roostershooter Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I shoot close to 2k lead bullets through my 1911s in a months time. The other day I got to figuring out what it would cost me to start casting my own bullets, and was taken aback by how cheap it is. I have over 6 - 5 gallon buckets full of wheel weights sitting in my shop, so lead isn't an issue. I already have my material covered with the addition of a little tin here or there. My main investment will be in molds and preferably a Lube-Sizer for sizing and lubing my cast bullets. I figured it up, and I'll only be out around $280 with shipping for my equipment plus my time. With me currently buying lead bullets I am paying around $58 for 500 shipped. It wouldn't take me long to get my equipment paid for, and be in the 'black'. Should I go for it? Are there any unforeseen obstacles that I'm missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theycallmeingot Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 when i was doing the same research, i figured it pretty much boiled down to... if you have the lead supply, do it. if you have to pay much of anything for the lead, it didnt' seem worth it. there's also the time involved that we often don't factor into the reloading process when weighing the economics of it. all my reloading is done on the weekends, so i'm beginning to factor time into my equations. And for me, I opt to buy my bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leas327 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 If you have a good lead supply and more time than money it is worth it. If you have to buy lead. Most clean ignots go for a buck a pound on the web. Combine that with the time it takes to cast a lube/size it might not be worth it to you. I cast my own but I came across a good deal on lead locally. I also had a member of my local gun club sell me a lot of her deceased husbands casting stuff at a very good price. If I had to do it again and had to buy all new and have lead shipped to me it wouldn't be worth my time. I do enjoy casting more than reloading though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie j Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 My neighbor cast his own and was proud to show me his entire process . He collets ww lead , buys Lino type via eBay , cast ignots , cast bullets, makes lube , lube sizes then loads ammo , recycles the ww clips .What a frigging mess and he's claims it still costs him in range of .03-.05 cents a boolit . No thanks I've not got the room or he time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theycallmeingot Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 keep an eye on what the EPA is trying to do to lead in projectiles. We may ALL be casting our own pretty soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 (edited) My main reason for casting was to make up a bullet that no one offered for a decent price. I now have the lead and a source or two locally to make it worth it.. I have little time lately but I only need wait a bit and time seems to find me. I turned at least one other person on to how easy and cost effective it is.. not to mention that I don't have to wait for someone else to do a "run" on that particular bullet, I just need make some time and cast what I need.. or just keep casting and make up a good amount for myself.. You seem to have the lead, I say go for it. It's amazing how many bullets you can make with a Lee 4-20 pot and a 6 cavity Lee Mold. Edited June 27, 2012 by sargenv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevolverJockey Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 You might also consider a better mould that does not require sizing. I have a star sizer sitting on the loading bench I no longer use because I have a hybrid tumble lube that works better than traditional lube. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98sr20ve Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 You can do it on the cheap. But like reloading quality matters. I .ow have. RCBS pot, quality molds and a Star Sizer. I really think that the more you cast the more you should just bug quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddrod Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 (edited) Here ar my economics of casting my own Lead - over 2000 lbs in my garage all FREE LEE molds - cheap, but work very well Star sizer - a little pricey but paid for by selling a couple of boxes of bullets I made Time to do it - I work 36hrs a week so I have more time off than I know what to do with. Instead of watching the bob tube I can cast enough for 1-2 yrs in a couple of hours and then wait for a rainy day and go lubrisize them. For me it works. Edited June 27, 2012 by toddrod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RammerJammer Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 (edited) Hate to blatantly hijack but where is everyone getting these huge amounts of ultra cheap lead? Edited June 27, 2012 by RammerJammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddrod Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I just talk to friends, the older the better. It is amazing how many people have lead because they used to do plumbing, make fishing weights, used them for trot lines or other uses. Also, if you have friends that are mechanics, xray techs or roofers help too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmorris Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 (edited) I first watched a friend cast fishing weights and just couldn't see spending the time to cast. Buying all of the stuff to do it effecently cost so much, might as well buy bullets. I wound up making my casting equipment, so I didn't have to do it or spend thousands. I can cast enough for 1-2 yrs in a couple of hours and then wait for a rainy day and go lubrisize them. If I could cast enough to last years in an hour or two, I'd be in business. Edited June 27, 2012 by jmorris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griz Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I have a shooting buddy who started casting his own bullets... Or at least he used to be a shooting buddy. He never shoots anymore. When I invite him to the range he says he needs to cast some bullets first, says maybe he'll make it to the range next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevolverJockey Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I am also with Sarge on this one. When I took up revolver and gave up limited, I had a 1050 set up for .40 and to convert it to .45 was >$500 so I picked up a 610 vice the 625 post people shoot. I am plenty competitive but a source of reasonable heavy .40 bullets just wasn't out there. In 6 hours, I can mine, smelt and cast around 4000 bullets. It does take a bit of time but $40/1,000 for loaded ammo is tough to compete with. I cast 124 TC 9mm, 175 TC .40, 200 RN .40, 148 WC .38 and 158 RN .38. