Bullet casting....

[DakotaElkSlayer]

Simple question for you... Do you enjoy casting bullets? A buddy and I are kicking around the idea of getting into this new hobby. I really enjoy reloading and am wondering how casting compares to reloading for you guys.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Jbrown75]

I enjoy it. Knowing I can tailor not only the powder charge, but the entirety of a cartridge to each gun is something wonderful.

 

[Dale53]

I started reloading when I was about 14 years old. My father wanted us to shoot together and money was tight. So, I became the designated "reloader". Shortly after, I started casting bullets.

My guide was Elmer Keith's "Sixgun Cartridges and Loads". That little blue book became my casting and reloading "Bible". It NEVER led me astray.

I have been reloading, casting, and shooting for over sixty years and cannot imagine doing one without the other. I am a serious shooter (have been competitive in several different disciplines over the years as well as small and large game hunting) and enjoy ALL of the elements of shooting. Unless you are wealthy, you cannot afford to buy enough factory ammo to become a proficient hand gun shot. By reloading and casting bullets, this limitation will become a thing of the past.

Dale53

 

[GAR]

I got into it to provide me with another aspect of reloading. I also got really tired of paying outlandish prices for bullets.

I am a serious believer in the heavy for caliber LBT style of bullets for my needs and that is one of the main things that I cast. I also cast for regular shooting/paper punching/plinking.

Tom

 

[Enigma]

I enjoy almost all aspects of reloading very nearly as much as shooting. Trimming brass is one exception - that isn't much fun. Casting bullets is enjoyable for me because I start with scrap lead - wheel weights, or whatever - and end up with ammo that I made myself, bullet and all. I find that very satisfying.

If you plan to start casting from scratch, I strongly recommend that you join the Cast Boolits forum here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php. You'll find some of the same folks there, and everyone shares knowledge willingly - a lot like this forum.

 

[Iron Mike Golf]

I have been casting for a few months now. I do enjoy many aspects of it. Like handloading, I like making my own that is better than much of what I can buy out there and doing so for a lot less $. One thing I like about casting is you really can go for perfection without throwing away the rejects. Just melt them down and re-cast.

I like the blend of craft and science you need to have to do well. I like going to flea markets, yard sales, and auctions and now I have another reason to: finding cheap pewter to melt down for tin.

I like that I have other areas to experiment with in handloading: bullet designs, lubes, and alloys.

 

[sixshot]

Started casting in 1966, can't imagine not being able to make my own bullets. With jacketed bullets you get one size & if it shoots it shoots, with cast you can size them to any size you want to get that perfect fit for your gun. They are cheaper, easier on your gun & in many ways better than jacketed. Several million buffalo (bison) "hated" lead bullets!!
Start scrounging all the lead, wheelweights & linotype you can, it won't last forever. WW's will be gone soon, at least as we now know them, the new one's are steel, aluminum, etc. The EPA boys are trying to do away with lead.

Dick

 

[mikld]

I have been casting my own for about 10 years. Most rewarding! I can take some dirty, greasy, scrap lead, smelt it into clean alloy ingots, then melt those ingots and make custom bullets for my specific guns. Then I can lube them with the lube of my own making or choice (as good as or better than store bought) and make them the perfect size for MY guns. And when I shoot them accurately, with very little or no lead deposited in my gun's barrel, that's priceless! I feel much or more satisfaction reloading my castings, than just reloading...

 

[clintsfolly]

I have been a caster for 37yrs and have guns that have never shot a J-word bullet! had a friend that moved away that would come over a cast but never shot or reloaded Just cast. Miss him he good for 500-1000 boolit a time! Go for it Clint

 

[nvbirdman]

There is a commercial bullet casting company an hours drive from my house, and if you go there you can get a very good discount off the retail price.
I don't go there because I enjoy casting my own so much.

 

[Amistad]

I was very fortunate to bump into a fellow handgun enthusiast who took me under his wing a couple of years ago and let me watch him cast a bunch of bullets. That was enough to get me very interested in casting. Not long afterwards, one of my coworkers one day gave me over 400 pounds of wheel weights. And that R-E-A-L-L-Y got me interested! :mrgreen: And now, thousands of rounds later, I find it to be a very enjoyable hobby that saves me a lot of money.

Amistad

 

[flhr62]

Simple answer. Yes.

 

[john guedry]

It's a lot of fun.

 

[bowfishn]

A friend of mine asked me once why I reloaded and I told him it was because I don't trust factory ammo, I know what I have when I am done, and the same goes for casting. You can as has been said taylor the cast bullet to fit your gun, they shoot better than any of the jacketed bullets I have shot. Also as others have stated you get so much satisfaction from taking game and or shooting tight amazing groups. It is also cheaper, but I think I would still make my own even if it were not cheaper. I sold all my casting equipment a few years ago and have not hunted or shot again until last year. I was not going to cast again,but have already started buying casting equipment. I have about 400 lbs of wheel weights as well, bought some pure lead and I am in the process of getting some lino to change the alloy to what I want. Get into casting and don't look back.

 

[jforwel]

Once you make a pile of these with your own hands you'll be hooked. And just as with reloading, you'll probably shoot a lot more.

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[2 dogs]

Actually, sometimes I wonder if my hobby actually isnt casting and reloading rather than shooting!!

I love pouring lead into beautiful bullets.

 

[scramjet]

I got into reloading about ten years ago out of self interest, not knowing anyone else who reloaded, I did the research and joined a local gun club. After a few years of reloading I felt like an something was missing due to lack of bullet choices and expense. I ran an ad in the local gun club monthly paper looking for casting information.
I was contacted by two gentlemen one who, showed me in detail how to cast offering future help the other had me cast for him throughout that winter. Once we finished casting and lubesizing what he wanted done he offered me everything he had to buy, I bought it all with the condition I cast for him when needed.
I find it to be very satisifying although have a lot to learn! As with anything you can make it as technical as you want or as simple as you want.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[DakotaElkSlayer]

Actually made a "test run" today. Buddy came over with a little, bitty Lee electric pot, a Lee mold, and a handful of sinkers. Had to run to the dollar store to buy a spoon since my wife wouldn't appreciate using one of ours. We spent some time playing around and casting about a dozen bullets. We both thought it was great fun, but it was too bad that neither of us own a .357 to shoot the bullets in. So yes, I am going for it as soon as I collect some lead.

Thanks for the responses guys,

Jim

 

[flhr62]

When you do buy a pot, I personally would not not get the Lee 4 or 5 pound pot. It seems that once you get going good you are out of lead again.

 

[DakotaElkSlayer]

When you do buy a pot, I personally would not not get the Lee 4 or 5 pound pot. It seems that once you get going good you are out of lead again.

Well, we already have the 4 pound pot, but am buying a bigger one as soon as we get our lead. Personal opinion, is it better to buy a standard pot, or one that pours out of the bottom?

Thanks,

Jim