... dropped my first batch of cast bullets tonite. .358 158 gr. tumble lube SWC's. The Lee mold worked like a charm. I'm sure I'll want to upgrade to steel molds as I move along but for less than $20 the Lee was a bargain for a beginner to learn with. The Lee bottom pour pot worked well too.
acl864
No more store bought lead bullets for me...
... dropped my first batch of cast bullets tonite. .358 158 gr. tumble lube SWC's. The Lee mold worked like a charm. I'm sure I'll want to upgrade to steel molds as I move along but for less than $20 the Lee was a bargain for a beginner to learn with. The Lee bottom pour pot worked well too.
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I "hear ya" ACL. I have a Lee bottom heater that does well. I have a "right fair" amount of factory lead but from now on I pour my own. Will still buy my long distance boolits so I can keep the velocity up. wc
Get your wheelweights now while you still can. They'll disappear in a year or so. Learn to recognize Zinc weights so you won't mess up your alloy. It only takes one in a 20-pound pot.
I've found that with Lee aluminum moulds, a little tin will help produce more consistent bullets and fewer culls. I'm probably gonna head out to my honey hole in the next week or two to pick up some 60/40 bar solder. If you'd like to have a couple bars, I'll let ya have'em for what I gave for'em. Let me know.
I'm a 4-decade bullet caster. If there's anything you wanna know...just axe moi.
I've found that with Lee aluminum moulds, a little tin will help produce more consistent bullets and fewer culls. I'm probably gonna head out to my honey hole in the next week or two to pick up some 60/40 bar solder. If you'd like to have a couple bars, I'll let ya have'em for what I gave for'em. Let me know.
I'm a 4-decade bullet caster. If there's anything you wanna know...just axe moi.
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement.
bucketobolts- I'm just getting started but looks like 100+ bullets an hour with a two-cavity mold would be realistic.
1911Tuner- I'd definitely be interested in a couple of bars of the 60/40. PM me if you're able to score some next week and are willing to part with them. Of course, then I'd also have to take you up on your offer to answer questions. I have no idea how to blend the 60/40 with wheel weights to get a good alloy.
bucketobolts- I'm just getting started but looks like 100+ bullets an hour with a two-cavity mold would be realistic.
1911Tuner- I'd definitely be interested in a couple of bars of the 60/40. PM me if you're able to score some next week and are willing to part with them. Of course, then I'd also have to take you up on your offer to answer questions. I have no idea how to blend the 60/40 with wheel weights to get a good alloy.
acl...A bar of solder, cut into three equal lengths. Add 1 cut bar to to top off a 20-pound pot of wheelweight metal makes nice, consistent bullets. A side effect is that it lowers the melting point a bit, so you can run your temperature lower, and your mould longer without having to set it aside to cool.
hard to tell from your picture, but your bullets are a bit shiny...indicating that the metal or the mould need to be a little hotter. You want a dull, matte color without actually having a frosted appearance. The bullets will be more consistent in size and weight.
hard to tell from your picture, but your bullets are a bit shiny...indicating that the metal or the mould need to be a little hotter. You want a dull, matte color without actually having a frosted appearance. The bullets will be more consistent in size and weight.
1911 tuner, you reminded me of another item with LEE molds. Lee states you can cool the mold my placing it on a wet sponge and allow it to cool down. I actually have a plate below the casting table with a large sponge on it with water on the plate. When the bullets get "frosty", I will put the next pour on the sponge while I work the other mold. I actually use two 6 cavity molds at a time and two 20# bottom pour pots to keep it flowing. Best I ever did in an hour was 900 45 250gr bullets for black powder shooting during CAS /SASS matches. Once you get everything going smoothlt you just do not want to quit. The hour actually started with the first pour. It takes about 30 minutes to get the pots going and the molds prepped prior to starting the actual dropping of lead. I also take a cheap tin roller tray for paing and have a thick towell in it that is damp. I drop my bullets on the towell and they gather down at the deep end. :w00t:
CLF - it is fun to save money
CLF - it is fun to save money
CLF...Yep. If ya use two 6-bangers, you can roll'em out fast...but you'll work yourself to death. The only problem I've run into with multiple/identical moulds is that...sometimes they don't drop the same bullet.
