# Cast Bullets



## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

Does anyone use them? Especially larger calibers, .308+. Hard/Soft? gascheck?
I gotta start asking questions somewhere.


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## BillHoo (Mar 16, 2005)

I use a muzzleloader. I need to start casting my own bullets.

Also need to stock up on 209 primers. Maybe I can figure out a way to thread an automotive spark plug into the breech instead. Rigged with a portable/rechargeable battery system and I'd never have to buy another 209 again!


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## ovendoctor (Jun 28, 2006)

wat do you wanna know


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

I shoot blackpowder, I have made my own bullets since 1983.

0.450 round ball, and maxis

I shoot the same bullets through two rifles and a pistol.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

I've cast my own .44 bullets... I like em hard cast for extra penetration.


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

Soft bullets splatter more, giving more of their energy to the 'punch'.

A penetrating bullet goes through and still has much of it's energy, less punch.

I like pure lead, the bullets are soft and they splatter nice.

Also soft lead is really hard to get good ballistics from.


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

What I'm looking for are cast bullets for several different rifles I may or may not have or soon acquire. I would like to buy and have available have 200-500 bullets in each caliber. Now I could go to say Sierra Bullets and pay a fortune for some fancy jacketed bullets, or I could purchase cast bullets from some producer for say $100/1000, and roll my own ammunition. That is what I'm looking for. Any recommendations?

I am planning on doing a little target practice, but would also like to use them for deer hunting and killing Zombies if necessary.


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## ovendoctor (Jun 28, 2006)

is the lyman cast bullet handbook

it has everything ya need to know and a lot more :hobbyhors 

covers rifle and handgun bullets and loading data :dance:


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Adron said:


> What I'm looking for are cast bullets for several different rifles I may or may not have or soon acquire. I would like to buy and have available have 200-500 bullets in each caliber. Now I could go to say Sierra Bullets and pay a fortune for some fancy jacketed bullets, or I could purchase cast bullets from some producer for say $100/1000, and roll my own ammunition. That is what I'm looking for. Any recommendations?
> 
> I am planning on doing a little target practice, but would also like to use them for deer hunting and killing Zombies if necessary.


 Cast bullets dont really do well at rifle velocities. They will lead the barrel and accuracy will deteriorate rapidly.

I think you'd be better off to buy some jacketed bullets. You dont have to buy the most expensive to get far better performance than you'll get from casting your own.

Also, what types of guns do you propose using them in? 
Some guns arent compatable with lead bullets at all


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## autopartsmart (Sep 13, 2007)

Material used in the casting of the bullets would be a huge factor in its lead fouling the barrell. 
Higher velocities are not for a soft lead bullet so Load Data would be a factor as well. 
I cast bullets for a 45-120 and 45-70 but would not use a cast bullet for the load I use in a .308 or .223 cast bullets in a .38 but not a .357. A cast wadcutter in a .38 is one of the most accurate bullets you can use in that particular handgun.
I ocsionally cast for a .45 auto but hate having to clean the lead from the barrell so usually shoot jacketed. Berry's bullets has a coated cast bullet not really jacketed but have had great success with them in higher velocity hand guns. I have not used a rifle caliber bullet of their manufacture.
More data as to load and or what the projected velocity would be and the calibers you are looking at might give me more info for a better answer.


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## Michael Kawalek (Jun 21, 2007)

Hi Adron
Casting is a lot of fun and you can take pride in knowing that the ammunition you make is really your own. I make cast bullets for all my handguns, 9mm, 38sp, 357, 44, 45, which is what cast bullets are best suited for. I even load cast bullets in my 357 and 44 mag lever action rifles where the velocity gets to about 1800-1900 fps. I cast with Lymans alloy #2, (90Pb/5Sn/5An) which is basicly 19lbs of wheel weights plus 1lb of lead-free plumbing solder. Lubed with blue angel, I get about 1800fps in the rifles with minimal leading. There is some, but nothing that doesn't clean out with just a few cloth patches. And that's after putting 50 or so rounds down the barrel. I get my lead for free, at the tire shop, every time a go in for a wheel alignment or other service. I also salavge old pewter at the flea market to use for alloy. Pewter is 85-95% tin. With my own cast bullets and range brass I've picked up, it's easy for me to stock 3-4 thousand round of ammo. I do cast bullets for 6.5mm, .30, and 8mm, but don't shoot lead out of high power rifles that much because of velocity limitations and the fact that gas checks add to the cost of production. If you want some good quality jacketed bullets I'd recommend Remington core-lokts. You can get 500 from Midway for about 68$ I'm thinking about getting a 45-70 as my next rifle, because that is the perfect caliber to produce magnum powered ammunition with cast bullets.


