Who is casting bullets?

[cwlongshot]

I have been casting a loonnng time.

Cast up 20# yesterday as temps moderated a bit!!

Needed some 44's and of coarse some more 40/10mm's.

https://youtube.com/shorts/YyOvMPa7vKY?feature=share

[blaster]

I have been reloading since 1966 but a couple of years ago I started casting & powder coating some of my bullets. I have almost a ton of lead stockpiled and finally with the price of bullets & components so high, I figured I'd better do something with it before I croak. now I've discovered that casting is almost as much fun as reloading.

[The_Shadow]

Yep, been casting bullets for quite a while since 1980.  Mine are sized and lubed as I haven't started with the PC process.



The most stuff cast is for pistols but also some 30 cal gas checked as well.  These are my latest from the NOE 311-199-SP-K5



Have several 358 / 44 / 9mm cast as well

I'm well stocked for now with loaded ammo, supplies of jacketed and cast projectiles, still have some primers & powder left.
Although I just about emptied my 8lb jug of CFE223 powder as I put together 523 308Win with 1/2 being 165gr and 125gr.

[sqlbullet]

I started casting sometime in the 2000's.  Probably 2006-7, but don't quote me on that.

I know I was involved with casting when my oldest boy did his 5th grade science fair project in 2008-2009.  His work resulted in the data at http://fellingfamily.net/isolead/ which includes information about common isotope shielding lead sources and information about quench hardening those alloys.  A few years later my second daughter recycled his data and re-analyzed the samples hardness to did a 5th grade science fair on aging lead alloys and hardness.  Both those kids are now in college studying materials science engineering.  My son gets his masters degree next spring, and my daughter her bachelors. (enough bragging about my kids).

I cast for about everything I own, except maybe 260 Remington.  I have molds for .224, 6.5 Carcano, 30 caliber, 38/357 pistol, 358 rifle, 40, 44, 45 pistol and 458 rifle.  Cartridges I have stuffed with lead bullets would include:

• 223 Reminton
• 6.5 Carcano
• 32 ACP
• 30 Carbine
• 300 Blackout
• 308 Winchester
• 30-06 Springfield
• 300 Win Mag
• 9mmm Luger
• 357 Magnum
• 38 Super
• 358 Winchester
• 40 S&W
• 10mm Auto
• 44 Magnum
• 45 ACP
• 458 SOCOM

I have tumble lubed, pan lubed, lubed via lubra-sizer and powder coated.  These days it is either lubra-size or powder coat.  Increasingly it is traditional lube unless there is a compelling reason to powder-coat like protecting an AR gas system in my 358 Winchester and M1 Garands.  I don't find the lube mess to be really any worse than the powder mess, the mess just happens at different stages.  I also have not had the most consistent results with powder coating, as far as visual appearance.  I know the ugly bullets dance great, but I like them pretty.

I cast from a 10lb Lee Bottom pour pot and mostly have NOE molds, with a few Lee and a Mountain Mold for variety.  NOE is only about 25 miles from me, so I give them business whenever I can.

I violate all the rules too.  I put my sprues back in the pot every two or three casts.  I let the pot temp vary from about 650 up to just under 800.  Frosty or shiny bullets are fine with me.  I no longer sort by weight after casting.  I do inspect and cull anything with a void or a wrinkle.  Voids definitely toss off accuracy and as I said I like pretty.

[John A.]

I haven't cast for nearly as long as some of you.  But, I enjoy it.

I have molds for all of my handguns.  I still need to pick up a nice 9x39 mold (.366 9.3mm mauser around 250-300 gr range) for shooting subs.

Once I got into powder coating, I was dumbfounded at how easy it was to do and have enjoyed it ever since.

I not only do handgun stuff though.  I also do shotgun stuff.  I have a 12ga slug mold.  I made my own 00Buck mold using some 1/4" aluminum sheet and a ball endmill bit.

I have some tools coming this week where I'm hoping to be able to make my own #6 shot too.  It's an .028" bit.  An antistick bread pan my wife picked up from the dollar store for cheap.  I'm hoping that it works right.  It would be nice not to have to 100% rely on what's commercially available for everything. 

[Kenk]

Darn nice looking cast bullets CW, you?ve got this thing down

[DDRiller]

I cast or swage for most of my stuff.
.380
9mm
40 s&w
10mm
.38/.357
.338 Spectre
.308
.30HRT
.358 MGP
.45 ACP
.30, .32, .34, .36, .57, .60 and .69 roundballs for shotgun
.458 SOCOM

[Rvrrat14]

I?m a new guy to casting.  Began last year, but been reloading over 40 years.   What caught my eye was the powder coating over lead.   
I use my 10mm on my ranch for hogs, etc.   Shoot from a G20 and MechTech carbine.   They really work great.  Also, cast/PC for 9mm.
No leading.   Cheap.   Enjoyable to learn something that?s so old, tried, and trued.

[cwlongshot]

Good stuff guys!!

I stared casting in the mid/late '80's and havent looked back!! I havent bought jacketed for a handgun since about the time SSP/180's was discontinued by Hornady and even then, that was one of the last jacketed bullets I was buying.
For the last 5/6 years since picking up powder coating, my Cast does everything I could ever need. It also covers a good portion of my rifle needs with small calibers and levers.

CW

[BillinOregon]

I'm a long-time caster, too, but never in very great volume. I am always in awe of the guys who cast coffee cans full of bullets at a time. I might to 50 0r 60, ocasionally 100. Over the years I have used a lot of Lee molds with complete satisfaction, a few from RCBS and Lyman, but my favorites come from Tom at Accurate Molds. Also have had good luck with the big Buffalo Arms molds for black powder rifles.

[DDRiller]

These are my latest from the NOE 311-199-SP-K5

Just remembered I have some of those.