Smelting Euipment

[rico903]

Where are good sources for smelting equipment. And where is a good place to learn how to do it, books etc.?

 

[coopermania]

Lymans Cast Bullet Handbook,
NRA Cast Bullet Book
Cast boolits.com

 

[shaddydan]

Midwayusa, Brownells, Grace,etc.

 

[Winterborn]

Graf and Sons is a great place to find equipment as well. Also try Amazon, the prices are competitive and if you are a Prime member free shipping is always nice.

 

[John from MD]

My advice is to start cheap as it is not for everyone. Get a Lee 10 pound pot and Lee molds. You can use liquid ALOX to tumble lube your bullets so you won't need a lubrisizer.

If you decide you like it, you can upgrade your equipment and sell the old stuff on ebay.

Most of the books written on the subject of casting were written long ago when people were using cast iron pots and iron molds. It is good information but really gets into detail that you don't need to get started with LEE stuff.

Don't get scared off by all the technical stuff. Casting, especially for handguns is easy and fun.

 

[damifinowfish]

you can buy a 1000 watt hot plate on the cheap

go to good will and get a heavy metal small sauce pan

a lead ladle and a mold is about all you need to get started.

 

[wgttgw]

Any cast iron or steel pot will work. Just don't use aluminum because it melts not that much higher than lead. An old propane tank works well if you have the ability to cut it in half safely.

A portable propane heat source is best with a turkey frier burner being ideal. Smaller camping propane cookers can work as well as an electric hot plate (old type with the burner looking like a coil) if you keep the pot small enough.

You can cast from your smelting set up (at least until you upgrade) much easier than you can smelting in a casting pot.

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm Is a free download and it would be hard to find a better place to start a casting education.

 

[rico903]

I was talking to Bob at The Gun Shop the other nite and he said that the EPA just shut down the last big lead smelting company in the US so now lead workers will have to rely on imported lead. That's another sure fire way for the govt. to drive up the cost of ammo.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Where are good sources for smelting equipment. And where is a good place to learn how to do it, books etc.?

Are you looking to smelt lead or do you want to actually cast bullets ?

 

[rico903]

Are you looking to smelt lead or do you want to actually cast bullets ?

Totally new to this concept so not sure I understand your question. Don't you have to have lead to cast bullets? Not looking to make lead but it seems it's gong to be more expensive in the future, and maybe harder to find.
Found another thread here about the EPA and the last big smelter.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Totally new to this concept so not sure I understand your question. Don't you have to have lead to cast bullets? Not looking to make lead but it seems it's gong to be more expensive in the future, and maybe harder to find.
Found another thread here about the EPA and the last big smelter.

Yes sir, you do need lead to cast bullets, but, you don't smelt a bullet. I'm curious if you only want to smelt impure lead in to ingots or if you want to melt ingots to cast bullets. It's two different processes. I wasn't sure if you only want to pour ingots or if you actually wanted to use the lead for casting bullets. Smelting is the process of removing impurities of a raw material to be used for other products. Casting is the process of using a pure material to create new products. I wasn't clear if you only wanted to make ingot from raw dirty material or cast bullets because you only asked about smelting equipment and not casting equipment.

 

[John from MD]

Yes sir, you do need lead to cast bullets, but, you don't smelt a bullet. I'm curious if you only want to smelt impure lead in to ingots or if you want to melt ingots to cast bullets. It's two different processes. I wasn't sure if you only want to pour ingots or if you actually wanted to use the lead for casting bullets. Smelting is the process of removing impurities of a raw material to be used for other products. Casting is the process of using a pure material to create new products. I wasn't clear if you only wanted to make ingot from raw dirty material or cast bullets because you only asked about smelting equipment and not casting equipment.

This is a good example why we need a separate casting forum.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

This is a good example why we need a separate casting forum.

