lyman starting kit

[Robert lehman]

Is this good kit to start with?


Lyman's "Master Casting Kit"

The Best Way to Get Started in Bullet Casting.

Lyman's economical Mini-Mag makes it possible for any reloader to start casting his own bullets. With a 10 pound capacity, the electric Mini-Mag can melt enough alloy to turn out plenty of top quality bullets quickly. Bringing a full load to casting temperature takes only about 30 minutes.

The kit’s low price also includes Lyman's popular improved 4500 Bullet Sizer/Lubricator. Simply add the right top punch and sizing die and the 4500 will smoothly size down your bullet to the correct diameter while it evenly applies the provided Super Moly lubricant. In addition to the Mini-Mag and the 4500 Sizer/Lubricator, the kit features a long handled casting dipper, a handy ingot mould and the widely acclaimed “Bible of bullet casting”; Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. All this for less than the price of most casting furnaces. 115V.


   

[Dezynco]

It's a very good deal, the lube machine costs nearly that much by itself!  That's what I would buy if I were just getting started.

You might consider a bottom pour pot some day.  Hand ladling your bullets is an excellent way to get started, and usually turns out the most consistent bullets.  Hand pouring is a bit slower than a bottom pour.  However, I've been casting bullets for 30 years, and still like to hand pour my bullets except for 4 and 6-cavity molds.

[Robert lehman]

Thanks Dezynco I had saw this  a couple a months ago and have been saving my money up and just making sure it was a good deal.

[skarke]

See if you could find someone willing to give you wheel weights.  I melt them in a big dutch oven.  Always wear glasses, and be careful of moisture.

I just got into it about a year ago, GB had some great advice.  It is real fun.

A bottom pour pot is a must if you shoot any kind of volume, IMHO, though some around here are pretty fast with a ladle.

[Dezynco]

Wheel weights are great.  There's a rumor about that claims that they will soon be extinct because of the "threat" to the environment.  It seems that there might be someone's children strolling down the sides of our interstates, picking up the ones that sling off car wheels, and then up and swallowing them, or at least that is some remote possibility!   

Like sharke said, be careful not to drop any wet wheel weights into your melted lead.  You'll get a nasty, and dangerous steam explosion (don't ask me how I know!).

I melt my wheel weights down and cast them into ingots.  I use a propane burner like the ones you get to cook on.  I use an old boiler for a pot and a slotted spoon to scoop out the trash.  The ingots are easier to handle when your feeding your lead pot when you cast bullets.

[Robert lehman]

I am a manager of a truck garage so i am trying to get my tire guy to give me some weights. one guy said he would give a 5 gallon bucket but he hasn't come threw yet. I also have 20 pounds of lead have know idea what it is and i have about 40 pounds of lead that was in thin sheets under a slate roof seems pretty soft i figured it was probably pure lead. As fare as melting large quantities of lead and poring into small ingots would a cast iron pot on a turkey fryer burner work? Is there any way to test lead if you don't have a hardness tester?

[Graybeard]

NOT IN MY OPINION.

The only things in it I'd recommend to you are: a long handled casting dipper, a handy ingot mould and the widely acclaimed “Bible of bullet casting”; Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. The rest I'd not take if free.

But then I don't care for the Lyman sizer to begin with. I gave away the one I had for free. I use RCBS and if I were starting over I'd sure not start with the Lyman as I did originally. I might buy a Lyman pot but not the small cheap one I'd get their top of the line 22 pounder. In fact I'd love to do that to add to my RCBS 20 pounder as I like the mould holder on the Lyman better than the one on the RCBS.

I'm of the opinion you should pick and chose the items you buy getting only what you need and want and not what's in some kit that you'll eventually toss anyway.

[Graybeard]

As far as melting large quantities of lead and poring into small ingots would a cast iron pot on a turkey fryer burner work? Is there any way to test lead if you don't have a hardness tester?

Yes large quantities of raw alloy and especially wheel weights should be done outside and a turkey fryer burner and a large pot preferably made of steel works fine. You'll need a large ladle to dip it out and fill the ingot mold of your choice. I use one picked up for dipping soup and such out. DON'T get one that's soldered to the handle tho.

You can do the old fingernail test but it's pretty crude and really only separates pure or nearly pure from harder stuff. Your nail will not do anything to linotype and darn little to wheelweights. Those plus pure or nearly pure is about all you are likely to run into unless buying it from a certified source directly.

[Robert lehman]

Graybeard what did you like about the RCBS over the Lyman. I also see Lee has a sizer that screws on top of a loading press are these worth considering? I will be casting for my 50 cal. BP and my 30.06 and .243. if that helps.

[Graybeard]

The Lyman kept popping the attachment of the screw that runs thru the lube that you adjust the pressure with. It seems every time it started getting low that attachment would break. Lyman has no warranty period so each time I had to buy a new one. After about three or four times I gave it away and kept using my RCBS and have since picked up another newer RCBS that I've yet to use.

I've never used the Lee unit but some folks seem to like them. If you use it tho you are stuck with limited choices as to lubing the bullets. You can use the Lee liquid lube or pan lube or hand lube them. None of those are my idea of the way to lube bullets.

I'm a picky opinionated old fart who is set in my ways and don't deal well with change in my routine. 

[Robert lehman]

Thanks Graybeard i like to hear everyone opinion when getting into something i no nothing about.
I'am sure i will be back with more questions thanks guys.

[skarke]

I too like the RCBS, and got mine primarily because of GBs advice.  The RCBS dies are also, for me, a little better for short pistol bullets because they only have one row of lube holes.  RE the cast dutch oven, there always is a possiblility of cracking cast, so I'll probably replace mine soon with a heavy gauge steel pot.  Lyman and RCBS dies, are, BTW, interchangeable.

Turkey fryers are great, but safety, safety, and more safety in that you need a secure base, eye protection, and a good, heaviweight cotton long sleeve shirt like a wrangler or something similar.

Last, I bought some frankford arsenal mold release spray.  The stuff stinks for the bullet molds, but works great in a muffin pan to release ingots.  Just get a steel muffin pan, spray it down, and they fall out like cornbread and crisco.

[Lloyd Smale]

I started with one myself many years ago. As to the lyman vs rcbs argument ive had both and theres not enough differnce in them to start an argument. Both are SLOW compared to a star but then you get what you pay for. Both though will size bullets just fine. Dont be afraid to buy the kit. It will serve any beginner and even make enough bullets to get most by for the rest of there lives.

[skarke]

OOOOOooooow, then there is Star..........Drool, Drool

[Bitterroot Bob]

Howdy,
I've been using my 20# Lee bottom-pour furnace for about ten years with no complaints. I use Lyman sizers, both the 450 and the old 45. I prefer the 45's as the die change is easier. I have one filled with SPG and a 450 filled with Javalina Alox.
I have been scrounging wheelweights for years. When I buy $4000 worth of truck tires, I'm not afraid to demand a little kickback! I do buy lead-free solder (95 tin and 5 antimony) to add to the wheel-weights, which are high in antimony, but low on tin. Your moulds will fill more cleanly with tin added.
I found all my equipment, including all three editions of the Lyman cast bullet handbooks (REAL treasures!), on eBay. Shop around!

Bitterroot