casting

[corey012778]

I am playing with yet another idea. casting my own bullets. I am one to try to find away to save money.

I know I should get a book for one thing. but what are the items that I should start with? I want to keep it low cost just in case I don't like doing it.

[frontier gander]

You want to do it over a campfire like me or the cheating way with a lead pot melter?[8D]

For me i bought a $4 tin cup, $10 ladel, $20 Lee .490 RB mold, pliers for picking the bigger cup off the fire, And i found that little white/blue cup under the kitchen sink while i was cleaning. Looks like a good little portable lead melter once i add a wooden handle. The hardest thing to find in my area is lead. I have a little stock pile in the pic. Have to do some more lead hunting on my range once the snow melts. Love it when it melts because it washes the dirt away and the bullets are just laying out all over the place. Found 5 powerbelts today, 3 maxi hunters, 2 great plains and a few roundballs.

I mold my bullets the old fashion way. The ONLY way [8D]

[Arthur P]

You should just get the basics if you want to keep it low cost. Pot, ladle, mold, and lead. Also, safety glasses, gloves and long sleeved shirt! Naturally you'll need a heat source, but not in the kitchen and preferrably not in the house at all. I'd get a propane burner and set up on the patio, or somewhere with a good breeze to blow the lead fumes away from you.

[cayugad]

Well what I did was for a heat source, I bought a turkey cooker when it was on sale at Menards (like Home Depot in the north here) for $19.95. It came with a stand, a regulator, and a Bunsen burner type gas heat source that can be controlled. I then wired an old gas stove grate to the stand. The pot was just an extra and something to use to cook turkey in for the little woman and friends.

Then I boughta Lyman ladle, a simple Lyman melting pot, a bees wax candle, made a scraper out of some roof flashing, and some LEE Molds, and built a drop box that I lined with leather. I also bought a bottle of Rapine Mold lube. Lead i pick up here and there.

At least this way, if you don't like casting you have a turkey cooker that works excellent by the way... and a ladle and melting pot along with the molds. Not too much involved in it. And it is a fun thing to do. Just make sure there is no moisture around you or dripping off you when you cast, and the area is well vented. Lead fumes they say are dangerous.

[corey012778]

I was just thinking of just getting a pot. I have an old propane grill that I converted into a charcoil grill. thinking about used it.

[HEAD0001]

I do not know how close you are to Morgantown, WV. If you are ever in the area stop by. I will show you my casting setup, and maybe we can even cast a few will we shoot the ****. Tom.

[corey012778]

Thanks for the invite Tom. it is about a 4 hour drive. damn map I got had me drive amost another hour the another way I know. once a year, me, my wife and a few other do a "fireworks run" to Pa. make our what to where I forgot the road name and number turns into I 70.

[mcawful]

Before I broke down and bought the LEE melter ( $24 from MIDWAY) I used the burner from my turkey fryer and a cast iron melting pot I picked up at the flea market. The lead ladle I bought on EBAY for about $5. Don't even look at the LEE ladle, almost worthless except for skimming the junk off the top of the melted lead. Get an Ideal, orRedding, etc.

The little electric melter I use now is alot less fuss and trouble to deal with.
I keep my lead separated in 3 batches, according to hardness. Pure lead for thefrontstuffer and harder stuff for the cartridge shooters.
The biggest expense I faced when first starting was the moulds. Once you get that behind you, not so expensive.

I glean alot of info from this place and another I often go to-
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/
Anything you want to know, someone else has probably already asked.
Read the "classics and stickies" at the top first. All kinds of good stuff.

Oh, did I mention that it's fun as all get out?
Be prepared, once you start casting, you'll see some bullets somewhere and think, "Oh hell, I can do that, and at half the price".
Just like muzzleloaders, it's addictive.
Good luck and have fun!

[corey012778]

if I find a cast iron pot it would work just fine?

I am going to have to do all the casting outdoors if I do end up doing it.

I was looking at something like this for a pot.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=523105&t=11082005

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...amp;t=11082005

I know I need ingot molds. and bullets molds would be a whole other thread

when I think, it can get me into whole lot of trouble. lol

[johnny2]

If your in no hurry,check out some local flea markets..I have got
some nice lead pots at them..I think I would go with a 20 lb
pot to start with..10 is a little small..I used a coleman one
burner stove for a couple of years..I still use a gas burner...
A cast thermometer is another good item to have...You
can get into trouble if you lead gets too hot...Like burning
out the tin in your mix and getting some deadly fumes off
the pot as well..It really is a simple things,but you have a lot
to learn..You should check around your town or what ever
and see if there is anyone that makes bullets or even sinkers..
You can learn alot from just watching..Is the any gun clubs
around? If so go and ask around...You can do it man..