Yes John it would be nice, I also appreciate that reply, and of course, we will probably answer this same question again soon in the future.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Totally new to this concept so not sure I understand your question. Don't you have to have lead to cast bullets? Not looking to make lead but it seems it's gong to be more expensive in the future, and maybe harder to find.
Found another thread here about the EPA and the last big smelter.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes sir, you do need lead to cast bullets, but, you don't smelt a bullet. I'm curious if you only want to smelt impure lead in to ingots or if you want to melt ingots to cast bullets. It's two different processes. I wasn't sure if you only want to pour ingots or if you actually wanted to use the lead for casting bullets. Smelting is the process of removing impurities of a raw material to be used for other products. Casting is the process of using a pure material to create new products. I wasn't clear if you only wanted to make ingot from raw dirty material or cast bullets because you only asked about smelting equipment and not casting equipment.

Since Coopermaniac can't seem to find his own sandbox let's back up and start over with the topic at hand.

 

[stu929]

not trying to thread jack but since we are on the topic.

IF.... you cannot find lead locally is casting actually a viable option? Looking online I find lead for approximately 2 bucks a lb. A lb is 7000gr/230gr 45ACP equals almost 7 cents per round. I can buy 45ACP cast sized and lubed for 8 cents a pill if I buy them by the 1k.

Am I doing the math wrong or does casting only work if you have a local source for lead? Over time and many many thousands of bullets yes I'm sure it adds up but molds and a pot all cost money as well plus your time of course.

I really want to get into casting but seeing as how I can't seem to find the lead locally and seem to have a decent source for hard cast bullets I'm just trying to make sure that I'm not missing something. I broke so cheap shooting would be great but I have limited time and if I'm going to cast I would have to be saving money to do so, only saving 1.5 cents per round would take a long time to recoup the investment not to mention my time.

 

[Kinbote]

Where are good sources for smelting equipment. And where is a good place to learn how to do it, books etc.?

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.c...LEAD BULLET CASTING&dept3=MELTING POTS & KITS

Get the Lyman cast bullet book and a cheap Lee mold and Alox, as mentioned earlier. You don't need to smelt anything to start, just throw all your wheel weights or other lead in the pot, let it melt, skim the dross, pour the lead into your mold. It's not very difficult at all, just make sure you are outside and it isn't raining.

Take the cast bullets, put them in a baggie or plastic dish, put some Alox in and shake it good, let them dry on wax paper. Load them and shoot.

As far as finding lead, you are correct, it is probably better to order cast bullets if you don't have a cheap source. The only exception would be if you wanted to cast bullets that aren't available in bulk, or are very expensive, such as shotgun slugs, or 300gr .44 bullets, or gas checked designs. If you just want 200 gr SWC in .45, or 155 TC in .40 or something common, it is easier to just order them.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

not trying to thread jack but since we are on the topic.

IF.... you cannot find lead locally is casting actually a viable option? Looking online I find lead for approximately 2 bucks a lb. A lb is 7000gr/230gr 45ACP equals almost 7 cents per round. I can buy 45ACP cast sized and lubed for 8 cents a pill if I buy them by the 1k.

Am I doing the math wrong or does casting only work if you have a local source for lead? Over time and many many thousands of bullets yes I'm sure it adds up but molds and a pot all cost money as well plus your time of course.

I really want to get into casting but seeing as how I can't seem to find the lead locally and seem to have a decent source for hard cast bullets I'm just trying to make sure that I'm not missing something. I broke so cheap shooting would be great but I have limited time and if I'm going to cast I would have to be saving money to do so, only saving 1.5 cents per round would take a long time to recoup the investment not to mention my time.

I understand what you are trying to explain, but, I guess the way I see it is simply from a "what do you need" stand-point. My reason for the troubles of casting is due to my extensive needs for Muzzleloader bullets and Shotgun Slugs. My big peeve is the cost of factory Muzzleloader bullets and Slugs from the stores. Sabots for ML bullets are $6.00 / 50 pcs. and ML bullets from the store average $25.00 to $32.00 per 20 bullets. I cast 200+ bullets with sabots for that $25.00 That math doesn't need much pondering to see why I cast .45 cal bullets for my .50 ML's

The same with shotgun slugs. Average cost of a box of 5 slugs is anywhere between $7.00 and $15.00 now if you cast your own, for example, I can make 200 slugs for either 12 gauge or 20 gauge for less than that $15.00 Again, it doesn't require much thought to see the savings.

