Minimum requirement for casting bullets

[Blackpowderart]

I just purchased some bullet molds from a member, haven't got them yet, but I want to know what is the cheapest way for me to cast them with the minimum investment? I have never cast anything and even when I do it will just be a few here and there as I don't shoot a whole lot. I just wanted to try it out and make some paper cartridges with bullets instead of round ball.

 

[Old Grunt]

Minimum a spoon to dip lead,and a small pot to melt lead,a heat source to melt lead. You probably already have everything. Don't reuse pot or spoon,keep them as casting only.
You can add bits as you go,a proper lead ladle,a thermometer,a electric pot and on and on or just stay with minimum.

 

[TFoley]

A source of heat, a long-handled spoon and a rag to wrap around it, and some pure lead. Watch Mel Gibson in 'The Patriot' as he melts down the toy soldiers of his murdered son to cast ball.

 

[kyron4]

You'll want to source some pure lead. Avoid wheel weights, especially for conicals.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

This will help you get started:

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

A heat source of some kind, Coleman type stove, hot plate, etc. A pot to melt it in, an old spoon to skim the surface and a ladle of some sort. If you don’t already have it, visiting garage sales should work. You can spend as little or as much as you like.

 

[lou puleff]

I just purchased some bullet molds from a member, haven't got them yet, but I want to know what is the cheapest way for me to cast them with the minimum investment? I have never cast anything and even when I do it will just be a few here and there as I don't shoot a whole lot. I just wanted to try it out and make some paper cartridges with bullets instead of round ball.

I want to mention one safety item do not even get one drop of water or sweat in that lead pot or it will ruin your day and possibly your life it will explode violently I'm not trying to scare you just don't want you to get yourself in trouble. Lyman makes a casting book I recommend you get at least one or two books and read up a bit.

 

[Archer 756]

Safety Glass's and good leather golfs

 

[ArmorerRoy]

I got one of these. Makes life a lot easier.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I too started with a Coleman camp stove, a steel sauce pan, a table spoon and a mold. I always wear glasses, gloves, long pants, long sleeve shirt and leather shoes. Don’t wear man made fiber clothes. That stuff melts and sticks to skin. I forgot to mention a hammer handle or piece of wood to tap open the sprue cutter on the mold. It isn’t hard and I find it fun to make my own projectiles.

 

[Gun Tramp]

Lyman makes a casting book I recommend you get at least one or two books and read up a bit.

Definitely first. AbeBooks for used or possibly your library.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

All of the above and if you need to clean "flux" the lead a box of borax works well if the lead is very dirty. An old wax candle works too.

 

[AlexB]

The bottom pour lee pots are fairly cheap and well worth it.

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

Most things in life I’ve learned by myself and the hard way, including what happens when you combine molten lead and moisture. I don’t recommend that.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

 

[Blackpowderart]

So what do you guys think of these 2? Advantage of each/ disadvantage? Either seems like a good deal. Will be mostly doing roundball and conical for revolvers.
I heard the spouts often leak. Have they fixed this problem?

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Bottom pours leak with age. Ive had the same furnace like the one on the right for 30 years now.

 

[BlackRock52]

Definitely first. AbeBooks for used or possibly your library.

That's a good idea except in our area gun books are being purged from the large Public Library. This repository of printed material does not however purge or even restrict material about porn or LGBTQ sex advice manuals to those who are under 16

 

[tenngun]

So what do you guys think of these 2? Advantage of each/ disadvantage? Either seems like a good deal. Will be mostly doing roundball and conical for revolvers.
I heard the spouts often leak. Have they fixed this problem?

I do at a fire a lot, but when I use a furnace I use the top dip, and not a pour at the bottom. It’s easy to run a hundred ball in an hour

 

[Des52]

I have both lee furnaces, I use the top dip to melt lead that might be a little dirty and put it in to pucks. Been using the bottom pore for a couple of decades and never had a problem, keep only clean lead that I know is clean in it. Just molded about 100 .36 maxis last month, took longer to set things up than molding.