Trying to assemble a bullet casting setup

[ghh3rd]

Now that I have actually ordered everything that I need to begin reloading, I'm already dwelling on bullet casting.

The " Lyman Mini-Mag Furnace Master Casting Kit 110 Volt" seems like a good deal at about $155. It includes:

• Mini Mag furnace, 110 volt AC
• 4500 sizer/lubricator
• Casting dipper
• Ingot mold
• Bullet lube
• Lyman cast bullet handbook

Does this sound OK for a beginner? For .38 and .40 pistol rounds, is it necessary to size them? How quickly does the sizing/lubricating process go?

How critical is a thermometer -- would using thermostat settings be adequate to repeat pouring temperatures. Decent thermometers seem to run about $50 - possible to start off without and add later?

This furnace does not have bottom pour capabilities - is that important? The description says I need a top punch and sizing die.

I was thinking of ordering the following mold for my .38 Special:

• Lee 6-Cavity Bullet Mold 358-105-SWC 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 38 Colt New Police (358 Diameter) 105 Grain Semi-Wadcutter

Funny thing is that I can't find any sizing dies listed on Midway, and don't have any idea of what die I would need for this. Same thing for top punches on Midway - I don't see any top punches for Lee molds. Can someone point me in the right direction on the punch and die?

So far I'm just brainstorming, but once I get a better understanding and think that I have a list of exactly what I need, I'm sure I'll wind up ordering everything sooner than later.

Thanks,

Randy

 

[grsjax]

I load most cast bullets as cast. The thermometer is very useful for keeping the melt temp in the correct range. I use the Lee Pro 20 melter and find it completely adequate and cheaper than the others. Melter, mold and thermometer will do the trick.

 

[USSR]

Randy,

Considering that the Lyman 4500 lube sizer alone sells for about $120, that's a good price. But, a bottom pour lead pot like the Lee for less than $60 is the way to go, and eliminates the need for the dipper/ladle. Personally, I would buy the items separately, pay a little more, and get exactly what you need. I don't use a thermometer, and have never felt the need for one. For a sizing die, get a .358 die, and for the top punch, get whatever top punch is recommended for a Lyman SWC cast bullet.

Don

 

[spur0701]

I'm with gsrjak. You can get the Lee 20 lb bottom pour pot for about $60, I would add a thermometer. I use most pistol calibers as cast, if I do any sizing I use the Lee sizers (about $8 or so each I believe) but that is seldom and usually with rifle boolits.....just depends on how your boolits drop with the alloy you're using. Since almost all the molds I use are Lee's i do tumble lubing using Johnson Past Wax (JPW), but even if the boolit is not a tumble lube design I just tumble lube it with JPW anyway, haven't had any problems with leading.......some people that have lubriizers aren't even using them and are tumble lubing. The Lee six cavaity molds can really turn out a lot of boolits and are a good buy at less than $40, I usually use two at a time (the same mold or different), if I'm only casting with one mold I usually over heat it. You should spend some time over at castboolits.com, they're the experts....for example, all my Lee six cavity molds have been modified per some postings I've read over there....installed sprun plate bolt set screw and some other simple mods that make life easier.

 

[sqlbullet]

I am new to casting as well. My set-up consists of a lee production IV pot that has a bottom pour spout, a few lee molds (I shoot 10mm, so a two and six cavity) and a lee sizer. I buy bees wax at the local craft store and use it as flux. I grabbed a kitchen spoon to get the crud off the top. My investment including those two molds is about $110 I think. I could have gotten the pot and the first mold cheaper if I had shopped.

I have skipped the thermometer for now, although I did already have a laser aimed infra-red one I use to get surface temps on the lead. My lead source comes in rather big chunks (30lb blocks) that I melt down in an old dutch oven on a coleman stove, then cast into mini-muffin ingots.

Were I buying again, I would get the 20lb lee furnace, but otherwise I am very pleased with what I have.

 

[ls0n3]

I havent even tried casting yet, but I started to get some of the gear for it.

