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home grown lead

sakodudesakodude Senior MemberPosts: 4,234 Senior Member
in General Firearms #1
Brought home the casting equipment from my dads and finally started messing around with it.
First batch done.


RCBS mold casting a 405 gr .458 round nose. Thinking these ought to be a hoot pushed by some TrailBoss powder.
I need to get the lube/sizer set up and then they will be ready to roll.

Sako
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  • Elk creekElk creek Senior Member Posts: 6,903 Senior Member
    #2
    sakodude wrote: »
    Brought home the casting equipment from my dads and finally started messing around with it.
    First batch done.


    RCBS mold casting a 500 gr .458 round nose. Thinking these ought to be a hoot pushed by some TrailBoss powder.
    I need to get the lube/sizer set up and then they will be ready to roll.

    Sako
    very cool! My highwall shoots that bullet very well.
    Aim higher, or get a bigger gun.
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  • bullsi1911bullsi1911 Moderator Posts: 11,522 Senior Member
    #3
    As someone who has just started dipping my toes into the whole 45-70 hand loads thing... that is really interesting to me.
    To make something simple is a thousand times more difficult than to make something complex.
    -Mikhail Kalashnikov
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  • earlyearly Senior Member Posts: 4,950 Senior Member
    #4
    Those are BIG!
    My thoughts are generally clear. My typing, not so much.
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  • Six-GunSix-Gun Senior Member Posts: 8,155 Senior Member
    #5
    Man, you didn't mess around. Big ol' bullets!
    Accuracy: because white space between bullet holes drives me insane.
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  • NNNN Senior Member Posts: 24,923 Senior Member
    #6
    Pretty
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  • Elk creekElk creek Senior Member Posts: 6,903 Senior Member
    #7

    That is what they look live after going through a basketball sized sandstone rock and digging 8" into wet earth behind it. The "short" deformed bullet without the petal weighs 259 grains. That is a 500gr bullet. They work!
    Aim higher, or get a bigger gun.
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #8
    Elk creek wrote: »
    very cool! My highwall shoots that bullet very well.
    These will be fired from ether my Marlin Cowboy, assuming they are not to long or my brothers Browning B-78.
    What powder are you using?

    Sako
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #9
    bullsi1911 wrote: »
    As someone who has just started dipping my toes into the whole 45-70 hand loads thing... that is really interesting to me.

    Let me know if you want to try them, I'll send you a few.

    Sako
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #10
    Six-Gun wrote: »
    Man, you didn't mess around. Big ol' bullets!

    Figured it was easier to re-learn casting with something big:jester: I cast a few .58 cal Minnie bullets as well. Unfortunately, I have nothing to shoot those out of..... Yet!

    Sako
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  • Elk creekElk creek Senior Member Posts: 6,903 Senior Member
    #11
    sakodude wrote: »
    These will be fired from ether my Marlin Cowboy, assuming they are not to long or my brothers Browning B-78.
    What powder are you using?

    Sako
    Those will not fit in any repeating levergun. Those are a single shot only bullet. You might be able to single load them but they will be too long for your action. I use Reloader 7.


    Ps after looking closer load up a dummy and measure it. It may have a short enough nose. Might.
    Aim higher, or get a bigger gun.
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #12
    Elk creek wrote: »
    Those will not fit in any repeating levergun. Those are a single shot only bullet. You might be able to single load them but they will be too long for your action. I use Reloader 7.


    Ps after looking closer load up a dummy and measure it. It may have a short enough nose. Might.

    That was my concern. I had some 500 gr laser cast bullets that cycled fine so I'm hoping! I will do a dummy first. Guess if they don't fit then my brothers rifle gets a work out.


    Sako
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  • Elk creekElk creek Senior Member Posts: 6,903 Senior Member
    #13
    sakodude wrote: »
    That was my concern. I had some 500 gr laser cast bullets that cycled fine so I'm hoping! I will do a dummy first. Guess if they don't fit then my brothers rifle gets a work out.


