If You Don't Cast Boolits - You Should!

I always thought casting bullets was tough. The pros do it with expensive furnaces, there are dire warning about lead poisoning, dire warnings about this and that - and for years I just figured it was more trouble than it was worth and said to hell with it.

But then the cretins at the gun shop started selling .530 lead ball at 22 bucks/100! :cursing:

I bought a cheap Lee pot ($50.00), cheap Lee molds and then went on Youtube to see how it was done. A fella who goes by the screen name 'Hoose Bin Pharteen' learned me everything I needed to know.

I cannot believe how EASY it was. And my conicals were deadly accurate despite some variance in the grain weight!

If any of you have any reservations about getting into casting - do yourself a favour and dispense with them! You will be happy you did!

Heating lead to melting temperature does not cause a problem as long as it's not too high a temp, around 750 deg. for bullets. Lead must be heated to around 900 deg. (I think)to release the harmful vapors.

Still, it's a good idea to use proper ventilation and wash your hands when done.

Been useing a cheap lee pot an mold for over 25 yrs now an never a single problem. Guess I've loaded thousands of balls. Its the only way I can afford to shoot :thumbsup:

Casting your own is the only way to fly.

Not is it inexpensive but it adds another creative, enjoyable pastime to shooting a muzzleloader.

You probably know that back in the days, some kids cast their own "tin solders" and often they were cast out of lead or a tin/lead mix.

Can you imagine what the modern mothers and the "sky is falling" crowd would say about them doing that now?

Anyway, anything a kid can do a full grown adult should be able to do too.

Have fun.

A good dose of common sense goes hand in hand when casting Balls. Proper Clothing,keeping Water away from hot Lead,proper ventilation etc. etc.....

I shoot some odd size ball so casting is my only option. I can't go to Wallyworld and buy, .388, .520, 615, 664 and .715. When you get over 50 caliber you get fewer ball to the pound of lead.
Shooting 11 bore you have to buy two one pound bags
to shoot a 20 round match. If you can find real lead Casting is very reasonable.

Nope. I just cast baals. :idunno:

Stumpkiller said:

Nope. I just cast baals. :idunno:

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Golden calves!? I betcha can't get that kinda temperature on a typical Coleman stove!

Regards,
Joel

Casting lead is really quite simple. I have even cast ball at a historic event using charcoal and a brazier. The lead pot I got at an antique store for a couple of bucks.

Whether melted in a state of the art bottom pour pot or over a charcoal fire in an antique pot the lead balls shoot just the same.

I started out with an aluminum pan and a Coleman stove. I stopped using the aluminum pan when I found out that melting lead in aluminum can cause the aluminum to eventually weaken and fail.

Many Klatch

learned me everything I needed to know.

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I'm glad that youse toob thingy got you started. And, hopefully, safely.
But, you will, I'm sure, continue to learn about casting. It isn't really complex but certain measures must be taken to get consistent good results safely.
Please don't think the youse toob thingy makes you a know-it-all. :shocked2: That is a sure way to get in trouble and, possibly, injured.

Joel/Calgary said:

Stumpkiller said:

Nope. I just cast baals. :idunno:

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Golden calves!? I betcha can't get that kinda temperature on a typical Coleman stove!

Regards,
Joel

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Glad someone was paying attention. Thread was "boolits" so I figures "baals" is the proper traditional equivalent. :haha:

Yep, it's actually pretty simple. Melt the lead, pour it in the mold. If you've done any research on the process, like reading posts here, you may have been a victim of information overload. I think people come up with their own routine, and then come to think that's the only way to do it. Example: A guy smacks his pot with a ladle, then turns around three times before he dips out the lead. He gets good balls nearly every time, so he equates his ritual with success. Then he swears that he's found the best method for casting and everyone should do the same, lest their balls come out wrinkled or crooked or something. He states his success, maybe even posts photos, then dares anyone to argue with him.

The best way to learn the truth about something is to get your hands dirty with it, then alter your method from there. Have fun casting those balls. Bill

grzrob said:

Shooting 11 bore you have to buy two one pound bags to shoot a 20 round match.

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I have to get two pounds of lead out to make two pounds of .575s, too :rotf:!




Just giggin' ya . . .

I thought that boolits were made to be stuck in the end of a brass cartridge which allreday had the powder and primer kind of an overalll improvement over the ML age stuff:idunno:

"Glad someone was paying attention. Thread was "boolits" so I figures "baals" is the proper traditional equivalent"

Now don't even go and try to work traditional into this one

A "boolit" a a cast lead conical projectile which can be loaded in a brass cartridge thingy, but ... Also many folks use them loaded one at a time from the front end of a gun ...

BTW there is a VERY informative site by the name of CastBoolits!

Also lead does not vaporize until over 2000 degrees! However there are other nasty vapors which are possible, depending where you get you lead supply from, grease/oil from wheel weights, tar from roof jacks, acid from batteries (actually very dangerous to use batteries!)

I have downstairs in the cellar a kitchen range hood. I melt with propane and a soldering torch.
When I started shooting ML, I asked a fellow shooter what I needed for my ML”¦.He gave me a list and moulds were on it”¦.. :idunno:
I’ve never bought any Minie’s or Balls”¦..just started “doing” and learning”¦.. :stir:

And picking up after the roofers were done repairing a roof :grin:

you're on the right path. i cast out doors, with my back to the wind, and be very careful not to let any water drop into the lead (sweat, too). wear long sleeves and long pants and closed toed shoes, and don't smoke or eat while you're casting (who has time, anyway?). When you're done, wash your hands thoroughly, and you'll be fine.

saves a boatload, and it's fun to boot!

I started out casting with a $1, garage sale Coleman stove, a $2, thrift shop,cast iron kettle and a couple aluminum cupcake tins as ingot molds. Minimal cost involved in getting started.

I would buy the equipment and cast my own if I could find lead cheap enough. So far it doesn't seam worth the trouble considering the price of lead locally.

It is getting harder to find cheap lead. I've scrounged a lot of wheel weights in my day. They used to be easier to come by, and free or costing only a 12 pack for a 5 gal pail. They work well in my smoothbore. I also use range scrap collected from berms and ask local roofers and plumbers to salvage any they come across.