Legionnaire
Contributing Member
I am NOT yet ready to start casting. However, I have some travel time coming up and would enjoy reading a good manual or book on casting and powder coating. Do y'all have any "go to" sources you would recommend?
Good resource on casting and powder coating?
- Thread starter Legionnaire
- Start date
- Status
GeoDudeFlorida
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2020
- Messages
- 11,079
Almost anything written or referenced by Glen Fryxell. Start here: http://www.lasc.us/articlesfryxell.htm
AJC1
Member
I used the above book and the Lyman casting manual. Add in some fortunecookie45lc videos and your ready to get started.
Would like to add that while the above references are excellent sources of info on casting (Glen Fryxell's "book" in particular was extremely thorough) they don't have any info about your second question; powder coating.
I recommend this website:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?184-Coatings-and-Alternatives
Helpul in the powder coating plus a lot more on casting and equipment.
I recommend this website:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?184-Coatings-and-Alternatives
Helpul in the powder coating plus a lot more on casting and equipment.
OP
OP
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Thanks. Just downloaded the Fryxell text to my Kindle.
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,361
For my money, the Lyman handbook is the closest thing to a "complete work" on the topic we have.
Fryxell is probably the best online resource.
Veral Smith of "Lead Bullet Technology" puts out a book called "Jacketed Performance with Cast Bullets" which is pretty rough but is otherwise a gold mine.
None of it has anything to do with powder coating, though, and I have no recommendations on that count.
Fryxell is probably the best online resource.
Veral Smith of "Lead Bullet Technology" puts out a book called "Jacketed Performance with Cast Bullets" which is pretty rough but is otherwise a gold mine.
None of it has anything to do with powder coating, though, and I have no recommendations on that count.
AJC1
Member
That's why I recommend the videos. Loads of bacon is another coater. I keep hoping a manual will have new articles but not yet.
The Lyman cast Bullet Handbook is a good reference. I would pick one up. THEN, before spending any money on casting equipment I would look for a source of lead for casting. You'll be surprised how fast you'll use up lead. Example: 100 45cal 200 grain SWC bullets will use almost 3lbs of casting lead.
AJC1
Member
Curious what your plan for casting is. There is a ton of value in casting. If your replacing 42 cent 6.5 bullets with 7 cent cast ones there's a lot of savings to stack up. A 2400 load and cast bullet shoots really nice in my 6.5x55.
armoredman
Member
Second on castboolits. GREAT resource, been there for years.
The Lyman book is very good and helped me as a novice caster.
The Lyman book is very good and helped me as a novice caster.
kalielkslayer
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2021
- Messages
- 930
Look on the reloading components for sale page. I think his name is Highlofts. He’s mailed me 120 lbs in the last month.
$1.25 per lbs plus $16 dollars for a flat rate shipping box, up to 70 lbs.
He sent the first order before he received payment!
I’ll continue to do business with him!
OP
OP
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
@AJC1 and @jmorris, playing mostly. I'm a couple years away from retirement and won't have the space or the time to start casting before then. I shoot a lot of cast bullets in my revolvers, but thus far I have purchased them. Looks like an interesting way to expand the hobby, and I'd like to read up on it in the interim. Might even start building a list of stuff I'll need and keep a wary eye open for opportunities to start acquiring. But at this point, I'm just doing my homework.
AJC1
Member
Having lead is the beginning and end of the game. Start collecting and making ingots. That's the dirty but nessary part of the job. They store much easier, and if you decide it's not your thing they are easily sold or traded.
OP
OP
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
I hear you, but retiring will also entail an interstate move. I've begun the process of downsizing my modest collection. I just hate the idea of moving lead ingots in addition to my stockpile of factory bullets, of which I already have more than I'll shoot before then.
AJC1
Member
That is the huge downside. If your moving near family stash it in their place when you visit...
FROGO207
Member
FYI powder coating is realitivly new compared to casting in general. So most of this topic will be on line info. Beware once you go down this rabbit hole it can be a hobby on it's own. The price of lead and it being villanized in our current society has dried up inexpensive sources. Being a recently retired plumber I had access to lots of old lead and a friend has a garage that he has run for 40+ years, so lots of wheel weight lead from him. I am set for life. These days it is hard to find any in the wild unfortunately. There is a definite savings using lead bullets as well as potentially being more accurate as I have found with my 38 SPL wadcutter loads. Much better than plated and LOTS more inexpensive.
tightgroup tiger
Member
http://www.lasc.us/ArticleIndex.htm
There is a lot here to read and learn from. Sort of a general depository from different sites.
There is a lot here to read and learn from. Sort of a general depository from different sites.
Bazoo
Member
Here’s an intro into pc https://www.mp-molds.com/tipstricks/powder-coating-lead-bullets-dry-tumble-dt-method/
Bazoo
Member
I’m a member over on castboolits. There is some nice folks there. And some not so nice folks. Stick to the guns and reloading posts is generally what I do.
jmorris
Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 24,201
It doesn’t take a lot of space I keep my casting machine and sizer and table top convection oven on a little roll around cart. Coating is a pretty new concept and current methods do simplify the process over early ones. Forums are a better place to get information on the subject than any books I know of. The old “abc’s book is still worth reading and I also read magma engineering’s book.
You will learn more in a couple hours casting than a couple days of reading. You will also have specific questions than can be directly answered. There are a number of us here that cast and as above castboolits is saturated with casters that can answer pretty much any question that comes up.
I haven’t really used many of my stockpiled lead ingots over the last decade or so and I don’t buy lead. If you shoot with a club, you know everyone picks up brass to reuse but few cast and at the berm, after a rain, free lead is right on top for the picking.
If your shooting at your own range you can simplify the recovery/recycle process with a bullet trap.
You will learn more in a couple hours casting than a couple days of reading. You will also have specific questions than can be directly answered. There are a number of us here that cast and as above castboolits is saturated with casters that can answer pretty much any question that comes up.
I haven’t really used many of my stockpiled lead ingots over the last decade or so and I don’t buy lead. If you shoot with a club, you know everyone picks up brass to reuse but few cast and at the berm, after a rain, free lead is right on top for the picking.
If your shooting at your own range you can simplify the recovery/recycle process with a bullet trap.
Last edited:
Blue68f100
Member
I need to add that to my to-do list. I'm assuming AR500 steel for the catcher.
I'd have to build a crane in order to move it once welded up.
jmorris
Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 24,201
That one isn’t mine but the shallow angles don’t require the same material/thickness as a perpendicular impact.
I like this idea even better, slowing the bullet until it drops out from gravity.
I have built bullet traps out of Cortin steel “drop” from bridge construction. This is the back of the one here at the house.
Have to pick the lead out of the dirt though.
This is a little version I made of Miculek’s I took the photo of in the other post.
I guess I didn’t take any photos of it finished, it has a tounge with a 2” hitch, fold up Jack and wheels so I can move it around with the 4 wheeler or mule. Both sides of the pipe flip up to shove the lead out from one side and into a bucket on the other.
I like this idea even better, slowing the bullet until it drops out from gravity.
I have built bullet traps out of Cortin steel “drop” from bridge construction. This is the back of the one here at the house.
Have to pick the lead out of the dirt though.
This is a little version I made of Miculek’s I took the photo of in the other post.
I guess I didn’t take any photos of it finished, it has a tounge with a 2” hitch, fold up Jack and wheels so I can move it around with the 4 wheeler or mule. Both sides of the pipe flip up to shove the lead out from one side and into a bucket on the other.
- Status
Similar threads
