Spring has sprung. Get out and shoot your Henry
cast bullets
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- Cowhand
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2017 11:10 pm
Re: cast bullets
Been casting since 1972. I have a cast bullet for every center fire handgun and rifle I own. And they are FREE. My lead is free. WW's. I killed deer with my cast bullets. The only way to shoot alot or the big Boomers is to cast and reload. I mine the lead out my berm on my private range and recast it...........Some of that same lead has been down the barrel several times and in different calibers too.
3 x
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- Tenderfoot
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:00 am
- Location: Central Indiana
Re: cast bullets
I cast all my boolits for the .357 mag, .44 mag, and .45 Colt. I’ve used Lee, Lyman , and NOE, they’re all good molds. Just make sure you follow the direction that come with the mould to get it ready before you start casting. For the .44 mag, use a Lyman #2 alloy, that’s 9 lbs lead wheel weights and 1 lb 50/50 bare solder. Get your melt up to 700-720 degrees, warm your mould on a hot plate while your lead is melting. Make sure your boolits are sized 1-2 thousands over bore diameter, tumble lube them and your ready to load em up. Go to Cast boolits forum, there’s a wealth of knowledge on that forum, and some really nice guys that will gladly answer all your questions.
Paul
Paul
1 x
If it’s worth doin, it’s worth doin right.
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- Tenderfoot
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:00 am
- Location: Central Indiana
Re: cast bullets
I also highly recommend you get the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, it’s the Bible. It will take you through every step in the casting process.
Paul
Paul
2 x
If it’s worth doin, it’s worth doin right.
- JEBar
- Town Marshal / Deputy Admin
- Posts: 19347
- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 10:58 pm
- Location: central NC
Re: cast bullets
sounds like you have your casting well in hand .... I really like cowboy action loads, specially in our 45-70 .... looking forward to seeing some range reports showing their performance .... be sure to follow the link below to where you may add your Henry rifles to our forums total
http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 08#p208908
http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 08#p208908
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Re: cast bullets
I have had good results with the lee 200gr in 44 as a plinking load.
If you keep velocity low around 11-1200fps you should get away with using alox to tumble lube.
With my light plinking loads in .32 38/357 and 44 I dont even size just tumble lube and shoot unsized.
I would recommend you start with casting for the 44, lots of data for reduced loads and lower velocity will be more forgiving of any mistakes/imperfections in your casting. While not the same quality as a custom mold the Lee are very cheap and still turn out a quality bullet. The 2 cavity come with handles ready to go.
An old saucepan, gas burner and a ladle of some description to fill the mold is all that is needed to get started. A bottle of liquid alox to lube and you could be shooting your own cast for under $50.
If you keep velocity low around 11-1200fps you should get away with using alox to tumble lube.
With my light plinking loads in .32 38/357 and 44 I dont even size just tumble lube and shoot unsized.
I would recommend you start with casting for the 44, lots of data for reduced loads and lower velocity will be more forgiving of any mistakes/imperfections in your casting. While not the same quality as a custom mold the Lee are very cheap and still turn out a quality bullet. The 2 cavity come with handles ready to go.
An old saucepan, gas burner and a ladle of some description to fill the mold is all that is needed to get started. A bottle of liquid alox to lube and you could be shooting your own cast for under $50.
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- Tenderfoot
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:00 am
- Location: Central Indiana
Re: cast bullets
Cattle driver,
Everything you told the OP is correct, only prob is it takes a while to learn the technique of laddeling
Everything you told the OP is correct, only prob is it takes a while to learn the technique of laddeling
0 x
If it’s worth doin, it’s worth doin right.
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- Tenderfoot
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:00 am
- Location: Central Indiana
Re: cast bullets
I’d recommend the OP get a Lee furnace, it holds 10 lbs of melt and is bottom pour, that’s easier and faster. But to those that laddle the lead into the mould, I take my hat off to.
0 x
If it’s worth doin, it’s worth doin right.
- Vaquero
- Ranch Boss
- Posts: 10334
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:56 am
- Location: Somewhere between Memphis & Nashville
Re: cast bullets
I have both, the ladle can be a little finicky at times.Wabash kid wrote: ↑Sat Oct 22, 2022 6:27 pmI’d recommend the OP get a Lee furnace, it holds 10 lbs of melt and is bottom pour, that’s easier and faster. But to those that laddle the lead into the mould, I take my hat off to.
My bottom pour is older and I bought used, the spout needs some attention.
I have a new lee 45 colt mold I need to try out.
RP
0 x
Monte Walsh "You have No idea how little I care".
Ain't No Apologies for My Temperament
Si vis pacem, para bellum
H001, H006, H012
Ain't No Apologies for My Temperament
Si vis pacem, para bellum
H001, H006, H012
Re: cast bullets
Lots of good casting information so far but I don't think that I would want less than a twenty pound capacity furnace. If you are pouring forty five caliber bullets or 45-70 slugs, you want more pours between having to add metal and refluxing. I have used everything from a bottom pour electric to a gas fired plumber's pot and they all do the job once you get rhythm going.On some moulds I had to open the sprue hole slightly to get a non wrinkled bullet, These are things that I have learned since I started making my own cast bullets in the late 1960's
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