i wrote this several years ago to introduce people to making their own bullets. it is not intended to cover all aspects or start controversy but rather simply to get people started. for that reason i ask that anyone post any question or comment you like, and certainly add anything i may have missed, but lets refrain from arguing or distracting people from the information here.

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many people reload for years using store bought jacketed or cast bullets. being a cheap bugger i wanted to make my own. there are two ways to do this, the super expensive way is to swage, or use intense pressure to force the lead into the shape of a bullet. the other way is to melt the lead and cast the bullets with a mold. this way is MUCH less expensive. being cheap (frugal?) i chose the latter.

first off, here's a selection of the bullets i cast. there are also ingots there. ingots are useful for preparing the mix and fluxing it before hand. you could buy an ingot mold, but i simply use a steel muffin pan. i coat it with the same graphite i use for a mold release and it works just fine.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1738.jpg

here are the various components necessary for casting. in the center is the melting pot, or furnace. this one holds 20lbs of lead and pours out the bottom. it lists for $60 at midway usa, here: http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=645810&t=11082005 . to the left is one of the molds, available here: http://www.midwayusa.com/esearch.exe/search?search_keywords=lee+bullet+mold&category_selector=all_products . lee molds are inexpensive and cast very precisely. they're milled out of aluminum. i prefer them to iron molds because the heat up and cool down fast. there is no need to set them aside to cool after making the pour like with iron molds.

here are the various components necessary for casting. in the center is the melting pot, or furnace. this one holds 20lbs of lead and pours out the bottom. it lists for $60 at midway usa. to the left is one of the molds. lee molds are inexpensive and cast very precisely. they're milled out of aluminum. i prefer them to iron molds because the heat up and cool down fast. there is no need to set them aside to cool after making the pour like with iron molds.

in front of the pot are some wheel weights available at most tire change places. i have around half a ton of them here at the house. that sounds like a lot, but in reality it goes quickly...be sure to stock up. to the right is a can of 'drop out' graphite spray. it is used to coat the mold so the bullets drop out when cast. also on the right are a wooden dowel used to open the sprue plate and a metal slotted spoon to skim the dross (junk that floats to the top) off the lead.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1733.jpg

when your mold first arrives it will be coated with a light oil. this must be removed before casting. to do so spray it down inside and out with brake cleaner and let it dry. next you need to coat the cavities and bearing surfaces with a lubricant that won't burn off. this allows the cast bullets to drop free when the mold is opened. traditionally soot from a flame was used for this. to use that method simply open the mold and, using a lighter or match, let the soot from the flame coat the cavity well. don't use a candle as the soot is different and doesn't work as well. the other method and the one that i prefer is the graphite spray. in this pic you can see that not only are the cavities coated, but the bearing faces of the mold as well as the sprue plate (the metal plate on top of the mold).
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1735.jpg

once the mold is prepared it's time to melt the lead. most of us use wheel weights as they're virtually free for the taking. another good reason is they aren't pure lead, but have other metals like antimony and bismuth added to make them harder. the harder your bullets are the less they will leave lead in your barrel.

place the wheel weights in the furnace and turn it to maximum.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1736.jpg

after 20-30 minutes the metal will have melted and the steel clips will be floating on the surface. using the metal spoon, skim these off and deposit them in a metal container to cool.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1750.jpg

next you need to flux the mix. flux causes contaminants in the metal like dirt to rise to the top. it also forces the different metals to bind together. you can buy flux specifically made for bullet casting, but paraffin wax works just as well (most of the commercial flux is made to reduce the smoke you get by using wax). cut a sliver of wax off a candle and simply drop it in the metal.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1737.jpg

the wax will begin to smoke immediately.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1751.jpg

immediately begin to stir the lead gently with the spoon to mix it.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1752.jpg

*note - the wax may ignite from the heat, this is not a problem. the fire will remain in the pot and will not affect the fluxing.

after the smoke has stopped, use the spoon to skim the dross (the crap that was released by the flux and is floating on the top) off and dump in in the container with the clips. the surface of the lead should have a shiny, mirror like finish now.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1753.jpg

with the metal ready it is time to begin casting. make sure the pot is hot enough by lifting the pour handly briefly. if no lead comes out the pot still needs to heat. if lead pours out immediately it's ready. now you need to heat the mold. iron molds warp easily and therefore need to be heated gently. set one on the rim of the pot and let it warm for half an hour or so. aluminum molds on the other hand can be warmed quickly by dipping them directly into the lead.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1755.jpg

leave the mold in the lead for 15-20 seconds and pull it out. if there is a solid chunk of lead attached to the mold or left floating in the pot the mold isn't hot enough.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1756.jpg

when you can pull the mold out without leaving a chunk it is hot enough. one thing i need to mention here, if the mold gets too hot the lead won't set up. you will notice when this happens. to rectify the situation set the mold aside to cool.

