Trying to get my hands on some cast projectiles to load for my .475L and am having a bit of a hard time through my usual sources (Cabelas, Midway). Anyone have any other suggestions of places to look? Looking just for plinking rounds at this time.

Brandon you would pick the single handgun caliber I don't cast for, wouldn't you? So help me, I cast for everything else under the sun, including the 32s and the 500. But not that one...

Might try Montana Bullet Company, Bull-X, or Laser-Cast, but I am not promising anything.

Haha! I'm good like that sometimes. I've a source of wheel weights that I'm starting to hoard and looking for my own setup to cast my own. Going to tackle learning to reload in general first, then start casting for a few of the larger calibers.

FFemt5287---I took up both reloading and casting about the same time. If you don't have a Lyman Reloading Manual, I'd suggest you get one. Reason being is that Lyman makes casting equipment so they include both data and information for cast bullets as well as data for jacketed bullets. So you get reloading in general as well as casting in one book. The only problem I had with doing both at once was the initial funds. Lots of decisions as to what to buy. My experience has pretty much been you can't go wrong buying RCBS and they stand behind what they sell. Their casting furnace is very pricey and probably very good, but the much cheaper Lee furnace has served me well--you often hear em called dripomatics, but mine has not been a big problem in that area. You'll hear and read all kinds of magic formulas for what alloy to use, in my books it's hard to beat plain old wheelweights mixed with more plain old wheelweights.

Went ahead and bought a bunch of reloading manuals (Speer, Nosler, Lee, Lyman). Have had a Lee basic press and balance scale for a few years, just never actually got around to setting up a place to reload. Will be building my reloading bench on my days off Monday and Tuesday and getting everything going. Planning to buy the casting equipment (was looking at the Lee due to price point) as soon as I recoup funds from buying a bunch of dies/bullets today and the expected splurge on powder/primers should I find some at LGS's this week coming. Still have to get a micrometer and a tumbler setup.

FFemt--Tumbler is nice--not required. In my books the RCBS bullet molds are way ahead of Lee. Those wheelweights you have are better melted down outdoors. Cast iron pot and Coleman stove works pretty good for that. People use all kinds of things for an ingot mold--they aren't that costly so I'd just buy an ingot mold.

I really like Cast Performance's 425 WFN.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
I really like Cast Performance's 425 WFN.

These were what I was looking for, but midway was out of stock. On looking more closely, they are expecting more in 4/12. I'll just wait it out until then.

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:
FFemt--Tumbler is nice--not required. In my books the RCBS bullet molds are way ahead of Lee. Those wheelweights you have are better melted down outdoors. Cast iron pot and Coleman stove works pretty good for that. People use all kinds of things for an ingot mold--they aren't that costly so I'd just buy an ingot mold.

I've the CFO (ie: fiance) convinced the tumbler is necessity, so I'm going for it! Need to do some reading on the whole casting process. Never even thought about ingots. I was just figuring you throw the wheel weights in the pot and it melted from there...

The idea of making ingots is so you can do all your initial melting and skimming at one time, clean the metal, and then pour it into ingots ready for re-melt when it comes time to cast.

WW metal is terribly dirty, and there are steel clips that have to come off as well. An initial melt to separate the clips and clean the metal by fluxing (with beeswax, paraffin, or even sawdust) eliminates the majority of the dirt in the alloy, which makes for better bullets. When you get ready to cast, your metal should be perfectly clean and mirror bright, looking at the top of the melted alloy. That is very hard to achieve melting ww initially in the same pot you are going to pour from, and it dirties the "pour pot" to boot. Melting to clean and alloy, then re-melting to cast just works much better, and produces better bullets.

My boyfriend's had very good results w/ both Montana Bullet Works and Beartooth bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by Doubless:
The idea of making ingots is so you can do all your initial melting and skimming at one time, clean the metal, and then pour it into ingots ready for re-melt when it comes time to cast.

WW metal is terribly dirty, and there are steel clips that have to come off as well. An initial melt to separate the clips and clean the metal by fluxing (with beeswax, paraffin, or even sawdust) eliminates the majority of the dirt in the alloy, which makes for better bullets. When you get ready to cast, your metal should be perfectly clean and mirror bright, looking at the top of the melted alloy. That is very hard to achieve melting ww initially in the same pot you are going to pour from, and it dirties the "pour pot" to boot. Melting to clean and alloy, then re-melting to cast just works much better, and produces better bullets.

And this further proves I need to do some more reading!

quote:

Originally posted by FFemt5287:

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
I really like Cast Performance's 425 WFN.

These were what I was looking for, but midway was out of stock. On looking more closely, they are expecting more in 4/12. I'll just wait it out until then.

Brandon, I buy directly from Cast Performance.

quote:

Originally posted by FFemt5287:

quote:

Originally posted by Doubless:
The idea of making ingots is so you can do all your initial melting and skimming at one time, clean the metal, and then pour it into ingots ready for re-melt when it comes time to cast.

WW metal is terribly dirty, and there are steel clips that have to come off as well. An initial melt to separate the clips and clean the metal by fluxing (with beeswax, paraffin, or even sawdust) eliminates the majority of the dirt in the alloy, which makes for better bullets. When you get ready to cast, your metal should be perfectly clean and mirror bright, looking at the top of the melted alloy. That is very hard to achieve melting ww initially in the same pot you are going to pour from, and it dirties the "pour pot" to boot. Melting to clean and alloy, then re-melting to cast just works much better, and produces better bullets.

And this further proves I need to do some more reading!

It's not rocket science, but just pay heed to what you are doing. Second on getting the Lyman manual. Sizing and lube choice are important and tailored to the particular revolver for optimum results.

I have had good luck with Montana Bullet Works

quote:

Originally posted by OLBIKER:
I have had good luck with Montana Bullet Works

Thanks, I'll check them out too. Now to just find some damned powder and primers somewhere!

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:

quote:

Originally posted by FFemt5287:

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
I really like Cast Performance's 425 WFN.

These were what I was looking for, but midway was out of stock. On looking more closely, they are expecting more in 4/12. I'll just wait it out until then.

Brandon, I buy directly from Cast Performance.

Thanks, Max. I'll give them a try directly.

For top quality fairly priced hand cast bullets you will be hard pressed to find anyone better than Montana Bullet Works IME. I also buy from Beartooth at times. Top quality as well. A bit more money usually. Though I have not tried their 475 bullets I have also been pleased with Western Bullet Co. I have used their RCBS 270 SAA in my 45 Colt's and their Lyman 429421 250 gr SWC. Great bullets and really good prices. The advantage the other two have is that you can select diameter and, often, hardness too. My two bits.

quote:

I was just figuring you throw the wheel weights in the pot and it melted from there...

I done just that for 10s of thousands of cast bullets. Melt them in my Lee pro pot bottom pour them into the molds and go from there. Allox lube them Lee push through sizers

quote:

Originally posted by OLBIKER:
I have had good luck with Montana Bullet Works

+1


Montana Bullet Works used in my .480 Ruger

Here is one source

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/

Google Fryxell and read his book (free on the net) and some of his stuff from the LASC site.

May be of use.

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
Here is one source

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/

Google Fryxell and read his book (free on the net) and some of his stuff from the LASC site.

May be of use.

Thanks for the link.

Now to just find some damned primers and powder! Off to search the state for those Monday and Tuesday when I'm off.