Case in point:
I had a.45 caliber RCBS 201 grain SWC mould that made some slam-dunk good bullets. A friend ordered an identical mould for himself. I needed a pile of bullets fast, so he loaned my his so I could run two of'em at a time. The bullets weren't the same. The front driving band on his was wider, and the nose a little shorter. The result was that I had to seat'em at different depths to get the right amount of shoulder above the case mouth. That meant that I had to sort through 3,000 bullets with a caliper, measuring the distance from the base to the top of the shoulder...and had to load two separate lots of ammunition. Mine had an overall length of 1.250 while his required an OAL of 1.235 inch. Chronographing the two...with the same powder charge...his clocked over 30 fps faster through the same gun, with an attendant increase in recoil.
Case in point:
I had a.45 caliber RCBS 201 grain SWC mould that made some slam-dunk good bullets. A friend ordered an identical mould for himself. I needed a pile of bullets fast, so he loaned my his so I could run two of'em at a time. The bullets weren't the same. The front driving band on his was wider, and the nose a little shorter. The result was that I had to seat'em at different depths to get the right amount of shoulder above the case mouth. That meant that I had to sort through 3,000 bullets with a caliper, measuring the distance from the base to the top of the shoulder...and had to load two separate lots of ammunition. Mine had an overall length of 1.250 while his required an OAL of 1.235 inch. Chronographing the two...with the same powder charge...his clocked over 30 fps faster through the same gun, with an attendant increase in recoil.
1911 Tuner, I agree with 100%. Has happened to me in the past. My current inventory of molds of the same caliber, weight, etc. were all cut by LEE in the same bulk order. They check out almost identical, and when you consider 12 cavities and the weight and dimensions are very close. Close enough I just put them through my Lubersizer and then use them. I only have a couple of RCBS and Lyman molds and the balance are all LEE. I do need to get myself a good 9mm and 45ACP mold set. Looking at Lyman due to price and 4 cavity and I figure I could run them together and would have an easy sort afterwords. Anyhow, as you can tell, I enjoy the sport of shooting, reloading, casting and sometimes even tinkering (very little of that) and almost forgot hunting, the part of the sport that got me started in all this.
CLF - pour more shoot more
CLF - pour more shoot more
Thanks for the advice. When I first started out I was getting frosted bullets and knew that was bad so I cut back on the heat... too much I guess. I didn't know shiny was bad. I thought they were purty! I'll dial the heat back up a little for the next batch and try that. One thing I'm learning already with casting is that temperature control is paramount.
acl...Rule of thumb: Use the lowest temp setting that allows good metal flow and mould fill. Run your moulds a little hotter. There are two problems with bullets that are too slick and shiny. They have occlusions in'em...voids...that make the weights vary, and the lube won't stick to'em if they're not just a little rough on the surface.
As you cast more, you'll develop a certain "feel" for it, and you'll know by their appearance if they're right. Part of the fun.
Almost forgot to mention...
Added tin in the melt reduces the lead's surface tension and makes the alloy pour easier...or more freely if you prefer. More than about 2% is a waste of tin unless you're using a lead/tin alloy with no antimony content. Wheelweight metal has 4-4.5% antimony, but only about a half percent tin. By the time you get the stuff worked up and ingoted...you've lost half the tin that was there. If you do go with lead and tin...16:1 is about right for anything up to 1250 fps...but it can get expensive.
Stick-on lead based wheelweights are so nearly pure lead, they can be considered pure for all practical purposes. Again...Learn to recognize zinc weights. If a sidecutter will deform it pretty easily, it's lead. If it won't...throw it out. Clip-ons are pretty hard, so the sidecutter won't cut it as easily...but it will still cut it.
As you cast more, you'll develop a certain "feel" for it, and you'll know by their appearance if they're right. Part of the fun.
Almost forgot to mention...
