Cast Bullet Equipment 101 - ?

[JohndeFresno]

Hi, casters.

When I first started reloading, I read, read, read; then, I bought the RCBS Starter Kit. Then, I ended up buying tons more stuff, such as case trimmers and things that nobody mentioned. Then there were home remedies that no one mentioned, such as the humble tooth pick to clean up shell holders, among other things! But I spent hundreds more than expected for reloading equipment (although I have no gripes with the results).

I have lots of books on casting, but before I decide to start rolling my own, I want to see the cost vs. my yearly outlay by simply purchasing cast bullets. Since I don't shoot thousands of rounds a month, I may not want to cast. I certainly don't need something like a 30 gallon melter as I have seen in some posts!

For starters, what the heck is a top punch? Does one really need that?
Must I buy a lee lube press, or can I just slop the bullets around in a pot?

Besides some sort of melting pot and a Lyman 311041 mold for my .30-30's, what else comprises a basic but COMPLETE kit for the moderate shooter? Any help is appreciated. The wheel weight sources are sewed up in my town; they sell to a wholesaler, so I'll be purchasing lead as they sell it at a scrap metal supplier.

Does anybody have a complete list of what I need, so that I can determine if I want to make the cash outlay for this enterprise? The books I have seem to either have incomplete equipment info, or it is presented piece meal. If I have an equipment list, I'll be able to figure out what it is for, one way or another!

[Junior1942]

For 30-30 bullets see this: http://www.castbullet.com/reload/meplat.htm

Go with a Ranch Dog TLC311-165-RF mold and a Lee .309" sizer if you shoot a Winchester and a Lee .311" sizer if you shoot a Marlin.

Get a Lee 10 lb bottom pour pot.

All the above is less than $100.

[JohndeFresno]

For 30-30 bullets see this: http://www.castbullet.com/reload/meplat.htm

Go with a Ranch Dog TLC311-165-RF mold and a Lee .309" sizer if you shoot a Winchester and a Lee .311" sizer if you shoot a Marlin.

Get a Lee 10 lb bottom pour pot.

All the above is less than $100.

Dad-gum it, Junior - you are one of my heroes! Thanks for the answers.

I have pored over your site, including "Reloading and Bullet Casting;" and with the above information I have decided to start casting. In fact, I shoot a Marlin 336, so the sizer information is precisely what I needed.

By the way, I love that trick Lyman #311041 load for my Chinese SKS. Do you think the Ranch Dog will do as well for the 7.62 x 39? Are you going to do a follow-up with that round?

[Junior1942]

The group buy "fat 311041" throws a slightly bigger bullet than Ranch Dog's TLC311-165-RF + the fat mold is a 6 holer. I bought the 2 hole Ranch Dog to use for campfire casting this coming hunting season. My old Lee C309-170-F is a 1 hole. Plus, I figured I'd like the big ol' meplat on the Ranch Dog mold. I was right! But who knows--I may order a 6 hole Ranch Dog when he gets some.

Watch the Ranch Dog site as when the wind stops blowing his chrono over he'll post some pressure tested Marlin loads with the TLC311-165-RF. In the meantime, buy one of the molds before he runs out. . . .

[Bret4207]

Welcome to the asylum John- Minimum list- Mould, melting pot, ladle and heat source. That's it. You can hand lube, apply gas checks with a mallet if your mould uses them and sizing.....well, I shot a LOT of unsized, hand lubed boolits before I got a sizer. I think my first "sizer" was a reamed and belled hunk of copper tube for my 32-20 boolits. Nope, come to think on it I used a Lee hand set for that so the copper was for the 45-70 I had. Worked fine for wiping the hand applied lube off the sides of the boolits which were cast on the stove in my "swinging bachelor pad" using a big old spoon I found at the dump for a ladle and an old enamelware pot I found there too. The boolits worked just as well, if not as easily as those from my higher tech stuff.

[Dale53]

John;
I am going to suggest a Lee 20 lb pot. It is not that much more expensive and you will be happier down the road (if you don't, you'll be buying the bigger one later).

A Lee push through sizing die and a supply of Lee tumble lube will get you started. Ranch Dog's mould and sizing die is an EXCELLENT suggestion (he has done most of the work for you - he'll tell you what works).

I also recommend a turkey fryer with a CAST IRON dutch oven for smelting (you don't want to put dirty lead in your electric pot - tends to plug up the spout). You can get a great turkey fryer for $40.00 or so. My smelting pot holds 80 lbs with a working range of 60 lbs. I can do 120 lbs an hour, easily. After smelting, you'll have clean ingots for your electric pot.

Good luck! It is a fascinating trip into the world of casting. You will be independent of bullet suppliers and will end up with a superior product.

Dale53

[Junior1942]

Good luck! It is a fascinating trip into the world of casting. You will be independent of bullet suppliers and will end up with a superior product.

Dale53

I agree 100%. I think I'd shoot that Ranch Dog bullet in my 30-30 even if I got jacketed bullets for free.

[miestro_jerry]

What most everyone has said is really great. With a Lee pot, some WWs, Lee Lube Sizer and some Ranch Dog molds, you will have great bullets to work with.

I have the RDs for 45, 44 and 30 calibers. I am very happy with them.

Jerry

[RP]

Well I think you go and buy your bullets. Because once you start you will have to have this and have to have that and oh that works better than the way iam doing it. And that would be alot faster and that would make a better shooter. Take my word for it you will stop reloading because its not for you or you will have a whole room full of stuff you could not do without.

[donnis]

Good thread John and good replies everyone. This is basically the same question I'm facing. I'd been looking to start reloading for a long time and finally got setup last fall. I'm loving it.

