Well looks like Mark 7 / Lyman have some new Competition. Excited to see what this brings about (Dillon buys Ammobot)

[Thetimb]

6 hours ago, DJRyan13 said:

RE: Digital PM, it is a very sweet tool. I am getting mostly +/- .1 gr with Varget. Not perfect for precision but a good accuracy for my 200 yard practice loads.

 

One warning though, you absolutely MUST use a powder check die when you use the Digital. With the mechanical, it’s pretty impossible for the mechanics to break and it to stop working mid run. One of my Digital PM’s (brand new) failed miserably IMO. It would run fine for about 20 rounds then just stop dropping. I would turn on/off the control box and it would work perfectly again for another 10-20 rounds.

I swapped control boxes and that fixed it so the issue was the control box. Misty sent me new one. 

 

thanks for talking me out of  digital powder throw! That seals the deal for me. 

[Styro]

Wow..... $9,000 for a fully auto-loading machine and $6,000 for a manual one. That's for a serious shooter with a lot of money. 

[mikey_golds]

Wow..... $9,000 for a fully auto-loading machine and $6,000 for a manual one. That's for a serious shooter with a lot of money. 

If you live in a state that has background checks for ammo and no online sales this becomes worth it instantly


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[mayassa]

14 minutes ago, mikey_golds said:

If you live in a state that has background checks for ammo and no online sales this becomes worth it instantly


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Now more than ever, reloading supplies keep coming in, except the darn bullets I need lol down to my last 3000.  I've dialed in in Dillon powder measure on my new MK 7 and use my case feeder and bullet feeder too.  So my manual set up was only in the 2K range, that is the cost of a new 1100.  Don't get me wrong I like my 1050, but the extra stations and the quality is sure nice to have.

[mikey_golds]

Now more than ever, reloading supplies keep coming in, except the darn bullets I need lol down to my last 3000.  I've dialed in in Dillon powder measure on my new MK 7 and use my case feeder and bullet feeder too.  So my manual set up was only in the 2K range, that is the cost of a new 1100.  Don't get me wrong I like my 1050, but the extra stations and the quality is sure nice to have.

I’m calling magma engineering tomorrow about a master caster. I’ll cast my own projectiles


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[mayassa]

5 minutes ago, mikey_golds said:

I’m calling magma engineering tomorrow about a master caster. I’ll cast my own projectiles


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You are taking it to the next level, I enjoy the hobby teaching others to reload.  I live in a condo and don't have the the room for casting.

[DJRyan13]

1 hour ago, mikey_golds said:

I’m calling magma engineering tomorrow about a master caster. I’ll cast my own projectiles


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only worth it if you plan to automate or you have trouble with shoulders or elbows making hand casting difficult. You can cast faster with 5 or 6 cavity Molds. My elbows aren’t great. Thus I automated my casting and my reloading.

if you want to automate, contact Hatch at castboolits. I have his system. It is sweet.

 

Plenty of used molds for sale relatively cheap. Same molds used by the 8 mold system magma makes for cast bullet manufacturers. 

 

 

[mikey_golds]

only worth it if you plan to automate or you have trouble with shoulders or elbows making hand casting difficult. You can cast faster with 5 or 6 cavity Molds. My elbows aren’t great. Thus I automated my casting and my reloading.
if you want to automate, contact Hatch at castboolits. I have his system. It is sweet.
 
Plenty of used molds for sale relatively cheap. Same molds used by the 8 mold system magma makes for cast bullet manufacturers. 
 
 

He automated the master caster? I can’t create a cast boolits account their captcha is unreadable lol


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[DJRyan13]

Just now, mikey_golds said:

He automated the master caster? I can’t create a cast boolits account their captcha is unreadable lol


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Yes, he sells a system.. not cheap but worth it. 

[mikey_golds]

Yes, he sells a system.. not cheap but worth it. 

