results of a couple casting sessions

[Rifleman1776]

Pic below are some .490" round balls I cast up for my new Little Fella flint rifle. I estimate there are about 550 balls in the two containers plus I have about 100 more in my range box. These were done in four sessions of about one hour each dipping from a Lee bottom pour pot. As always, a relaxing project. I was using a Lee double cavity mould. I wanted a single cavity but, apparently, Lee now only makes that size in doubles. As with other Lee moulds I have used it was very forgiving of my sloppiness and gave me a high percentage of good balls, very few rejects. This should take care of my needs for a while. Next project is to find some more good lead. Not as easy as it once was. I still have about 50 pounds on hand but would like about 100 more.

 

[Baxter]

I always enjoyed casting, I found it very relaxing. Usually did my casting when rain was falling outside, made an otherwise wasted (for the range) day feel well used. I have casted for .44, .45, .50 and .54 calibers. Never had an accident while casting; always put 100% of my attention on the process.

 

[Jeff Kaufmann]

I like the repurposed parmesean containers. That is an idea I may have to steal!

 

[Griz44Mag]

Casting has always been a very enjoyable activity for me. I have been casting for many years and have collected molds from several different countries made of steel, brass, aluminum and titanium. I like the challenge of hollow points, hollow bases, both and gas checked for high pressure rifle. I also like to mix for alloys that are very hard but not brittle for long range flights. Casting pure lead for round ball is super easy, as the pure lead is very forgiving. Drop a couple of ounces of tin in the mix and they will be super smooth and very shiny! One step further after casting, break out the scale and find the light ones and throw them back in the lead bin, your groups will love it!

 

[Brokennock]

Grizz touched on my question. Do you way those for consistency sake? If so, what is an acceptable weight range?

 

[Shot deer]

I estimate there are about 550 balls in the two containers plus I have about 100 more in my range box. This should take care of my needs for a while. Next project is to find some more good lead. Not as easy as it once was. I still have about 50 pounds on hand but would like about 100 more.

Rifleman1776, no kidding, unless you shoot every day, that would last for a while! I wish I could find the time......


SD

 

[Grimord]

I cast for .32, .36,.45,.50,.54,.56 & .58. Haven't bought a ball in over 10 years. I usually weigh the balls for consistency. For the .45 caliber and those smaller I reject balls that are +/- .5 grains from the average. For the larger balls, .50 and larger, my reject parameter is +/- 1.0 grains from the average. I will weigh twenty balls from a casting session for the average, and use that average for my base line for rejects. The weight of the balls will vary with the lead composition in the casting session. I have about 300# of lead composed of old roof flashing, lead pipes and some cable sheathing. Most of it is pure lead, but some has some tin in it causing lighter ball weight.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I really enjoy casting over a campfire using my Callahan and Made in India bag molds. These are not meant for volume casting, but its the way the frontiersmen did it around the campfire and its fun to emulate that. I killed a deer with one of the bals from one of my bag molds. Very satisfying to know the game fell to your own creation and not some factory produced item.

When I need a volume of ammunition, I will use my production pot and double cavity Lee mold. Otherwise I use the bag molds. I rarely get so low on ammo that I need the Lee mold these days.

 

[Brokennock]

I'm thinking in terms of weight parameters in regards to the weights for a given ball diameter given here, https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/pure-lead-ball-weight.28649/
I've been weighing my .610 cast balls and dividing them into groups, but I need a simpler system. More of a keep or reject system. Right now I save the heaviest balls, those at or closest to the correct weight for the size, for hunting, and the rest for shooting at the range, usually working from the lightest group in spring and early summer to the heaviest short of hunting weight in early fall. I wish i were good enough at casting to get more of a pass/fail weight range.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Grizz touched on my question. Do you way those for consistency sake? If so, what is an acceptable weight range?

No. But back in the days when I was a serious 'X' hunter I weighed to .1 of a grain. These days I just eye inspect.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Rifleman1776, no kidding, unless you shoot every day, that would last for a while! I wish I could find the time......


SD

They will go pretty fast. When Dave built the flinter he made it full auto.

 

[Don Steele]

Grizz touched on my question. Do you way those for consistency sake? If so, what is an acceptable weight range?

I don't buy roundballs. All I shoot, I cast myself.
For 50 cal balls my acceptance range is +/- 0.5 gns. for run-of-the-mill offhand shooting. When I want a special group of balls for Chunk or Table shooting, I'll go through a bunch and narrow that down to +/- 0.1 gn.
For 40 cal balls I use +/- 0.1 gn. across the board.
I'm not a good enough shooter to claim a couple of tenths of a grain is gonna make a visible difference on a target...probably won't. That said though...I like the sense of confidence that "outliers" are totally ON ME...not my equipment. NO excuses.

 

[Rifleman1776]

They will go pretty fast. When Dave built the flinter he made it full auto.

Seriously. Yes, they should last a long time. Now that I have my Dave Person built Little Fella flinter in .50 cal., I am essentially a one rifle man. My several other ml rifles are in the safe and may never be shot by me again. The only other ml fire stick I'll use will be my Jackie Brown built 20 ga. fowler and that will not get much action except at a couple competitions. So, when I had my casting pot and stuff set up it was no extra work to cast for an hour or so. I built up this supply of .490s to last. If needed, other ball sizes I no longer use, like .535" and others can go back in the pot if I ever should need more lead.

 

[brewer12345]

I banged out a similar number of 490 balls last week plus a couple hundred maxi balls. Of course now that I am supplied for 50 cal for the foreseeable, I bought a 54 and will need to start all over again.