Im just wondering if the bullets will solidify and such fast enough for me to make it worthwhile to get the 6 cavity vs just the 2 cavity.

Or would the 2 cavity end up being decent enough.

 

[Dean Williams]

I've been casting for many years, and I've never found a thermometer to be necessary. Still, if you want to spend the money, get one.

You don't need ingot molds. Use muffin tins or corn bread pans. Just don't use them for food after that.

The Lee production pot I have is about 20 years old and still works great after tens of thousands of bullets. It's a bottom pour and it's less than half the price of the Lyman. If you like the looks of the Lyman better than the Lee, get it and make yourself happy. If you get a bottom pour pot you don't need a dipper.

I would not buy a lubrasizer if I were just starting out. It's a lot of money (in sizing dies and punches) that isn't necessary for most handgun bullets. If you want to size your bullets, try the Lee sizer first. If you buy molds for tumble lube, you won't need to size at all for most of your needs. These are the molds that have "TL" in the description. I think a bullet weight of 148 or 158 will be more suitable for what you are shooting, and for any guns you have with fixed sights they will shoot closer to point of aim than the lighter bullet.

A two cavity mold will probably be easier for learning casting. With six cavities, you kind of need to get a rhythm going to fill all the holes fast enough before the first hole sprue gets too hard. Two holers heat up faster and you won't feel frantic about getting them filled. You can make a lot of bullets in an hour or two with a two hole mold.

Lyman doesn't make top punches specifically for Lee molds.

Whatever you decide on, definitely get the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. A lot of info there, besides all the load tables.

 

[Bboomer]

As mentioned above, myself I would buy a piece at at time. That way you have choice over what equipment you get.

Used lubersizers can be found rather easy as well as Top punches and dies.

I'm not sure of the weight capacity of the furnace that you meniton in that kit, but I would suggest it be NO less the a 20 pound pot.

Ladle or bottom pourer, I have no issues with either. Most likely you'll end up with both sooner or later. One for pouring and one for smelting.

Ingot mold, I use a cast iron muffin tray found at a flea mrkt.

Lube is cheap and can be gotten any where. I like the home brew type however.

Manuals are a must. And can be found in good 'used' condition.

Just a few suggestions, buy the best that you can afford. Theres always gonna be something else that you need.

• before you go buying molds you need to find out your bore size
• The fastest lubersizer is a Star machine, one down stroke per bullet, you only handle the bullet one time, Twice for the other sizers
• Ideally you want a constant temp of about 650 degs
• Top Punches & Stuff

Hope this helps


Good Luck

 

[1911swacp]

You might want to check out Cast Boolits. They have a wealth of info there on casting. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php

Adam

 

[NuJudge]

6-cavity molds suck a lot of Lead

The Lee 20 pound furnaces are probably about 18 pounds in actual capacity, but all that is usable. The outlet on the bottom pour versions tend to drip a little, but that has never bothered me. When casting 200 grain bullets in a 6-cavity mold, I typically need two furnaces to keep up, one for casting, one for melting. I've never used a thermometer, but then I cast very hot and very fast: the mold tells me my metal is cold by non-frosted bullets.

Aluminum molds have their problems, but I find them worth it. While using them, you need to lube them. Lee says to use bullet lubricant, but there is a better material available on the Cast Boolit board: Bullplate. Use very small amounts. Without lube, both the hinge bolt and between the sprue plate and the blocks, you will have a form of adhesive wear called galling.

Aluminum blocks sometimes work great as-is, sometimes they benefit from some carbon or graphite on the working surfaces. There are sprays, some people use a match, and there are other things used.

Molds sometimes cast too large. This may be due to a small droplet of Lead between the blocks, some alloying elements cause bigger bullets, and other sources. I run all my bullets through a sizer. With lubricator/sizer presses, I frequently use a die that is just larger than the bullet is supposed to be.