Interesting looks like 1100 bucks I’ll see about hitting him up


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[MikeyScuba]

My interest in piqued! I have a 5000sq’ shop so lots of room.

  I’m assuming it would be possible to automate the $1100 machine?  Time for some research.

[mikey_golds]

15 minutes ago, MikeyScuba said:

My interest in piqued! I have a 5000sq’ shop so lots of room.

  I’m assuming it would be possible to automate the $1100 machine?  Time for some research.

all the pics on cast boolits and the youtube videos look cool 

[DJRyan13]

52 minutes ago, MikeyScuba said:

My interest in piqued! I have a 5000sq’ shop so lots of room.

  I’m assuming it would be possible to automate the $1100 machine?  Time for some research.

Here is the info I sent Mikey on it...

 

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?173407-Automating-the-Master-Caster-Another-way-to-skin-the-cat

 

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?277-HATCH-Automation

 

I bought the Magma PID (worth every penny). Better control of the temps.

 

Hatch makes a PID you install into the MC and will make it seamless with his system. SO, if you bought a PID from Magma, tell Hatch you don’t want his PID. 

 

It was not at all hard to install the parts to automate it. It takes a little time to understand how things go together and how to set it up. 

 

good luck! 

[AHI]

You may wont to research a source of lead.  Then you need to size and lube.

How are you going to lube or are you going to coat ? Sugest you spend a lot of time

on the cast bullet sight .

[mikey_golds]

1 minute ago, AHI said:

You may wont to research a source of lead.  Then you need to size and lube.

How are you going to lube or are you going to coat ? Sugest you spend a lot of time

on the cast bullet sight .

id powder coat,

sizing ive seen people working on automating the Lee APP, now that would be a combo with a bullet feeder

[MikeyScuba]

This is getting rather complicated.  I admit I’m  kinda overwhelmed and need to spend some time on it. Castboolits isn’t great for a newb.

 

for those who cast larger volumes are there automated sizing machines? Probably going hitek, I even buy MEK buy the drum so that makes life easier.

 

and how do you buy/how much is 1000-2000lbs of Lead?  Between the 2 of us I use ~1150lbs per year.  I’ve looked at lead from 1-2 guys on kijiji but I’m paying more in lead than I can get finished bullets for.
 

I have storage room and a recently overhauled forklift so that helps for commercial buying, wheel weights isn’t a viable option.

[mikey_golds]

This is getting rather complicated.  I admit I’m  kinda overwhelmed and need to spend some time on it. Castboolits isn’t great for a newb.
 
for those who cast larger volumes are there automated sizing machines? Probably going hitek, I even buy MEK buy the drum so that makes life easier.
 
and how do you buy/how much is 1000-2000lbs of Lead?  Between the 2 of us I use ~1150lbs per year.  I’ve looked at lead from 1-2 guys on kijiji but I’m paying more in lead than I can get finished bullets for.
 
I have storage room and a recently overhauled forklift so that helps for commercial buying, wheel weights isn’t a viable option.

Roto metals sells wholesale pallets of lead


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[dannyd]

3 hours ago, mikey_golds said:

Roto metals sells wholesale pallets of lead


I have casted over 200,000 bullets, so look at it long and hard before you buy anything.  Seen more people buy all the gear and then try to sell it a week later.  Roto Metals is great to deal with.

 

[AHI]

FYI    you can buy  34 thousand    124 gr coated bullets    for what a pallet of bullet alloy will caust you.

and you still have to cast ,coat , size.  

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by AHI

[Intheshaw1]

3 minutes ago, AHI said:

FYI    you can buy  34 thousand    124 gr coated bullets    for what a pallet of bullet alloy will caust you.

Never thought of it that way. Running the math, it looks like that's a little over 600 lbs of bullets vs the 1000lb pallets of lead. That doesn't factor in the cost of equipment or the effort it takes.

 

For me I've looked into casting before and it wasn't worth the time or equipment. I used to cast my own fishing jigs so I thought I would look into bullets but there's a lot more too it. Would rather just buy way more bullets at a time then get I to casting.

