Casting Bullets, worth it?

[Blackjack Bill]

Hey everyone,

Just wondering who here cast their own bullets and is it worth it. I was looking to cast my own .45 LC bullets (200 gr). I guess I would need a lubersizer as well correct? I am not sure if I can find wheel weights in my area (or places willing to get rid of them), but I have found great deals on ebay for lead.

 

I guess I'm wondering how many bullets can I get out of a pound of lead? Currently paying $59 for 500 cowboy bullets now....

Thanks!

-BJB

[Preacher Kid]

Im gonna say no...takes alot of time to cast on top of the time it takes to load....

[White Buffalo]

Yes I cast my own 38s. Plus my black powder balls.

I think it is worth it. I get a lot of my lead from the range where I shoot.

I head there when most people are working mon-fri.

 

You don't need a lubersizer. You can get away with the lee sizing dies and either tumble lubed bullets or just pan lube with 50/50 mix of beeswax and Cirsco.

Once the wax sets pop the bullets out and run them thru the sizer.

If you tumble lube, tumble them in the a cup with the lube and let dry till morning then thru the sizer die then re lube

 

I think it is worth it. I run 2 molds at the same time.

Fill up first mold then sit it down then fill the second. Once that one is done set it down, pop out the bullets from the first mold. Refill mold. Repeat the same with the second mold.

I hope this helps. There are a ton of videos on you tube on pan luring and casting.

[Buckwheat Jack]

I cast 38s and 45s, both LC and 45/70. I think is worth my time. With small Lee furnace and double cavity mold, a month

Bullets doesn't't take too long. Get lead where you can. At SASS velocities soft is OK.

Size if you gun insists. tumble lube.

enjoy

[Litl Red]

Worth it?

 

How much is accuracy worth? (unfortunately, with target placement nowadays... Not worth much if SASS is your only interest, however...)

 

I've been lucky to have been able to play with this shooting hobby for a long time. Been able to do a LOT of different branches of it. If it goes BANG, it's worth doing and almost every time, accuracy has been a major part of those branches. So every new gun has provided fun time in a pursuit of accuracy. It's fair to say almost every one of them hasn't shot close to as accurate as magazine articles would have you believe they shoot. It's also fair to say that almost every one of them shot a lot better with some fiddling around. The most effective fiddling often comes from working up loads that match the gun. With guns that shoot lead, the easiest and most fun comes with casting/sizing. Sizing just might be the most effective single action, but then again, bullet mass could be the most effective.

 

One discovery that points to doing it yourself is fairly simple. Soft almost always works better and you don't get soft from commercial bullets for a couple of reasons. The simplest reason is that commercial bullets don't come with soft lube. Soft lube almost always works better. They can't and won't use soft lube because it's simply a mess and doesn't sell. And a lot of their customers have never had any experience with soft lubes and have almost zero chance of ever doing so. Soft lube is no real problem to make or use if you're not having to ship your bullets to yourself etc. And you don't have to make it either. Then there are soft bullets...

 

When I found that my soft lubed 40S&W bullets could be pushed faster than commercial cast, and THEN found they didn't have to be really very hard either.... and had known pretty much all that with my cowboy rifle loads... it dawned on me that there are a lot of things in the shooting hobby that aren't exactly true, but "everybody knows."

 

A lot of us do this stuff BECAUSE we get to spend time doing it. And don't have any problem looking for ways to spend MORE time. Back before I retired, about the only problem I had with CAS shooting was you couldn't do it weekday evenings after supper. The best hobbies provide things you can do if you want to fill your evenings with something more rewarding than watching TV. Reloading teaches you about your guns and can save you money. So can casting.

 

Last time I was at the range, I had four 50rd boxes of reloads to test. Also had a couple of boxes for "practice" runs in the steel target bays. The guys at the benches on the test range had a couple of boxes of surplus ammo and were trying to stretch it out so they wouldn't have to go home. They were whining about how much they'd blown on the crap. It wasn't what you'd call real accurate. And they certainly didn't have a gracious plenty of it.

