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Want to start Casting bullets

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M1911a1g17

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I am thinking about getting into casting my own bullets. Specifically for 38 special. I am trying to figure out everything that I will need.I was wondering if anyone had some tips or tricks they would be willing to share. And what tools they find necessary. Thank you!
 
You came to the right place but a little late for the yearly casting seminar.

38spl is seriously easy to cast for.
Options are endless but you can get started for dirt cheap with Lee 2 cavity molds.

What's your budget?
Skinflint (~$100)
Serious ($200-250)
Or "Screw the poor's"
 
Lots of info on these threads with lots of knowledge and experience by @Michael J. Spangler , @1919FAN , @mac1911 , @pastera , @BillNed . Good luck

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2019 NES Cast Bullet Seminar Sign Up Thread

It's time for hot lead again. Cost $20 Via PayPal friends and family. [email protected] Please put your full name and your NES handle in the notes. This $20 gets you damn close to 100 years of bullet casting experience, breakfast, lunch and all the bullets you can cast while you're...
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Anual NES Bullet Casting Seminar Feeler Thread

Interested Member Richardgc NorthNY daggrant99 BarnBuilder yanquidog Artie BFDX7 snax Alright guys and gals. I think it's time to start planning for an October seminar. For those that have not read about this or may be new here. We basically spend a day going from scrap lead to...
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Talk to me about pouring lead

You guys got me intrigued about making bullets. I just went through loading (and shooting off a bunch of it already) 250 405 grain 45-70s like nothing. The hitek coated bullet is costing me $46 (plus shipping) for 200. These things are a big chunk of lead and it sounds like the perfect...
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Bullet Casting & Coating MegaThread

So it begins.
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M1911a1g17 said:
Thank you guys!!
@pastera preferably between 100-200.
Click to expand...
Easy at that price point , you just have be patient and snag equipment as you find it.
I started on a rotted out colman stove and a small cast pan.
I already had a mold left over from my dad. 38spl
I spent many of sundays plucking lead from the berm andcmy dad making bullets on the tail gatw and me loading them at the bench with a lee classic loader.
I got to shoot 1 round for every 6 I loaded.
I dont remember the libe he used but it was soft enough to just smear into the grooves. Would not surprise me if it was cheap shoe polish.
 
M1911a1g17 said:
I am thinking about getting into casting my own bullets. Specifically for 38 special. I am trying to figure out everything that I will need.I was wondering if anyone had some tips or tricks they would be willing to share. And what tools they find necessary. Thank you!
Click to expand...
1. Go to gun clubs in your area when the club is “open to public”. Check the for sale boards. Even through covid I seen some decent postings
2. Find someone local to you that already cast. This is by far the quickest way. I started with shotshell and that gent got me rrolling into everything. Even set me up with a Lee bottom pour pot.
80% of my gear is used and obtained free or cheap.
3. Cast boolits is a good site also.

Some reading


Lots of info here

The Lee 358 -140swc mold is my most used in the 38/357 and that 2 cav mold can still be bought new under $25 !
 
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Read over those threads and ask all your questions on the bullet coating mega thread. There are tons of knowledgeable people on this forum and can point you in the right direction.

Casting bullets is the easy part. Making them shoot well takes a little knowledge and practice but the good news is it super fun.
 
You don't have to go crazy investing in equipment to give it a try. I started with a yard sale camp stove and a Lee mold for .38 special. After casting bullets were lubed with Lee liquid Alox in a cool whip container and then loaded without sizing.
 
M1911a1g17 said:
Is there any part of this t I want to avoid while I collect?
Click to expand...

Grab as much of whatevers out there as you can. Sort it later.

Some scrapyards will sell off a bucket or two of wheel weights. You'll have to root through whatever they have and pick your own, but its also an option.
Eco Recycling in Brockton was one. Grabbed a few handfulls out of there before I left.
 
M1911a1g17 said:
Thank you guys I really appreciate it!!
@mac1911 i know at the club I belong to could definitely scrounge up some lead from the berm. Is there any part of this t I want to avoid while I collect?

@Michael J. Spangler thank you! I appreciate it. I will.
Click to expand...
If you have access to indoor lead its a bit “cleaner” other than that I have pulled lead from the back stop, trap range
Pistol range.
 
def not in the $100-200 budget, but i'm probably parting ways with my casting stuff in the near future (honestly havent even fired it up in years). with component availability the way it is, cast is great though, especially for slower rounds (like 38sp....have had great luck with 45acp too)
 
Jasper said:
def not in the $100-200 budget, but i'm probably parting ways with my casting stuff in the near future (honestly havent even fired it up in years). with component availability the way it is, cast is great though, especially for slower rounds (like 38sp....have had great luck with 45acp too)
Click to expand...
Love cast 45 swc for paper punching.
My current target load in my 1911 makes it feel like a 32acp . Really fun and the crisp clean holes are fun to see also.
I was shooting steel with my ultra light 180gn 45 acp out of my bare bones SW 1911 and my buddy thought I was missing as it hardly moved the steel !
 
Being able to make your own bullets is a fine complement to your shooting and reloading hobbies, but do think of bullet casting as a new hobby. It can involve significant time, labor and equipment costs. If you're willing to commit to another hobby, go for it. If not that willing to commit the above, try Norman's product and get the ready-to-reload bullets sent to your door for "still-reasonable" prices.

Anyone have the Saeco 68 mold. It is a sharped edged SWC that makes those crisp paper-punch holes. Almost as good as my proprietary, .22LR sabots...


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NavelOfficer said:
Being able to make your own bullets is a fine complement to your shooting and reloading hobbies, but do think of bullet casting as a new hobby. It can involve significant time, labor and equipment costs. If you're willing to commit to another hobby, go for it. If not that willing to commit the above, try Norman's product and get the ready-to-reload bullets sent to your door for "still-reasonable" prices.
Click to expand...
just purely hypothetically - as i know NOTHING of the process involved - what sort of an equipment and effort would be needed to home produce a precision rifle bullets like the sierra match king ones?
 
paul73 said:
just purely hypothetically - as i know NOTHING of the process involved - what sort of an equipment and effort would be needed to home produce a precision rifle bullets like the sierra match king ones?
Click to expand...
Well, it would be somewhat more involved than the casting/coating process referred to in here. I'd think you would be hard-pressed to compete with even the most expensive bullet makers currently in the marketplace.
 
paul73 said:
just purely hypothetically - as i know NOTHING of the process involved - what sort of an equipment and effort would be needed to home produce a precision rifle bullets like the sierra match king ones?
Click to expand...
A much more involved hobby than casting good old lead slingers
You would need to get into swaging
The level of “precision” is dependent of how much you want to spend.
Heres a starting point
www.corbins.com

What Is Bullet Swaging?

www.corbins.com www.corbins.com
 
M1911a1g17 said:
I am thinking about getting into casting my own bullets. Specifically for 38 special. I am trying to figure out everything that I will need.I was wondering if anyone had some tips or tricks they would be willing to share. And what tools they find necessary. Thank you!
Click to expand...
Just putting it out there.

Thread '2023 Cast Bullet Seminar!!!' 2023 Cast Bullet Seminar!!!
 

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