Casting handgun bullets.

[Adam Helmer]

It was sunny and 66 degrees here today in northcentral PA. Old dawg and I casted many handgun bullets out of wheelweights and tin in old tractor shed.

The election is past and we have a man's work ahead of us. I can see dark days ahead. Meanwhile, I am casting. Who else is getting ahead of the game?

Adam

[Rapier]

Adam,
I have not broken out the moulds in a coons age, course I have not shot much handgun in a couple of years as the Sporting Clays bug got me pretty bad. But there is not much a good hard cast bullet will not do in a big bore handgun.
Best,
Ed

[GoodOlBoy]

Never got started casting my own really. Gonna be tryin it hard core soon enough though.

Do you resize and all that kinda stuff? Like I said never done much with castin.

GoodOlBoy

[Rapier]

Yep, the whole show, including double sizing bore riders, like the RCBS 7mm Silhouettes in 145 and 168gr. Shot cast only in big bore handgun silhouette competition from 84 to 2000. Was fairly sucessful at winning titles, stopped taking trophies in 83.

When you decide to start, get the best equipment, like the RCBS Pro Melt bottom pour furnace and the Lyman or RCBS luber sizer. In moulds, I prefer the RCBS series of moulds as they have a lifetime warranty like the rest of the RCBS line. I have worn out 5 of the 357 200gr moulds and RCBS has replaced them each time. I use the 200 almost exclusively in my 357 guns, mag, max and Herritt. When I do cast, I will cast 5 to 10K at a setting. I use three to five double cavity moulds at one time.

Making a good alloy and sticking with it is a must if you want quality bullets for something other than shooting cans at 25 yards. I have a 100# pot, muffin tins, powdered flux and gas burner for this job.

Lube is very important and just about all good lubes for accurate, match grade bullets require a heater. I prefer LBT Blue or Rooster Red.

There are a couple of books that would help if you can find them, Cast Bullets And Silhouettes by my old buddy Carlton Shy and The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. Carlton was the Editor of the cast bullet section for the Silhouette, the old IHMSA monthly paper. The Lyman book is a classic for beginners.
Best,
Ed

[Adam Helmer]

GOB,

Rapier gave you lots of good advice.

I use a Coleman stove for a heat source, cast outdoors and run 3 or 4 double cavity moulds to put the hot one aside and run the next cold one for max output. I drop the bullets from the mould into a bucket of water to double the Brinell hardness. I size and lube with Aalox and a Lyman 450 Sizer.

Cast bullets are as good as jacketed in handguns and fine for rifles. Jacketed bullets in rifles go faster than cast, but many of the heavier cast rifle bullets will do for deer such as the Lyman 323471 215 grain semi-spitzer in the 8x57mm.

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook is a fine source of casting information.

Adam

[GoodOlBoy]

About to start casting for my 45-70. I have been thinkin about grabbing moulds for my 45 colts as well.

GoodOlBoy

[PJgunner]

About to start casting for my 45-70. I have been thinkin about grabbing moulds for my 45 colts as well.

GoodOlBoy

I think that I would go with either the RCBS 300 gr. or 400 gr. bullets for the 45-70. (Sorry, I don't remember the mold numbers offhand.)
For the Colt's, a bullet that has worked very well for me is the RCBS #45-255-SWC.
Lyman does make a 300 gr. bullet for the 45-70 (#457191) but I do not recommend it. For your Marlin, you'd need a bullet yhat will size to >459" to maybe .460" to shoot well without leading and the lyman bullet in the several molds of that number have cast bullets exactly .457", great if you're using almost pure lead and black powder. To be perfectly honest that bullet leads bore badly. I've shot it in the .458 Win. mag. at black powder velocities, and in four 45-70 rifles of my own including an early New Model 1895 marlin, two Ruger #3's and a Ruger #1. The only use I have for that mold these days is for use in a Ruger Bisley Super Blackhawk where I size that oversized (for that gun) bullet to .454". Makes for a good heavy bear stopper, although frankly, I think I like the 255 gr. bullet better. Something about that Elmer Keith design that inspires a lot of confidence in me.
One bullet that had worked extremely well in my Marlin is the Lyman #457122, a 330 gr. hollow point mold that has proven to be accurate in the Marlin and the Ruger. It is a bear to cast good bullets though as are all hollow point molds.
Paul B.

[GoodOlBoy]

Thanks for the advice. I recently picked up from a buddy a Lee 405gr RNFP mould for the 45-70. SOOOO looks like I will be using that one for a bit.

Colt I am still considering for.

GoodOlBoy

[Adam Helmer]

GOB,

I am glad you are about to begin casting your own bullets. Did you buy the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and read it first? I urge you to read Lyman's cast bullet scenario to be on the rigfht track from the get-go.

Merry Christmas.

Adam