with the mold hot it is time to pour. close the mold and the sprue plate and place it under the spout. with the first cavity under the spout, lift the handle gently and watch the lead pour in. when it starts to pool on top of the mold the cavity is full. move on to the next cavity and keep going until the entire mold is full.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1757.jpg

as soon as the pour is finished tap the sprue plate with the wooden dowel to cut the sprue.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1758.jpg

normally the sprue remains on the plate but in trying to take pics while casting i dropped it. next tip the mold over the top of the pot so the sprue drops back in and remelts.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1759.jpg

push the sprue plate all the way open with the dowel and turn the mold upside down over a bucket of water, opening it. normally the bullets will fall right out.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1760.jpg

if they are being stubborn you can tap the mold HINGE with the dowel *DO NOT EVER STRIKE THE MOLD ITSELF AS THIS WILL RUIN IT*.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1762.jpg

and there you have it, two cast bullets. continue casting until you have as many as you want. for pistol bullets i usually do a couple hundred at a time, less for rifle bullets.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1763.jpg

after you've cast as many bullets as you need, refill the pot with weights for next time and turn it off. when adding metal to a hot pot be especially careful that you do not allow any damp or wet metal in with it. the moisture will turn to steam explosively, throwing molten lead all over the place (this is why it is best to wear goggles or a face shield, along with long sleeves when casting). casters call such explosions visits from the tinsel fairy as the lead splashes against everything and cools hard and tinsel like. if you cast long enough this WILL happen to you. also you will likely get a speck of lead on your hands, burning them slightly. that's just part of the job...you will survive it.

now we need to lube and size the bullets. first dump off the water and pour the bullets onto a towel and dry them. next pour them into a bowl and add a little liquid alox.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1739.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1740.jpg

swirl them around for a few seconds to let the lube completely coat them.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1741.jpg

you can size them immediately or let them dry overnight. if you let them dry the lube won't get all over your hands, but drying isn't necessary for the bullets.

lee sizing dies come with a bottle of liquid alox, they cost less than $15. to use them, first install the pin in the ram and raise it to the top. next screw the die down until it touches the pin, then tighten the locking ring. finally, close the plastic box the sizer came in and place it on top of the die. it will catch the bullets as you size them.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1744.jpg

you can now proceed to size all the bullets. simply place a bullet on the pin and raise the ram all the way. friction will hold the bullet in the die while you press another one in. as they keep moving up the bullets will fill the box on top.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1745.jpg

if however, you are loading for a high power rifle, you may need to add a gas check. this is a small copper cup that fits to the bottom of the bullet and is crimped in place by the sizer. the gas check protects the bullet from the hot gasses in the barrel and also serve to scrape any lead out of the bore.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1746.jpg

place a gas check on the base of the bullet and size as before.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1747.jpg

one note, in order to use a gas check you need a mold designed for them. the bullet must be sub bore size at the base to accept them. be sure to take note of this when ordering your mold.

here the gas checked bullets are accumulating in the box on top of the die.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/1barbie/brads%20smilies/reloading/100_1748.jpg

that's all there is to it. if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them here.

comments? :confused:

My only comment is that it's better to melt your wheel weights in a separate pot, outside if possible. Most use an old cast iron Dutch oven and a turkey fryer for a heat source, and make ingots that will fit nicely into the pot that holds the bullet alloy.
I'll generally wait for a cooler evening, fill the dutch oven with wheel weights, have all of my skimming and scooping ladles ready, as well as an ingot mold and some flux ( usually some bullet lube that I made and wasn't too pleased with.) If I keep a moderate heat, the zinc weights will float along with the clips and other dross, which can be scooped up with the skimmer and safely discarded.

The Sprues and unsatisfactory bullets that I cast are always knocked into an old aluminum pie pan to cool, as I've been burned one time too many by dropping them directly back into the pot. I have a cast iron spoon holder / ashtray by Lodge that I bought a wal-mart, I put that to catch the drips from my pot. When I get enough sprues and rejects I put them into the small drip catcher and then fill it with molten metal, and when it cools, the resultant ingot will fit nicely into the pot, and won't be as cold as an ingot from my "stash."

actually, i mentioned and showed ingots in the first pic. i use them also but it was easier to do the photos and show the WW in the pot as i do my ingot casting elsewhere.

thanks for the comments. :)

Purdy good post I think.

I don't do it exactly like you do, but real similar.

Good pictures of how you do it.

I mostly wonder "why" you leave the pot full when done?

Cheezywan

I enjoyed the pictures, and did see the ingots...

I like to leave my pots full when I'm finished also. It helps the melt time and minimizes splashing when you add more ingots.

I have two pots, both bottom pour, a ten pound Lee and a twenty pound Lee, the smaller one is used for pure lead for muzzleloader balls and bullets.

I also use the mule snot for several applications, but mostly now use my lubrisizer.

the liquid alox is the best commercial lube i've found to keep leading down. although i have recently started tumbling the cast bullets in moly before using the alox and have zero leading issues now (even in my rifles).

yes, keeping the pot full makes getting started next time faster and easier. it's kinda like washing your dishes after a meal rather than leaving them in the sink. ;)

the liquid alox is the best commercial lube i've found to keep leading down. although i have recently started tumbling the cast bullets in moly before using the alox and have zero leading issues now (even in my rifles). ;)

Almost room for a new thread there. Does the LLA "adhere" to the moly coated bullets?