[AHI]

I enjoy casting bullets . in the last two years I learned how to coat (Hitek) but I had a Master caster

Lead ,Star sizer etc. all I had to do was buy a new mold to do 135 nlg bullets. But is it worth it to do

only you can make that decision.   

[MikeyScuba]

We shoot 165gr .358. I’ll have to research lead availability up here.  Do you buy pure lead and mix the tin and antimony when casting?

 

i remember years ago a suppliers truck was heading back to Quebec after a delivery to my place. It had a “full”load of lead ignots. They were stacked on the floor. A row about 18” across and 6” high from the front to back of the trailer. Was about 20yrs ago.

[dannyd]

2 minutes ago, MikeyScuba said:

We shoot 165gr .358. I’ll have to research lead availability up here.  Do you buy pure lead and mix the tin and antimony when casting?

 

i remember years ago a suppliers truck was heading back to Quebec after a delivery to my place. It had a “full”load of lead ignots. They were stacked on the floor. A row about 18” across and 6” high from the front to back of the trailer. Was about 20yrs ago.

You would buy the lead ready to go for your bullet.   Lyman #2, Hard Cast, 1to16, 1to20 and on an on.    Started over 30 years ago with wheel weights, but now with the flat weights and the China mix I buy from dealers because you know what your getting.  Never had a master caster but I have 30 mounds.  People ether love it or hate it.   Between equipment, your time and lead your won't save any money now days like we used to.

[mikey_golds]

10 hours ago, Intheshaw1 said:

Never thought of it that way. Running the math, it looks like that's a little over 600 lbs of bullets vs the 1000lb pallets of lead. That doesn't factor in the cost of equipment or the effort it takes.

 

For me I've looked into casting before and it wasn't worth the time or equipment. I used to cast my own fishing jigs so I thought I would look into bullets but there's a lot more too it. Would rather just buy way more bullets at a time then get I to casting.

 

10 hours ago, AHI said:

FYI    you can buy  34 thousand    124 gr coated bullets    for what a pallet of bullet alloy will caust you.

and you still have to cast ,coat , size.  

 

anyone feel free to correct my math if I am off here...

 

36K 125 Grain from Blue Bullets = 2,187 using the 10to50 discount code. unsure what shipping would tack on.

to cast the same amount we need 36K x 125 Grains = 450,000 Grains of Lead Needed 

Divide that by 7,000 Grains per pound, = 643 Pounds of Lead needed. Lyman Number 2 is sold 5 Pounds Increments on Rotometals = 129 needed

Lead Cost Alone = 2,229

 

if you use a cheaper lead, Hardball =  2%-Tin,6%-Antimony,and 92%-Lead the cost for the same 643 pounds needed to cast 36K = 1,903

 

TLDR 

Blue Bullets = .06075

Lyman #2 = .06197

Hardball Lead = .05286

 

Bottom two we need to remember to depreciate our machine cost into the price per, assume 30 year straight line. 

 

Edit #1 -->

I did the depreciation math, here we go 

Magma Mark 8 Casts 5,000 per hour. Run that 24 hours a day = 120,000 Bullets a day

Every day for a year = 43,800,000 

machine cost = 12,500 / 30 = 417 dollars of depreciation per year

each bullet depreciates the machine   0.00000951 

 

adding that in to our bottom two from above

Lyman #2 CPR =   0.06197951294

Hardball CPR =    0.05286951294 

Edited June 10, 2020 by mikey_golds

[AHI]

You were talking a pallet so https://www.rotometals.com/pallet-hardball-bullet-alloy-ingots-1000-pounds-freight-included-2-tin-6-antimony-and-92-lead/

then I just went to a coated bullet vender did not add any discount codes etc https://www.snscasting.com/cart.php yes they have a discount on large orders

Did this based on money .

Edited June 10, 2020 by AHI