just starting to cast and getting everything together. I've read a lot of people talking about keeping the molds on a hot plate if they are using multiple molds while casting. I've checked a few Goodwill places and no luck (guess I'm not close enough to a collage). Amazon has a basic one for $17, or a double "burner" one for $27 or so.

I have been looking at the flat ones vs the one with the coils, assuming better heat transfer, any preference between the two and should I consider a double burner setup, or is one good enough?

https://www.amazon.com/Elite-Gourmet-ESB-301BF-Countertop-Temperature/dp/B09G99VMB7/ref=sr_1_3?crid=XEOALJBV398Z&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KKIYtUnvKfLQCxOX2G0KdWyCrlvgirj4RTRYH_qxGNXIABdrWQOzsFULdMne9XztbpjuI2wS6NUX2j_jrjm2F1BV8LE1KuI86iXwmn3HnlaEDFr9GQ4WiFPCCfaOlviyXmeTR2cXlt2L6YexB4Y3trltbRXZmt163mFGVPuFzrnP8sMGlrnyPx89fAB937jjeuH70I0O9w_YDxzF1ffFLAJNme70reWtw0xG2JrcA4o.6U-lWDh2q81LwVOFwlhvKNO9hol-t5st3s4HPGXkbos&dib_tag=se&keywords=hot+plate&qid=1725474819&sprefix=hot+plate%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-3

Hey Casters/Loaders, long time since I've been on, but just noticed this (had to happen within the last few days)....

Almost looks like a mold/fungi infested it and burst out???

It has been in that container 10+ years, no issues, in a 72 degree house and low humidity... Never have I witnessed something like this.

I took the bottle and sealed in a ziploc and put it outside, after sealing the inside felt and sounds like there was a rock inside. it obviously built up enough pressure to pop the lid.

It also almost looks like it was able to consume the paint almost like a burn/rust looking peel.

Have yall ever seen something like this???

https://preview.redd.it/yhdt4g1tvpmd1.jpg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=34c3637b9bf8acf1c9468c2641339fc752c3a0c2

https://preview.redd.it/cqem1f1tvpmd1.jpg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf5e3f83559cb464c08bcea07f75a2785a105778

https://preview.redd.it/nyrwyf1tvpmd1.jpg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=10de1fb0f8e056b376e6f72ec83447ad36705cf3

Hi !

Do you guys cast your hunting bullets ? (Wild hogs, deers…) I guess it’s way better to buy commercial specific rounds but I’m curious if someone does that.

If you do, what do you use ? Mold + recipe.

Thanks a lot !

I've cast pure lead boolits for my .44 black powder pistols. I friend gave me a tone of 30-30 gas checked rounds that I use for plinking and gophers but I haven't produced any of these my self yet. But I got to thinking about casting and powder coating some rounds for my 6.5 creedmoor. Just wondering if anyone out there has done this and what is your success rate? I would have to buy the mould and the powder coat and learn how to do it. But it seems like a fun thing to do in the winter. I have a couple hundred pounds of lead to work with.

Hello, I want to make my own ammunition. I have a lot of powder from 45-75. I have a lot of shells of different calibers. and I make bullets from molten lead. which I pour into a mold and then machine it on a CNC milling machine. However, I don't know how to make primers. Do you know any simple home remedy? I need 22lr caliber.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com

A big question is how important is bevel vs flat base in 9mm bullets/molds?

• Is casting easier with BB molds? How so?
• Is accuracy better with Flat/Plain base molds?

​

The first two are 135gr molds one flat base one is bevel base. This is a little heavier than the 120-130grain range I was planning on initially, but was recommended. Could also use in 38/357 loads, but don't own or reload those calibers currently.

1. 135gr Flat Round Nose, Flat base, 8 Cavity AL No Lube Groove Mold
2. 135gr Flat round nose, BB 8 cavity AL no lube groove mold
3. 125gr Flat Round Nose, Flat Base, 8 Cavity AL No Lube Groove Mold
   1. I lean towards 125gr weight to save on lead but MP doesn't offer any 125gr NLG molds with bevel bases...
4. 130gr TC BB 8 Cavity AL No Lube Groove Mold
   1. I like the Truncated cone design mimicking the 125gr TC Blue Bullets I've used. Weight is a decent compromise. Only available in .358"; then adding powder coat I plan to size down to .357" which should be fine?

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Midway USA has Starline 45 Auto Rim brass available now https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021321699?pid=582715

Anyone else creating their own designs for percussion revolvers?

When I first got into this a bit over a decade ago I got a Ruger Old Army and wondered about its potential seeing that it’s roughly the size of a .45 Colt. I was active in several forums asking lots of questions and the answers came back all quite similar in that these are underpowered and inhumane. How can that be? Eventually I found out it was the more common powders they were using in place of sporting grade powders.

