2021 NES Bullet Casting Seminar Feeler?

Should we hold the casting seminar in the spring or the fall?

  • Total voters
    27
pastera said:
If I could get off my backside and motivated to clean off the workbench in the garage I could host a spring event if you needed a place.
Taunton PD is already used to showing up here for reports of gun fire 😂😂😂😂😂
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Your bench is not that bad. If you decide to clean it for a seminar, let me know and I will give you a hand.
 
240Geezer said:
In please and Thankyou.
Currently peeling lead sheet off of plywood scrap. Figure to net about 150+ lbs of lead.
Now need to figure how to smelt it safely.
This would be great.
Willing to donate some of it as well as the cash.
Click to expand...
Saws all into small parts?
is the lead bolted or glued to the pannels
I melted a bunch of lead in a large fire and then smelted the pile left over.
 
Thanks for the replies gents.
Lead is glued to 1” plywood.
Scrap is different sizes from 1” wide strips to 1 foot wide panel cutouts. All different lengths.
Lead is new 1/4” thick.
I strip it off the plywood as best I can but some pieces have wood still attached.
Outdoor fire not an issue in So. NH.
Was going to use a propane turkey fryer type burner.
What kind and size “pot” for smelting pouring?
I’ve seen guys pour into muffin tins for billet moulds. YouTube natch🤣
 
240Geezer said:
Thanks for the replies gents.
Lead is glued to 1” plywood.
Scrap is different sizes from 1” wide strips to 1 foot wide panel cutouts. All different lengths.
Lead is new 1/4” thick.
I strip it off the plywood as best I can but some pieces have wood still attached.
Outdoor fire not an issue in So. NH.
Was going to use a propane turkey fryer type burner.
What kind and size “pot” for smelting pouring?
I’ve seen guys pour into muffin tins for billet moulds. YouTube natch🤣
Click to expand...
Old propane tank cut in half makes a good smelting pot , If it where me I would cut it up into small pieces and toss it in the “deal with it later corner” trying to melt the led off the wood with a torch could be a pita.
Leave it behind the shed for a few years and the wood will rot off
 
240Geezer said:
Thanks for the replies gents.
Lead is glued to 1” plywood.
Scrap is different sizes from 1” wide strips to 1 foot wide panel cutouts. All different lengths.
Lead is new 1/4” thick.
I strip it off the plywood as best I can but some pieces have wood still attached.
Outdoor fire not an issue in So. NH.
Was going to use a propane turkey fryer type burner.
What kind and size “pot” for smelting pouring?
I’ve seen guys pour into muffin tins for billet moulds. YouTube natch🤣
Click to expand...
Turkey frier should be reinforced to handle the weight of the lead - a couple of 1" angle irons on cinder blocks will work if you can't weld.
For a pot - no aluminum. If you can cut a 20lb propane tank safely then that is a great pot for large loads. The cheap disposable helium containers are easier to cut but are also thinner so you will need to keep a closer eye on them over time.
Cast iron - you can go with cast iron but the bigger pots are very expensive and are more easily cracked by banging on the rims (don't clean your tools by banging on the edge of a cast pot). For a smaller operations (50lbs at a time), a cast iron dutch oven with cover is hard to beat. The cover lets it heat faster, keeps your flux agent working, and reduces issues if you do get a visit from the tinsel fairy.

Muffin tins work but purpose made/built ingot molds are usually easier to deal with over time (release ingots easy and ingots stack better)
 
I cannot wait for this. It's going to be righteous. I casted a bunch of 44 magnum wad cutters last time and coated them, like a nutcase, that I would be willing to trade with someone for 9 mm cast, 44 magnum / 50 AE jacketed noncast, or other reloading supplies, at a ratio we agree upon. There's nothing wrong with them I've reloaded with them successfully but they work better in revolvers and I'm also not going to use cast projectiles in my particular firearm after advice from more experienced reloaders to stay away from cast bullets in a gas system firearm. I will bring them anyway but just giving everyone a heads up that the option is out there. Thanks fellas.
 
Last edited:
Demoman said:
You could coat them and there will be no issues with lead and fas system
Click to expand...
My mistake they're actually already coated but I still believe that a small degree of lead will be absorbed and circulated through the gas system due to fragmentation which is why I'm hesitant to reload them and use them in my original intended gun.
 
