books for a beginner

[fortress49]

Hello,

I want to get started casting my own bulletts.  To that end, I have collected several hundred pounds of wheel weights.  No other equipment do I have.  I already re-load for .38 and .357 and have the equipment to re-load for my 45-70.  But, I would like to cast bullets for all of these. 

What is the "best" book for a beginner on this subject.  I would like to find references to which weights are good to use, and which ones are not.  I assume that some are not lead at all.  There are "normal" weights and then there are those that are stuck on with glue.  Are all OK to use?  Is there a book that explains in detail how to go from a bucket of trash lead to a finished product?

Any resources/website/books would be great.

Matt

[mrbill2]

Matt
I'm no expert but the Lyman Castbullet Handbook would be one to start with.
mrbill2

[Gavinator]

 I agree, the Lyman cast bullet handbook, 3rd edition.
 + the RCBS cast bullet manual for heat treating.
 + Modern Reloading, 2nd ed. (only), the Lee reloading manual
 http://www.realguns.com/archives/118.htm
 http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/
 http://www.lasc.us/ArticlesFryxell.htm
 http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm
 

[Nobade]

And the best book going is the one you get when you join the Cast Bullet Ass'n for at least 2 years. That book has more useful information in it than all the others put together, and is quite current. A lot has been learned (or rather re-learned) about cast bullets in the past few years. Two others I'd recommend are Veral Smith's book, "Jacketed performance with cast bullets" and the one published by Magma engr. I don't know where you'd find Veral's book, but Magma will sell you a copy of theirs no problem.

[jgalar]

The Lee and Lyman books are both good for getting started.

While you're reading the books start cleaning the wheel weights. If you have a coleman type stove and old pot you can get started. You will need a large spoon for skimming, a ladel for pouring the molten lead and some ingot molds. I use a magnet for getting the steel clips out of the pot. For flux you can use wax, a broken crayon stolen from your kids, dirty motor oil. You don't really want to clean the wheel weight lead in you casting furnace.

The stick on wheel weights are fairly pure lead. You can save them for a muzzleloader or just mix them in with the rest. If you see a wheel weight that doesn't want to melt it is probably zinc - just remove it and throw it away. You'll start to recognize the funky weights after awhile.

[The Cast Bullet Kid]

I bought the DVD package from Wolfe Publishing, The Art of Bullet Casting.

Absolutely fantastic.

[Dusty Miller]

So you have a link for Wolfe?