Cost of casting bullets

[380guy]

I think I would like to get into casting my own bullets at some point. What are the needed components and rough cost. Also are there any health risks to me or others who will be around. I dont know if you need to wear a respirator when melting the lead etc.

 

[sbcman]

Components: Furnace, mold, fluxing agent, lead (if you're not sure what any of these are, consult the Lee Reloading Manual on casting- very thorough explanation of how to cast)

Health Risks: Virtually none. Just don't do anything stupid like use battery lead or any lead that has a white crystaline formation on it. Respirator isn't needed- cast in a well ventilated area with air moving through constantly. Just wash hands thoroughly after casting and pitch your clothes in the laundry. The biggest health risk is getting burned by splatter (make sure arms, legs and feet are covered). Keep water well away from your furnace.

In short, get the Lee manual, read up, get your stuff and start shooting on the cheap!

 

[mongo404]

PRICELESS!!!!!...


Read as much as you can on the subject!!! Go here and ask alot of questions. There is alot of info if you use the search.. It is a endless supply of knowledge.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php

 

[warthog]

Molds, a furnace and a sizer lubricator are the costs bare bones, I use Lee products for the most part so:

2 cavity mold $20
Sizing/Lube: $20
Furnace: $50-70
Ladle (NOT the Lee please): $30

I agree that the Lee info is pretty straight forward and should be read, LYMAN also gives a good overview on the process. I have always used wheel weights to cast my bullets but since I moved to Terre Haute I seem not to be able to get anymore. They are either free or nearly free for a five gal bucket at tire places for the ones they take off of wheels when they rebalance a wheel.

As stated, cast outdoors where you have a breeze, stay back from the furnace and really watch what goes in the pot, NO WATER, that will give you a steam explosion you will never forget if you aren't badly hurt or maimed of worse. No smoking or drinking or eating while you work, period. WASH HANDS BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING LIKE SMOKE< EAT OR DRINK, also avoid touching your eyes or taking a leak without washing hands first. Lead can be absorbed through those areas of you skin.

Don't want to scare you off, I have been casting bullets for a long time and I am fine. So have many others, just follow common sense, do your homework and GET CASTING!

 

[45-70]

Like Mongo said, go to Cast Boolits here and start reading the stickies. There are literally lifetimes worth of info on all aspects of the subject of bullet casting.

 

[Slawburger]

I don't cast bullets yet but I make lead fishing lures which uses the same equipment.

1) I wear a flip-down face shield (similar to what you would use for brushcutting or grinding). Full field of vision and it protects me from a small splatter or splash.

2) Long-sleeve shirt, pants and boots. No tank-tops, shorts or sandals.

3) Leather welding gloves with a long cuff.

4) Don't drop re-melts into the pot, place them into the pot with pliers/tongs and let them slide the rest of the way down.

5) Learn about different types of lead (hard, soft) and sources.

6) Take the time to warm the mold, it does make a difference.

 

[mac45]

As others have said, Castboolits is a great forum.
After you've poked around there a bit, go here Glen E. Fryxell, Cast bullets and firearm information and history and download Dr. Glen's book (free)

FWIW, I like the Lyman book better than Lee's. YMMV

 

[warthog]

Mac45. first, I agree the Lyman book is better and I am a life long Lee Equipment lover.

Second, what a great site you linked to, I cannot thank you enough, that's certainly worth some rep.

Slawburger's clothing and other advice is all sound and the way I dress and act when casting too.

I went a joined Cast Boolits and I am afraid that they are a bit beyond what I do there. I just make bullets to shoot out of my handguns because they are cheaper and easier and I like being able to say I made the round myself. Give me a bucket of wheel weights and a nice afternoon with my Lee Melter and a few molds I like to use and I am happy as a clam. I do size and lube of course but then you have to do this to use the bullets. I don't think I am even capable of designing a stable bullet so that I can get a mold made for it nor do I think I will ever want to get to that point. I know what a meplat is, I do shoot precision long distance but when I do this it is with a jacketed bullet so I can push it to hyper velocities.

In short, I think the site is astounding in the wealth of knowledge there and for sure I will stay and read all that is posted up that I find interesting but I can't see myself ever being able to add to a conversation over there. Those gents are way beyond me. It is way cool to see what they do too but it is a bit more than I even want to know or do. Of course, that's me, YMMV

 

[mac45]

Glad you liked the site.

 

[Timelinex]

How much are you actually saving by casting your own bullets? For common calibers like 40 SW and 9mm

 

[Wolfhound]

How much are you actually saving by casting your own bullets? For common calibers like 40 SW and 9mm

Once you get past the initial investment of molds and such it really comes down to how much you pay for the lead to make bullets.

For example I picked up about 1000 pounds of printers type for 80 bucks a while back. Not typical but I found a deal. That works out to 8 cents a pound for the lead. I can cast 56 9mm 124 grain bullets from a pound of lead. That works out to roughly 15 cents per hundred. Buying 100 FMJ 115 grain bullets costs about 10-20 dollars if you can find them. So 15 cents for 100 cast lead bullets versus 10-20 dollars for 100 FMJ bullets. Of course that is not factoring in my time, electricity, lube, or casting equipment.

Even if you have to pay 1.50 a pound for lead we are still talking less than 3 bucks for lead bullets versus 10-20 for FMJ.

