Handgun bullet casting for fun and profit!

[Adam Helmer]

The Christmas cards have all been sent and my shopping is all done for this year, so I got out the Coleman Stove and a few handgun moulds. Off to the tractor shed and casting on the bed of the haywagon therein. I like casting good handgun bullets. I quench all bullets by dropping them from the mould into a bucket of water. I get NO leading and great penetration with all handguns. I make HARD Pennsylvania Bullets.

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook correctly says that cast bullets in handguns will do all a handgunner needs to do without buying expensive jacketed bullets. I cast all my handgun bullets. If you do not yet do so, give the Lyman Handbook and casting a try. You will NOT save money; just shoot more.

Adam

[dovehunter]

Originally Posted by Adam Helmer

...I cast all my handgun bullets. If you do not yet do so, give the Lyman Handbook and casting a try. You will NOT save money; just shoot more...

I don't know about the not saving bit, the price of store-bought lead handgun bullets around here (central Virginia) typically went up 100-115% over a matter of a couple of months starting either late last summer or early fall. A box of 500 .45 ACP 230 gr. RNs had been $24.95. Now they are $54.95. You are right though in that I need to seriously look into what it takes to start casting my own bullets. I have been saving and scrounging wheel weights for years now (I keep telling myself) towards that end.

[Adam Helmer]

dovehunter,

I get all the wheelweights I want for free at the tire shop in town. One caution about wheelweights: The old (and better ones) were slate grey and longer ones could be easily bent. They were 95% lead and 5% antimony. The newer ones are a silvery, shiny color, will not bend and have aluminum, or some such junk in them. I wear heavy work gloves and sort wheelweights at the shop rejecting all the newer ones.

Adam

[GoodOlBoy]

I have news for you not only are cast bullets the real deal for handguns, but for some older calibers like 45-70 they work like a dream as well.

GoodOlBoy

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I cast for most of my handguns: .38 special, .357 & 44 magnum, 9mm, and .38 Super......I don't cast for .380 ACP (but soon will if bullet scarcity continues) or .30 Luger (but soon will with shells running over $60/box) or .25 ACP.

I use all those wheelweights......flux the heck out of 'em and I haven't had any problems....yet. Older wheelweights are getting scarce, and I can't get 'em for free.....gotta scrounge for 'em in the parking lot of the tire place on Sundays (when their closed).

....Also cast for .30/30 Winchester as well.

[Adam Helmer]

Mr. 16 gauge,

The newer wheelweights will not cast well for me, so I reject them all. I cast the Lyman #31141 flat point 175 grain bullet for my .30/30s.

Adam

[Deerman]

How about for a 41mag handgun I have a lot of the soft lead I use for BP?If cooled quickly would they be hard enough?

[Mr. 16 gauge]

If cooled quickly would they be hard enough?

If it is pure (or almost pure) lead, probably not.....you need to have some antimony in the mix. I usually get mine from a handful of lead shot thrown into the pot. You can also add tin as well, although that is getting pretty scarce (and pricey).
I don't remember the exact chemistry/physics, but Lyman's casting handbook had a good write up about how the antimony helps harden the mix when it is cooled rapidly.

[skeet]

The only bad thng about antimony is that it makes the whole bullet shrink....depends on the amount of antimony but if you use a somewhat large mould it isn't any big deal. May not have to really size the bullet. I cast a bunch of 41 cal bullets not long ago. Used some Mag lead BBs for lead material. My mould usually casts .412-.4125 or so. With the 5% antimony shot they came out right at .4105 average. Just about right to shoot without sizing. That is the size of my Star 41 cal sizing die. Gonna shoot some here soon to see how they do

[Adam Helmer]

Deerman,

Pure lead is way TOO SOFT for bullets in a .41 Magnum. Magnum bullets require antimony and tin and then they are quenched in a bucket of water to get proper hardness for magnum velocities.

You will shoot SOFT bullets once and then make them harder.

Adam

[Deerman]

The lead I have has tin in it(not pure lead)came from the phone company.Should I get some wheel weights and add them to it or just quick cool them?

[Adam Helmer]

Deerman,

You should use pure lead in muzzleloaders. For magnum handguns, I use wheelweights, add some solder and drop the bullets from the mould into a bucket of water.

Adam

[skeet]

I use solder myself. I buy all I see at yard sales. Most is usually 50-50 solder. Perfect for bullet casting. Got a soldering torch kit and 6 lbs of solder for 3 bucks not too long ago. Bottle still had gas in it..

[Deerman]

Thanks.I'll try that.