How fast can you accurately make bullets? For example a 350g hardcast gas checked 45-70. Where could I get lead with a bhn of 20 or so? It sounds like fun, but time is money.:D

When your first learning casting is a little slow and also depends on the number of bullets the mold makes. You can get single cavity to six cavity molds. Most of the bigger bullets are single or double cavity molds and any thing with a hollow point or hollow base is a single cavity and slower yet.

Once you get a routine down you can cast quite a few an hour even with a single cavity mold. You can order Lead from Midway, but most of us scrounge it from tire shops and such. I try to buy locally as much as I can to save on shipping. I don't cast so much for speed, but to simply save the costs of buying bullets, but I'm retired so my time is pretty free. For example with a double cavity mold I can make several hundred in evening while listening to a good country western music station and drinking a couple of cold beers. If I have a whole six pack I seem to make more bullets.

when I cast I usually cast 3or4 thousand in a day that usually about 160 lbs of lead I use a magma master caster which all I really do is feed it lead and pull the handle I usually use a 2 cavity mould in it now if I am hand dipping that number is usually around 6 or 7 hundred my record using a lee 6 cavity mould in a long day is 6000 and I was using 5 moulds Forest Punch

I can make 'em fast enough but then you've got the lubing (and probably sizing) which I do quickly enough, but my wife will still shoot 'em faster than I can finish the cartridges.
An alloy of BHN 20 is getting close to linotype = $ while making alloys = time. Water quenching wheel weights can get you close enough and is quick.

. . . I can make several hundred in evening while listening to a good country western music station and drinking a couple of cold beers. If I have a whole six pack I seem to make more bullets.
That's only because you are starting to see double, Bob.:D

You caught me Marshal.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Around%20Home/Herestoyou.jpg

Now there's a picture of a VERY HAPPY man . . .:D

Bob I'm a pro at the fridge and the 12 oz curls, just wondering how many a case will make?

Bob I'm a pro at the fridge and the 12 oz curls, just wondering how many a case will make?

Probably not as many as a six pack, not if it was me anyway.

I think if time is money to you casting may not suit. I scrounge lead for nothing and cast when I'm not doing anything else.

If time is money, casting may not be for you. aussiecolector seems to be on my track. I cast when I'm doing anything else.
As for faucettb, he has the right idea except for the country music part. Be cautioned, tears dripping into the molten alloy can cause an explosion.
Mark

Using a SAECO 015 mould you can make right at 184 total bullets an hour about 163 of which should be visually perfect. That with a four cavity mould using linotype. Bullet weight here is just under 300 grains. You can up those figures by roughly 60% if you use two of these moulds simultaneously. Switching to straight wheelweights will also massively increase casting rates.

You also have to be able to melt enough lead. I have a Lee 10lb pot that I though was pretty good with a single cavity mould. When I got a six cavity mould I found out that it was a bit slow.

yep if you're casting for speed you're doing it wrong... i like to make sure i'm getting nice clean filled out bullets so i flux good,make sure my mould is up to temp,and just keep a steady pace going until the pot runs out... i use a good old lyman 358477 single cavity mould that makes great 150 gr swcs for .38 spl and .357 magnum reloading... i'm retired too so it's just a way to relax for me much like reloading.. i have casted bullets for several hours at a time......i probably have enough bullets now to last the rest of my life cast up! oh by the way THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS GOOD COUTRY MUSIC!!! i'm depressed enough without some candy a$$ cowboy crying is his beer :D:D..........

...i have cast bullets for several hours at a time...i probably have enough bullets now to last the rest of my life cast up!...
I was in that predicament, too, but solved it - sold the pistol and bought a different caliber. Now, I have a whole new lifetime of recasting ahead of me! :p

:D