With that figured out it was time to concern myself with the projectiles. When using a sporting grade powder a .44 ball has similar energy levels within 25 yds as .440” or .490” ball out past 75 and to 100yds, and nobody claims those are ineffective. I’m not in favor of a ball though. The Lee RN is ok, but I believe a wide meplat is 100X better. The only option I was aware of at the time was Kaido’s custom Lee molds of Lee’s 255 grn Colt bullet with the one for repros a little smaller and weighing 240 grns, and the Ruger version that weighs 255, which I did not try. I bought several hundred from Kaido, and they worked well. But the meplat isn’t huge and I just don’t need that many lube grooves. Eventually I found the Big Lube bullets, but there’s no need for that much lube in a pistol. Maybe the fouling is that bad, I don’t know, mine isn’t and I use Olde Eynsford by Goex mostly. Eventually someone turned me on to Accurate Molds, and with help from a lot of various sources I created several designs and ordered 3.

What I’ve found shooting my Ruger and my Pietta Remington NMA is that once I found their more accurate hunting load it didn’t matter what projectile I used they’d all group about the same. A .457” ball vs my 170 grn .400” and 195 grn .460” bullets, and my Ruger with those two and several others. So I’m on a mission to create a universal bullet between the two that takes up most of the excess chamber space. The excess is fairly similar, but I have a new and more precise powder measure that will allow me to easily measure down to 2.5 grns. From my old calculations this bullet will weigh between 230-240 grns. With sporting grade powder and the 32.5 grns the Rem appears to like should easily put me in .45 ACP, maybe a bit hotter, 400 ft/lbs easily. And with the Ruger with its 37.5 grn load it should easily be close to the mid 500’s, with some claiming both of these able to do a bit more than that, but I’m skeptical when it comes to outliers. Regardless these are plenty up to the task of being a sidearm or a close in primary with the Ruger, if I find I’m capable at 25 yds.

Here’s the 195 grn WFN version:

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-195C

And here’s a 245 grn bullet I designed for hogs but didn’t order that I’ll be working off of:

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-245C

I found the short slip fit base was too short making it easy enough to accidentally tip, so that will be lengthened. I won’t put quite so long of a top driving band as I don’t want to create too much pressure in my repro. As is the chambers have been reamed to .449” and chamfered, but I’m strongly considering taking it further to .453” if I can as my grooves are .4535”. The lube groove works fine with Gatofeo’s #1 lube, an old recipe for the outdated outside lubricated bullets of old found in a magazine from the 40’s IIRC. I like it, it works great. But I am considering feeling and widening it a touch as it’s small and fiddly.

Once I have my numbers straight and can figure out the exact length I’ll want this bullet I’ll order an additional loading lever assembly for my Pietta, and look to find a machinist who’ll make me a Ruger ram. Having spoken at length with a fellow on the now defunct The Remington 1858 Forum who’s really done a tremendous amount of work like this used epoxy to create a ram face that won’t distort the nose of the bullet upon loading. He’s even gone so far as to create a HP version with an epoxy face that has the pin too. I’m wondering if one could get by without the pin so as to be able to load the WFN and HP with one ram.

The HP idea greatly intrigues me. It makes me wonder if I could recreate the Speer Flying Ashtray of the 80’s but with lead. Mine should weigh roughly 200 grns as well. It would certainly create a larger permanent wound cavity and keep penetration much lower. He did well with his on deer.

I’m curious what others are doing, both commercial and custom. I’m curious about any experiences hunting with them, including a ball, which I know to be effective. I’m also quite interested with input on what you’d do differently and why.

While doing brass prep, I had the thought that for cast bullets, there's no point in deburring after sizing and trim because belling the case effectively has the same effect. Am I right?

I've cast around 300 slugs with this 7/8 oz Lee slug mold and I've started noticing some issues.

First, I noticed that the corners of the mold impinge on the plate that suspends the inner plug and have been getting mashed up. I assume that this is normal and is not going to affect the important parts of the mold.

Second, while the mold used to close very cleanly, it now fails to line up on the inner plug. If I rest the mold on the plugs screw and carefully close it, that seems to help everything line up better.

Is this an adjustment problem? Have I damaged the mold? A lemon of a mold? Totally normal for the design?

Anybody cast indoors-ish and use an exhaust fan? What do we think minimum CFM ought to be? My primary concern is just pumping all the fluxing burn-off outside, but to be honest I'd probably end up running the fan the entire time.

I am considering a more permanent, temperature-stable setup deep in my garage instead of constantly packing everything to go outside and get puzzled looks from nosy neighbors, then tear it down to come back inside after.

I have a Dutch oven that I've been planning on getting a turkey fryer burner to process scrap lead on.

But then my mad science brain started running....

Why not wrap the thing in a nichrome heating element and then make an insulated casing. Integrate a PID and wire it all up... it'd be an awesome alloying pot!

I am having trouble finding resources detailing exactly how to go about such a project. Has anyone done anything similar?

I've been loving my Lee 20lb pot, but part of me screams "more lead!" and I started looking for bigger pots. I see RCBS has a 25 lb pot, but is that about as big as they come for consumer grade?

Would I have to get an industrial pot or make my own for like a 100lb capacity? Is there really much use for that kind of capacity for bullet casting?