 

Saving a lot of money isn't always worth it. But it's real nice when you do, AND get much more important things along with it.

[Half Moon Hobo]

7000 gr. to the pound, 200 gr. bullet. That's 35 bullets to the pound. A box of 500 is 14.28 pounds.

HH

[diablo slim]

Maybe......If you shoot every weekend like I do- yes.

If you only shoot once a month -probably not.

If you get free lead it makes it well worth it-off E-Bay not so much.

If you want to try it I suggest you buy a 6 cav tumble lube Lee aluminum mold-2 cav is not enough IMO.

Tumble lube with Alox. Buy a big bottom pour melting pot.make sure your work area is well ventilated.

Good Luck....Diablo

[Litl Red]

I spent awhile the other day running different loads through my 40-65 Sharps. Since I have molds for 300, 350, and 400 grain bullets, the day promised to be as full a day as I wanted. Since I had some heavy bullet 45LC loads to test in my Marlin'94 and some light bullet loads for the New Vaquero, it really could be as long a day as I wished. (Retirement can be full or empty, it's up to you.) I wished that day had been longer when I finally headed home.

 

During the day, I found that Sharps would put 300 grainers one after the other after the other into a hunk of junk steel that was smaller than the front sight. Of course, most things that work as targets are smaller than your front sight is at 200yds. Wish our range had a longer distance. I also found the 350s with that powder weren't as good, and the 400 grainers weren't happy with that powder at all. Since the 400s do real good with Black... and do it out to at least 500 yds... and being a reloader it's not a problem loading for whatever match, whenever they come...

 

There is way more to this shooting hobby than just making noise. It's cool to have a hobby within a hobby too.

[Litl Red]

Hey everyone,

Just wondering who here cast their own bullets and is it worth it. I was looking to cast my own .45 LC bullets (200 gr). I guess I would need a lubersizer as well correct? I am not sure if I can find wheel weights in my area (or places willing to get rid of them), but I have found great deals on ebay for lead.

 

I guess I'm wondering how many bullets can I get out of a pound of lead? Currently paying $59 for 500 cowboy bullets now....

Thanks!

-BJB

 

When you have a lubersizer, you can size your bullets to a number of different diameters. Back when 45LC SAs were a touch over $300 each, it took a fairly long time at work to buy one. So when I got one that didn't shoot worth crap, I wasn't too happy. I cast up some round balls for my Kentucky and used them to slug the barrel and cylinders. What an eye opener.

 

I happened to be shooting commercial cast in the 45s at that time. I was working and thought I didn't want to spend time casting for the pistols since they got a lot of shooting. But then, I didn't want to trade a brand new pistol either. So I bought a .454 sizer die.

 

I sold that pistol a couple years back for a lot more than it cost me new. How was that possible, it showing a fair amount of wear? The guy who wanted it bad had never had anything that shot that good and had lusted after a couple of my pistols for years and years. He'd shot it more than once. He knew what he was paying for. And just might have paid more...

 

There's more to shooting and this CAS game than "cheaper". Your lubersizer is going to be one of the smartest investments you'll make in your time on this earth. That is if you work smarter than just cheaper.

[Blackjack Bill]

 

Appreciate the advice guys.

 

Even getting lead off ebay, I'm spending about a little over a dollar a pound. With shipping I'd say it would cost me $20 to make 500 bullets. Considering that I now may $59 for 500 bullets now, that's quite a bit of savings for me, I was just unsure if it was fairly simple...but

 

I usually shoot about 4+ times a month. (2 Saturdays, 1 Sunday, and 1 Monday, and when I can make the Tuesday shoot that's an hour and a half away). In Virginia I am lucky and have the ability to shoot every weekend, sometimes twice on the weekend. (Saturday and Sunday) and some during the week.

 

I have an RCBS press and have seen the lee sizing die for bullets. Anyone know if this die will work in RCBS press? Plan on going with 45LC 200 grain .452 diameter

 

Thanks all for the help and advice.