I like the alox stuff myself and have been satisfied with my modest bullet casting operation in my firearms.

I have never worked with moly before. Only read of it.

Cheezywan

yes it does adhere well and actually helps keep the moly from rubbing off and getting everywhere. i'm using a moly paste bore conditioner i already had but will be trying a powder version soon. what's amazing is i can shoot a couple hundred rounds and the barrel looks like it did right after i cleaned it. i wish i had a chrony and had measured the speed of my reloads before i got the moly paste so i could figure what the improvement in velocity was...oh well.

Thanks mate, another informative and timely posting on this forum. Pictures and an experienced enthusiast cna really demystify a lot of things we might be putting off trying.

CFI, what about fumes? I worry for myself obviously but especially for my children. Is your area well ventilated? Can a residue be expected over time? The finer the waste product the easier it is to absorb.?

What are the pills costing you say per 100?

Cheers

Troy

I cast in the house , in my "man cave" and put a box fan blowing out the window. I don't think a common lead pot will get the metal hot enough to have the dangerous fumes, but there is an odor, especially when i add some flux.

lead has to be around 850F before it starts fuming. any decent pot should have a temp control and should be limited so it can't get that hot. as for ventillation, when i'm smelting ingots i do it outside. when i'm casting from my pot i've never worried about it. the only bad thing that has ever happened to me was a visit from the tinsel fairy once...:D

of course, i also play with mercury so take whatever precautions you think necessary.

very informative,thank you for the post.
I don't see a thermometer in your gear,do you get along without one?

yeah, my pot from lee precision is very controllable as far as temp goes. and i've been doing this for more than 20 years so i usually have a pretty good idea of what i'm doing.

Thanks Tom and CFI, well done.

Thanks mate, another informative and timely posting on this forum. Pictures and an experienced enthusiast cna really demystify a lot of things we might be putting off trying.


What are the pills costing you say per 100?

Cheers

Troy

cost is the price of the metal only (my labor is free ;)). as i have a friend who works in a tire shop i get my wheel weights for a nickel a pound. from other sources i have paid as much as 25 cents/lb. i also just found 500 lbs of linotype at a garage sale and paid $50 for it. $1/lb is pretty common for ingots on ebay.

as there are 7000 grains to the pound the cost of individual bullets will vary according to their weight. i can get 70 - 100gr bullets for my .30 carbine from a pound of metal or 31 - 230gr bullets for my .45 or 16 - 1oz slugs for 12ga from the same amount of lead. that should help you figure the cost.

CFI, thanks for posting this here, I still use this info from another forum, that you posted.
I found it very useful, and use it to get started.

I did a couple of threads on making fire starters, w/pic's and it's a lot of work, especially if you really don't need to do it.
And you have to be careful that just because something is pictured, it's there to explain, even though some one else might do it a little different.
Thanks again,
hunter63

Good synopsis!

There are very fine scratches on the faces of the mould blocks, intentionally cut in a crosshatch pattern - they're not just machine tool marks. They're cut there to provide vents for the air to be released as the cavities fill. You have put enuf mould release on to completely cover the vent lines. I had a lot of trouble with bubbles in my bullets when I covered the vents like you show.

It's very possible to put a thick enough layer of spray mould release in a mould so that the bullets cast undersize by a couple thousandths of an inch. Also, too thick a layer on the mould faces will hold the mould open just a little bit. The combined result is bullets that are too big across one diameter, and too small acoss a diameter at 90° to the long one. This gets ironed out during sizing, but can deform the bullets more on one diameter than the other.

I use only a butane lighter to smoke my moulds to apply soot as a mould release. This will leave the vent lines open, and is so thin a layer that the bullets' diameter is not affected. Candle soot or soot from a zippo fluid lighter has oil in it that will repel lead and give poorly filled cavities.

I really don't like to see water in a moulding area. The danger is that if water gets into the mould, and molten lead is dropped in, the water will vapoize instantly, and hot lead/steam will erupt violently from the mould.

.

I actually dont use any lube with my castings aside from a quick squirt of one shot prior to loading. I dont just use pure lead either and all my projectiles are fire off subsonic (>1100 feet/sec). I grab the solder from radiator places and use it. Basic solder is 60/40 lead tin. I tested the bullets for "hardness" after they were cast and they turn out about 9. If you use wheel weights the hardness will be around the 4-5 mark. Using solder gives great consistency with the projectiles from batch to batch.

One thing to note for new users I know Lee moulds are cheap however they also get burrs around the neck of the mould what transfers to the bullets (after you cast a few thousand) I personally like using RCBS molds as there steel and never stuff up.

If you mold gets to hot just quickly dunk it into a little water. Just make sure all the water has evaporated before you try and pour lead into the mold again.

I use the liquid alox. Its quick and easy. I did find that if you put that lee bottle into some hot water before you pour it onto the bullets, it is a LOT more runny :). I meant the viscosity becomes lower :)
Your set up looks just about exactly like mine...... were you in my garage?
Kim