YMMV

 

[NinnJinn]

2 cavity mold $20
Sizing/Lube: $20
Furnace: $50-70
Ladle: $30

or for the same price for the furnace, you can get a bottom pour as well.

Don't know the cost of electricity, but as for the rest of the costs etc,

$140 for equipment
$1.50 for a pound of lead.

There are 7,000 grains in 1 pound.
So if you go with a 180grain bullet you will get roughly 38 lead bullets with a little bit of lead left over.

Based on a search on midway usa their cheapest 180grain bullets (which they are all on back order) you are looking at about 11cents each if you buy 2,000 or 17cents each if you buy 100.

Not including your time per say, If you cast, You are looking at 4 cents a bullet based on lead costing $1.50 a pound.

You will have paid for the lead AND equipment if you cast 2,000 bullets vs buying a lump sum of 2,000 cheapest bullets from midway...

Or, if you buy bullets 100 at a time from midway, it would take you casting
1077 bullets to get the equipment paid for...

Then, you are able to cast 4 bullets for the same price as paying for 1 already made from midway...

BTW, the prices through midway does NOT include the high shipping charges they apply......

If you are going to cast, my advice to you is to go on ebay and buy the 50lb lots they have on there. Just like ammo, powder and firearms, You can never have too much!!!

 

[ru44mag]

I have wanted to cast my own bullets for years and have just not been motivated enough to do it yet. $44 for a box of 44 mags is motivating me though. I recently priced lead at a local scrap yard for 80 cents a pound. Wheel weights will work for my 44 and 357 or whatever, but I was told once it must be pure lead for my muzzle loaders. I was checking out some different sights and learned a lot about flux and smoking the cavity of your molds. I have most of what I need. I will keep checking for tips, so keep up the good work. Everything I've read, makes it sound like work, but kinda fun too.

 

[mr.steve]

The cost of factory rounds bought at a store sent me into reloading and casting. I don't see prices going down for quite a while. The return on investment is short. I'd advise going ahead and start casting. Sure, you might buy something that you won't need but it's really a cheap lesson. Heed ALL the safety requirements. Casting really is a simple hobby for complicated minds

 

[woodsie57]

My low-tech casting setup is geared toward casting .38's and .44's from wheel weights,using Lee tumble lube molds,so I don't need to use a sizer/lubricator tool. Steel pot and gravy ladle from goodwill,old coleman camp stove for a heat source,and a spatula to skim the steel clips and crud off the top. After casting,leftovers are cast in an old steel muffin pan to use later. I lube my bullets w/Johnsons paste wax in a cut down milk jug. Already had the stove,so equiptment costs were maybe $5,plus molds.

 

[ru44mag]

I like your I tech set up woodsie57. Sounds about my speed. What do you use for flux?

 

[ru44mag]

I meant High tech or low tech, which ever you like. I've heard others like the muffin tin thing before. Hope they weren't the wife's good ones.

 

[jcwit]

I also use a Coleman Single Burner stove and a small pot and Lee Ladle. Moulds I've gotten over the years never cost more than $25 each. I have 2 lube sizers, Lyman # 25, one cost me $10 bucks the other cost $15 bucks. Picked up most of my sizing dies used, made the others myself, helps having a lathe.

Lead? Its all free, I help clean the indoor range backstop.

Waste not, want not!

 

[1988-4551]

My low-tech casting setup is geared toward casting .38's and .44's from wheel weights,using Lee tumble lube molds,so I don't need to use a sizer/lubricator tool. Steel pot and gravy ladle from goodwill,old coleman camp stove for a heat source,and a spatula to skim the steel clips and crud off the top. After casting,leftovers are cast in an old steel muffin pan to use later. I lube my bullets w/Johnsons paste wax in a cut down milk jug. Already had the stove,so equiptment costs were maybe $5,plus molds.

First Rate, and I do something very simliar. Be careful with muffin tins, I recently used some cheap dollar general ones and the heat melted the solder holding the cup portion to the flat portion. Inverted it and the steel cup with solidified (but still hot lead) detached.


Been fluxing with old candle wax for years, no secret to it.

 

[LarryC]

We (son and I) cast most of our handgun bullets and have molds for 30 cal rifle - maybe a couple others. My son bought about 400 lb of lead last week, wheel weights and some from the junkyard. Think he spent about $30~40 total. I have some pure tin from the job I retired from so can add to harden if necessary. We have 3 bottom casting pots - 2 Lee and a 20 lb RCBS + a smaller electric high temp solder pot. We have a LOT of molds. We purchased 8 or ten new from various places years ago. Then I ran into a guy about 15 years ago that had a GS at one time, wife divorced him and he had an old garage full of reloading equipment and supplies including one Lee and the RCBS pots - he had dies for about 30 calibers and about 20 molds. He had some ammo, lead, and a bunch of other Misc. stuff. I bought it all for (as I remember) about $300. We have probably 500 lb of lead cast into gingerbread men. When we started I didn't have a ingot mold, wife had this old cast iron Gingerbread man cookie maker - I think it has 5 or 6 men on it. Makes about 2~3lb ingots - looks funny as hell, but they fit well into the pots. Got a couple of 5 gallon buckets full. Now we do have an ingot mold, I still kind of favor the men.