Who Shoots Lead

[The_Shadow]

I only work outside while smelting, fluxing and cleaning making ingots.

I also cast outside under my porch, but with the ingots being clean there is not much to worry about.

[cwlongshot]

I'm a caster as well!  I have been doing it for over thirty years! LONGER if you count the Duck decoy and fishing weights!! LOL

As a rule I do all my casting in the early spring when I can sit in garage (All doors open and its NOT connected to the house) in a sweat shirt. I keep them in coffee cans and size and lube as needed thru out the year. Just last week end my fishing buddie proclaimed we are getting lo on weights... As suggested I never trun down lead!! The "junk" dirty stuff is relegated to fishing weights. SO I fired up the pot and we cast about 30#s of 2-12OZ weights.

Most of my casting in recient years has been pure lead BP plains bullets for my BP rifles and 325 WFN GC 454 bullets for my hunting 45 Colts. I did have a couple year foray with the 500 S&W and bought a Lee 440G WFN mold to try. Not aweful for under 20$! (I am NO Lee fan)

I just bought a two cavity Lyman 200TC mold. SO I'll be doing some more casting pretty soon...

CW

[The_Shadow]

That Lyman 200TC is the one I should have bought, but the Speer was on clearance and also with a rebate for $10.
I cast for various 30 cal, 9mm, 38/357, 10mm/40, 44, 45 and several muzzle loader types, oh yea sling shot too!
I also cast several different types of duck decoy weights, fishing weights, egg sinkers, sliding worm heads and jigs with hooks too. 

It is a very rewarding hobby to be able to supply your own needs...

[The_Shadow]

Well after a long day of cutting grass at my mom's place, after I got cleaned up, I sat at the bench an loaded some of my Speer 200 gr Cast TCBB SWC over 9.8 grains of my favorite powder Blue Dot seated to 1.26" with Remington 2 1/2 LP's.
These bullets are longer than the 200 XTP's so I adjusted the powder down 0.7 grains.

I'll try to get out and do some testing depending on the weather and what ever else comes along! 

[REDLINE]

There are health concerns if the lead gets into your system.  It stays and builds up over time.

But lead doesn't get into out bodies easily, and lead oxide is what is readily absorbed.  This is why paint is so bad.  It doesn't have elemental lead, it has oxidized lead.  Worse, kids eat paint chips and adults sand it off.  Eating and inhaling lead oxide are quick ways to get big doses.

For casting there are really simple rules that will keep you save.  Don't eat, drink or smoke while dealing with lead - casting, loading and shooting.  Wash your hands good as soon as you are done. Have good ventilation where casting.

Many of the guys over at the cast boolits forum get tested.  It is just a check box on the form when they do the rest of your blood workups.  Those that are high usually trace it back not to casting but to shooting inside with poor ventilation, or breathing the dust that comes from tumbler media.  Older primers depended heavily on lead azide and tumbling brass with spent primers put lots of lead dust in the tumbling media.  Then when separating media and brass it gets inhaled.  Only one or two traced high lead back to casting, and then they had hygiene issues, eg eating, drinking or (usually) smoking while casting or loading lead bullets.

I do where a respirator mask when I am refining scrap lead into ingots (called smelting but isn't really).  The scrap lead has paint, oils, dirt and other crud on it that generates a lot of smoke while it burns off.  This is done in a dutch oven on a turkey fryer outside.  But smoke follows beauty so I am always downwind it seems 

When casting I don't where the mask, but I keep two doors open in my garage so I have a cross breeze.

And, finally, water and melted lead don't mix.  Results in a visit from the tinsel fairy.  And you don't have to have water present.  On a humid day just putting a piece of room temp lead in a hot pot can be bad news because microscopic amounts or water condense on the surface of the cold lead and then get carried under the surface of the melt.  There is a big bang and 700

I learned more than a couple things there!  Thanks for a thorough response.  Helped put things into perspective too.  Didn't know about water and hot lead leading to serious health risk potential.  Reminds of what can happen if you put river rock too close to the camp fire if there's any moisture left in it.  BOOM!

[REDLINE]

Well after a long day of cutting grass at my mom's place, after I got cleaned up, I sat at the bench an loaded some of my Speer 200 gr Cast TCBB SWC over 9.8 grains of my favorite powder Blue Dot seated to 1.26" with Remington 2 1/2 LP's.
These bullets are longer than the 200 XTP's so I adjusted the powder down 0.7 grains.

I'll try to get out and do some testing depending on the weather and what ever else comes along! 

I almost never, if ever,  hear anyone talking about loading with the Remington primers.  Any general thoughts on them overall or compared to other brands?

[DM1906]

Remington primers are good, very good in fact.  Usually more expensive, but a premium.

Yeah, one little drop of water will clear your pot, and you get a visit from the tinsel fairy.  Wheel weights can be dangerous if dropped right in. Moisture accumulates between the steel clip and the lead if given a chance.  During the summer, lay them out in the sun for a while.  During winter, maybe use the toaster oven on low to dry them.  Always lower new lead into the pot very slowly, giving the moisture a chance to steam off at the surface.  If you don't, what happens, happens so fast, you'll be looking around for some wise guy.....If you get the chance to look (wear eye protection).

[REDLINE]

Remington primers are good, very good in fact.  Usually more expensive, but a premium.

Is it a consistency thing?

[DM1906]

Remington primers are good, very good in fact.  Usually more expensive, but a premium.

Is it a consistency thing?

Yes.  I usually use CCI, but will snag Remington if the price is right, every time.  It isn't often I see them at the LGS.  CCI are less powerful compared to some (tested with primer-fired bullets on the chrono), but are the most consistent.  Win. and Fed. are good, but I've seen inconsistent results them.  Federal magnums are premium, for mags.  Old Winchester (WW label) were as good as it got.  Worse since they stopped nickel plating.  Rifle primers are a little different, but CCI is still the standard, with Remington a close second.

[REDLINE]

Might have to pick up some of them Remington primers as I continue to get set up for reloading.

[cwlongshot]

Might have to pick up some of them Remington primers as I continue to get set up for reloading.

I have been using Remington primers for many years too!  Its THE only primer I will use for my 357 maximum loads and I prefer the LRMag primer to others as well. Used in my 7Rem&300H&H maggies.

CW

[REDLINE]

In terms of large pistol primers, do the Remington standard and Magnum offerings seem to be a bit hotter or mellower than others like CCI and Federal that have large pistol primer offerings in both standard and magnum?

[cwlongshot]

In terms of large pistol primers, do the Remington standard and Magnum offerings seem to be a bit hotter or mellower than others like CCI and Federal that have large pistol primer offerings in both standard and magnum?

I do not notice them being any "hotter"...CCI is your choice if this is needed. The Cup of the Remington's tends to be stronger/tougher. While CCI esp the white box, military grade, are harder. I have used many different primers, I like CCI BR primers, Remington std and BR primers and Federal BR primers best.






CW

[REDLINE]

Dang!   Can't wait till my primer stash looks like that!

[cwlongshot]

Dang!   Can't wait till my primer stash looks like that!

LOL, I "stocked up" a couple months be for obummer took office...

Those are full bricks, these are loose or opened bricks.



CW