Getting started

well i got my heat source put togather and got me a stainless melting pot . Going to be pouring some ignots as soon as i get a mold for them . Got to find a few more things before i get started. Then dart can start casting us some bullets.

For your ingot mould, come down to pulaski at magic mart. Get you the corn cob cast iron cornbread makers. That is what I use for my lead ingots. 4 of them fits nicely in that pot that dart has...

I was hoping to do some smelting this week. Was gonna invite ya's down but I aint a doin it in the rain!!!!

+1 on the cornbread stick mold fellas. I use one for lead and aluminum.

Nice Hughie. Its so much fun melting metal! Can you post any pics of your set up?

a cupcake pan works too

that's great man....you are on your way.

Ill try to put pics up soon .

Reload3006 wrote:a cupcake pan works too

yea thats what i got to but im worried they aint gonna fit in the pot!
well good news i got my molds yesterday i got 2 45 cal mold round nose and truncated cone and i got 358 swc for hughies 38 spl and i got some 401 truncated for the 40 s&w

ok guys I just put in a order for some stuff to try this casting out. this is a list of what I got to start off with.
1. 45cal(452dia) 230gr TC Double Cavity Mold
2. LEE PRODUCTION POT IV
3. Lee Lube & Size Kit .... I got the (.451dia) I hope thats the right one.
4. LEE LEAD LADLE
5. Lee Liquid Alox (4oz)
Now I got to go find some lead. If any of you see that im gonna need something diffrent than what im getting here please I can use all the help givin. Im just starting out with this.

Heml0ck wrote:
3. Lee Lube & Size Kit .... I got the (.451dia) I hope thats the right one.

not entirely sure about your sizing choice. I assume you are casting for a .45auto? they usually are .452 so you will want to be over that about .453 Really you should slug your barrel and size accordingly.
your slugs should ideally be .001 over your bore.

Reload3006 wrote:

Heml0ck wrote:
3. Lee Lube & Size Kit .... I got the (.451dia) I hope thats the right one.

not entirely sure about your sizing choice. I assume you are casting for a .45auto? they usually are .452 so you will want to be over that about .453 Really you should slug your barrel and size accordingly.
your slugs should ideally be .001 over your bore.

Yep messed that up I dont know why I went .001 under. I messed that up.... I guess its because I reload Hornady .45acp 230gn XTP and its .451 and thats what was on my mind when I got that. do you think it will work or did I just waste $14.95

i would try it if you get excessive leading then you wasted 15 bucks
i would dang sure use it first though

if your Lee mold is for a tumble lube type bullet...not one with the lube groove....you won't even need the sizer. If not, you may want to get a .452" sizer.

sounds like you got it covered, cept for the sizer... but as was said u might be able to just cast and shoot.....good luck and....post some pics when u can... we likey pics

I have a question and it might sound stupid to alot of yall but im new at this and I just want to know. What is the .451 size die for if not for .45acp and what problems would you run into if you use it. Would it be dangerous or would it cause more barrel wear or what. Im sorry for having to ask newbie stuff but.... its one of them times when im a dang newbie. and I want to thank all of you for your time in trying to help me.

the .451 size die is for 45 acp. there are manufacturing tolerances that manufacturers use and the barrel still be acceptable. using jacketed bullets it presents no problem as long as there is enough meat for the rifling to contact and get a good grip. that would be the case in an over sized bore. I am not entirely sure what the tolerances is but usually +/- .002 is a fairly good rule of thumb for production guns. and again with jacketed ammo that is no problem the small barrel will squeeze down the bullet and if it is over sized it will still grip the bullet ans spin + stabilize it.

SO that covers jacketed bullets. The problem with lead bullets is that if they arent a very tight fit to the bore of your gun they will allow gas to escape past the sides of the bullet and cause gas cutting or rather melt the lead which will be deposited in the bore of your gun causing all kinds of problems. the most severe being a bore obstruction the least severe piss poor accuracy. So the Cast Bullet should be approximately .001 inch larger than the bore size of your gun. you find that out by slugging your bore.

Thanks reload3006 that clears it up alot for me and I understand alot better. Ill just let the .451 sit on the shelf cost more to send it back than its worth and ill just order the right one.

Heml0ck wrote:Thanks reload3006 that clears it up alot for me and I understand alot better. Ill just let the .451 sit on the shelf cost more to send it back than its worth and ill just order the right one.

If you got it at midwayusa, they have a no question ask return policy, return it to them, right down the .452 sizer kit and they will send the new one right out to ya. Now, I am not sure if this is the case, however, they have credited my shipping cost to them onto my account. That was also on an item that was messed up, I am not sure if they do the same for ordering the wrong item...

hawcer wrote:if your Lee mold is for a tumble lube type bullet...not one with the lube groove....you won't even need the sizer. If not, you may want to get a .452" sizer.

yea thats molds i got they say no sizing required that why i got them!

Here is just my 2 cents, from the tumble lube mould I had, I still ran them through a sizer as the base wasn't perfectly round coming out of the mould. I used the push through sizer to true up and make a more consistant bullet...

I may have gotten a bad mould at the time?

I got the stuff from Wideners..... 90290 45cal(452dia) 230gr TC Double Cavity Mold Thats the part number and everything I think ill have to size it.

They have a restocking fee and I dont want to pay all that its only 15 dollars ill just get the right one LOL 15 dollar lession I have paid alot more than that for a good lession

If you have not ordered it yet, try here.....

http://www.fmreloading.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=FMR&Product_Code=90055&Category_Code=Lube%26Sizing+Equipment

They sell their lee sizer kits for 12.50..... I am loving F&M reloading hehhe

just a word of caution before you order another have you slugged your barrel? do you know what your bore size is?

Reload3006 wrote:just a word of caution before you order another have you slugged your barrel? do you know what your bore size is?

No I have not..... Any tips on best way to do that I want to make sure i get the right thing next time and the f&m place has alot better prices im likeing that too.