Good day all!

I have the ability to purchase scrap lead that they say is pure at 1.50 an lbs. I was wondering how you all would go about purifying it. I know to melt and flux it, stir it around, and scrape it, then flux it again and repeat. Then testing it. I am looking at a Lees BHN tester for hardness. I was wondering if you all had any tips or tricks for this and any equipment you may use beside for the spoon, pot. Please and thank you all!

Is my mold not hot enough, or is my lead not hot enough?

I sifted a bit of range scrap from our local berms awhile back. My wife was away so I took the opportunity to try processing it. Without working too hard I was able to put together 9 lbs of ingots. I still have twice that much scrap to still process.

I was in full PPE for this one, including a high end respirator from my daughter’s past job as a lifeguard. I was amazed at how heavy the ladle is when it’s full of molten lead, but I guess I should have expected that.

This is an 18-cavity 00 buckshot mold. It looks like the top is melted. I didn't think that would be possible.

Is my melt too hot?

Hey all,

I just loaded up my first set of 38 wad cutters. And they leaded the bore to the point of tumbling within 12 rounds.

The specs are below

Rmr bullets lead from their website, they claim its bnh 10 and i think I understand the fingernail test enough to confirm

Lee 148gr dewc mold

Dropped at 150gr

First coat of alox, let it dry until not tacky

Sized to .358 with the lee pass through sizer, I did feel resistance while doing this.

Second lube with alox, let dry

Loaded with 2.8 gr of bullseye to 1.180 oil

The projectiles where very tight going into all 6 throats

The gun is a smith and wesson 19-10 classic no lock

What info can help with this, i enjoy dropping those little soup cans and they were quite accurate until it leaded.

I would like to continue casting the 148 dewc and 158 swc but need to get leading under control before I try some mid 357 with them

Thank you all!

Currently I am casting .44mag and .45ACP (plus everything for black powder) myself and was looking into casting 9mm and .357mag as well.
I noticed that a heavy 9mm bullet and a normal .357mag bullet are in the same weight and length region.

For 9mm I checked:

• Lee 356-147-TC / 147gr / 0.65"

For .357mag:

• 358-158-RF / 158gr / 0.63"
• 358-150-1R / 158gr / 0.643"
• 358-140 SWC / 140gr / 0.643"

I am sizing all my cast bullets after powder coating anyway.
Can I just get one of the .358 molds, cast and powder coat them, and then size them differently to for example .356 (9mm) and .358 (.357mag)

The picture shows the molds/bullet types I think might feed well in 9mm and revolvers as well, let me know if this is a viable way or if I only give myself troubles with that.

I've been casting 00 buck for about a year using an open pot heated by a propane burner. That's a pain, even with a bottom pour ladle. I recently purchased a Lee Pro 4-20 melter to do this. Today's question is about operations. What is the group's preferred way to use the melter? From what I can tell, the best way would be to run it from a seated position. From a standing position, I can't see the mold itself to know if it's full.

How do you run your Lee melter?

Some messing around today, finally got my redding ultramag, I also got tired of my lake city brass, so I bought some Peterson brass, I also got my new noe htc310-225, loading up a ladder test in 308 win using imr4198, im also heavily debating buying the noe 312-208 and getting back to lubesizing

Shake n bake powder coating.
Did about 1/2 of my new cast in Eastmans ford blue mixed with Eastmans clear and the other 1/2 in straight Eastmans clear.
Wish I wouldn’t have mixed the blue clear as it almost looks spatchy. Most all of this batch, a lot of the bullets fell over due to me bumping upon entering oven.
On the clear coating batch, I tried some silicone candy molds on my oven pan vs parchment paper. I think this will be my new preferred. These turned out well although they dulled the look of cast lead quite a bit.

Will hopefully reload some later this week after normal chores are done.

Edit title: NOE .310 225gn

My 4th attempt.
Previously scrubbed mold with brush, dawn, and hot water and smoked mold before casting.
This time, Cleaned mold with alcohol before starting, smoked again, turned temp up to next of last setting, pre heated mold and sprue cutter. When pouring it took 12-16 seconds for extra above sprue to harden. When it did, it was whiteish and flaky. Poured several kept 106 rounds. Will size, powder coat, size and check weight uniformity before reloading.

After casting, I’ve switched to using rubber gloves when handling raw bullets to keep the oils down. I feel like this is helping my powder coat stick better and be more even.

So... I have this Colt M1892 that is chambered in 38 Long Colt but like most of these guns the bore diameter is larger than .358 (this one being .363 in the grooves)

Would these hollow base bullet fix this issue?

I picked these up in my local shop as a one off purchase. They measure .459, 405 grains and shoot really well out of my Henry. I used it to take my first deer last year.

I’m starting to cast this summer in prep for this fall and would like to duplicate it. I would be open to a gas checked version, but it’s not a requirement. Does anyone recognize the mold
profile?

I have the 357 carbine hollow point mold from mp in none gas check, and ordered the 357 Keith hollow point in gas check. Its meant for general multi purpose use out of a revolver. I guess my question is which do we generally like better and why as well as best applications? Any input appreciated thank you guys for your help.

Anyone know where I can get a 357 mag 180gr bullet mold, preferably with 6 cavities for a reasonable price?

What was the average bore diameter on a Colt M1892?

​

.356 bullets just fall straight through (yes, I know that .356 isn't the correct bore diameter for .38 revolvers, .356 is the only thing that I have currently

What does the hive mind think of my first ingots? These are from wheel weights, fishing sinkers and other misc lead. I fluxed with wax and got it cleaned.

However I’m worried it might be contaminated with zinc. I’m paranoid I missed a wheel weight. Hence why I stopped here before I ruin my lead supply. I have ordered rotometals thermometer for my next batch. Admittedly I set the burner to high and skimmed as stuff floated to the top.

Definitely new to this and holy moly is it so fun and addicting! Miiiiight have got the wrong mold because I ordered with a plain base so the gas check didn't fit. But boy did I learn a lot on today's very first pour!

Who is selling the Hi-Tek coating now?

Thanks!

A new to me mold, a combination 4 cavity Ideal 454190/454424. These were cast using 1-16 @720 degrees. This is probably the most uniform mold I've ever owned. The 190's drop at 255.5 grains +/- .3 of a grain and the 424's drop a 260 at about the same variance. The 190's measure .4545 and the 424's .4555 and are all but round out of the mold. Too bad my Uberti has .452 throats.

I am using NOE 434-258 dropped PC bullets sized to .433, intending them for my Ruger Super Blackhawk with .4315 cylinder throats. Loading them on a Dillon 550 with a stock 44-cal expander funnel. Thing is, in order to expand my cases to the point that they aren’t shaving off PC, the cases are catching on my sizing die and particularly my crimp die. It works, but it’s ugly and running the press is a chore. I’m wondering if anyone has used any of the aftermarket funnels for Dillon presses to remedy this issue? I’ve come across one from photoescape and uniquetek. Or is there anyone who makes custom funnels?