Tallbald
Buckeye
Folks I've been a forum member a long time. Had both light-hearted and serious discussions along the way. Last year, I fulfilled a plan my long-gone best shooting friend and I had starting back in the late 1960's. My daddy....my best friend and shooting partner ever.... passed away in 1978 when I was 20, before he and I could ever try casting bullets. He was only 46 and died of service connected illness. I miss him and Mama both each day and so wish that Daddy and I were together for this fun, new-to-me casting venture.
I now am back to reloading after a hiatus of 30 or more years. I load .38 Special, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. I also started casting for the .38's. I started last year with a Coleman stove, iron casting pot, a Lee 6 cavity mold and iron ladle. For lead, I went to a scrap yard and bought roofing lead. I received a lot of help from members of another forum dedicated to casting, and generous members even shared some raw alloy materials with me. 125 grain round nose flat point slugs over Trail Boss recommended charges give me 3/4 inch groups at 50 measured yards from my 77/357 carbine. And I make the entire loaded round for about 6 cents each!! I recently went to a basic electric Lyman dip type pot, and things are now simpler that in the beginning for me, and thus even more fun.
Recently I bought an RCBS two cavity mold and began making 140 grain round nose flat point bullets I will load in .38 Special and .357. I like slow projectiles and I choose my powders for this and I can cheaply tumble lube the slugs in a plastic freezer bag. My favorite rifle is my 77/357, and I'm really enjoying having one cartridge for the carbine, my SP101, my GP100 and Blackhawk.
If anyone is contemplating beginning casting, I can honestly say it's one of the most rewarding aspects of shooting I've experienced in years. Be safe, read and follow all safety rules if you decide to try casting, and I hope you have as much of a good time as I myself am having at it. Don
125 grain .358 diameter slugs.
Some of my newer 140 grain slugs
I now am back to reloading after a hiatus of 30 or more years. I load .38 Special, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. I also started casting for the .38's. I started last year with a Coleman stove, iron casting pot, a Lee 6 cavity mold and iron ladle. For lead, I went to a scrap yard and bought roofing lead. I received a lot of help from members of another forum dedicated to casting, and generous members even shared some raw alloy materials with me. 125 grain round nose flat point slugs over Trail Boss recommended charges give me 3/4 inch groups at 50 measured yards from my 77/357 carbine. And I make the entire loaded round for about 6 cents each!! I recently went to a basic electric Lyman dip type pot, and things are now simpler that in the beginning for me, and thus even more fun.
Recently I bought an RCBS two cavity mold and began making 140 grain round nose flat point bullets I will load in .38 Special and .357. I like slow projectiles and I choose my powders for this and I can cheaply tumble lube the slugs in a plastic freezer bag. My favorite rifle is my 77/357, and I'm really enjoying having one cartridge for the carbine, my SP101, my GP100 and Blackhawk.
If anyone is contemplating beginning casting, I can honestly say it's one of the most rewarding aspects of shooting I've experienced in years. Be safe, read and follow all safety rules if you decide to try casting, and I hope you have as much of a good time as I myself am having at it. Don