I Hope To Meet With Lead Casting Folks

[cynthialee]

casting pure lead is super easy, just be careful

I learned how to do it right by reading casting posts on this forum, and casting bullets in my garage. Then I would make a post saying what was wrong with my bullets, then taking the posted advice from the members. Took me a number of tries before I nailed down the process to get a high rate of success.

I no longer buy my muzzleloading ammo. Not only is it more expensive than using my own lead, most ammo I have bought since I started casting my own just fills me with frustration that I got sold half ass casts that wouldn't make muster at my casting table.

 

[AZbpBurner]

this is just me personally…. Before the internet people just did what they did. I’ve used wheel weights…. And just about anything that would melt. Never had an issue…. Ever. Now the internet says don’t. And I’m absolutely not saying for good reason. And now I use pure lead when I can find it. I would follow the folks that have been leaving very good advice. All I’m saying is…. Before the information highway… it was just so simple. LOL!!

Even 50 years ago, when Dad brought home a Replica Arms (Uberti made) 1861 Colt Navy, it was known to use only pure lead for muzzleloaders.

 

[AZbpBurner]

Pure lead from Roto Metals is what I use a lot of. If you make friends with a tire shop, get the stick-on wheelweights, since there are many in use made of soft lead o pure lead. Beware of the off zinc alloy or iron weights, but they're easy to spot. Be sure to remove ascmuch of the sticky tape from the weights before heating them.

 

[stikshooter]

I do not have a thermometer but since I usually am casting big round balls or boolits I tend to run pretty hot. This leads to the molds (Lee aluminum) getting pretty hot. So, I run two molds a session. When the puddle on the sprue starts taking too long to cool I dump the ball(s) and set that mold aside (opened) to cool and start in with the other one. I am using lead roof boots salvaged from reroof projects. They are usually free for the asking although I have sometimes swapped ice and Pepsi to hard working, hot roofers.

Only thing I can add that I have not seen mentioned (sorry if I missed it) is to smoke your molds before starting. I used to do it with a lighter or match but have found that just holding the mold over the propane burner seems to do as well.

I do not smoke molds ,just make sure they are grease free and I do that with a little brake cleaner (outside carefully) after brushing some Dawn soap cleaner and rinsing in cold water .A clean dry mold heated to temp on a (HOT PLATE) maintains mold temp and they drop easy with no (EFFORT) If casting conicals ,not everyone uses just round balls /flint locks, I do both find filling mold easier compression casting using tin 20-1 /30-1 . Lube grooves /base are nice sharp and accuracy will improve !/Ed

 

[necchi]

Then I would make a post saying what was wrong with my bullets, then taking the posted advice from the members. Took me a number of tries before I nailed down the process to get a high rate of success.

I remember that time,, and those posts from your learning curve. Those threads had excellent descriptions of problems/issues and were loaded with sage advice from the groups common experience and knowledge.
Your determination to succeed and willingness to accept and apply the experiences of others was amazing.
Those topics should have been compiled as a tutorial and made a sticky!

 

[mushka]

I've been casting off and on since the early 70's and started with wheel weights for the unmentionable hand gun and rifle bullets. I still use wheel weights, and use them on bullets as well as balls for MZ guns. After the first couple of culls with visible swells they all cast well and I personally can't tell the difference in accuracy. I do put pure lead and wheel weights in the pot together I flux with bullet lube that squeezes out of the luber sizer. Bottom pour Lee pot. For safety wear glasses, long sleeve shirt or jacket, long pants and shoes. Gloves if you want to. Make bullets and balls and have fun, it's easy.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I do not smoke molds ,

Another of those 'if it work for you........' things. I do smoke my moulds for the very first use, but sometimes I'll spray them with a commercial mould release. After that, my experience has been they do not need that treatment again even if well cleaned and protected with a rust guard (for iron moulds).

 

[Mikekj]

Even 50 years ago, when Dad brought home a Replica Arms (Uberti made) 1861 Colt Navy, it was known to use only pure lead for muzzleloaders.

That’s true for revolvers. They need pure lead for easy loading. Hard lead would make loading difficult and likely bend the loading lever.
Not so much with rifles and smoothbores.
Rifles with patches and smoothbores with their windage can shoot pretty much what fits down the bore.

