Are there many bullet casters here?

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  • Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I planned on giving it a try but the guy who was going to help me out developed some health problems and had to move and downsize his living arrangement.

    I don't have the space, living in an apartment.

    I started in an apartment.

    A table set up in front of a window, with a box fan blowing out.

    You do not need a lot of room to cast.

    But I am sure my downstairs neighbor loved when I was sizing with a Lee hammer through sizer. :D

    I lubed using a pan and a cake cutter.
     

    BuildnBurn

    Professional Pyro
    Oct 25, 2012
    731
    Frederick County
    I cast for .38, .45 Colt, .50-70 and have molds for just about everything else I own, not going to get caught short during a crunch. I bought a powder coating set-up from harbor-freight but haven't tried it yet.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I’m using “the load”, for my reduced loads. “The load” is 13 grains of red dot powder. Very accurate in both rifles, no recoil, and low noise. This load with cast bullets, is about as cheap as you can get.

    BTW, there are two "the load."

    One is the 13 grains of Red Dot that you mention. But it can't be used in .30-40 Krag.

    The other is using 2400. For a 170 - 180 grain bullet, it is 16 grains of 2400.

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?13425-Cast-Bullet-Loads-for-Military-Rifles-Article
     

    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    I’ve only tried the red harbor freight so far, but I have lots of trouble getting it to stick to the bullets. That’s how I messed up some. Heard you can warm the bullets some which will help it stick, but I must have warmed it too much because it just made a gooey mess...

    I’ve tried warming them up 1st, and it didn’t go well for me either. It actually goes on a lot thicker, and gave me problems when it came time to size them.

    I tumble them in a plastic container (recycle #5 ?) with air soft BB’s to build up static electricity. Very little powder is used. Then I bake them for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. If I don’t get full coverage, I let them fully cool, then apply a 2nd coat, and bake them again. Seems to work good for me.
     

    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    Not to sound like a noob but seeing them in their brand new shiny look is so different than the old ones i find or purchase from like Gettysburg etc from the Civil War between the States. Sorry like a little kid

    These are shiny, because they are newly cast. Once they sit for a while, the oxidize and turn darker.
    The ones I find metal detecting, have turned mostly white in color. Its a heavy coat of oxidation, that does that.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,725
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I found that if I use my Lyman lube sizer, to size lube and install a gas check, that it’s faster than powder coating.
    I like powder coating better though. No Somme, less fouling, and I can push them faster than using traditional lubes. It’s a trade off.

    I want to start powder coating some black powder cartridges. What to see how it effects the powder fouling. To many experiments, not enough time.

    I would think about that. Your lube on a BP cartridge keeps the fouling soft. If you shoot powder coated bullets, your bore can get fouled really fast.
     

    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    I would think about that. Your lube on a BP cartridge keeps the fouling soft. If you shoot powder coated bullets, your bore can get fouled really fast.

    I believe you are correct, but I’m seeing reports online from others, saying they are having no issues. I’m going to have to give it a try, to see for myself.
     

    babalou

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 12, 2013
    16,016
    Glenelg
    exactly

    These are shiny, because they are newly cast. Once they sit for a while, the oxidize and turn darker.
    The ones I find metal detecting, have turned mostly white in color. Its a heavy coat of oxidation, that does that.

    yeah I just never really see them spanking new. Purty!! the weight. no wonder even an arm or leg shot a lot of times meant cutting it off. slow and heavy. damn. Thanks guys for all this info and pics. just never ceases to amaze me.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,725
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I’ve tried warming them up 1st, and it didn’t go well for me either. It actually goes on a lot thicker, and gave me problems when it came time to size them.

    I tumble them in a plastic container (recycle #5 ?) with air soft BB’s to build up static electricity. Very little powder is used. Then I bake them for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. If I don’t get full coverage, I let them fully cool, then apply a 2nd coat, and bake them again. Seems to work good for me.

    +1 for me.

    Also, I use powder by the pound now as Harbor Fright stuff goes on too thick and isn't uniform. The powder by the pound stuff coats better even if the humidity is higher that usual.
     

    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    My 45 Colt “black cherry” loads.
    5 grains of Trail Boss, as cast Lee 452-255 bullet powder coated. These are fun loads to shoot!
     

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    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    How do you produce the speckled look?

    I tumble them in my base color, then take another color, and dip a small paint brush into the powder, then I flick the paint brush, which throws the contrasting powder over my bullets. Then I bake the bullets like normal. It dose absolutely nothing, for the bullets, except make them look cool.
     

    MG in MD

    Active Member
    Feb 11, 2016
    359
    Linthicum
    +1 for me.

    Also, I use powder by the pound now as Harbor Fright stuff goes on too thick and isn't uniform. The powder by the pound stuff coats better even if the humidity is higher that usual.


    I went to the powderbuythepound.com site to check it out. They have a deal now called the spring mystery box. It’s 10 pounds of powder, their choice of colors, for $20 plus shipping. Total was $33.31

    I figure at that price I can deal with whatever funky colors are included...
     

    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    I went to the powderbuythepound.com site to check it out. They have a deal now called the spring mystery box. It’s 10 pounds of powder, their choice of colors, for $20 plus shipping. Total was $33.31

    I figure at that price I can deal with whatever funky colors are included...

    Awesome, I’m going to check that out myself
     

    snake-eye

    Active Member
    Jan 27, 2015
    167
    MD
    I cast 32 and 38 bullets and thinking about using powder coating on them. For those of you that coat bullets do you size them before or after coating. If after does the coating get damaged.
     

    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    I went to the powderbuythepound.com site to check it out. They have a deal now called the spring mystery box. It’s 10 pounds of powder, their choice of colors, for $20 plus shipping. Total was $33.31

    I figure at that price I can deal with whatever funky colors are included...

    Well, you twisted my arm........ I just purchased a mystery box myself. 10 pounds is several life time’s of supplies. A little goes a long way!
     

    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    I cast 32 and 38 bullets and thinking about using powder coating on them. For those of you that coat bullets do you size them before or after coating. If after does the coating get damaged.

    Ive done it both ways. If your not sizing a bullet down too much, it wouldn’t effect the powder coating.
    I mostly powder coat 1st then size them. That seems to work best for me.
     

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