When buying lead you have to find the best, cheapest, stuff you can. What I find to be the biggest waste of time and what I feel makes the whole lead procurement thing a waste overall for casting bullets is using raw WW. The time added to cleaning, sorting, smelting, fluxing, skimming, etc only to end up with a few usable pounds out of a 5 gallon bucket... I'd rather pay for the already processed ingots and get on with it. The invested in the previous processing is more valuable than the cost of paying for an ingot ready to make bullets with.

It basically, in my own opinion and experience, depends on what you "need" If you can buy a box of 100 bullets for $15.00 versus making you own for $15.00 then buy the pre-made bullets. But I can't afford to buy only 20 bullets for $25.00 for a Muzzleloader... That's $1.25 per shot and it's not even a live ammo round with powder or primer. For that $1.25 ingot I make 25 bullets. That's a, ball park savings of $14.00 over commercial ML bullets. I can make a hell of lot of ML bullets for $14.00 Now if you cast for a .45 ACP... I cast for a .45 Colt / Govt for my ML bullets you also can make a heck of a lot of bullets for $14.00

Of course this only if you choose to shoot an all lead bullet. If you want copper, plated, jacketed, whatever, then you have to buy your bullets.

I hope I explained that ok...

 

[John from MD]

I have been casting my own bullets since just after high school a long time ago. Over the years, I have accumulated all sorts of different, and expensive, molds and pots. That said, I started with a 10 pound pot from Lee and a 230 round nose mold.

In those days I cast to save money. Today I cast because I get best accuracy out of my guns from bullets I cast myself.

As for getting lead, you can buy it from the salvage yards, gas stations and on flea bay.

If you know people in construction, ask about the lead sheet that is ripped out of showers, X ray rooms and the solder that comes from copper roofs. This type of lead is dead soft but can be shot if sized right for the bore and kept under 800fPS. In fact this is what I preferred to shoot out of my 1911's when I was competing in Bullseye competitions.

I also stay proficient by shooting air rifles and .22's in the front yard or basement. The spent lead from the bullet traps goes into the mix. And only the liberals think they recycle.

Casting bullets can be as simple or as complex as you choose to make it. Today, folks have it easier than I did as they can look on the internet for help. I had to find other casters in the area and join the Cast Bullet Association which sent out a monthly newsletter. Now it is all online.

Go for it.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

I have been casting my own bullets since just after high school a long time ago. Over the years, I have accumulated all sorts of different, and expensive, molds and pots. That said, I started with a 10 pound pot from Lee and a 230 round nose mold.

In those days I cast to save money. Today I cast because I get best accuracy out of my guns from bullets I cast myself.

As for getting lead, you can buy it from the salvage yards, gas stations and on flea bay.

If you know people in construction, ask about the lead sheet that is ripped out of showers, X ray rooms and the solder that comes from copper roofs. This type of lead is dead soft but can be shot if sized right for the bore and kept under 800fPS. In fact this is what I preferred to shoot out of my 1911's when I was competing in Bullseye competitions.

I also stay proficient by shooting air rifles and .22's in the front yard or basement. The spent lead from the bullet traps goes into the mix. And only the liberals think they recycle.

Casting bullets can be as simple or as complex as you choose to make it. Today, folks have it easier than I did as they can look on the internet for help. I had to find other casters in the area and join the Cast Bullet Association which sent out a monthly newsletter. Now it is all online.

Go for it.

LOL yeah that's like me when I got back in to casting. After a few trips to the tire shops to get what I didn't know had changed so dramatically. I said to hell with the old-school wheel weight idea and just started buying ingots. WW is grand waste of time these days unless you have it to waste.

 

[Pinecone]

I was talking to Bob at The Gun Shop the other nite and he said that the EPA just shut down the last big lead smelting company in the US so now lead workers will have to rely on imported lead. That's another sure fire way for the govt. to drive up the cost of ammo.

According to Sierra, they don't get any lead from that plant.

Also, it is a primary smelter, it did lead ore to lead metal. It did not do the final smelting to the mixtures used by bullet makers.

Also, that plant did less than 10% of the lead used in the US by BATTERY manufacturers alone.