Poll: Do you cast your own bullets?

First time poll so if I mess it up you'll know why.



Dave C.

Dave,

Thanks! This should be interesting!

If I didn't cast my own bullets for competition, I could not afford to shoot. Also, it has been only recently that I found a "store-bought" cast bullet that shoots as well as mine do. But then again, I just started casting in the 1970's, and am constantly learning more about that art/science.

JMHO

For me it is just better to buy them. I have been shooting 185 LSWCHP from Zero. You can get them for under $100/1000 delivered. I have a friend who casts his own and he tells me that it takes him all day to cast 1000 bullets and another day to lube/size them. Now I don't know if these are solid 8hr days but this is what he tells me. So we are looking at 2 days of work in 1000 bullets. I would have to get lead, store it, buy the equipment, learn how to do it correctly, and then spend the time doing it. I am a carpenter by trade and have a well equiped wood shop. I build cabinets for a guy that does cabinet refacing and he comes to me when he needs cabinets for whatever kitchen or bath he is working on that needs cabinets. I can make the money to buy 1000 bullets in about 2hrs doing something that I know and like how to do and it wont elivate my already high lead levels. So for me it works out better to buy them.

Scott

Great Poll - very interested to see the final out come.

I agree very interesting poll.

I cast my own for both short and long line. It does take some time to cast and size the bullets, but I do it because I enjoy doing it and it lets me shoot a whole lot more than if I were to buy bullets. Besides, I'm not a good enough shooter to see the difference in group size between my own cast H&G 68 and a Zero/Nosler 185 gr JHP at 50 yards. Guess it's the difference between throwing quarters or nickels downrange, for all the good it does me.

Thanks to all that participated in the poll. I am surprised at the number of casters.

At least I'm not the last one casting!



Dave C.

I buy mine but am very interested in learning how to cast some day.

I was very close to buying the equipment and had a line on a hundred pounds of lead. Then I found out my levels were high and tabled the project.

I'm thinking about taking it up. I just got a 5 gallon pail full of lead bits.

Yes in a flat base 173 gr swc shoots great at 50 and 25 with several different loads Bullseye from 4.0 to 4.3 works well and Clays 3.8 probable the best at 50. It is from what I think was the H&G 220 mold. I use a steel catch box and recycle the lead reloading costs about the cost of powder and primers after a inventory of lead is in place. Minus of coarse what is lost at matches.

I used to cast all my own lead bullets, but quit years ago when, between work and other activities I just did not have the time. I enjoyed casting and thought I got very good results. I have more time now and gave thought to starting again but I sold all my equipment and lead is becoming difficult to get at a decent price. /MK

I used to cast (1970's) lead bullets for black powder cartridge rifles, muzzleloaders and my Dads .38/.357 WC/SWC. It's a chore and its also a science. With the availability and cost of commercially cast slugs, I'm going with them. Time spent casting, lubeing and sizing is better spent at the press.

Snobal wrote:Dave,

Thanks! This should be interesting!

If I didn't cast my own bullets for competition, I could not afford to shoot. Also, it has been only recently that I found a "store-bought" cast bullet that shoots as well as mine do. But then again, I just started casting in the 1970's, and am constantly learning more about that art/science.

JMHO

May I ask which ones these are?

Kurt

expendable wrote:

Snobal wrote:Dave,

Thanks! This should be interesting!

If I didn't cast my own bullets for competition, I could not afford to shoot. Also, it has been only recently that I found a "store-bought" cast bullet that shoots as well as mine do. But then again, I just started casting in the 1970's, and am constantly learning more about that art/science.

JMHO

May I ask which ones these are?

Kurt

I use wheel-weight lead (carefully sorted) with 2% added tin, air-cooled, from a RCBS 45-201-SWC mold, sized to .452, BAC lube, with enough Bullseye powder to get around 720 fps. Works great for the short line. We don't shoot the long line at our gun club.

Snobal wrote:

expendable wrote:

Snobal wrote:Dave,

Thanks! This should be interesting!

If I didn't cast my own bullets for competition, I could not afford to shoot. Also, it has been only recently that I found a "store-bought" cast bullet that shoots as well as mine do. But then again, I just started casting in the 1970's, and am constantly learning more about that art/science.

JMHO

May I ask which ones these are?

Kurt

I use wheel-weight lead (carefully sorted) with 2% added tin, air-cooled, from a RCBS 45-201-SWC mold, sized to .452, BAC lube, with enough Bullseye powder to get around 720 fps. Works great for the short line. We don't shoot the long line at our gun club.

I was asking what brand of store bought bullet you found that shot as well as your cast ones.

Kurt

Quality cast, 160s and 200 are very accurate and priced right.

expendable wrote:

Snobal wrote:

expendable wrote:

Snobal wrote:Dave,

Thanks! This should be interesting!

If I didn't cast my own bullets for competition, I could not afford to shoot. Also, it has been only recently that I found a "store-bought" cast bullet that shoots as well as mine do. But then again, I just started casting in the 1970's, and am constantly learning more about that art/science.

JMHO

May I ask which ones these are?

Kurt

I use wheel-weight lead (carefully sorted) with 2% added tin, air-cooled, from a RCBS 45-201-SWC mold, sized to .452, BAC lube, with enough Bullseye powder to get around 720 fps. Works great for the short line. We don't shoot the long line at our gun club.

I was asking what brand of store bought bullet you found that shot as well as your cast ones.

Kurt

Laser-Cast, 200 gr. SWC