am i the odd one out?

S

skizzums

New member
it seems whenever the weather tunrs "nice", I can't get up the mustard to cast and reload. I am way more into "it" in the fall and winter, and I know I have bullets stuff that need to get done, I am just lacking the motivation. maybe iy's because spring brings on so many other responsibilities, like vacations, yardwork, swimming pool etc. but I am just so quick to just jump online and buy the bullets I want rather than getting off my bum and making some when the weather gets warm. I am all about prepping in the winter, but it all gets put on the back burner when the weather turns warm, and that's when I actually wanna go shoot the darn the guns. just curious, are you casting and loading more in the fall/winter or spring/summer. or just the nice seasons like fall/spring? I definitely find myself wanting to cast in the fall, and that's it.....
 
no, you are not the odd one out. I have not fired up my casting pot or smelting pot since early last fall, and now that we are seeing some sunshine and 70 degree temps I am not likely to. I have placed orders for bullets the past three months, sorta feel like I am cheating, but only so much time.

David
 
I cast as needed year round. Unless something just "needs" to be done, like preparing the garden, or building something. I never cast outdoors.

Smelting is a spring/summer, early fall deal because of the infamous Wisconsin weather. Then it's under the roof of my carport.
 
I cast as needed year round. Unless something just "needs" to be done, like preparing the garden, or building something. I never cast outdoors.
Click to expand...

^^^^ The above sums it up for me as well. I like to cast, but I also like to shoot and I have plenty of other things to do than sit around casting or prepping things. I usually do these things on an as needed basis unless I am working up a load. Then I will pour up a bog batch to use while doing so and wait until I need more to pour up anything else.

Right now though my back den area looks like a cake pan yard sale with little pans of bullets sitting around everywhere. I got started getting ready to load up a ton of 45 ACP and some wadcutters in both 38 and 357. Then I got sidetracked working up a load for my 41 magnum. Well then the powder coating thing and well now it has all come to a head. Luckily though I found a couple of loads that REALLY shine in the 41, so things can get back to normal and I can empty up some of my casting pans. Now I just have to clean up the bench out back so I can set up the progressive and go to town on the several boxes of brass I have sitting here on the floor.
 
I just casted some today! My motivation was purchasing a Glock 21 SF that needed some projectiles to put down range. I even fired up the powder coater and blasted some black.

Even when I don't have the motivation I still get out there and do it because I know during the summer months it just gets too hot.

PC_Glock45%20Custom_zps7e20yntp.jpg
 
I don't cast, but I do load all Winter log so I can kick back and just shoot in the summer. I don't do the pool, but the Roadstar comes out and there is lots of roads to drive.
 
as soon as I finished the post, I got off my arse and did some, much needed, reloading. not casting, but I have enough casted to lasts several months in my pistol calibers. I can't stay away from it in the fall and end up casting more than I would ever need, so that's a good thing. just wondering if th casting/reloading bug is as seasonal for others as it is me. I know a lot you folks hunt, so you probably cast/load on a game seasonal basis, I don't hunt. I usually just get laser-focused on one gun at a time until I feel I have gotten to it's potential, thing shelf it and move on to the caliber I've been drooling over.

right now I think I just feel like precision rifle shooting is more important to me ATM. even though I still shoot my pistols just about every week, I am not obsessing about them right now. so maybe that's the lack of motivation.....I must just need a new big bad pistol. unfortunately, the only pistol caliber I am drooling about right now is the .22TCM, which I doubt I would cast much for. but....someday, I am going to get that 45colt.......someday....

everyone get out there and cast, and let's start a new "random casting pictures" thread, that'll get me out there for sure
 
It's not quite the same concept, but...

I have 3 (4?) new molds that have yet to even be prepped for casting, let alone heated for their virgin run. And I still have 800-1,000 bullets that haven't been lubed from the last runs.

I think the beginning of March marks two years since I moved from Utah, and with that move, I lost my casting area. I just don't have a good, safe place to cast here.

