Cost of starting to cast bullets?
- Thread starter jal5
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easyrider604
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Lee Lead Melting Pot 20 lbs. $85
Lee .357 TL 6 cavity with handle $60
Sizing die/bottle of Lee Liquid Alox $17
If you do not have a single stage press
for resizing, add cost of Lee Classic Cast. $90
You can always try Ebay and probably cut your cost by half.
Lee .357 TL 6 cavity with handle $60
Sizing die/bottle of Lee Liquid Alox $17
If you do not have a single stage press
for resizing, add cost of Lee Classic Cast. $90
You can always try Ebay and probably cut your cost by half.
I bought that lee pot from midway this week for $58.
I bought a lee 358 SWC mold 6 cavity for $34.49 in December
Handles for said mold were $11.49
Sizing kit ordered Monday for .358 was 15.49
If you don't have a press, I find the lee reloader for $25.99 to be a great press for sizing bullets.
Just chucked it all in my cart today at Midway, total was 164.14 including shipping.
I am not sure what you would do about the shell holder on turret press. The sizing kit comes with a ram that snaps into my single stage press. I have no personal experience with turret presses.
Given the going rates of lead, I would not cast unless: I had a source of cheap lead; Or, I needed a bullet(s) that were not readily available from a commercial source in either shape or composition.
I bought a lee 358 SWC mold 6 cavity for $34.49 in December
Handles for said mold were $11.49
Sizing kit ordered Monday for .358 was 15.49
If you don't have a press, I find the lee reloader for $25.99 to be a great press for sizing bullets.
Just chucked it all in my cart today at Midway, total was 164.14 including shipping.
I am not sure what you would do about the shell holder on turret press. The sizing kit comes with a ram that snaps into my single stage press. I have no personal experience with turret presses.
Given the going rates of lead, I would not cast unless: I had a source of cheap lead; Or, I needed a bullet(s) that were not readily available from a commercial source in either shape or composition.
Dean Williams
Member
jal5, what size bullets do you want to cast, and how many would you like to make in a given time?
If 200 per hour is enough, then a Lee 10 lb bottom pour pot at $45, a two cavity mold at $20, and a bottle of Lee Liquid Alox for $5 will get you going. About $70 plus shiipping.
If you want to do 500-600 per hour, then a Lee 20 lb pot at $70, six cavity mold with handles about $52, Liquid Alox $5. About $127 plus shipping.
The two above examples are contingent upon using Lee Tumble Lube bullet molds, and you do not have to size those. If you want other bullet types you will need to size them, which adds about $15 for each different caliber, if you use the Lee sizer. If you want to use a Lyman type sizer, add about $120 plus $30 for each different caliber.
You also need some kind of reloading press in order to use the Lee bullet sizer. Any loading press that uses standard shell holders and can be used as a single stage will work.
If 200 per hour is enough, then a Lee 10 lb bottom pour pot at $45, a two cavity mold at $20, and a bottle of Lee Liquid Alox for $5 will get you going. About $70 plus shiipping.
If you want to do 500-600 per hour, then a Lee 20 lb pot at $70, six cavity mold with handles about $52, Liquid Alox $5. About $127 plus shipping.
The two above examples are contingent upon using Lee Tumble Lube bullet molds, and you do not have to size those. If you want other bullet types you will need to size them, which adds about $15 for each different caliber, if you use the Lee sizer. If you want to use a Lyman type sizer, add about $120 plus $30 for each different caliber.
You also need some kind of reloading press in order to use the Lee bullet sizer. Any loading press that uses standard shell holders and can be used as a single stage will work.
NuJudge
Member
Some things you might want on hand
If you are casting with a 6-cavity Lee 158gr mold, you need a 20-pound capacity furnace. Otherwise, you'll be sucking it dry and have to wait until it melts a new batch. Operate the furnace outdoors on maximum heat, keep it nearly full, have small ingots preheating on top or on a hotplate nearby, and feed them to keep the liquid level up.
With a Lee 20-pound furnace to cast from, and a 10-pounder acting as a melter, using 6-cavity Lee molds I can cast 24 bullets per minute for long stretches of time.
