casting bullets

[45pro]

Ok i didn't want to ask because i'm busy enough the way it is, but its been in the back of my head for awhile now. I'm talking about casting my own bullets. I decided i'm going to LOOK into it. So since i have no idea what i need or where to start, does someone have a list of what i would need to cast 45acp? Perferrably as low cost as possible(hence wanting to cast bullets) Links would be helpful. Also maybe a step by step on what it takes to make them, so i can see what i would be getting myself into if i decided to try it.

 

[Creeker]

Lee is the low cost stuff. Get the 20 pound pot & a two cavity mould of your choice. The learning curve will be short. Once you get the hang of things buy a 6 cavity mould for the same bullet. For plenty of reading go here: Cast Boolits - Dedicated To The World Of Cast Bullets!

 

[parson]

Yep. The Castboolit site will give you all the info that you need. A lot of very helpful and knowledgeable folks there.

 

[Brownie]

+ 1 for creeker. I have been casting my own for a couple of years now . I use the lee 20 pound bottom pour pot and am very pleased with it. As for lee moulds I have no experience. RCBS and Lyman moulds have been good to use. My only words of wisdom are once you start you'll never look at wheel weights the same!

 

[45pro]

ok thanks, i'll head over in that direction.

 

[Slow Hand]

Teh cheapest way to start is to use a Lee Tumble Lube mould. They cast bullets with a buch of small lube grooves that don't need a seperate luber/sizer. You just put the bullets in a container and squirt some Lee Liquid Alox on them and shake them around a bit. Pour them out on some wax paper and let them dry. After a day or so, they are ready to load and shoot. I"m very happy with my Lee bottom pour pot. I get most of my stuff like this from Midway for new items and Ebay for used, older moulds.

Doug K

 

[45pro]

+ 1 for creeker. I have been casting my own for a couple of years now . I use the lee 20 pound bottom pour pot and am very pleased with it. As for lee moulds I have no experience. RCBS and Lyman moulds have been good to use. My only words of wisdom are once you start you'll never look at wheel weights the same!

Why am i only seeing a 10 pound pour pot?

 

[wolfman]

Best prices for Lee products I have been able to find.

Lee Precision Factory Sales Catalog Index

 

[Jack Ryan]

I'd go straight for the 6 cavity Lee mold if I knew then what I know now.

 

[Brownie]

45 pro midway usa look for lee pro 4 20# furnace its listed. Bout 65$

 

[sbcman]

Everyone's advice is right on. I started with a Lee 10lb furnace, Lee TL mold, a stick of bullet lube (for fluxing), a pair of welding gloves and a peice of wood.

I can only add that casting offers two things. 1) Reloading on the CHEAP and 2) a fairly large chunk out of your time. I can't say that I "enjoy" casting like some guys do, but I can't hardly afford to shoot like I want to without it.

 

[45pro]

Everyone's advice is right on. I started with a Lee 10lb furnace, Lee TL mold, a stick of bullet lube (for fluxing), a pair of welding gloves and a peice of wood.

I can only add that casting offers two things. 1) Reloading on the CHEAP and 2) a fairly large chunk out of your time. I can't say that I "enjoy" casting like some guys do, but I can't hardly afford to shoot like I want to without it.

Thats one of the things i was going to ask.

If i do decide to cast. What is the cost of lead to produce 1,000 230g .45 bullets?

MBC sells for $93 per 1000 shipped.

If i have to buy the lead and everything, how much would you say i'm going to spend to produce them? I know i can do it cheap if i can find free lead but i'm not counting on it.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Teh cheapest way to start is to use a Lee Tumble Lube mould. They cast bullets with a buch of small lube grooves that don't need a seperate luber/sizer. You just put the bullets in a container and squirt some Lee Liquid Alox on them and shake them around a bit. Pour them out on some wax paper and let them dry. After a day or so, they are ready to load and shoot. I"m very happy with my Lee bottom pour pot. I get most of my stuff like this from Midway for new items and Ebay for used, older moulds.

Doug K

2nd

 

[Jack Ryan]

Thats one of the things i was going to ask.

If i do decide to cast. What is the cost of lead to produce 1,000 230g .45 bullets?

MBC sells for $93 per 1000 shipped.

If i have to buy the lead and everything, how much would you say i'm going to spend to produce them? I know i can do it cheap if i can find free lead but i'm not counting on it.

There's 7000 grains in a pound.

 

[45pro]

Yes but where do I buy lead and about how much is it per pound?

 

[sbcman]

Yes but where do I buy lead and about how much is it per pound?