 

[frankie]

I'm certainly willing to drive somewhere. I live about 17 miles northwest of Tampa International Airport,
the very bottom of Pasco County, and I would really appreciate meeting someone to tutor me in person
so that I can learn to cast, for ammo. I need to learn which metals to add to the lead, and the ratios,
methods you use to avoid VOIDS, and so on. I received as a gift a Lyman lead melting pot, and I have
a few other related items.

Thanks friends!

youtube has lots of videos. It's easy to figure out who the guys are that are legit and been doing it for a long time. Partly you can look and see who has the most views. I hope this helps.

 

[Ninering62]

I processed many a batch of range lead into clean ingots using just such a set up. An enameled cast iron cooking pot picked up at a thrift shop served well. I still process scrap lead using an open burner but now use electric pots for casting bullets and round balls.

As to fluxing. I’ve used a commercial flux from Midway but stopped as the last plastic jar of the stuff seems to rust the pot and implements terrible. It’s incredibly hygroscopic as well.

Thanks for the heads up on commercial flux, what do you use instead of it? I just got my first casting set up ( used from a friend ) and I really want to start learning to cast my own conicals for my ROA & my .50 1:24

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

This may help you with this fun money saving adventure:

 

[ShootistJack]

So Much Great Info! I am really appreciative for all of it!

 

[waksupi]

I've used wheel weights for round balls for nearly 50 years. The ball is patched, it does no harm to the rifling. Accuracy is equal to pure lead. Also gives deeper penetration for such things as bear, elk, and buffalo.

For the post-graduate degree in casting, go to Castboolits.com.

 

[tenngun]

That’s true for revolvers. They need pure lead for easy loading. Hard lead would make loading difficult and likely bend the loading lever.
Not so much with rifles and smoothbores.
Rifles with patches and smoothbores with their windage can shoot pretty much what fits down the bore.

I find ball made of pure lead will imprint with the weave, I THINK this helps grip the ball. And harder may ‘strip’ as shot

 

[Pablo232]

As I said before casting round ball is not complicated. I first melt and clean my lead in a separate pot then pour the CLEAN lead into muffin tins. I then put the CLEAN lead in my casting pot. This set-up is a turkey fryer with a high out-put propane regulator hooked up to a 20# propane tank and a steel wok. No smart A$$ answers necessaryView attachment 150232View attachment 150233

 

[Whughett]

Thanks for the heads up on commercial flux, what do you use instead of it? I just got my first casting set up ( used from a friend ) and I really want to start learning to cast my own conicals for my ROA & my .50 1:24

Bullet lube. A small piece. In my case it’s either Alox or the home made beeswax/crisco.

 

[Pablo232]

Hello everybody. For anybody casting for muzzleloader or unmentionables, there is an excellent downloadable free book on the Los Angeles Silhouette Club site
lasc.us
titled “From ingot to target”. It is the best resource I have found in my 50 years of casting. I use it a a resource in the casting seminars that I give at my local club.

it is excellently written, and while it may give more detail than most people may require as it is really exhaustive on the subject, it is an excellent read. There are some other good articles on that sight too

 

[VA Hawken]

I usually just put in a small (pea sized) bit of beeswax for fluxing. Have been doing it that way for 50 years.

 

[ShootistJack]

I looks like I may have made a connection with a participant in the group:
Bullet Casting & Reloading - Powder Coating Free Zone on facebook.
A guy who is about one hour from me!

 

[Dreamhawk]

this is just me personally…. Before the internet people just did what they did. I’ve used wheel weights…. And just about anything that would melt. Never had an issue…. Ever. Now the internet says don’t. And I’m absolutely not saying for good reason. And now I use pure lead when I can find it. I would follow the folks that have been leaving very good advice. All I’m saying is…. Before the information highway… it was just so simple. LOL!!

I've used a ton of wheel weights over the 45+ years I've cast bullets for my Sharps .50/140, I've never had a problem. Steel floats up after the melt. I skim it and the cross off. Then skim the dross off one more time. I put. Small cube of soap in after the second skim, and mix it in good. Then I start pouring to heat up my mold. After about 5 pours, the mold is hot enough to pour a complete flawless bullet. I add back in the partial bullets from first pours, mix well, and pour until I'm done. Any extra I have in my left furnace, I make small ingots. It's easy, but you can get burned if you screw up.