[Dee Mak Jack, SASS #55905]

Blackjack,

If you plan to shoot different calibers or a lot of 45's then go for casting your own. Once you get the equipment, changing calibers is as simple as buying a new mold. I cast many different calibers and it makes for low cost shooting. I prefer a luber/sizer and I even make my own bullet lube. Buying lead at market price doesn't help the ecomomy of casting but if you scrounge around there is lead to be found at a reasonable price.

If you just shoot a couple of hundred a month its probably just smart to buy them.

 

Dee Mak

[Anvil Al #59168]

Appreciate the advice guys.

 

Even getting lead off ebay, I'm spending about a little over a dollar a pound. With shipping I'd say it would cost me $20 to make 500 bullets. Considering that I now may $59 for 500 bullets now, that's quite a bit of savings for me, I was just unsure if it was fairly simple...but

 

I usually shoot about 4+ times a month. (2 Saturdays, 1 Sunday, and 1 Monday, and when I can make the Tuesday shoot that's an hour and a half away). In Virginia I am lucky and have the ability to shoot every weekend, sometimes twice on the weekend. (Saturday and Sunday) and some during the week.

 

I have an RCBS press and have seen the lee sizing die for bullets. Anyone know if this die will work in RCBS press? Plan on going with 45LC 200 grain .452 diameter

 

Thanks all for the help and advice.

 

 

Don't forget to add in the cost of the equipment has to be added in.

Then you still have Lube, flux, electricity to heat pots. time.

More cost than just the lead.

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy

 

I cast my own bullets for Black Powder, only because it is difficult to get proper Black Powder bullets.

 

For Smokeless, absolutely not, I do not cast my own. There is only so much time in a week, and what with all the other reloading I have to do, I am completely happy to buy bullets from commercial casters and let them worry about how and where to scrounge up enough lead. Then I don't have to do all that casting and lubesizing that I have to do with my BP bullets. Maybe when I retire I'll have enough time to be casting for Smokeless too, but for now I am happy to buy them.

[Ocee Dee]

Personally, I feel that casting is an important part of the shooting hobby for myself. I started casting the same time I started reloading and have learned much about both as I have went. I also started out with Lee sizing dies, then an RCBS luber sizer, and have ended up using a couple of original Stars. If you discover that you enjoy casting as many do, then keep a Star sizer in mind. Magma Engineering makes the new ones, and there are originals on Ebay. They size nose first and go all the way through the die, with lube being applied at the end of the down stroke of the handle. These machines shine when sizing large amounts of the same size caliber. Just something to keep in mind as you discover what works for you as a caster.

[Trailboss (Santa) Dave]

I cast my own and have for more years than I can remember. I even ran a casting operation for about 10 years making 4000 bullets an hour, 8 hours a day, 6 days a week. Hand casting and using 2-4 6 cavity moulds I can cast a good 1000 bullets in 1-11/2 hours. I do not size the bullets I shoot and lube them with a lube called Rooster Jacket from Red Rooster.

 

Don't cast to save money, you will not.

 

If you have the time and enjoy making your own go for it.

[Desert Pete SASS #42168]

I cast for black powder because I get exactly the alloy and lube that works for my guns. It only takes a cold Winter morning to cast up a thousand bullets.

[Peddler Parsons SASS # 31281]

I cast my own for 38 - 45 - 45-70 - and 40 because I enjoy it and being retired I have the time to do it besides I shoot 3 to 4 times a month + practice (some) and all if for black powder except fot the 40 . I use wheel weights as well as range lead from our club, I even tryed making shot once but that was a pain in the a-s

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

As has been pointed out by Anvil Al, there is more to the cost than the lead. My two cents is when you take those other costs into consideration and if you place value on your time, short of having the equipment to be a high volume commercial loader, saving money isn't likely. Basically, if you ask yourself: With the equipment I have, lead and supplies cost, electricity, equipment depreciation and my time (and gas) acquiring the lead and casting, how much would I have to sell them for in order to make it worth it? You'll find that with typical equipment, saving money is not likely. Spend the same time flipping burgers and buy bullets and you'll "save" more money.