Now I've ended up with about 400 pounds of pure lead muffin tin ingots and now trying to figure out the best way to get started casting.

[MT Gianni]

Great answers. A top punch fits the bullet as it enters the lubrisizer and prevents the tip from deforming. You need them for a Star/Lyman/RCBS sizers. A Lee size kit does not need a top punch.
For me the main savings in casting is for handguns. RIfle shooters save enough to pay for our hobby but pistols pay it off very soon due to the amounts shot. If I just hunted in Montana and only shot Elk, Deer, Antelope and small game, I would shoot jacketed and not worry about the cost. Handguns and targets keep me casting thereby making me a better shot. Gianni

[Bad Water Bill]

An other inexpensive way to start smelting is to use an old Coleman stove and a 3 # coffee can. That is what I started with just a few years ago and still use after many hundred # of WW and Linotype. You can not get much cheaper and the parts are super easy to store.

[swallytrip]

Couple of questions what kind of coleman stove do you use, is the heat good and easy to regulate, how long does it take to melt a can, and how long and what kind of fuel does it run on. I like the Idea of this and I'm looking to set up something small like this in my garage due to space issues.

[carpetman]

You can use any size Coleman stove--one burner, two burner or 3 burner. I use a two burner and use unleaded gasoline. Even with the price of gasoline--it's cheaper than Coleman fuel. Using unleaded gasoline you will probably go through more stove generators---but buying a generator every now and then is still cheaper than buying Coleman fuel. I use a small cast iron pot and the only time I use the Coleman is the initial melt of wheelweights---once in ingots I use a Lee bottom pour---use to do the casting with the Coleman and the small cast iron pot and a laddle----but I would not go back. One big reason for using the Coleman for initial melt is it can be done outside and you will get a lot of smoke----once the wheel weights are melted down and fluxed--you don't get all the smoke.

[Trez Hensley]

This is a very contagious/addictive venture.

If you are not willing to pull several hundred dollar bills out of you pocket. Run don't walk.

But since you are here now, you are most likely doomed. So here is a bit of what to expect.

You will soon find yourself seeking out tire shops to buy dirty filthy lead weights to melt down and you will think it is fun.

You will most likely buy all you can find and move onto collecting tar covered roof flashing, scrounging around scrap yards and looking down in parking lots (be careful by the way as many people drive fast in these lots). You might even find yourself thinking it's a good idea to collect lead pipe from old houses that used them for Waste pipe.....ooooohhhh yuck you say. You may not believe it now but you will begin to think you have found the mother load.......and it might even have the mother load still inside

You will collect more lead than you could ever use and sell some so you have room to collect more or resolve yourself to just choose to live with the cracks in your cement floor.

You will start buying molds for guns you will need to buy so you can use your bullets simply because you found the molds at some sale and they were a good deal.

You will submit your body to lifting more than you should (this lead is heavy you know).

You might choose to spend your time searching for bullets along the berms at the range instead of shooting more.

You will notice an increase in the number of hours you spend at the range shooting. You will wonder if it is to get better at shooting or just to use up your bullets so you can do more of this and you won't be able to really answer that question.

You will find yourself mixing up weird concoctions trying to find that wonder lube.
Trying to sneak into the kitchen when your wife isn't home so you can use the good appliances.

There are many other symptoms but I am to tired now as i have been lifting heavy buckets of lead and it is too late to finish the warning label anyway.

I'm not even sure that they have a caster's anonymous group as I believe no one has actually come out of denial yet to address the issue.

If you have not found yourself trapped yet, you can send me a PM and I can take your starter stuff off your hands so you can get out without too much pain. If you think you will like it your trapped now so send me a PM as I have some lead to sell you. I also have an ad in the swapin and selling section. Either way, I need the room.....

[Ranch Dog]

Oh yeah, it will get bad. You will send your kids out in the middle of a busy highway to retrieve a single, discarded, wheel-weight! Removing WWs from parked cars isn't really stealing, it's recycling... and something your children should learn!

[Morgan Astorbilt]

I've got my trusty WW recycling tool right here. No bullet caster should leave home without one. Get one for each of the kids, and send them out in the parking lot to play

Just kidding
Morgan

[swallytrip]

Well guys thanks for the info I'm here to stay the good news is is I manage a tire and battery center and have enough wheel weights to roll around in the floor like Scrooge Mc Duck just none at home yet and as for kitchen utensils I do the cooking so that don't matter either but would a coleman propane stove work too or would it burn up too much fuel or not get hot enough?

[Alchemist]

An other inexpensive way to start smelting is to use an old Coleman stove and a 3 # coffee can. That is what I started with just a few years ago and still use after many hundred # of WW and Linotype. You can not get much cheaper and the parts are super easy to store.

I tried a coffee can on a Coleman stove years ago...the solder in the seam melted and I had a steady stream of lead running into the stove. Musta used the wrong brand of coffee can.

A cast iron dutch oven from a second hand store is what I use now...not as cheap as a coffee can, but not very expensive and could sure save some hassle cleaning up a mess. YMMV

Alchemist

[Sprue]

I've got my trusty WW recycling tool right here. No bullet caster should leave home without one. Get one for each of the kids, and send them out in the parking lot to play

Just kidding
Morgan

Haa !

I friend of mine called last month telling me about a guy that he works withs Dad, owns a junk yard.

...that he gave us permission to go there and pluck WW's for the taking...

Man, times are gonna get bad, even more so on the lower back. Ouch!

Anyway, I told him that I wasn't interested.