    Sako
    Either way:tooth:
    Aim higher, or get a bigger gun.
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  • Elk creekElk creek Senior Member Posts: 6,903 Senior Member
    #14
    Don't load the dummy before you measure at least twice! Getting that over length round out is a pain!!!
    Aim higher, or get a bigger gun.
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #15
    Elk creek wrote: »
    Don't load the dummy before you measure at least twice! Getting that over length round out is a pain!!!

    Believe me, I know! made that mistake once with a 300 gr Barnes X, had to disassemble to get that sucker out:bang:

    Sako
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  • Elk creekElk creek Senior Member Posts: 6,903 Senior Member
    #16
    Me too once, once.
    Aim higher, or get a bigger gun.
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  • mitdr774mitdr774 Member Posts: 1,568 Senior Member
    #17
    I have debated getting some 405gr cast to use with some trail boss in my .458. Im guessing those will be a riot once loaded up. I hope they fit for you. Thats one massive looking bullet.
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #18
    Pretty sure I'm good to go. I was quite certain my dad had said this was a 500gr mold, I just weighed one and it's a 405 and substantially shorter than the laser cast 500's I have.
    Still ought to be a pleasure to shoot with some trailboss.

    Sako
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #19
    Anyone know if a mold can be reconditioned? I tried a 30cal I'm guessing about a 150gr sp mold in the collection and it is leaving a thin bit of flash at the base. Thought maybe the sprue plate was loose but no. Then I noticed a bit of a divot at the edge of the mold which I think is allowing a bit of lead to flow out of the mold.
    It's an RCBS mold. Anyone know if it can be sent back for repair?

    Sako
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  • JasonMPDJasonMPD Senior Member Posts: 6,557 Senior Member
    #20
    Cool stuff. I want to get a 45 Colt revolver to justify lead casting.
    “There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” – Will Rogers
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #21
    cpj wrote: »
    If it's a ding on the base, the mold can be milled off to make it flat again.

    And if you're brave enough, all it will cost you is shipping to MOzambique to have it milled.


    Edit: it WILL make the bullet shorter/lighter by removing metal from the mold. Not much, but it will make it different.

    I'll take you up on that if your serious. A CPJ customized mold:jester: It looks like a gas check design so worst case it becomes a plain base, reduced power mold.
    PM me an address please and I get a project out to you.
    Thank you for the offer.

    Sako
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  • JayhawkerJayhawker Moderator Posts: 17,513 Senior Member
    #22
    early wrote: »
    Those are BIG!

    Yep...but not quite as big as the 535 grain Postells I shoot in my Sharps...

    I keep to 405 grain rnfp for my 1895 CB.... Along with some 300 grain cast lead hollow points...

    Have you perchance considered the chamber pressure you are generating running those through your lever gun?.....Just some thinking on my part...
    Sharps Model 1874 - "The rifle that made the west safe for Winchester"
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #23
    Jayhawker wrote: »
    Yep...but not quite as big as the 535 grain Postells I shoot in my Sharps...

    I keep to 405 grain rnfp for my 1895 CB.... Along with some 300 grain cast lead hollow points...

    Have you perchance considered the chamber pressure you are generating running those through your lever gun?.....Just some thinking on my part...

    If you missed it above, I discovered these are infact 405's. I thought I recalled my dad saying this mold was a 500 so that is what I originally called them.
    The 500gr laser cast I have shot before were loaded rather tame so I doubt chamber pressures were ever a concern. But I do however appreciate your concern.
    My rifle is an 1895 CB as well but punishing loads are not my thing anymore.
    My go to load if I ever get the chance to hunt with this rifle uses the Hornady 350gr rnsp.
    All other shooting with this rifle will be fun trailboss loads.

