Did you cast any bullets today?

[rmp]

I put the wife on a plane yesterday and just like that, spare time on my hands.

Been in a casting mood lately with season just around the corner. I’ll be helping two guys hunt antelope with their Sharps rifles late September and I’ve got plans for muledeer in the high country.

Made a few with the KAL adjustable paper patch mould at 25:1



For comparison left to right..
Saeco 740, PJ Creedmoor, Brooks 1881. All but the first cast at 30:1

 

[rmp]

PJ’s will get lubed and sized this weekend.



Natural lubes to the likes of lard and beeswax for the BP stuff.



Petroleum based with smokeless.



Might not be the best methods but it’s been working well for me so far.

 

[trial&error]

Though I have bought several modes in this drought we're currently in I have yet to cast anything so far but a few round balls years ago. Would you educate me for a minute on your ratios. Knowledge is good.

 

[rmp]

Absolutely.

For BPCR greasers I like a lead and tin alloy for consistency of the bullets, ideal hardness, and it’s ability to obturate. I’m still experimenting with the amount of tin vs the shape of the projectile. It might not matter all that much but I like to test for myself. Long, slender bullets like the Postell, I’m making at 20 parts lead to 1 part tin. Bullets for hunting are a bit softer at 25:1 or 30:1
A round nose bullet like the 1881 is more likely to punch through an animal so I’ll make those softer. A flat nose more likely to distort and give less penetration so I use a bit harder alloy.

For smokeless, I like something around the Lyman #2 alloy for the hardness.
90% lead, 5% tin, and 5% antimony.

I use wheel weights, pure lead with nearly pure tin, and sometimes buy the alloy ready to cast. All do the job.

 

[rmp]

For anyone that doubts the effectiveness of a heavy cast bullet moving relatively slow via black powder…or the Sharps rifle.

Bill sent me the DVD of his trip to Africa several years ago. This clip is my favorite. Sure miss talking to him. What a wealth of knowledge he was.

 

[rmp]

Excess lube will be cleaned when being loaded. Now to get busy cutting patches.

 

[pacecars]

For anyone that doubts the effectiveness of a heavy cast bullet moving relatively slow via black powder…or the Sharps rifle.

Bill sent me the DVD of his trip to Africa several years ago. This clip is my favorite. Sure miss talking to him. What a wealth of knowledge he was.

Me too. He spent hours on the phone with me helping me when I started out. Gone too soon

 

[rosewood]

Didn't cast any boolits, but did make some muffins and bars over the weekend. Been working thru maybe 100 lbs or more of range scrap my brother brought me. Got about 1/3 left to run through my plumbers furnace. Fun watching copper jackets float on top.

Rosewood

 

[rmp]

I like melting and fluxing clip-on wheel weights. I find it rewarding removing all those clips.

 

[rosewood]

I like melting and fluxing clip-on wheel weights. I find it rewarding removing all those clips.

Yep. I need some more COWWs to separate myself. Getting harder to find these days.

Rosewood

 

[Jester896]

my tire guy complains about it regularly...all of it is moving to steel it seems.

 

[rosewood]

my tire guy complains about it regularly...all of it is moving to steel it seems.

Zinc is what I have been finding.

 

[rmp]

I used to get some zinc but last batch was lots of steel.

 

[Dub]

There was a time when I had access to a PILE of wheel weights.

At the time I had no interest in accumulating anything that resembled clutter.

Now.....sure wish I'd made some room in the garage for it and taken it all.

Could have had some good runs this winter melting down the lead and cleaning out the junk.

Would be awesome to have a nice stockpile of ingots ready for use.

 

[rmp]

Always seems to be the case with hindsight Dubs. I wished I would’ve spent more time stockpiling when it was cheap.