Scored some lead ingots

[BubbaDX]

Today I bought 60 lbs of lead from a local seller I met on Craigslist. He was selling it for $1.50 a lb. I got 40 lb of soft lead that I will horde and 20 lb of hard lead that I will use to mold bullets for my 44 magnum. Now to scope out molds and what powder I want to use.

 

[RICHGCOOP]

I like the 240 Keith type SWC made by Lyman. I have a four cavity mold. It really pumps out the bullets.

RICHGCOOP



DROID3 - Tap talk

 

[RICHGCOOP]

Here is a picture of the bullets I'm talking about and I also use javelin For lube beeswax and Alox.

RICHGCOOP



DROID3 - Tap talk

 

[SkipD]

Today I bought 60 lbs of lead from a local seller I met on Craigslist. He was selling it for $1.50 a lb. I got 40 lb of soft lead that I will horde and 20 lb of hard lead that I will use to mold bullets for my 44 magnum. Now to scope out molds and what powder I want to use.

You'll need a temperature controlled furnace that has a bottom drop, molds, a sizing/lubricating press and dies for it, sticks of lubricant, and a well-ventilated place to work.

The soft lead can be hardened by adding tin and antimony. I can't give you any ratios, but I'm sure a bit of internet research would come up with the answers. Where to get the tin and antimony? I dunno these days. What I have was given to me by some of my customers many years ago. The internet should help here as well.

I don't know if the currently available wheel weights are the same hard lead compound that they used to be, but I've found that old-style wheel weights with a little bit of added tin made pretty good bullets for .38, .357, .45 ACP, .45 Long Colt, .30-.30, and a few other calibers I've cast bullets for. Fortunately, I've still got about 150 pounds of wheel weight ingots to work with if I ever decide get back into casting bullets.

 

[BubbaDX]

I like the 240 Keith type SWC made by Lyman. I have a four cavity mold. It really pumps out the bullets.

RICHGCOOP



DROID3 - Tap talk

Here is one of he molds I was looking at. It's a Lee 6 cavity 240 grain SWC. https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-6-cavity-tl430-240swc-90357.html

 

[SkipD]

Here is one of he molds I was looking at. It's a Lee 6 cavity 240 grain SWC. https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-6-cavity-tl430-240swc-90357.html

I definitely think you'd be happier overall with something like this Elmer Keith-designed SWC bullet design. It's a very proven design that work extremely well.

 

[BubbaDX]

SkipD, I like that mold. That might be what I buy. What powder are you fellas using with these SWC's? The Lee and Lyman manuals I have do not list a load for these bullets. I need to make a list of my choices and see what's available locally. I have a couple local gun shops with a decent selection. Atleast they used to have a decent selection. Lately it varies based on what they can get.

 

[RICHGCOOP]

That's the same mold I have.
I use blue dot For mid range loads like 44 special 44 special plus.
For full house I use H 110 or 396
RICHGCOOP



DROID3 - Tap talk

 

[BubbaDX]

That's the same mold I have.
I use blue dot For mid range loads like 44 special 44 special plus.
For full house I use H 110 or 396
RICHGCOOP



DROID3 - Tap talk

Rich, do you use the magnum primers with the H110?

 

[RICHGCOOP]

I use the Magnum primers with the Hodgdon H110 and the Winchester 396 powder. Most of my loads I used to blue dot Powder.
If you would like I can personal message you my telephone number and we can talk about the different loads and all about casting and lubersizing and all that.
RICHGCOOP



DROID3 - Tap talk

 

[BubbaDX]

That's a nice offer Rich, I might take you up on that. My casting experience to date is simply round ball and mini ball for black powder. And that is quite a bit different than what I will be doing with this setup. I have an old small casting pot and dipper but I might buy a newer model that is electric. I do not plan to produce stellar amounts of ammo. But I do plan to reload what I shoot. I figure I will purchase a couple more boxes of commercial ammo and save the brass. Should give me all the brass I will need for a while. I also watch Craigslist and if I see once fired 44 brass come up for sale locally I will snag it.

My reloading setup is very simple. I have an old Lee single stage press. It's slow but it works and its reliable. So far my reloading experience is very limited. I've reloaded 30-06 for years, starting with my dad when I was a kid. But never really that many, I don't shoot that much 30-06.

 

[BubbaDX]

Yesterday I ordered Lee 44 dies, a 429 resizing die and a new smelting pot from FS Reloading. Now I need to find a deal on the mold.

 

[RICHGCOOP]

I sent you a PM with my phone number

RICHGCOOP



DROID3 - Tap talk

 

[RICHGCOOP]

Here is some pictures of the dial calipers like I said I'd send you.
I like the digital ones better I'll Harbor Freight run some on sale for about 995 sometimes. The digital ones is easy to go from thousands to millimeter really easy by pushing the button.
They have a thumb screw on the top so you can lock them at any fixed position.
You can check out side diameter you can check inside diameter you can also check length of depth at the back.

RICHGCOOP



DROID3 - Tap talk

 

[BubbaDX]

Thanks Rich, it was great talking to you.

 

[BubbaDX]

Most of my reloading components for the 44 magnum should be here next week. Still need to buy a mold and some primers. I plan to check my local gun shops today and see if I can's score some primers and maybe more pistol powder. 8)

 

[BubbaDX]

Found large pistol primers, but no magnum large pistol primers. Almost there.

 

[BubbaDX]

Here is one of he molds I was looking at. It's a Lee 6 cavity 240 grain SWC. https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-6-cavity-tl430-240swc-90357.html

I definitely think you'd be happier overall with something like this Elmer Keith-designed SWC bullet design. It's a very proven design that work extremely well.

I ordered this 4 cavity Lyman mold today. My new melting pot shipped on Friday, so by this next weekend I should have all the components I need to mold my own 245 grain SWC's.

 

[SkipD]

That sounds great.

I'd like to remind you of a serious safety issue that I addressed briefly above. You want to work in a WELL VENTILATED area that will take all of the lead fumes away without you or anyone else in the area being able to breathe in the fumes. Unfortunately for me, this means no casting of bullets in the winter because I do that in the garage with the door open and a fan blowing across me, then across the pot and pouring area, and then outside. When it's sub-zero outside, that makes for a really short casting session. :

 

[BubbaDX]

That sounds great.

I'd like to remind you of a serious safety issue that I addressed briefly above. You want to work in a WELL VENTILATED area that will take all of the lead fumes away without you or anyone else in the area being able to breathe in the fumes. Unfortunately for me, this means no casting of bullets in the winter because I do that in the garage with the door open and a fan blowing across me, then across the pot and pouring area, and then outside. When it's sub-zero outside, that makes for a really short casting session. :

I am in the same boat. I wont be able to try out my new casting equipment until it warms up a little. Maybe not dead of summer, but warm enough that I don't have to dress like a polar bear just to be in the garage.