Ya Gotta Have Balls

[Semisane]

Getting low on .530 balls for the Renegade and Great Plains. So I had a little casting session this afternoon.

I have a good supply of dead soft roof jack lead from a roofing contractor buddy. I ended up throwing 158 balls with my $20 Lee aluminum mold.

Here's what I ended up with.

24 smooth shiney balls that weighed between 223.0 and 223.4 grains
89 smooth shiney balls that weighed between 223.5 and 223.9 grains
38 smooth shiney balls that weighed between 224.0 and 224.4 grains
7 wrinkled balls that weighed less than 223 grains (discarded)

Don't let anyone talk you into paying close to $100 for a Lyman or RCBS ball mold and handles.

 

[Skychief]

I know all about those wrinkled balls, Semisane. :shocked2:

 

[jtmattison]

I like my Lee molds. I have a tackle box full of'em. They all throw perfect balls/bullets. I like that they heat up quickly so I can get right to casting. I preheat them on a hot plate as my lead melts so I rarely, if ever have any culls. The first ball drops out perfect just like the last and they all weigh within a grain of each other.

HD

 

[roundball]

Non-caster looking for an honest answer:

You finish reading your latest hunting magazine, and decide you want to step into your garage or shop and cast a couple hundred balls.

From the time you step into the garage, til the time you turn out the lights and go back inside, how much total time gets invested in casting a couple hundred ?

 

[BrownBear]

From the time you step into the garage, til the time you turn out the lights and go back inside, how much total time gets invested in casting a couple hundred ?

I'll speak for myself, but I turn on the furnace and walk away to do something else for a while. Come back and check the lead temp a couple of times till it's right. Probably not 10 minutes tied up in that.

Using that specific ball, my mold is a double cavity, and I can easily crank out 200 in under an hour. Probably more like half an hour if I hurried but that's not me. Call it an hour for 200 54 cal balls in my spare time. I have more spare time than spare money most times, so it's a good trade-off for me.

 

[DanC]

I have more spare time than spare money most times, so it's a good trade-off for me.

I hears ya, Mr. Bear, I shorely hears ya.

Dan

 

[necchi]

Time wise I'm slower than BB.
Single cavity, probably closer to 1 1/2 hours for 120-140 ball,
I'm fussy so my cull rate is higher than most.
I spose 2 hours maybe a bit more from dig the stuff out, set up, melt-n-cast, clean up, an put the stuff away.
I've never set out to break any speed record, it's idle time in a hobby I enjoy.

 

[Semisane]

I could have written that myself necchi. You pretty well nailed it for me too.

 

[roundball]

I've always held off getting into casting so far...but as I approach retirement at the end of the year, I'll have a lot more time on my hands and have been wondering about trying it if for no other reason than to experience it.

Based on experience over past years of reloading several rifle, pistol, shotgun calibers and gauges, with all the discount places and volume purchase discounting available, after all the dust settled I doubt I really saved all that much 'cause I just shot a lot more.

Probably similar with casting...when I can buy 1000 .54cal balls for $85, after all is said and done with finding / picking up lead, buying all the equipment, setting up a place to do it, etc, probably wouldn't save enough difference to write home about...but I might try it just to see

 

[KHickam]

I enjoy casting - plus I have some odd sized bores and ball and patch combination so it makes sense to me - my 50 cal rifle needs a .480 ball and .18 to .20 pillow ticking patch

My fowler takes a .600 rb with a .18 patch - and although available the cost for the .600 rb are substantial and since I like trekking and stuff and sometimes you have to demonstrate how it was done I have bag molds for both as well as a Lee mold for the .600 rb

Works for me

Besides time is what I have plenty of and money is not.

 

[roundball]

My fowler takes a .600 rb with a .18 patch - and although available the cost for the .600 rb are substantial and since I like trekking and stuff and sometimes you have to demonstrate how it was done I have bag molds for both as well as a Lee mold for the .600 rb

Needing to demo your casting is definitely another reason that would tip the scales towards casting.
For me, my .62cal smooth rifle uses .600"s and .022" patches...christened it on deer last fall 'just because', but other than that it'll just be a backup for deer and I don't plan to regularly shoot PRBs out of it.
So in that case, knowing I wouldn't shoot PRBs out of it enough to justify casting, I just bought a few hundred cast .600"s from Eddie May in Georgia for $11/100 and they'll be more than enough to last me the rest of my shooting years with that Flintlock.

If I do decide to get into casting, it would probably be for the .45cal as it'll be the main caliber I'll use for year round weekly shooting at the range.
But still...at only about $50/1000, I could skip a few double-whoppers each year and go that route...just have to see

 

[Tony Logan]

I bought 2 -25 packs of .648 balls from TOTW, I think they were close to $11 each. Not quite what I had in mind. I have since ordered a mould for Tanner. I haven't got it yet but I look forward to making my own. I have made some fishing weights before never made my own balls, I'm sure I will be asking some obvious ?'s.

 

[BrownBear]

...trying it if for no other reason than to experience it.

That pretty well sums it up for me. It tickles the same spots that muzzleloading does for me.

Modern guns are certainly more "efficient" and easier to come by. And I don't really save any money shooting them rather than modern. But I get a lot more satisfaction because I do so much more of the stuff myself. Ball casting is right there in the mix.