    Sako
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  • Big Al1Big Al1 Senior Member Posts: 8,200 Senior Member
    #24
    405's or 500's, they'll still be a hoot to shoot!
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  • NNNN Senior Member Posts: 24,923 Senior Member
    #25
    sakodude wrote: »
    .

    Bet you like these, Klinger, they come with lipstick applied already.
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  • knitepoetknitepoet Senior Member Posts: 21,966 Senior Member
    #26
    Looks good Tom. :up:

    While CPJ may act like a "jack-wagon", I've seen enough of his work to have faith in him pulling it off :beer:

    And it once again shows why this place ROCKS :worthy:
    Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates, Rule #37: There is no “overkill”. There is only “open fire” and “I need to reload”.


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  • TeachTeach Senior Member Posts: 18,428 Senior Member
    #27
    What alloy are you using? I've been able to cast some super-hard bullets using a 5% tin mix dropped into icewater from the mold. Some of them could have been reloaded and shot again after some very deep penetration into wet newsprint.
    Jerry
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #28
    Teach wrote: »
    What alloy are you using? I've been able to cast some super-hard bullets using a 5% tin mix dropped into icewater from the mold. Some of them could have been reloaded and shot again after some very deep penetration into wet newsprint.
    Jerry

    to be honest Teach, I don't know for certain. These were cast from ingots marked SAECO as you see in the photo. I dropped them into cool tap water, not iced and they still scratch with a fingernail. I don't know it they are commercial ingots or my dad poured them. I found no ingot mold so marked. The blank ingots I know are W/W metal, we poured those 20 some years ago. The other bars you see are commercial I'm sure but composition is unknown. the particularly shiny bar is very hard, wont scratch at all. The chunk with the pipe in it is I'm told, from an old pipe organ and is supposed to be pure lead.
    Any thought on any of this?


    Sako
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  • TeachTeach Senior Member Posts: 18,428 Senior Member
    #29
    I make an alloy consisting of 19 lbs. of wheel weights and a 1 lb. bar of 50/50 lead/tin plumbers' solder. If I air-cool the bullets I cast, they can be scratched with a fingernail. If I use a big coffee can filled with ice cubes and just enough water to make it slushy, they come out super hard .

    Here's a before and after pic of 250 grain SWC fired from a 6" Blackhawk convertible into a stack of wet newsprint. I've got a similar pic somewhere of a 300 grain hardcast from the same gun with the .45 Colt cylinder, fired into the same medium at around 1300 FPS that only has rifling engraved- - - -no expansion at all.

    45_auto_250_001.JPG

    Jerry
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  • sakodudesakodude Senior Member Posts: 4,234 Senior Member
    #30
    Teach wrote: »
    I make an alloy consisting of 19 lbs. of wheel weights and a 1 lb. bar of 50/50 lead/tin plumbers' solder. If I air-cool the bullets I cast, they can be scratched with a fingernail. If I use a big coffee can filled with ice cubes and just enough water to make it slushy, they come out super hard .

    Here's a before and after pic of 250 grain SWC fired from a 6" Blackhawk convertible into a stack of wet newsprint. I've got a similar pic somewhere of a 300 grain hardcast from the same gun with the .45 Colt cylinder, fired into the same medium at around 1300 FPS that only has rifling engraved- - - -no expansion at all.

    45_auto_250_001.JPG

    Jerry

    I can certainly do that with what I know to be W/W material. Thanks for the recipe. Any idea what the hard shiny stuff might be?

    Sako
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  • TeachTeach Senior Member Posts: 18,428 Senior Member
    #31
    Try cutting off a small slice of the shiny stuff with a knife. If it cuts smoothly it's probably pure tin. If it sort of flakes off in chunks it might be antimony, which is used in VERY small doses to help harden an alloy. I'm betting on tin. A 1 lb. ingot would mix with 40 lbs. of wheel weight material to get an approximate 5% alloy, once the floating steel clips were skimmed off the pot.
    Jerry
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