The only thing I cast for now is my .45 Colt. I cast 2 diferent sizes and just ordered a 3rd mold for that along with a roundball mold and a Lee minie for the .50.
Daves absolutely correct when he said that you can cast as good as the pros. But to do that, you have to have the right equipment. Pricier mollds than I own and a better casting setup, maybe a pot with a bottom pour.

That's a holdover from using iron moulds- leaving the cavities full for storage ensures that the cavities are free and selaed from moisture. With Lee moulds (aluminum), it doesn't do much, but it can't hurt.

Wheel weights make for good cheap lead to cast- its soft enough for roundballs,or can be quenched in water to harden them fairly hard. For bullets with sharp narrow driving bands, add some lead/tin solder to the melt- I usually add about 18" of 50/50 solder wireper 10lbs of melted wheel weights. Tin helps with filling out moulds by slowing the lead from crystallizing.

A good cheap setup for starting would be a $8 hotplate from walmart and a small iron pot- I use such a set up for processing wheelweights into clean alloy, and a lee pro pot IV ($50)for casting. I use the propot because it had a bottom pour spout, but if you usea ladle such as Lyman ladle, you can use a hotplate/pot for casting.

A lyman cast bullet handbook is a really good investment before you start.

A very good website to visit- I spend countless hours there reading and learning is http://castboolits.gunloads.com/Some of the people there are true experts.

Im looking at http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?TabID=2&Categoryid=9259&categorystr ing=685***8657***8664*** at the minnie and maxi ball molds. There are diameters next to them, like 454, 450, 578,575, ect.. What is this number and what does it mean?

Lee 1-Cavity Original Minie Ball Bullet Mold 575-500M 575 Diameter 500

This is a Lee single cavity (means it cast one) Minnie Ball is the description. For instance it could say SWC which is a single wad cutter. The first set of numbers (575)in the description tell you the diameter/ or caliberof the projectile. The second set (500m) tell you the weight of the projectile when casted out of pure lead.

The weight part is not quite accurate. I cast a 405 grain .458 diameter FN bullet but they actually weigh 422 grains on average instead of 405 grain like they claim.

Also your results might vary, but I have the minnie molds for .50 & .54 caliber and I have yet to find a rifle that shoots them well. I think I would need a .577 bore to get some good accuracy out of them. They are fun to shoot mind you, but not as accurate as I demand.

Hey, it works!

http://www.sunrisearchery.com/bullet.htm

Holy cow, great site! Thanks Birman.