started casting last weekend, wow is it addicting! I'm still figuring out the most efficient way to do it, and get practiced up. I still feel like all thumbs when it comes to the steps, but its worked, I've been safe, going slow and I managed to turn out a few hundred pistol bullets.
so far I have limited myself to .380 and .45 acp bullets because they are simple, tumble lube, low velocity no problem.

I'm gungho on this casting thing so now I want to try to cast for my 38-55 and 30-30, but to me the rifle bullet realm is a different ballgame with gas checks and slugging barrels etc. as far as I know there is no one around me who casts to show me the ropes, so I have to research it a lot and use my common sense to figure it out, the only thing I don't know is if I need gas checks, how to slug a 38 and 30 cal barrel and is it worth all the extra expense in getting the gas check hardware. any advice out there?

Personally I would recommend a gas check design, at least for the .30/30. Pick one from a major mold maker in the 150-170 gr. weight range and you won't be off much. If I had to recommend just one for starters it would be the old Lyman #311291. With just one mold, make it a gas checked one IMO. You can run it slow or fast, but a plain base bullet you can only run slow. (Overly simplified, but that's the gist of it.)

Slug your bore before buying any molds and bullet sizing dies. It's really easy. Push a soft lead #00 buckshot (or soft lead .32 pistol bullet) through the bore and then carefully mic it. Rule of thumb, size .001-.003" over groove diameter (not bore diameter-which is the top of the lands). The exact size will be dictated in the end by your particular rifle's demands, but it should fall within that range. If you really want to get anal about it, do a cerrosafe casting of the neck/throat area and select a bullet shape that allows for a perfect fit in the throat. Save that for later and just get a common .30 mold and size it a couple thousandths bigger than the bore and you'll be off to the races.

I'll let someone else talk .38/55's- out of my bailiwick.

where do I find a lead .32 or 00 buck without buying a whole box?

thank you a bunch for the clarification by the way!

A simple expedient is to take a take a peice of aluminium
, brass, or in extremis a peice of hardwood about a 1/2 inch thick. Take a drill bit the the shank just fits into the muzzle of you barrel and drill a hole through the material you have selected and either wobble the drill to enlargen one end of the hole or use a file to do so. Clamp the material to another piece so one end is blocked, fire up your pot with pure lead and fill the "mould" push out from small end and you have a 'make do' slug that will self direct into the barrel with enough bulk to give full impression of bore and grooves. Just remember to oil the barrel before sluging to make this easier.

Von Gruff.

great idea! why didn't I think of that!
why look for a metal slug when I can make one. thank you!

I could probably answer all of your questions if you give me a call at the house. Instead of writing a book.

make sure you use pure lead as it's much easier to use when slugging a barrel. and lots of oil too.