 

But then there is the other side: Sometimes things become part of the hobby which means we place no value on our time. Hey, it's a hobby and it's fun! I don't cast bullets, but I make my own shotgun shells. By the time I've bought the supplies, the difference in my supplies cost (forgetting everything else) vs. buying them is about $2 a box. If I added in the cost of my equipment and only valued my time at burger flippin' wages, I figure my shotgun shells are only costing me about twice what I could buy them for. Guess what? I'm still gonna load my shotgun shells.

 

Moral: If you think you'd enjoy doing it, have fun and "save" some money.

[Matthew Duncan]

I cast my own when garages were giving the wheel weights away

 

Melt wheel weights down in the fall. Winter cast bullets until lead is gone

 

I have not cast when I started to have to pay for the lead

[Blackjack Bill]

Yea I guess the problem would be finding free lead. I still think after all said and done, ill save money. I know I would also enjoy doing it!

[Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129]

I buy readley availible bullets for use in Smokeless loads in lots of 10,000 ,,,,,

Other bullets I cast and Lube here ...

All my bullets used for black I cast...

Bullets I cast are in .32,.38,(.358,.379,.381),.40 , .44 .45 (.452,.454 & .459) and others .......

 

Jabez Cowboy

[Litl Red]

Yea I guess the problem would be finding free lead. I still think after all said and done, ill save money. I know I would also enjoy doing it!

 

You will save money.

 

And you'll have the opportunity to improve the accuracy of your guns that very, very few others have.

[Lou Graham, # 26112]

Casting is fun! If you can make candy, you can make bullets. Do add a thermometer and a hardness tester to your list of things you will need. The tester come in handy when you have "whatever lead" to melt down, clean up and use. I use two different styles of ingot molds so I know which is "whatever" and which is purchased or you can mark the containers. If the free lead ingots are too hard, I can add in some of the purchased lead and get it to where I want it.

 

I like the idea of controlling what my ammo is made of. Maybe it's not so critical at cowboy distance, but it certainly matters for 45-70 ammo to feed the Trapdoor. It takes some time. I generally spend a couple of days each spring and fall making mountains of plump, shiny bullets. Once every other year, I do a giant melt of all the scrap lead in a huge pot on the turkey fryer burner and make what I call "piglets" - 5 lb ingots that are able to fit in my little pot. The piglets get cleaned up better (I use a bottom pour pot to make the bullets so very clean ingots are a must to not plug up the spout)and made into 1 lb. ingots at a later date. Use up another day for that. You can lube and size an amazing number of bullets in an evening if you get a Star lubesizer.

 

Once you get going, having some in all stages of production works best, at least for me. Piles of piglets to make into ingots, piles of ingots to go in the pot, bullets in tubs waiting to be lubed and sized, lubed and sized bullets in a mouse-proof container (mice like my homemade lube)and boxes of finished ammo on the shelves. It's very easy to see when one stage of production is getting low to plan what needs to happen next.

 

I think it's worth it to cast. Now if I could just get somebody to do the reloading for me, I don't like reloading.

[Dash Caliber]

Oh thats so sweet. casting is fun and rewarding.... for about 30 minutes. Lets not talk about accuracy, self reliance, free lead etc. etc. Look at doing it right for you and a spouse and you shoot one bullet. So to keep things cooking your buying lead at say $1.00 a pound...if your lucky. You buy a magna caster hand machine and a star sizer with the proper options. You will spend at least 6-8 hours a month just to keep yourself and your spouse in lead and shooting. BS someone...else I know exactly how long it takes. But never mind your cost of lead and never mind your cost of time....with both of you shooting you could buy bullets for 2 years before you used up the money you spent on equip. Yes I know you can cast by hand with a cheap pot but I know how long that takes. If I could buy what I wanted there is NO way on God's earth I would have the money in equipment I have. Loosing money proposition..support your local caster.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

howdy Bill. You're paying too much for your bullets. Missouri Bullets has yours for $42.50/500. Lonestar Bullets has some nice 170s too for about the same price.