You can buy lead from vendors on-line. I've grabbed some lots on ebay before, but there are other places. Typically I look to buy it a $1/1lb online, including shipping. You can scrounge it up locally if you can get in good with folks in the tire business or junkyard business (never use lead that's been in batteries from the junkyard).

To your earlier question, if my math is right, which often it isn't, it would take about 32 pounds of lead to crank out those 45 bullets. So if you're getting lead at around $1/1lb, then $32/1000bullets.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Yes but where do I buy lead and about how much is it per pound?

Scrap Lead Prices - USA

You can buy it from about any scrap dealer.

You can chase around to tire places and you might find some but you will burn up what you save driving there unless you are going that way any way. You will also probably lose 10-20% of your weight in trash and spend all day smelting the WW to get ingots.

 

[jason867]

I personally like buying it off of certain vendors on ebay, as they'll almost gurantee that it's 99% clip on wheel weights and no steel or zinc. Out of the handfull of boxes I've bought, I've only found a few pieces per box. And I usually end up getting it all for around a dollar a pound.

If I buy it from the local scrap dealer, they give you a bunch of stick ons, steel, and zinc, and you'll end up paying quite a bit more than a dollar a pound. I didn't use to have much use for the pure lead stick ons. But here lately I've found they work great for powder puff 38s

 

[Slow Hand]

Lee bottom pour pot $47.50

Lee Production Pot Four Furnace 110 Volt - MidwayUSA

Lee six cavity mould $38.50

Lee 6-Cavity Bullet Mold TL452-200-SWC 45 ACP, 45 Auto Rim, 45 Colt (Long Colt) (452 Diameter) 200 Grain Tumble Lube Semi-Wadcutter - MidwayUSA

Lee mould handles $13

Lee Commercial Bullet Mold Handles for 6-Cavity Lee Bullet Molds - MidwayUSA

Lee Liquid Alox $5

Lee Alox Bullet Lube 4 oz Liquid - MidwayUSA

Total price: $104
This will allow you to turn out A LOT of good, shootable bullets in a little amount of time.

If you've got more time than money, get a 2 cavity mould that includes handles with it and save yourself $32

Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold TL452-200-SWC 45 ACP, 45 Auto Rim, 45 Colt (Long Colt) (452 Diameter) 200 Grain Tumble Lube Semi-Wadcutter - MidwayUSA

These bullets do not need sizing, after casting, just put them in a plastic container or something wax coatid like an old ice cream tub, squirt some of the liquid alox on them and shake around a bit to coat the bullets. Lay them out to dry on wax papaer or I use the plastic bags the newspaper gets delivered in or even plastic grocery bags work. Let them dry overnight and they are ready to load and shoot.

I really enjoy shooting ammo I've loaded myself, I enjoy the freedom of shooting my own cast bullets even more. The best is that I killed two deer last fall with bullets I'd specially cast myself!

Doug K

 

[45pro]

Lee bottom pour pot $47.50

Lee Production Pot Four Furnace 110 Volt - MidwayUSA

Lee six cavity mould $38.50

Lee 6-Cavity Bullet Mold TL452-200-SWC 45 ACP, 45 Auto Rim, 45 Colt (Long Colt) (452 Diameter) 200 Grain Tumble Lube Semi-Wadcutter - MidwayUSA

Lee mould handles $13

Lee Commercial Bullet Mold Handles for 6-Cavity Lee Bullet Molds - MidwayUSA

Lee Liquid Alox $5

Lee Alox Bullet Lube 4 oz Liquid - MidwayUSA

Total price: $104
This will allow you to turn out A LOT of good, shootable bullets in a little amount of time.

If you've got more time than money, get a 2 cavity mould that includes handles with it and save yourself $32

Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold TL452-200-SWC 45 ACP, 45 Auto Rim, 45 Colt (Long Colt) (452 Diameter) 200 Grain Tumble Lube Semi-Wadcutter - MidwayUSA

These bullets do not need sizing, after casting, just put them in a plastic container or something wax coatid like an old ice cream tub, squirt some of the liquid alox on them and shake around a bit to coat the bullets. Lay them out to dry on wax papaer or I use the plastic bags the newspaper gets delivered in or even plastic grocery bags work. Let them dry overnight and they are ready to load and shoot.

I really enjoy shooting ammo I've loaded myself, I enjoy the freedom of shooting my own cast bullets even more. The best is that I killed two deer last fall with bullets I'd specially cast myself!

Doug K

Thanks man, thats what i was looking for. $100 isn't bad at all. Now i just gotta convince the wife that i'll be saving money even though i'll be spending some.