 

[plinker]

Based on experience over past years of reloading several rifle, pistol, shotgun calibers and gauges, with all the discount places and volume purchase discounting available, after all the dust settled I doubt I really saved all that much 'cause I just shot a lot more.

Yep, reloading doesn't save you any money. You just spend it differently. But along the way you shoot 2-4 times as much, and shoot ammunition that is more accurate because it is tailor made for you guns.

I have been fortunate to have been able to get trap lead from ranges I shoot league at for free. So my only cost for lead bullets has been for the propane to smelt them, the electricity to cast them, and a little for lube. I figure this costs about 1/2 cent apiece at todays prices. With factory cast running about 10 cents apiece around here it doesn't take long to "buy" a mold with the savings. Likewise, my gas hotplate and my electric pot were "paid off" years ago.

People laugh when I tell them I can shoot 38 and 45 cheaper than I can shoot 22lr but I am having the last laugh.

 

[mazo kid]

Yep, reloading doesn't save you any money. You just spend it differently. But along the way you shoot 2-4 times as much, and shoot ammunition that is more accurate because it is tailor made for you guns. I have been fortunate to have been able to get trap lead from ranges I shoot league at for free. So my only cost for lead bullets has been for the propane to smelt them, the electricity to cast them, and a little for lube. I figure this costs about 1/2 cent apiece at todays prices. With factory cast running about 10 cents apiece around here it doesn't take long to "buy" a mold with the savings. Likewise, my gas hotplate and my electric pot were "paid off" years ago. People laugh when I tell them I can shoot 38 and 45 cheaper than I can shoot 22lr but I am having the last laugh.

I have to respectfully disagree with your statement that reloading doesn't save money. Granted, you do have the mould expense. Like you, all my lead has, so far, been free. The only cost has been for wheelweights and tin for my modern/BPCR guns. With current pricing of over $60.00 (plus shipping) for 20 45-90 cartridges, it just makes sense to reload. I have been collecting moulds for many years, buying when pricing was cheap, garage sales, auctions, etc. I even buy moulds that I currently do not have a use for as they make good trading material. Back to the 45-90 cartridges, I can reload 100 for ~$14.00. Round balls for my muzzle loaders...the same thing. At $12/50 plus shipping, it only takes a couple of orders to pay for a Lee mould, plus you can cast when you feel like it or the need arises. To me, this sounds like saving money...which is important with a fixed retirement income.

 

[necchi]

If your going to look at it from a purly monitary viewpoint you can crunch the #'s several different ways, with time or years being the main variable in low costs of casting.

Supply chains dry up. Shops close or sell, people retire or die.

I put money in casting gear, I'm done, all I need is lead and fire. And now I'll have a lifetime supply of the best ball I can get for my guns. The learning curve is short, It's actually quite simple and all I'm required of is my time.

I don't have too relie on the mail man, a credit card, the health of some business/person or some future legislation banning sale or transport.

 

[mingo]

When you finally start casting your own, you'll wonder just why you had not started sooner.

I use Lee molds and have no complaints.

 

[Bill Hall]

after all is said and done with finding / picking up lead, buying all the equipment, setting up a place to do it, etc, probably wouldn't save enough difference to write home about...but I might try it just to see

Good point. I think the economical argument gets fudged a little, as people forget to factor in all the costs involved. For a person just starting out, there is going to be an initial investment that's going to take a while to recooperate with the savings. If you have to buy lead from a retail supplier, there goes alot of your savings. Don't forget about electricity or propane expenditures. Mind you, even with all the costs honestly included, there will still be a savings, but it does beg the question, "Is it really worth my time?".

I think the main reason we love to cast our own is because it gets us deeper into the sport. It's one more variable we can control. We gain a higher satisfaction from hunting and target shooting, knowing we made that projectile. Plus, it's fun to cast, and actually very theraputic.

I cast VERY cheaply, dang near for free. I also recover about 85% of my lead. But if I had to pay all the costs mentioned above, I would still cast my own. For me, and alot of other guys here, it's just a another part of muzzleloading, like measuring powder or picking out patch material. It boils down to how involved you want to get into the sport. Bill

 

[gordy]

I have to agree with most here , I cast for the satisfaction of being able to obtain my projectiles without being dependent on anyone else . No USPS , UPS or FedX fees. I don"t have to wait for delivery , if I want/need some balls for somthing right away , I can cast them.
Also , I just enjoy doing it . Roundball, remember when you retire , your time is going to be what its worth in enjoyment. For someone who shot glass marbles etc. you should understand the enjoyment factor ? :thumbsup: :v

 

[roundball]

I just checked my storage area (GI Ammo Boxes).
Still have a big inventory on hand from buying up big lots of balls at various going out of business sales back in the 90s for only $4 or $5 / 100 depending on caliber...a lot more still on hand than I remembered so the good news is there's no hurry to jump in:
1000 Hornady .390"s
2000 Hornady .440"s
1200 Hornady .490"s
800 Hornady .520"s
400 Hornady .570"s
500 Remington .570"s

And thinking ahead about retirement over the past few years I occasionally laid in a supply of cast lead balls while prices were still somewhat low, and have these left over:
2600 Eddie May cast .390"s
1000 Eddie May cast .490"s
750 Eddie May cast .520"s
500 Eddie May cast .600"s

So I'm good for a while, even for shooting a lot year round after I retire