My 10# melting pot came in today. My bullet mold shipped yesterday. Now I just need some magnum primers and a couple nice days to work out in the garage.
Scored some lead ingots
- Thread starter BubbaDX
- Start date
I got home today with my armslist goodies to find this waiting for me.
66 lbs. The mail lady probably hates me.
66 lbs. The mail lady probably hates me.
I thought I'd show you my setup for Casting bullets. It's a simple cardboard hood. I have it vented into my furnace CHIMNEY but you could also run it out of a basement window or something like that with a computer fan.
RICHGCOOP
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RICHGCOOP
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Thanks Rich, that is a nice setup. It would make it a lot easier in cold weather if I setup something like that.
Rich, if you're using the furnace fan to exhaust the lead fumes, it's likely that the fumes are getting all over the house. If so, everyone in the house would be getting a dose of a rather nasty poison.RICHGCOOP said:
Having an air duct from the hood to the outside with a high-velocity fan in the duct (a few hundred cubic feet per minute) would be one way to keep the operation inside.
You misunderstood me. I have it connected into the chimney ducting. It has a constant draw going up to the roof.
RICHGCOOP
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RICHGCOOP
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It's supposed to be 60° today. Not real sure but it's close enough. Wish me luck. The lead is melting now.
I'm learning. I have some that are actually useable.
By golly I think I am getting the hang of it!
By golly I think I am getting the hang of it!
Lookin' good. I've seen bullets that look just like those.
One tip - carefully inspect the bottoms of the bullets. If the temperature is off a little bit (and I can't tell you which way), sometimes the sprues aren't cut clean. The resulting ragged and non-concentric hole in the base of the bullet can cause an out-of-balance bullet and that's not good for accuracy.
One tip - carefully inspect the bottoms of the bullets. If the temperature is off a little bit (and I can't tell you which way), sometimes the sprues aren't cut clean. The resulting ragged and non-concentric hole in the base of the bullet can cause an out-of-balance bullet and that's not good for accuracy.
I did notice a difference in the bottoms of the bullets as I went on. I still need to pick up a thermometer so I am just winging it right now. I didn't cast too many this time but I did enough to start to get the hang of it. When I get a thermometer I will cast more, and that will be very soon. I plan to load a couple of these and put them down range. If all goes as planned I will have a load that I can work with and crank out a lot more. I already have 100 of my new cases primed and ready to go. So maybe tomorrow I will have a range report.
Your bullets are looking good. Notice how they have extra big lube groove.
One thing to make sure is the bottom of the bullet has a nice square corner. Rounded bases cause leading of the barrel.
RICHGCOOP
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One thing to make sure is the bottom of the bullet has a nice square corner. Rounded bases cause leading of the barrel.
RICHGCOOP
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Here are my first ever hand loads for the 44 magnum. They still need to be crimped. Aftet that I plan to hit the range.
I first looked at the picture and said to myself not enough crimp. Then I read what you said. LOL
You do need a pretty heavy crimp especially on max loads.
RICHGCOOP
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You do need a pretty heavy crimp especially on max loads.
RICHGCOOP
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Nope, not enough of a crimp. I did shoot 5 rounds before I seen the last round start unseating. The 5 rounds I did put down range shot very nice. Fortunately I am a member at the range and its less than 2 miles from my house, so it only cost me the price of a target. Back to the drawing board, sort of. I know what worked and what I have to fix.
Here's my target. I was shooting about10 to12 yards. The range is a 25 yard range and I pushed the target out about half way.
