made my first cast bullets yesterday

[randy_68]

I decided to try my hand at bullet casting for the first time. Picked up some wheel weights (3/4 full bucket) at a local tire shop last week. He gave them to me and said to come back when I use those up. He couldn't believe that I wanted them all! I already have a couple moulds for the .38/.357 that I recently got from my uncle for free, plus a bunch of round ball ones,  and decided to try them out. Also picked up a 8" cast skillet and corn bread mould and hot plate at a local thrift shop for $22.00 total so my total investment to start out is only $22.00--not too bad.
 Anyway I melted down about a third of the weights and got 26 bars of lead cornbread ignots of which I melted down 5 and made about 200 .357 150gr swc bullets. I loaded some up over  4227 powder and went out and shot them. They didn't do too bad shooting about 2" groups at 50 yards. Will probably need some different powder for these-- all I have is 4227 H110 and Lilgun. Does any one have a recommendation on powder for mid range .357 loads to shoot in a Marlin 1894?
 
I thought it was pretty cool to take junk wheel weights and turn them into some pretty shiny bullets that I can shoot. I got into this to cast for my .45 but I'm waiting on my dies and mould to come in.

[tomme boy]

I hope you sorted out the zinc WW's. If not and you melted them, your lead is junk.

[Hairy Chest]

It's good to hear somebody is not satisfied with 2" groups at 50 yards and wants to play with different powders.    Randy's off to a good start.   

[randy_68]

Not to worry, I sorted my zinc out and put them in an another bucket.
2" groups aren't real bad but I can do better- or I should say my gun and loads can do better.  With my jacketed bullet reloads it will stay at an inch or under at 50. With a 4 power scope that is all I can ask. This isn't a target rifle anyway. I'll get my groups there with a little more time and trial.
Later.

[LaDano]

I've been wanting to get into casting boolits also. I never thought about a hot plate and cast iron cornbread pan. I've got a 357max & 45-70 I would like to try out. I keep hearing gaschecks & swedging, not sure where to start. You just made it sound easy to me, Thanx.

[randy_68]

It's not really that hard to do, but you just have to get the equipment, then read a lot and then get started. The hot plate I bought didn't heat the lead enough so I used an existing single burner gas grill I already had. I use the hot plate to set my mold on to keep it hot. Worked pretty good.
   I have been reading up on it for a couple of months to get an idea of where to start and what to do. Once I decided I was going to do it I started assembling my equipment which isn't much but it works, and then found me some lead. I wanted to start out cheap just to see if I could do it  and then I figured I would invest more $ as time goes on for better equipment. There is a lot of technical info on casting but I'm just a weekend warrior trying to keep it simple and save some $ on my ammo and so far so good . I have enough lead in my first bucket to make a couple thosand rounds and after pricing bullets at my local gun shop I think this will be  a wise hobby for me. On top of many others!!
Later

[res45]

I decided to try my hand at bullet casting for the first time. Picked up some wheel weights (3/4 full bucket) at a local tire shop last week. He gave them to me and said to come back when I use those up. He couldn't believe that I wanted them all!

If you got the WW's for free I would take the opportunity to show my appreciation so way or another food is always good for them giving them to me.   WW's are getting harder and harder to come by so keep your source happy even if it doesn't seem like a big deal to them.

Alliant 2400 is a excellent powder in cast 357 loads,it also burns much cleaner in the longer barrels,I shoot it in my SKS and Mosin cast rifle loads.  One of my reloading,casting and shooting buddies shoots cast loads in his Rossi 357 but I can't remember the powder he uses.  I'm sure it's one of the SR's I'll let you know tomorrow.

[LaDano]

That's the plan, a lot of reading before I bail off in it. My Smith helped me get started reloading. We loaded some 118gr cast bullets for my 7x57 mauser. When I finally finished building it and sighted in. It sure was a nice swap to shoot the cast after 40-50 Hornady 139gr. I really want to load some for the maxi. It should be a lot of fun to shoot. I have 2 maxi, my 9year old will really like them the most I believe. He doesn't like to shoot to many 180gr hornadys. Hehe. Thanx again, now another hobby my wife will really love.

[Flash]

You never mentioned how you're lubing your bullets or perhaps i never saw it. If you're using liquid alox,  thin it with mineral spirits by 50%. As Lee Precision ships it, the thickness is entirely too great and will be much easier to use as a thinner liquid. It should appear as a golden color when dry and barely visable. Johnson Paste Wax is an alternative for handgun loads. That dries without being tacky and will do fine for velocities under 1,200 fps.
I started during the beginning of the muzzle loader craze of the early 1970's and have been casting ever since.
Enjoy your new hobby.

[randy_68]

to get started I picked up some Lyman orange, which is all my LGS had on the shelf, and I tried rubbing it in the grooves and also melting it down in a small pan. It didn't work too well so I am ordering some LLA and Johnson Paste wax and will start tumble lubing. I only lubed about 50 so far just so I could shoot them. They do shoot good out of my Marlin 1894 .357 tho. I just finished melting down the rest of the wheel weights on Sunday morning so now I have about 60 lbs or more of lead ignots ready to make more bullets.

[Iowa Fox]

randy  Slip over to the cast boolit forum, don't overlook the old stickies also the cast bullet association website. There is enough reading there to make your eyes bleed. We all started someplace in the casting hobby. After you hone your skills the only jacketed you will want to shoot will be .17 cal & .22 cal for longer range varmints.