Starting in casting

C

C7AR15

New member
I was thinking of casting my own .38 and 9mm bullets. I read a line the other day that says -"Casting your own bullets, completes the Hobby"

What are the basics required and where will i get the lead from?
Just some ball park figures on the cost if I start at intermediate level equipment.

I am not worried about the time spent doing the casting. What would be the cost for bullets made by myself?
 
Casting is a whole other hobby in itself. How far do you want to go down that rabbit hole?

Lee pot $60
molds $20 - $100
sizing dies $30
lead $1 - $1.50

Now do you want to lube, powder coat, or Hi-Tek?
 
Down the Rabbit hole

To have enough equipment to produce 38 and 9mm.

I don't want to start off with the cheapest stuff, and I'm not going into commercial production.

Can i do it for $500-$600 ??
 
You can dip in a bit cheaper too though... ask around at local tire shops and any other lead sources you can think of... it is more work to sort and smelt a bucket other mixed wheel weights, but I have gotten them for free... I have even found probably 5 lb of lead just snagging up wheel weights off the road when out riding my bike. If you have a local shooting range, you can ask the owners about scavenging lead... that can be a lot of sifting and sorting out rocks, but I got probably 20lb.of lead in an hour of sifting once.

For a pot, you can get a Lee pot used for 30 or less if you keep an eye out. Or you can even start with a thrift store.cast iron pot over an open flame... this is less control able, so you have to learn the visual signs of metal temp better and should be careful of getting any zinc in the mix.... but it is how soldiers have cast bullets for centuries.

You will need the molds, and starting out, I'd go with Lee just to get some practice on a cheap mold and you will learn what molds you want with practice.

Read up on it before you start so you have a good idea what you will need and how to do it safely. There are lots miscellaneous things you will use, but may already have.
 
there is a separate sub-section for bullet casting on this forum. Before you scroll down the (previous) page to browse through the threads for the reloading and what-not take a look for the "bullet casting", it's near the top of the page. Not always the fastest-paced section on the site but full of info for people who melt and pour their own.
 
https://goo.gl/photos/aYGCTxiz5wioPKSK8

I'm no pro at it, but it's a lot of fun. I've not bought a handgun bullet for years. These were all from free wheel weights, which are getting a little harder to come by. Left to right: 90 gr for 380ACP, 124 gr 9mm and also 38special, 158 gr 357 and 255 gr 45 colt
 
My pistols, revolvers, and lever rifles have not seen a jacketed bullet in at least 30+ years.

Go here and learn from the best, http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

There is nothing that can be asked that those guys can't answer...

I am partial to RCBS and SAECO molds, and I have a brass mold from Accurate Molds that is the cats meow. Lee molds have been a crap shoot for me.

Get a mold, some alloy, a small stainless pot, a thermometer from Lyman, a casting ladle, and a hardwood stick to bump the sprue plate. Sawdust or a little bullet lube to flux the pot, an old spoon to skim, and some safety glasses and gloves. A propane or electric hotplate or old camp stove will make a good heat source. You will need a way to lube and size your bullets, unless you want to try coating. I have been using a Lyman 450 since I have been casting. That and the mold/handles are the most expensive parts of the endeavor. That's about all you need to get started, as a matter of fact, that's about all I have been using for as long as I have been casting.

Good luck, there is a learning curve.
 
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The place I used to shoot at was against a dike along the Everglades and over the weekend had many shooters using this as a backstop. My buddy and I used to show up there early every Sunday morning to shoot, pick up brass, and find lead in the dike. The bonanza was when after a rain, the loose dirt would be washed away and expose a hugh amount of fired bullets. Between this and wheel weights I always had lead for casting.......Now after realizing how much time I spent over molten lead, wonder how much it affected me breathing in these fumes.
 
Read up on it before you start so you have a good idea what you will need and how to do it safely. There are lots miscellaneous things you will use, but may already have.
Click to expand...

This is really some sage advice here.

There is a big wide world of little things that will add up to make things a little easier here and there but aren't an absolute necessity. When I decided to get into casting I read up on things and made notes, then came back and read more. Before I poured my first bullet I would wager I had spent close to a year just researching things, but once I started pouring them I had what I needed, and most of my first batch were good shooting bullets.

The link to LASC is a good one as well.Most of the articles there are in PDF form and can either be downloaded or printed out. The booklet From Ingot To Target" is one I printed out and put into a little binder for quicker reference when it first came out. I have peeled through the pages numerous time while right in the middle of pouring a batch to check on something.

As for tools, I would say the thermometer is the most overlooked one of the bunch. You really need a way to keep your alloy at a consistent temp while pouring.

As for alloy, check the classified here and elsewhere for folks listing clip on wheel weight ingots (COWW). Especially over on CB's site. I have purchased the majority of mine and not had any issues. Most sites have a feedback section for their sellers and if they have sold much in the past they should have something posted.

The biggest issue with tire shops nowadays is the zinc and steel you get. All of those have to be sorted out. The zinc ones will really screw up a nice pot of clean lead. You might also try local scrap yards for lead sheet, and other types of scrap lead. Sometimes you can make a pretty good haul. Most of the time it runs around 65 - 80 cents per pound.
 
1 1/2 yrs ago I was a jacketed bullet reloader. I stumbled across castboolits.gunloads.com and was amazed. I started gathering everything up and now I am an addict. I had thousands of .40 s/w and 9mm loaded up and still have a few thousand. I cast all my bullets for .45 colt and .45 acp. Smelt all my lead from pure to cowws. I cast 6 different bullets and shoot them all through my Blackhawk, 1911 and Henry Steel .45 colt. You do not need to invest $500 either. I ladle pour from a 4# Lee melter and have thousands of bullets lubed and ready to load. I tumble lube bullets and I get no leading in any of my guns. Check out castboolits.gunloads.com You won't be sorry. G.
 
"I have even found probably 5 lb of lead just snagging up wheel weights off the road when out riding my bike.... Nemsiss45"

Same here.

I've been collecting range lead on days when range is closed and wheel weights from tire shops and the local roads :)

Will conduct my first smelt within next couple of weeks.
 
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