I am getting a 475 linebaugh in the next couple of months and am planning to shoot mostly cast bullets out of it, which is something new for me so please bear with my beginners questions. As I have been searching around for information I have heard from several sources that I should "season" or break in my barrel with several hundred jacketed rounds before I start working through the process of building a good cast load. Is this a real requirement or an old wives tale that I can ignore?

I like Cajun seasoning in my barrel

I have always just shot the cast bullets in a quality barrel without any problems.

quote:

I have always just shot the cast bullets in a quality barrel without any problems.

yep load them and shoot

Thanks for the info guys! Like I said I'm new to cast bullets so expect some more really newbie questions.

Go to Beartooth bullets.com . It is a treasure trove of information.

Cast 'em hard and you'll have little problem.
I've found that picking pellets off/out of the berm at the range is a great source of hard enough base metal. Just melt it down and flux it good. Other's have already done the needed mixing for their use.
The other great thing about this source:

IT'S FREE!!! for the picking.

Many others do it differently. I'm not all that particular. So I use Lee six hole molds, drop 'em in a bucket of water. Once they're sized IF I want to size 'em that is. Shake 'em in small batch's in liquid Alox & pour out on a sheet of cardboard over night or longer.

I have a K 38 6" with well over 10,000 cast thru it with this metal and never once run a patch thru the bore. I just clean the outside and the mess around the cyl as needed. Bore is as shiny as glass. Highly polished.

IF your bore is rough, it WILL lead though. Each gun/barrel is different.
If/when you run into problems, or questions just post 'em here.

Good luck and have fun,
George

Haven't loaded any jacketed slugs for many years but when I did I just loaded & shot both, never had an accuracy problem. When shooting cast in a rifle it does pay to brush the barrel out really good or use a electric Foul Out machine.

Dick

Casting and shooting your own bullets is great and much fun. However, you need to do so accordingly. Too soft of a bullet shot too fast will lead the bore just like too hard a bullet shot too slow. Matching the lube to the speed is another important factor. The majority of people have their only experience with commercially cast bullets using too hard a lube and swear at and off cast bullets when the bore leads up. Cast bullets also need to be sized properly to your firearm's bore dimension.

Veral Smith's book on bullet casting is an excellent source of information on casting bullets.