Cast my very first bullets today!

[Slufoot]

Just wanted to tell you all thanks for the advise you gave me about casting. I haven't posted in a long time but asked some questions here several months ago.
I just had to share my experience today with you. I cast over my turkey cooker burner in an iron pot, I stole a big long handled spoon from my wife for skimming & stiring, used an RCBS ladle for pouring into my Lee 440 grain 50 caliber mold. I used a candle for lubing the pins and pivot points on the mold. I smoked the inside of the mold with a piece of splintered pine kindling. I first started using the candle for fluxing the melted wheel weights but it would self ignite into flames, is this good or not? I then started using bee's wax to flux with and it would smoke alot but seemed to bring the trash to the top for skimming.
I probably cast about as many bad as I did good but I wound up with 98 good bullets when I decided to stop. I also dropped the bullets from the mold into a bucket of cold water.
I applied some Lyman Super Moly Lube by hand into the grooves, pushed the Hornady gas checks on and ran them through my Lee .501" sizing die. Then I loaded 31 rounds of ammo and went out and shot my Handi rifle. They shot just as good if not beter than the jacketed bullets I had been shooting. I was and still am tickled with my casting experience, I already told my wife about another mold I want/need.
I got the Handi-Rifle dialed in at 100 yards and saved enough ammo to get me through deer season, hope I can get a deer with one of my hand made bullets!
Thanks again!
Slufoot

[Sweetwater]

Well Done!! Welcome to the fraternity!!! Remember to report on the hunting season!

Regards,
Sweetwater

[ButlerFord45]

Well done!!!  And thus it begins.
If the parafin self ignites, you may be running the melt a little warm but if the bullets are good, don't change a thing.  If it does not selfignite, light it, it helps keep the smoke down.

[skarke]

Discovered the practice about a year ago, and it is one of coolest things that I do (not trying to be punny here ).

Eye Protection
Long Sleeve Shirt and thin leather gloves
NO WATER!!!!

Have fun

[stimpylu32]

Slufoot

You sure went and done it now , I started casting about a year ago and now have 3 pots , around 40 molds and a whole stack of ingots 

This like handloading can get you into trouble real fast 

stimpy

[Dezynco]

I was and still am tickled with my casting experience, I already told my wife about another mold I want/need.

NOOOO don't tell the wife - she'll make you stop!

Glad you had a good experience - sorta gratifying isn't it?  Be careful not to splash water into your lead pot, you might get a nasty steam explosion!

Parafin and beeswax will ignite - usually does.  The worst thing about that is that it makes me jump, even though i KNOW it's gonna ignite!  You can go ahead and light it with a match to keep it from smoking so bad, and at least you'll be expecting it!  You can try some of the fluxes like "Marvelux(sp)" and the stuff from Franklin Arsenal, they don't smoke so bad and they won't ignite, and they work pretty well.  Lasts a long time too.

[45454]

Slufoot

You sure went and done it now , I started casting about a year ago and now have 3 pots , around 40 molds and a whole stack of ingots 

This like handloading can get you into trouble real fast 

stimpy

Yep.Got in my .458" 405gr HB Lee Mold last week.
Good thing about Friday the 13th,was some good bullets from that mold.
Won't say about the bad thing that happened...............
Had nothing to do with reloading or molding.
I think I'll be looking at another mold.   Maybe for my 50 cal muzzle loader.

[blhof]

I started casting as a teen when I got a 45 cal kit b/p gun and ordered a mold from Dixie GW in 1966.  I've been casting and shoting ever since.  I now cast for several calibers and with both soft for b/p and ww's for everything else.  Welcome aboard and be advised it's habit forming and a thrill to make your 1st kill with your own bullet.