...and when did you start casting?

[chsparkman]

I started casting at the same time I started reloading, 20 years ago in So. Cal. I was 32 at the time. That was when I started shooting more and buying more guns. I had just started my career and could finally afford all the accouterments.

[badboyparamedic]

About 3 months ago. Think I am hooked. Spend all my spare time hunting wheel weights.

[mold maker]

I had forgotten that I helped Dad cast sinkers at about 8. We made the mold out of a book sewing jig by drilling holes in it.
We melted lead in the wood furnace and poured up to 20 at a time.
Just one of the many things Dad found for us to do together.
That was 62 years ago, and a memory almost lost.

[P.K.]

Hmmm, Started? With my Da when I was 8-10 y/o. Mostly watching him cast for the Blackhawk. As for myself about 4 years now, started with REALs for my front stuffer and natural progression took over from there.

[GaryN]

I started in about 1974 casting on the gas stove with a Lee mold for my newly acquired Thompson .50 cal. Hawken. I guess I am cheap. I didn't want to pay for factory round balls. I have always liked to shoot .44 mag. and .357 mag. And I can't remember ever not shooting cast.

[bucklind2]

I actually started this year at age 49 with a lot of help and encouragement from my 25 year old son.

[rhadamanthos12]

I started when I was 27, after buying a 45-70 I realized that I wouldn't be able to shoot it as often as I liked unless I casted. Now im almost to the point where I can cast for everything I own, on top of that it is also a fun hobby.

[dagger dog]

I didn't read through the long list, I was in the 31-40 range.

I would imagine that a lot of casters started with muzzle loaders as I did.

Round balls in .440", for a CVA "Kentucky" longrifle kit @ 1977-78

Then the reloading bug bit about a year later, pounding on a Lee Loader for 357 Magnum, thats when I found out about cast boolits, not casting them myself but buying them, was way cheaper and shot well too.

I hung it up for a while ,work got in the way until about 1989-90 then the monster rose again with a vengance, and this time the lead bug with it. I was on my own reading what I could afford to buy, then the digital revolution made it to my house and opened the rabbit hole.

The years hard work paid off and was able to persue the shooting sports and hunting hobbies which lead to ( pun intended ) casting and this sight.

[Friends call me Pac]

I've been reloading since 1985. I have cast round ball and minnie ball for my muzzle loader but never cast any modern cartride bullets. I have done some lurking, research and picking the brains of folks that i know that do their own casting. Two days ago I made my first .45 lrn for my 45 acp. I got to shoot them today. Sure was sweet. everything went without a hitch. Guess i'm in neck deep now.

[tinsnips]

I started in 1972 when Lyman molds were great and ww were everywhere for free.

[jp99]

Hopefully start casting this spring, I'm 24 and have been intrigued for a couple years just haven't taken the plunge quite yet.

Regards,

JP99

[eck0313]

My first attempt was when I was 19 or so, failed miserably and hung it up for awhile. After asking a lot of questions of a dear, departed friend (RIP Bal) I was casting good bullets about 10 years later.

[Ilwil]

My college job was running the lead pot in the composing room of the Seattle Times. I casted about 200 20lb pigs a day. My Dad was a linotype machinist there, so we used linotype to make lead soldiers at home too. I never forgot the hypnotic effect of the silver stream, so when I learned of bullet casting in the late 80's, it became my favorite hobby, next to shooting.

[saintdel]

I started casting in 1972 at age 23. Started with handgun calibers then soon moved into 30 cal rifle which I enjoy the most to this day.

[Errokk]

Assuming all my gear arrives by this weekend, I'll start then!

[Ozarki]

I started about 1994. Had a friend who cast and he got me started. Learned by reading everything I could find. Didn't hav a computer until 2005 so didn't know what was available in the way of information on it. Blundered into this site and have made all my sticky Lees smooth as glass. Also turned new handles for Lees dripper pots (twice as heavy as originals) and drips all gone. All because of the sharing, and caring of this forum..Thanks to all Wes

[K7addict]

Today! Well, half way there.. Still looking for a mold but I melted down WW & Range Scrap into muffins & mini muffins. No mixing metals just yet, just melted it & scratched an appropriate mark into each ingot. It was fun and I was able to play with the temps a bit to start learning how the flow changed.

[xrae21]

Started casting when my wife started shooting. I can shoot 50-200 rds and call it a day. My wife goes through 500-700 rds everytime we go out. I've always reloaded since I was a kid but casting started a few years ago. On the plus side my wife likes casting/reloading so it all works out. Also she's hot and shoots a 1911.

[Reverend Al]

Bought an old muzzle-loader as a kid and got hooked up with a bunch of local "black powder" crazies that started me casting my own round balls at 18 years old! Now I'm turning 60 this month, recently retired, and will get back to casting and lots of reloading so that the wife (also just retired) and I can get out and shoot LOTS more than we have over the past 14 years that we've been together. I'm going to convert our old single car garage into a reloading and casting workshop, with the casting bench located right up front at the roll up door so there will be lots of fresh air and ventilation. Most of my equipment has been in "hibernation" for years, so it'll be nice to get it set up again and get back to it!

[nouseforaname1246]

I started casting back in 2009, right after I got out of the military. I started because it was a cheaper (Hahaha) way to feed my pistol. Its amazing how much money I've saved! Now I've got half a 3 car garage full of casting/reloading stuff.