Added tin in the melt reduces the lead's surface tension and makes the alloy pour easier...or more freely if you prefer. More than about 2% is a waste of tin unless you're using a lead/tin alloy with no antimony content. Wheelweight metal has 4-4.5% antimony, but only about a half percent tin. By the time you get the stuff worked up and ingoted...you've lost half the tin that was there. If you do go with lead and tin...16:1 is about right for anything up to 1250 fps...but it can get expensive.
Stick-on lead based wheelweights are so nearly pure lead, they can be considered pure for all practical purposes. Again...Learn to recognize zinc weights. If a sidecutter will deform it pretty easily, it's lead. If it won't...throw it out. Clip-ons are pretty hard, so the sidecutter won't cut it as easily...but it will still cut it.
I got lots to learn... but as you say. All part of the fun!
I don't think I mentioned these aren't cast out of wheel weights. I've got some wheel weights lined up but don't have them in hand yet- then I've still got to get them sorted and smelted into ingots. These first castings are commercial "Hardball" alloy from Midway. 92% Lead, 2% tin and 6% antinomy- supposed to be around 16 bhn. It was expensive but I knew I was going to want to play with the new toys as soon as I got them...
I've got the 158 gr. SWC's and a batch of 95 gr. LRN for my 9x18 ALOXed and ready. If the rain will let up I'll give them a try. If they're wildly inaccurate or cause leading I'll dump'em back in the pot and start over.
I don't think I mentioned these aren't cast out of wheel weights. I've got some wheel weights lined up but don't have them in hand yet- then I've still got to get them sorted and smelted into ingots. These first castings are commercial "Hardball" alloy from Midway. 92% Lead, 2% tin and 6% antinomy- supposed to be around 16 bhn. It was expensive but I knew I was going to want to play with the new toys as soon as I got them...
I've got the 158 gr. SWC's and a batch of 95 gr. LRN for my 9x18 ALOXed and ready. If the rain will let up I'll give them a try. If they're wildly inaccurate or cause leading I'll dump'em back in the pot and start over.
Hardball alloy is a little too hard for 90% of the applications, and too soft for the other 10.
My home-brewed alloy is 16 pounds wheelweight to one pound of pure lead and work in around 3% tin by weight. A little higher on tin content than needed for straight wheelweight, but it drops some slam-dunk pretty bullets that are consistent and good to go for velocity ranges from 750-1250+ fps. Plus, I've got a cheap source for tin. Buying tinned wire solder can run into some serious bucks when your production gets into the thousands of bullets. Not so much of an issue if your volume is low...but somehow, it just never seems to stay that way.
I can clean my barrels with a slightly oversized dry brush...one pass in and out. Clean! I use a standard solvent about 3-4 times a year...and I shoot a lot.
My home-brewed alloy is 16 pounds wheelweight to one pound of pure lead and work in around 3% tin by weight. A little higher on tin content than needed for straight wheelweight, but it drops some slam-dunk pretty bullets that are consistent and good to go for velocity ranges from 750-1250+ fps. Plus, I've got a cheap source for tin. Buying tinned wire solder can run into some serious bucks when your production gets into the thousands of bullets. Not so much of an issue if your volume is low...but somehow, it just never seems to stay that way.
I can clean my barrels with a slightly oversized dry brush...one pass in and out. Clean! I use a standard solvent about 3-4 times a year...and I shoot a lot.
You're hooked now. I've GOT to start collecting casting stuffs now, I've been putting it off too long.
Start collecting wheel weights NOW. Auto makers are beginning to move away from lead, and IMHO, we'll start seeing old lead weights start to be treated more like a hazmat material. Hit up all the tire stores in your area, and get your hands on as much as possible NOW!!!
Start collecting wheel weights NOW. Auto makers are beginning to move away from lead, and IMHO, we'll start seeing old lead weights start to be treated more like a hazmat material. Hit up all the tire stores in your area, and get your hands on as much as possible NOW!!!
Just as a FYI thing...