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## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

If a person wants to get tricky they can ick up spent 22 casings and use them for a 30 cal semi-jacket by expanding them with a proper tool.....

then if you check your history out you will find how Barnes made his first jackets... he and his first wife Dorthy tied a copper tube to a vise, and the other end to a 1941 Caddy with a slushbox tranny put it in low gear and it would stop the car at just the right size for jacketing their 30 cal projectiles... yes trivia is interesting, and Dorthy lived here in Central Idaho 30 years ago with a cougar for a pet.

if you dont use gas checks with cast bullets you really are losing all around, and they are not as expensive as one thinks when it comes to accuracy and function.....and are wasting energy. bullet lube is important with cast bullets too, so check into a Lyman bullet luber and sizer. Once you set up for it the tools last for a long many years, I prefer the steel moulds over aluminum but have both in several calibres and weights.

I love hand loads as it is the only way to achieve accuracy from any individual firearm as factory loads are just middle of the road designed for those who dont really care about accurately putting one shot thru the last hole [no I am not as particular as the benchrest shooters I know]. Once you start you will get addicted to making the best loads for each firearm you own, push the limits of the tool and load to the point of needing a thrid job to cover the expenses of buying powder, targets, and other components and driving to the range too...... then there is the additional expense of the gifts for the wife who wont understand the importance of getting each firearm as accurate as possible but a box of chocolates go a long way....... or a botle of tequila if she is that inclined.

William


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## Michael Kawalek (Jun 21, 2007)

That's a good story on pulling out tubing to make jackets. I'd like to see if I could do that myself. Yes, mentioning 22 cases is a good idea. That's how Speer and Hornady started out during WWII. I didn't know that you could make anything 30 caliber out of 22's. I myself have Sportflite dies to convert 22 cases to 22 jackets. I also have C-H dies to make 357 bullets. One of the thing s I'm toying with is copper plating my own lead cores, then running them up into the swaging dies. I have a bottle of copper sulfate plating solution made up, I just need the time! I object to the statement that gas checks are so critical, at least for handguns. ALL my handgun bullets are plain-base, and I am very satisfied, even at rifle velocities. I think that gas checks are great, but they're just one more store-bought item that increases costs. I've even gotten to the point of casting my own bullet lube (60% candle wax, 40% vasoline) to be as independent of the store as posible. Casting does not have to be expensive if you don't let it be. I bought my whole casting outfit used, including a Lyman furnase, sizer, and several molds for only 80$ Shop around, you might get lucky!


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## unioncreek (Jun 18, 2002)

I shoot cast bullet with a gas check in my .308 winchester. You don't want to shoot them fast since they'll lead up the barrel, but for hunting out to 100 yards they work great. I use Unique powder which is also my pistol powder so I don't have to stockpile too many different brands.

Bob


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## rickfrosty (Jun 19, 2008)

Adron said:


> Does anyone use them? Especially larger calibers, .308+. Hard/Soft? gascheck?
> I gotta start asking questions somewhere.


LEE sells cheap aluminum molds, then you have to lube the bullets.


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## unioncreek (Jun 18, 2002)

You can get pass through Lee sizing dies for around $20. You can also pan lube your bullets and then run through the sizing die. For rifle bullets that would be the way to go since your not going to be going through large amounts of them. This is the way I do my 9mm, it's slow, but then I don't have a lot invested in it.

Bob


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## megafatcat (Jun 30, 2009)

Cast boolits.com Everything you could ask.


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## freeholdfarms (Aug 10, 2007)

megafatcat said:


> Cast boolits.com Everything you could ask.