The places that are safe have poor (or no) ventilation.
The places with ventilation are open to the elements, or have a serious risk of a dog or child taking a molten lead bath.

So, I'm still working that one out...
I think when I relocate my shed (if I ever get to it), I'll run power to it, or at least set it up to run off of a heavy duty extension cord when needed, and set up an area where I can cast and bake (Hi-Tek).


But, even when I'm ready to go again, I probably won't do much during the warmer months. Cooler temps were more comfortable for me in the past, even the few times that I had to cast in my driveway in the snow.

There are other things that need the attention more when the weather is friendly...
 
I'd be the same way, so I just set up my casting station right next to a window, with a large fan boxed in the window blowing out. I now cast when the weather is so crappy ya don't want to get out in it, and no, I don't worry about fumes. My particular system sucks it right out, and I doubt that I would breath any cleaner if I was outside. jd
 
To expand on my above post, I cast indoors in my reloading room that is a spare bedroom. There's no ventilation except a window and exhaust fan in the next room,(bathroom).

I'm not bothered by smoke that is generated. Yeah it stinks,,--well it did until I converted to sawdust for fluxing. Notice I did NOT say FUMES. Lead vapor or commonly called fumes are not generated by normal casting temperatures. Lead begins to create vapor at 1200 degrees. Electric pots/furnaces cannot reach that temp.

Most of my casting is done at 700-730 degrees. Only rarely do I crank it up to 800 to cast some pure lead, it requires the extra heat.
 
Skizzums,

I don't know your age but once I got on the far side of Social Security I found that motivation for many things starts to flag.
The maintenance around the farm like fence repairs, barn fix-up, etc that used to be finished in a weekend when I was actively working at a "real" job now can stretch into weeks or months.

Like you, I looked longingly at the casting pot and molds all sitting pretty on the casting bench in my barn and they called to me to come and play with them but it was not to be.

I think it is called getting older:D

Gary
 
nah.....not there yet. supposedly I should be somewhere around my prime, don't tell my knees that, or my wife;)

i have an interesting work schedule that affords me three days of a week while still working 70 hours. but i wouldn't trade anything for my Tuesdays and Thursdays while my son is at school and wife is at work. if i worked all week and only had weekend off, i could absolutely never get to go shoot a gun. but that 8:30am to 3:00pm goes fast before i am sitting with the mom's in the car-rider line......
 
well, apparently my "cheapness" will trump my "laziness" everytime. I went to the range Thursday and found that I only had 200 rounds of PC bullets, so it was either pull out the old stash of aloxed bullets or shoot bullets I actually PAID for. well, alox ain't going to happen, swore that off a long time ago, that's why I have an "old" stash in the first place. so I got up the energy to cast about 300-400ish today for 9mm, even took the time to PC a couple of trays. going to try to get up early and do another 3-400 and try to have a couple thousand by the end of the week so I don't need to get back on the pot(pun...intended?) til next fall. I have boxes upon boxes of .38's since those just don't go nearly as fast as semi-auto 9mm does. sometimes it can be a pain, but sure does feel good shooting free bullets over 10c a piece or so.


the force of cheap is strong with this one
 
that's the wife's. neon green with lots of pink and white decals on the back too. mostly gun and politics related, so I won't complain, just wont drive it
 
more casting and a question about PC

I did another couple hundred rounds today. the infamous lee 356-120-tc, I had all but given up on this mold, but don't think I have ever tried sizing to 357 instead 356, so ill give another couple hundred a try and see if they shoot somewhat straight this time.

I was sizing bullets and noticed as always, the PC can build up in side of lube grooves and even at the bottom of bullet. easily noticed when put on sizing post and the bullet is cock-eyed, never thought much about it. but how severe is a bullet with much obvious imbalance of weight? maybe un-noticed at normal pistol ranges, but could be a problem out past 25, no?
 
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