It's expensive, but in a crunch...Lawrence Brand Magnum shot #6 and #8 sizes...have a high antimony content. At last report, it was 7%. Mixed 50/50 with pure lead, it's pretty much the same as wheelweight metal. Add a little tin and you've got perfect pistol bullet alloy. For what it's worth....if you can find a cheap source for 60/40 solder...equal parts tin and antimony produces excellent bullets that remain stable for years. At any rate, you don't want more tin than antimony. For most applications, 2% tin is a good mix.
Magnum shot. Chilled shot is low antimony...maybe a half percent. Buckshot is also low antimony.
It's expensive, but in a crunch...Lawrence Brand Magnum shot #6 and #8 sizes...have a high antimony content. At last report, it was 7%. Mixed 50/50 with pure lead, it's pretty much the same as wheelweight metal. Add a little tin and you've got perfect pistol bullet alloy. For what it's worth....if you can find a cheap source for 60/40 solder...equal parts tin and antimony produces excellent bullets that remain stable for years. At any rate, you don't want more tin than antimony. For most applications, 2% tin is a good mix.
Magnum shot. Chilled shot is low antimony...maybe a half percent. Buckshot is also low antimony.
Ive been driving around town and stopping at these little used tire dealers and getting wheel wheights. Ive been getting 5 gallon buckets, which is about 130 lbs. this includes clips and any other thing that might have been swept off the floor but not bad. I have been getting them for between $15 - $20. Seeing alot more zink and steel. I know the EPA has been makeing some big changes with lead lately and it will be harder to get, and more expesive. I have gotten 4 buckets and would like to have about 8 or so, melt them into ingots and then Ill have some?
Yep, They shoot great. Just got done today smelting down some wheel weights into ingots so I'm ready to get some casting done!!!
To all you smelters looking for free lead/wheel weights?
I have some suggestions and even this advise is hit or miss,depending on the education of managers since lead is worth money.
Tire stores, car dealerships and independent repair shops or anyone that deals with replacing wheel weights is worth looking into or at least asking for their old lead.
Chain tire stores usually are pretty smart,already have an account and these companys pay to remove the old lead.
Independent shops, usually know enough and sell their old lead.
Car dealerships are prime pickings, some but not all. The trick is,, make it easy for them to remove all the clutter/weights from around their tire machine.
Contact the service manager, offer to provide a cleaning service free of charge.
You will provide a clean 5 gallon bucket for the mechanics to throw the old weights in every week. You will also, sweep up/clean all the wheel weights that clutter the tire balancing area because mecks cant hit the bucket with the old ones.
You can do this after service hours if you want.
Heck,, they might even pay you to take the weights away.
The cost to have an hourly paid person, take the old lead to a recycling facility isnt worth the time spent. Plus most dealerships have eliminated all non essential personnel due to the economy.
Hope this helps.
I have some suggestions and even this advise is hit or miss,depending on the education of managers since lead is worth money.
Tire stores, car dealerships and independent repair shops or anyone that deals with replacing wheel weights is worth looking into or at least asking for their old lead.
Chain tire stores usually are pretty smart,already have an account and these companys pay to remove the old lead.
Independent shops, usually know enough and sell their old lead.
Car dealerships are prime pickings, some but not all. The trick is,, make it easy for them to remove all the clutter/weights from around their tire machine.
Contact the service manager, offer to provide a cleaning service free of charge.
You will provide a clean 5 gallon bucket for the mechanics to throw the old weights in every week. You will also, sweep up/clean all the wheel weights that clutter the tire balancing area because mecks cant hit the bucket with the old ones.
You can do this after service hours if you want.
Heck,, they might even pay you to take the weights away.
The cost to have an hourly paid person, take the old lead to a recycling facility isnt worth the time spent. Plus most dealerships have eliminated all non essential personnel due to the economy.
Hope this helps.
I have molds for fishing sinkers 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 8 oz. I drop off a few pounds of sinkers when I pick up ww from my local tire store. I usually just leave them in original form until I start casting. I will pour ingots at the end of a casting session to store for the end of the world. You want to leave some lead in your pot for the next casting session. It will heat up faster.
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