Correct! Best info out there
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2
for the forums


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## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

nice to bring an older thread up front again for awhile!

remember that lead "crawls" too, and after a length of time it can cause wobble in your projectile enough to make a fella wonder why his rifle/pistol is not hitting where it is supposed to at distance....... that is why a bullet swage or combination lube swage is handy, I believe in a jacketed form the lead still "crawls" but may do so a lesser rate. As i am still not a bench rest shooter it does not matter to me as much, but it would matter on a 100 yard shot if the bullet slide on me one way and the next one the opposite direction..... cast fresh cast often, send more down range!

William


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

freeholdfarms said:


> Correct! Best info out there
> http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2
> for the forums


 Excellent info site!!I cast for .50muzzleloader and all my handguns and have molds for 9 rifles-As others have said-barrel will lead if velocities are too high-most of my cast rifle bullets I shoot at 1600-1800fps.My fav cast rifle bullet is a Lee 450gr mold for 45/70,at 1300fps-NOTHING has walked or run away.Casting is fun BUT watch out for moisture.


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

Thought this might be interesting for those who have gotten bored just casting bullets. I've started making my own jacketed bullets from spent casings picked off the ground. Here's a pic of my bullet making process, taking a shot .223 case and converting it into jacketed .357 bullets.








In this pic I am just making .357 bullets. I've also used 9mm cases to make .40 caliber bullets and 40 S&W cases to make .44 magnum bullets. I think my next rifle purchase will be .35 Whelen, so I can shoot the heavy .357 rifle bullets I've made.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I've done some of that in the past. Do you solder the slug into the case so it doesn't separate in game? That helps.

In one of my old books, it tells about a guy with a 475 #2 Nitro Express rifle, and for fun, he would load up a complete 30-06 round and fire it as a bullet. 

If you want to paper patch your bullets, you can really step up the velocity in some cartridges.


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## Gianni (Dec 9, 2009)

Blu3duk said:


> If a person wants to get tricky they can ick up spent 22 casings and use them for a 30 cal semi-jacket by expanding them with a proper tool....
> 
> William


I am aware of a couple of manufactures that let you swadge 22 shells to 22 or 6mm jackets. It involves annealing and a start up cost of $650-$800. You then have to swedge an all lead core into that.
I currently cast for 10 pistol cartridges and 12 rifle from 22-44. PM for specific questions or check out Cast Boolits site. In certain calibers I can push a rifle bullet to 2300 fps with good accuracy but generally stay between 1600-2000 fps. Hunting is no problem if you hunt rather than long range snipe.


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## denaliguide (Aug 30, 2008)

thats a technique that is quite well suited to larger caliber slugs, and doesnt require anything fancier than some hi quality paper, grease and your mind.


DG



Gianni said:


> I am aware of a couple of manufactures that let you swadge 22 shells to 22 or 6mm jackets. It involves annealing and a start up cost of $650-$800. You then have to swedge an all lead core into that.
> I currently cast for 10 pistol cartridges and 12 rifle from 22-44. PM for specific questions or check out Cast Boolits site. In certain calibers I can push a rifle bullet to 2300 fps with good accuracy but generally stay between 1600-2000 fps. Hunting is no problem if you hunt rather than long range snipe.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Adron said:


> Does anyone use them? Especially larger calibers, .308+. Hard/Soft? gascheck?
> I gotta start asking questions somewhere.


So as this thread is 3 years old, hows the casting comming?


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

Gianni said:


> I am aware of a couple of manufactures that let you swadge 22 shells to 22 or 6mm jackets. It involves annealing and a start up cost of $650-$800. You then have to swedge an all lead core into that.


Yes, I have the ram and die set to do .224" bullets also. Here's a pic of a 55 grain hollowpoint .224 bullet I make from rimfire cases. The SportFlite die set screws into a modified ram shaft in my Rockchucker press. All in all, it cost me 125$ ten years ago. The other bullets were all made with CH dies. Right now a CH die set (www.ch4d.com) is running about 134$, delivered.









Ed, one techique I've done is to take sized brass and simply dip it into molten lead with a pair of long forceps. This anneals the brass and sodders the core in a single step. For consistancy though, you are limited to a single bullet weight, because I fill the cases completely full, then swage them directly in the nose forming die.


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