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wayne Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 You'll enjoy it. I'm thinking about casting again also. Use the search engine here and your main search engine also to read about the casting pots that are troublesome. I had good results from my RCBS pot. Cast outside with a fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevolverJockey Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Another good idea is join the cast boolit forum. Really nice people and they have a chat applet where there are always a few people chatting. It is a great place to find information quickly. If at all possible find a casting mentor just like you did when you started reloading. You can gain more knowledge faster and cheaper that way. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bshooter Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Problem with casting your own is obtaining lead. Wheel weights have be changed to steel, a mechanic told me this. I cast my own for years and would do it again if I had the time and room to mount my lube-sizer. I am too busy reloading, so I just order from SnS Casting(huge plug) because they have the best lead bullets for the best price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevolverJockey Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 If your range allows it and many now do because they can document lead reclamation for the EPA l, using a metal spade and a exPanded metal screen I can mine 100# of lead in an hour. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chills1994 Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 There goes that jmorris fella showing off again. Ditto on "mining the berm". Build a box out of 1X4's screwed together at the corners, add some handles, staple that wire mesh to the bottom and commence-a-shaking. It's alot like those screening tools archaelogists use on digs. I use a cast iron dutch oven and a propane fired turkey frier to smelt into clean useable ingots just the right size to fit into my RCBS Pro Melt. I made my own ingot moulds out of channel iron. I make my own birdshot too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roostershooter Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 (edited) I think you all have convinced me to take up yet another hobby. Think I'll go ahead an order me either a Lyman 4500 with heater or a RCBS Lubamatic this weekend. Edited June 28, 2012 by roostershooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leas327 Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I owned both a Lyman 450 and an RCBS Lubamatic. The Lubamatic has a more solid feeling linkage when you are sizing. In the end though I got rid of it and got a Star. It was like going from a single stage to a Dillon 650. I rigged up my own air feed cylinder and heater. Once they are set up a push through sizer is three times as fast as a 4500. I kept the 450 in case I needed to do a quick run of a few bullets. But I probably haven't used it in two years. When I use the star it is no big deal to lube 1000 rds an hour. So I end up just sizing and lubing everything at once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevolverJockey Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I maintain with the right alloy and the right mould you can avoid a lubesizer and if you are crafty even with an oversized bullet the lee push through bullet sizing die setup can go a long way - either with a single stage or a homemade sizing machine. I build a similar press through brass sizer with an arbor press and a piece of drain line to direct the brass to a 5 gallon bucket. This same idea will work with bullets. Even using rooster red rifle lube I get less smoke with a thin tumble lube and use the same system for 9mm 124s ~1,070 fps and .40 200s ~650 fps. Anyone who has questions or wants a crash course in casting PM me or give me a call. Information is free. Lee I should make a better video but you get the idea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GACX8-aiQY&feature=youtube_gdata_player Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chills1994 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 just an FYI.., my experience has been with Lyman steel moulds that the bullets as dropped will be one diameter across the seam and then a different diameter with the seam... Where the mould blocks meet in the middle. Basically, that the bullets are not concentric. I do wish I had tried the Lee six cavity tumble moulds first and tried tumble lubing with ordinary Johnson paste wax sold in the yellow and black metal tin near the cleaning supplies at just about every grocery store or wally world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98sr20ve Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I think you all have convinced me to take up yet another hobby. Think I'll go ahead an order me either a Lyman 4500 with heater or a RCBS Lubamatic this weekend. Nothing but a star for pistol. Way faster and worth the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echase1 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 (edited) I cast my own. I enjoy it, but also have a junior shooter that I need to keep in ammo. Casting is a large cost benefit to us and his help with the process allows him to have a part in providing the ammo for his shooting development. I tend to do around 500 to 600 lbs at a time. I cast 9mm, 40 and 45. I use Lee molds for the 40 and 45 and Lyman Molds on the 9mm stuff. I use a Star (Magma) lubsizer as it seems to be the most efficient way to do the lubing and sizing process (http://www.lsstuff.com/lsstuff-stuff). I lube the bullets with BAC lube as it tends to be less smokey. I think the lead bullets are fine, especially for practice and local matches. While I have used my own cast bullets at large matches, I typically use FMJs just to make sure I do not end up on the wrong side of the chrono stage. YMMV. Edited July 4, 2012 by echase1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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