want to start casting

[greg916]

How do I prepare wheel weights for casting bullets? I will be using them in a 30-30. Are gas checks necessary if the velocity will be 2000 fps or less? I have read they need to be sized everywhere from .309 to .312?  I have a cast iron dutch oven to use for melting, or would it be better to purchase a melter.

I have a large supply of wheel weights I would like to use up. I appreciate any help.

Greg 
 

[flintman]

 Probably size to .309" and if you want a dipper and some lube I will give you both if you will agree to pay back my shipping fees ONLY.
 You may want to use gas checks,but why not try a few rounds without first to see how it shoots.
 A dutch oven is okay,but do NOT use it for cooking foods afterwards!

[Lloyd Smale]

In my opinion a plain based bullet is good for about 1500 fps and after that you should use a gas check. 2000 fps with a cast bullet is dammed fast and it takes a good gun the right alloy and the right lube to hold up to that. For a beginning caster its probably better to stay with a gas checked bullet casted hard either out of a ww/lineotype alloy and sized to 309-310 and ran at about 1500 fps. When you get into the realm of 2000 plus with a cast and still want good accuracy theres alot to know about bullet design, alloys, making sure your bullet is perfectly sized for that exact gun and even the type of powders and primers you want to use. Where you run into a fine line is that when shot at those power levels its tought to get an alloy thats hard enough to hold its shape going down the barrel and still maluable enough and hard enough to penetrate, if it deforms in the barrel your doing nothing more then shooting a blob of lead out of the barrel and will never get good accuracy. Theres alot more to it then just finding an alloy and bullet that dont lead. Its a lot  more tricky then pushing jacketed bullets to those speeds or hardcast out of a handgun.  Ive ran cast as fast as 2500 fps without leading in good guns and know people that have done 3000 but you have to understand that once you reach 2000 you pushing the reliability of any alloy to hold together to penentrate into an animal. To soft and it will come apart on bone and will probably lead badly and to hard and the bullet will fracture on impact. I still dont consider myself any kind of an expert on cast in rifles. I do well with handguns and the knowlege it takes to make them run with cast but rifles are a totally differnent ball game and require even more knowlege then handguns do. Its pretty rare that an inexperience caster is going to throw together a combination that is going to be accurate and be game worthy the first time out. Nice thing is now with the internet theres alot of good help out there to get you going if you can weed through the BS. Ive been casting for many of years and have casted in the millons of bullets but still put myself in the amature catagory when it comes to cast rifle shooting. Ive aquired alot of knowlege in the last couple years and it never ceases to amaze me how what makes a rifle work well differs from what makes a handgun work. Flintman is a good guy to buddy up to for help. Hes been doing the rilfe thing alot longer then me and will give you good advice to get you started. Hes a good honest man that would give you any advice that isnt tested.

[greg916]

Flintman, that is very generous, I will gladly pay shipping. 

Lloyd, I was hoping to use 3031 powder. My favorite load uses a moderate charge and a Hornady 170 gr flat point, estimated velocity is 1900-2000fps. I was hoping to get performance close to what I am getting now. May be a pipe dream with cast. I understand they will not expand well. I will use the Lee 170flat point.

I have not even melted a piece of lead, so I am starting from scratch here. I have read everything I can get my hands, and believe I am suffering from information overload!!!

Flintman, I am close to Mount Airy, about 20 miles from the Virginia line. Are you close? 

[flintman]

 Very close!
 Marion,Virginia,phone is 276-783-4310,
 Jeff.

[HEAD0001]

IMO we as reloader's and caster's can make things too complicated.  I know I have been guilty of this in the past.  I now believe in the KISS system.  If i were you I would do a couple of simple things.  First shoot heavy for caliber bullets.  A 180 or even 200 grain pill will work great in your 30-30.  Keep your velocities aroud 1500-1600 fps as Lloyd said.  Good WW will hold up fine at that velocity.  I do not believe you need GC's at that velocity, I do not use GC's at that velocity(I pour a 180 for my 30-30).  I think 3031 is a little fast-I like a slower powder, with better case fill.  Some use wad's but I do not.  I shoot open sights with all my rifle's that I shoot cast bullets in.  I normally shoot between 1 1/2 to 3 inch groups at 100 yards, and I limit myself to 200 yards for hunting.  Cast a bunch, and shoot a bunch.  Every thing else will take care of itself. 

I know every one talks about fancy alloy's, and the need to mix this and that in your alloy.  I am not saying they are wrong, I just think they make it too complicated.  Everyone talks about hardness, and brittleness.  I know these are important factors.  However I also hunt quit a bit with my 45-70, 30-30, and 44 mag rifle with my cast bullet's.  I just hold the front sight on the deer's shoulder and pull the trigger.  I have not had one deer complain about the brittleness yet, but who knows it may happen some day.  Tom.