 

It would appear from some of your recent posts that you've not yet discovered the benefits of buying online. You don't have to buy mass quantities either. Missouri Bullet uses flat rate shipping, not sure about Lonestar Bullets (I bought mine at a match) and other SASS vendors, but be sure to check them out. You'd be surprised. There are much better deals to be had than retail.

 

To your question, I ran the numbers a few years ago and decided for the amount of shooting that I do -- 1 to 2 matches a month -- casting wasn't worth it. As others have said, what's your time worth? And the cost of equipment and supplies adds up too. It doesn't amortize as quickly as a reloading press.

 

The other issue is that casting is an art. It ain't like reloading which can be learned quickly. The more I read about it, the less interested I become. If you have a specific need for a hard-to-come by bullet, or like Driftwood & others who shoot mostly black powder, it might be worth considering. For me who shoots smokeless and BP, it's not worth it.

 

YMMV. Good luck!

[Pit Bull Tex]

I don't cast and I don't think I ever will.I do get lead and melt it into a big 25 lb. bottom of my pot shape.I have traded some of them for bullets.I do love to reload,shotshells and my 38s.I will buy my bullets from one of the SASS casters.

[Blackjack Bill]

Thanks deadwood, for that price I can't see doing casting. I do work from home and once I'm done with my work for the week (usually in 2 days because I work non-stop at the beginning of the week) I have 5 days to play around...we will see...it would suck to cast bullets, outside in the winter.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

I got into casting for the heck of it. When I was shooting a lot of CAS I knew there was no way I could ever cast enough bullets to keep up with my shooting, but I thought it would be fun anyway.

 

Now I buy guns in calibers I don't own simply to experiment with new bullets and loads!

Casting is a hoot. BUT, if you shoot quite a bit you're not going to be able to keep up unless you buy a big commercial or semi-commercial machine like the products made by Magna.

[Texas Man]

I started casting my own in 1955 for a 45 Colt and never looked back. Now all these years larer I have no regrets at all. I found I needed to be in the mood and have time because once I get started I cast for hours as the moulds are heated up and have almost 100% keepers.

I still find 45 and 44 bullets I cast during the 1950s that still have the lube intact as the day I cast them. The best lube by far was called Perfect Lube made by Cooper. I can pust 45 and 44 out at around 1600 f.p.s. with no leading problem at all. The other good thing about that lube was it could take any tempertare in storage and be good for years.

 

I use mostly wheelweights and have always had good luck with them and find my bullets are just as accurate as jacked ones. I shoot mostly larger calibers and that includes a number of Sharps. I had Steve Brooks make me serveral moulds for the Sharps up to 785 grains. I have also shot 45 cast in My Thompson Sub Machine guns and had no problem other than cleaning the cutts compsator later.

 

As for the cost, I started when I was young and had very little money and over the years I added to my casting equitment as time when by. I pick up my lead from tire shops or a large salvage yard with cost depending on market value. I never start a casting run with out several hundred pounds of lead and have used as much as 2000 pounds a time or two. {When I had help] I use a fan to blow the fumes away from my face and as I said once I get the moulds right I cast for hours. Personaly I prefere the steel moulds but after a while they do get heavy.

 

As said above,,,,,,,,,I enjoy casting my own be cause that to me is a part of my hobby and shooting and also there is a part of personal sadisfaction as well from making your own. A lady friend on mine sometimes helps check the bullets as they come out of the mould and with her sharp eyes she spots things I would miss. {Of course she expects me to take her to the mall or give her shopping money later] Hell, She will sit for hours shooting her 38 or 44-40 model 66 shooting up her share as well.

 

My equitment cost has been pair for many times and the experence has been pricless as well. Sure it takes time but think of sitting on a couch watching tv or a million other things one does.

 

Your Pard, Texas Man

[Mule Town Jack Sass #20083]

My crew shoots 500 rounds on a weekend. We have four shooters. I have to cast bullets or go broke.

