Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Going To Try Bullet Casting

Starting with casting lead round balls for my Navy 1851 .36. I ordered ten pounds of pure lead ingots and a Lee Precision, two ball, mold. I guess the next thing I need is a furnace. Recommendations? I guess I will need a scoop spoon thingy too, to pour lead.

Back in the day, I used a Lee Production Pot.
Furnace that pours from the bottom, as impurities float on top.
It worked quite well.

This one? Link

No need for a ladle with that one?

You will enjoy it. I started casting about 10 years ago. I keep it pretty simple. I use a stainless pot on top of an old propane gas fueled Coleman stove. I would suggest a Lyman or RCBS ladle. You will need a lead thermometer. Most equipment can be obtained from Midsouth Shooters Supply or Titan Reloading.
Good Luck, and enjoy,
Rick

They sau itll make u stoopid, the fumes and such.

I don’t know, I can’t smell it when I done it

It obviously hasn't effected your intelligence.

Hey, the lead seller is asking me if I want all 1lb ingot, all 1/2lb ingots, or a mix. Any reason to prefer one to the other?

No.

Okay, thanks.

I have a Lee pot like in that link. It’s old and still works great

Not really but the little might fit into the pot more totally and get up to temp faster.



I need to make some time for casting. I have hundreds of lbs of soft lead from old roof top plumbing flashings. And sections of soft lead water services.


Biden said the infrastructure bill will help pull out all the rest of the lead water services in America. No more dumb kids. Yay!!!

As if the little bastids actually drink tap water anyway.

He said he'd send a mix of the two sizes.

I turned 100 lb of alloy into bullets with the Lee bottom pour 20# pot.

I still do not own a ladle or a thermometer. The pot is thermostat controlled. It does a great job of holding temp once you find where to set the thermostat.

You will know the pot is too hot when the top surface of the melt scales over quickly and changes color. (oxidation) Too cold and it will not flow well into the mold.

Use a bit of flux on the top of your melt to protect it from Oxygen, but don't burn the house down.

There is 300 lb of unknown Lead alloy in the shed waiting to become bullets. I will add Antimony and Tin to increase hardness and pourability. Pure lead does not fill the mold as well as with a bit of Tin added,

I need to score me a piece of crap CVA Wolf at walmart for $89 on brickseek so I can blasts some soft lead balls for fun.

I always enjoyed casting bullets when I had the time. Still have all my equipment and would like to get back into doing it. Can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. Like most people I started with a cast iron pot, a burner and a ladle. Graduated to a Lee pot with bottom pour. Single cavity mold to multi-cavity molds.

Helpful free book:
From Ingot To Target: A Cast Bullet Guide for Handgunners

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sh...rget-A-Cast-Bullet-Guide-for-Handgunners

Not likely of interest for cap and ball but 37 pages of non traditional fun....

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?251956-Powder-coated-bullets-pics-only

The Lyman cast bullet handbook is a must have.

I've got an older version of the same Lee setup. I enjoy reloading. I don't enjoy casting, but that's just me. Per Slumlord's comments...Mike Venturino used to have his blood checked annually for lead, but he never found any buildup. I'm sure Venturino was careful.

If planning to cast pure lead you will need 800* in the melt. Aluminum moulds need to be HOT for proper function.

Good place for tin or lead is a fella named John Walters out in OK. Makes wads also.


https://www.localgymsandfitness.com/US/Moore/1811307545850807/Walters-Wads

Scroll down for the Zombie Blood bullets.... I'm guessing these are hand painted.... probably a late Winter project

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?251956-Powder-coated-bullets-pics-only/page36