May I suggest you either use hot soapy water and an old toothbrush to clean your cavities before casting, or Brake Cleaner. Also, get graphite mold spray or wood matches to smoke the cavities: the cavities may cast better with it.
There is an adhesive wear mechanism that is common with hot aluminum called galling. There is a sprue plate lube available on the Cast Boolits board called Bullplate Sprue Plate lube which eliminates it. Scribbling all over the top of the blocks and the bottom of the sprue plate with a Carpenter's Pencil will also work, but not as well. The mold hinge needs either Bullplate or bullet lubricant as a lube.
I like to drop bullets from the mold into a 5-gallon bucket of water. With this technique, they don't ding each other the way they do with the traditional box with an old towel in it. If you use a Lead alloy that has both Tin and Antimony in it, water dropping will also give you remarkable hardness.
Don't eat or smoke while casting, as most Lead poisoning comes from ingesting it through the mouth. Do not stand over the furnace, as if you get the Lead really hot it will off-gas: I operate the furnace with the temperature control set high, but the Lead never gets that hot as I am continually feeding it more small ingots.
If you are casting with a 6-cavity Lee 158gr mold, you need a 20-pound capacity furnace. Otherwise, you'll be sucking it dry and have to wait until it melts a new batch. Operate the furnace outdoors on maximum heat, keep it nearly full, have small ingots preheating on top or on a hotplate nearby, and feed them to keep the liquid level up.
With a Lee 20-pound furnace to cast from, and a 10-pounder acting as a melter, using 6-cavity Lee molds I can cast 24 bullets per minute for long stretches of time.
May I suggest you either use hot soapy water and an old toothbrush to clean your cavities before casting, or Brake Cleaner. Also, get graphite mold spray or wood matches to smoke the cavities: the cavities may cast better with it.
There is an adhesive wear mechanism that is common with hot aluminum called galling. There is a sprue plate lube available on the Cast Boolits board called Bullplate Sprue Plate lube which eliminates it. Scribbling all over the top of the blocks and the bottom of the sprue plate with a Carpenter's Pencil will also work, but not as well. The mold hinge needs either Bullplate or bullet lubricant as a lube.
I like to drop bullets from the mold into a 5-gallon bucket of water. With this technique, they don't ding each other the way they do with the traditional box with an old towel in it. If you use a Lead alloy that has both Tin and Antimony in it, water dropping will also give you remarkable hardness.
Don't eat or smoke while casting, as most Lead poisoning comes from ingesting it through the mouth. Do not stand over the furnace, as if you get the Lead really hot it will off-gas: I operate the furnace with the temperature control set high, but the Lead never gets that hot as I am continually feeding it more small ingots.
thanks for the advice.
I have a couple of auto repair shops owned by friends so I will look into availability of WW before I decide but at least I know what the ballpark expense will be now.
I 'd be making them for 357 mag and 38 spl so 158gr would do it and 200/hr would be fine with me.
I already use a single stage Lyman press so that isn't a problem.
I have a couple of auto repair shops owned by friends so I will look into availability of WW before I decide but at least I know what the ballpark expense will be now.
I 'd be making them for 357 mag and 38 spl so 158gr would do it and 200/hr would be fine with me.
I already use a single stage Lyman press so that isn't a problem.
bullseye308
Member
Wow, I guess I need to buy more toys. I use a Lee 4# pot and 2 2cav molds at a time. If time slips by I have 1k in a few hours without too much effort. I started cheap, 4# pot for 30.00, 2 cav molds 20.00/each, 4.00 Lee ladle, and a Lee ingot mold for 15.00. I have a 25.00 Lee Reloader press to size in and sizers for 20.00/each. Brake cleaner works well to degrease the molds. Make sure they are dry before you start. Get no water in/near the lead while molten, you will have a really bad day and some neat scars. Do not add anything wet to the pot, see above^. Safety glasses are a must and a thermometer would be nice, but is not necessary. Some kind of fluxing material is needed too. I use beeswax cause I have some.
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