression that most commercial cast boolits are .452.
Questions:
1) Would either of these moulds have an advantage for a beginner?
2) Assuming the boat keel is fairly pure, how can I approximate the #2 alloy with the materials I have listed above? Or should I wait until I score some WW?
3) It appears a little elbow grease and steel wool will clean up the MM XX pot, any other recommendations for this task? Later tonight, I can post a picture if it would help.
4) If after slugging my barrel I determine I need a .452 boolit, can my existing .451 size die be enlarged? How would one go about this or should it be done by a 'pro'?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.