There is a possibility if the coating fails there could be some particles. But if wipe and smash test were done and passed should be good to go. But definitely run jacketed if you feel like it's a better option. I run both depending on if I have bought the molds yet or stocked up on jacketed bullets already
 
Rocco Mozz said:
My mistake they're actually already coated but I still believe that a small degree of lead will be absorbed and circulated through the gas system due to fragmentation which is why I'm hesitant to reload them and use them in my original intended gun.
Click to expand...
If the gas port is stripping coating it will also strip copper just not as quickly.
Much more likely to clog a gas port with lube fouling - not an issue with coated bullets
 
Rocco Mozz said:
I cannot wait for this. It's going to be righteous. I casted a bunch of 44 magnum wad cutters last time and coated them, like a nutcase, that I would be willing to trade with someone for 9 mm cast, 44 magnum / 50 AE jacketed noncast, or other reloading supplies, at a ratio we agree upon. There's nothing wrong with them I've reloaded with them successfully but they work better in revolvers and I'm also not going to use cast projectiles in my particular firearm after advice from more experienced reloaders to stay away from cast bullets in a gas system firearm. I will bring them anyway but just giving everyone a heads up that the option is out there. Thanks fellas.
Click to expand...
Poopoo on cast bad for gas system, ideal no. Can you have problems getting gas system to function on typical cast load pressures, sure.
I have run cast in AR 450 rounds full function 3 moa accuracy. No leading except a riny bit in the throat.
M1, M1 carbine , sks and M1a
All had enough through them if there was going to be a gas system problem I would have had one. The M1 carbine really likes the cast loads and the bullet I use is plain base!
 
pastera said:
If the gas port is stripping coating it will also strip copper just not as quickly.
Much more likely to clog a gas port with lube fouling - not an issue with coated bullets
Click to expand...
Im not sure if the lube could clog a gas system. So far the only clogged gas system I have seen have been Abused ARs with heavy carbon fouling.
Could the lube contribute to carbon fouling? Sure especially when you run high pressure cast loads.
 
mac1911 said:
Im not sure if the lube could clog a gas system. So far the only clogged gas system I have seen have been Abused ARs with heavy carbon fouling.
Could the lube contribute to carbon fouling? Sure especially when you run high pressure cast loads.
Click to expand...
I would guess it could eventually happen. However using carnauba red I usually see a full ring of lube still on the bullets I recover.

There are some good threads on it on CastBoolits.
It can be done and I’m sure the savings would pay for an extra gas tube from time to time.
 
Our indoor range is lead/frangible only so casting is essential with limited, if any, choices of "factory" loaded lead rounds. I cast 6% antimony for .45 (160, 185, 200, 230 grain), 40 S&W (185 grain) and 9mm (124 and 125 grain). I have many pounds of 6%, pure lead and 63/37 tin lead on hand. I use a cast iron frying pan to melt for making 1 pound ingots that fit easily into furnace pot. Have been powder coating the lead bullets to replace lube. This also has the advantage of sealing the lead so none gets on your hands when reloading or shooting. After casting I run everything through Lee sizing dies.

I could schlep my setup to help with training.
 
Chaparral66 said:
Our indoor range is lead/frangible only so casting is essential with limited, if any, choices of "factory" loaded lead rounds. I cast 6% antimony for .45 (160, 185, 200, 230 grain), 40 S&W (185 grain) and 9mm (124 and 125 grain). I have many pounds of 6%, pure lead and 63/37 tin lead on hand. I use a cast iron frying pan to melt for making 1 pound ingots that fit easily into furnace pot. Have been powder coating the lead bullets to replace lube. This also has the advantage of sealing the lead so none gets on your hands when reloading or shooting. After casting I run everything through Lee sizing dies.

I could schlep my setup to help with training.
Click to expand...
Nice! Thanks for the offer. Looks like we might wait till the Fall unless the schedule opens up more. I’ll keep everyone updated.
 
mac1911 said:
Im not sure if the lube could clog a gas system. So far the only clogged gas system I have seen have been Abused ARs with heavy carbon fouling.
Could the lube contribute to carbon fouling? Sure especially when you run high pressure cast loads.
Click to expand...
lube mixed with carbon from carbon from a low pressure load is what I was thinking- I know that I get a lot more fouling from wax lubed 38s in my 19 than I do with Hitek coated bullets.
 


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