Get a Lee six cavity mold in 200 grain. You don't need the tumble lube mold to tumble lube. Get a bottom pour pot some liquid Alox and you're in business. For action shooting, there is no need to size. The mold will throw bullets that are plenty accurate for our game. I do get mold release from Midway as it's easier than smoking the mold.

With the six cavity mold, I can cast about 500 rounds an hour after things are warmed up. After they cool, I put them in a bowl with a little liquid alox and twirl them around, pour onto waxed paper and let dry overnight. I dust them with powdered mica before I use them to remove any stickiness. I've cast thousands of bullets and am still on my first bottle of mica.

Lee sends pretty good instructions with their molds.

Check with the tire shops for wheel weights. I use them as is. The worst job is cleaning them. Also, gun clubs in heavily used areas often sell used shot. This stuff is easy to melt down and makes great bullets.

The initial cost isn't really too bad and recovery if those costs is pretty fast if you shoot a lot.

MTJ

[Utah Bob #35998]

Some fellas really ike it. It's not for me. I'm too clumsy to mess around with molten lead. I don't need to elevate the lead level in my blood. I think it would be interesting for about an hour, tops. I have plenty of things to occupy my time. I might save a little money but I don't think it would be worth it for me.

[Wagon Box Willy]

It depemds on what your casting. I can make 280 Lyman 535 grain Lyman bullets from 20lbs of lead. So that’s about $40 in materials (lead and
lube) or $0.14 per bullet vs $0.61 purchased from Montana Bullet Works. By my calculations I will more than recover my initial investment after I make 40lbs of bullets
(560). Adding another investment of about $130 for the Big Lube mold for my 45 colt it took about 60lbs (2100 bullets) to break even on the mold and handle. That's pan lubing. I bought a Star Luber so I expect to pay that off after another season or two.

 

Panned lubed

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Things that make it worthwhile to cast:

* you want or need to shoot an odd bullet that local casters don't, or need a strange bullet diameter to get the accuracy or keep leading in barrel to minimum

* you shoot black powder so you need soft lead and BP lube

* you can get scrap lead from some source locally at a sub $1.00 a pound price

* you can find enough time to cast the quantity you want to make

 

Setup costs for equipment can be from a couple hundred bucks (to pour maybe 50 per hour finished and lubed) to over a thousand for high production rates (more than 500 per hour finished)

 

It's not hard, it's not harder than reloading properly. It does require a good workspace where you can control lead contamination - casting in your kitchen or spare bedroom would be really bad juju, for example. I cast all the bullets that the two of us shoot, over 3000 rounds a month year round. And my equipment lets me complete bullets at about 200 an hour (so that's a couple of full days per month!). I try to avoid casting in the winter, but some afternoons are doable. And in the summer, many evenings work out best.

 

Good luck, GJ

[charlietwogunz]

We will probly all be casting bullets sooner rather than later.

[Come On Christmas]

I am too smart and inhaling the dust and handling lead makes me more agreeable.

 

Prolly pisses off liberals. A customer at a garage sale saw a lead bullet on the driveway and said, "What is this?" I says matter of factly, "Oh that, I make my own bullets." The look of bewilderment and surprise was priceless.

 

It satisfies my redneck genes.

 

Like playing harmonica, banjo, guitar, and lap steel proficiently I can do something others jest can't.

 

If ya buy six cavity Lee Molds you can wack out 500 in a hurry.

 

Uh, availability of finished cartridges.

 

Cost of buying premade bullets.

 

Meet "Goober" workers at tire stores for wheel weight lead especially in cities as I travel. For instance everytime I go to shoot with the Oakwood Outlaws I stop off at a tire store in Corsicana. Scrounging without being a street person.

 

Finding plumbers lead for percussion peestol ordnance.

 

Casting with a bud.

 

Casting for a bud.

 

Recycling

 

Its mindless fun and ya don't have to do it that often.

 

Sheesh, If I had to buy store bought ammo I couldna do this.