As to lubes, the Lee Liquid Alox is a little messy, but fast and effective, and low capital investment. I typically use a Lyman or Star lubricator/sizer with NRA Formula (50% Beeswax/50% Alox 2138F, referred to as 50/50 frequently), which is a little smokey but always effective, and this is of modest cost. The Star lubricator sizers are lightning fast, but rather expensive. There's a guy on the Cast Boolit board named Lars who sells 50/50 and other lubes cheaper than you can get them anywhere else.

Don't size your bullets necessarily to what is recommended. For a .38/.357 revolver, have someone measure your cylinder throats and your barrel groove diameter. Hopefully you cylinder throat is just a little larger than your barrel groove diameter. If your bullet is smaller than your barrel groove diameter you will get lots of Leading. If your groove diameter is much larger than your cylinder throat, accuracy with cast bullets is not likely. Don't load so large a bullet that your cartridge will not fit in your cylinder.

 

[bullseye308]

For a small initial investment, I use a Lee 4# pot and 2 cav molds. Got the Lee ladle and Lee ingot mold and good to go. It takes longer, but I can cast steadily and drop 1000 bullets in a few hours. I size everything with Lee sizers and tumble lube it all.

Keep a stack on ingots nearby and when the pot gets about 1" low slide in another ingot and at the right temp it will melt in about 20 seconds. I don't miss a beat like that and as long as there is enough ingots handy it goes quick. Tumble lubing is a bit messy, but that is why they invented latex gloves. Simple cleanup.

 

[swiftak]

are wheel weight acceptable for the lead?

 

[GP100man]

the only thing i purchased to start with was a ladle & lee 2 holer mould, i did`nt know if i`d like castin boolits!!!!

i now have as much castin stuff as reloading !!

you don`t have to spend alot of $ to get started:
safety glasses& gloves
heat source
stell pot , no aluminum
clean alloy, melted & poured into ingots then pot cleaned before castin.
ladle , i prefer lymans
moulds , i started with lee`s 358 140gr swc.& have bought many since & recently started a lyman steel collection.

to make the lees last i now use bullplate lube( availible from the bullshop) but i use to cast a few then lay a boolit in the mold after coolin & lightly spray with graphite ,then open the vent lines& leave this coating to lube the aluminum blocks at hi heat, it`ll last a long time & greatly increase the life of lee moulds.

for fluxing i use parriffin candles or wax , it smokes alot & if the melt is hot enuff it`ll ignite on it`s own .

& i invite all who wishes to visithttp://castboolits.gunloads.com/ great bunch over there!!!!!
wanted to add: never add cold stuff to the pot unless you dry it first by heating to 300f

WW are a very good source , i cut mine 1/2 with stickons

GP100man

 

[dagger dog]

ghh3rd,

I started castng last year and bought the Lyman Maser casting kit with the MiniMag furnace and 4500 lubsizer. Do yourself a favor ad go for the Lee bottom pour if you by the stuff seperate. The dipper type furnaces are the pits you have to flux and stir a lot plus removing the dross, this is if you are going to cast wheelweights and salvage lead.
With a bottom pour all the dross and impurities stay on the top .

When you get your new furnace don't smelt in it use an alternate smelting source and keep your furnace just for casting.

I'm also going to go for the Lee sizer, and use it for my handgun bullets and save my 4500 for higher velocity rifle with gaschecks.

 

[hotwheelz]

I have been casting for about 4-5 years now started out with a lee bottom pour 20lb pot works great it would fluctuate alot on temp. I was allways chasing the thermometer trying to keep a consistant temp. not a huge issue if your making plinking rounds for your pistol but not good for rifle boolits. I just got a rcbs pro-melt for christmas it has a built in therm. and works well but man do you pay for it. My advice is if you get a lee by a thermometer even one of the cheap inferred ones from harbor freight just set it up and watch it and goto http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php and do some reading there is alot of info and help there as well

As far as the luber sizer there is nothing wrong with the 4500 if your going to run a hard lube dont forget to get a heater or make one . Welcome to casting youll have fun.

 

[grsjax]

I haven't had any problems with my Lee pot temperature control. I will say that you have to give it time to stabilize after adding material to the pot.