Getting the hang of casting lead slugs

[vtachrn]

I think I got the hang of casting for my 54 cal muzzleloader.

Only problem that I seem to have is running the furnace wide open and the lead collecting oxide quickly with high temps. I seem to be fluxing and scooping a lot of crap out of the lead with higher temps required for the minie ball mold.

Left to right: 400 grain wad cutter? (not sure but its a fence post looking slug), 400 grain minie ball, 380 grain REAL bullet.

 

[rbt50]

they look good

 

[Cbvanb]

Nice. I have all the casting equipment but haven’t started yet. There’s a lot of science involved to get it right.

 

[Old Jeff H]

Do you use pure lead for those, or an alloy?

 

[brian10x]

Reloading section, maybe?

 

[samnev]

I used wheel weights for all my casting. Just make SURE you have adequate ventilation when casting. Those fumes could cause a health problem if you cast over a long period of time (years).

 

[vtachrn]

Do you use pure lead for those, or an alloy?

Pure lead. I have not had a chance to check the hardness of the "pure" lead. The metal is from Roto metals and can be scratched with a thumb nail.

 

[vtachrn]

I used wheel weights for all my casting. Just make SURE you have adequate ventilation when casting. Those fumes could cause a health problem if you cast over a long period of time (years).

I only cast outside, no way in hell am I playing with lead fumes in any kind of enclosed space. Plus when you flux the lead, the large flames kind of make it a requirement to be an outside event.

 

[samnev]

I casted in my garage directly in front of a very large widow with 2 other large windows open + the fan just behind me going full speed and the garage door open. But outside would have been better but there was no way I could have done that in my former Prescott home.

 

[High Standard]

Your slugs look pretty good to me. I would not hesitate to shoot ‘em.

I cast inside my garage right inside the roll up door. I have a fan that pulls the fumes from the pot outside. I bought a bunch of pre blended bars using the Lyman #2 recipe. I wanted to make it easy on myself while I learned how to cast consistently. The hardness runs around 15-18. I get pretty good consistent results with my casting these days. I am still trying to get powder coating to a point where I am happy with the results. So far I have only cast handgun boolits. I have not tried casting for my rifles yet.

 

[Flash]

I used wheel weights for all my casting. Just make SURE you have adequate ventilation when casting. Those fumes could cause a health problem if you cast over a long period of time (years).

I only cast outside, no way in hell am I playing with lead fumes in any kind of enclosed space. Plus when you flux the lead, the large flames kind of make it a requirement to be an outside event.

I started casting when I was 9 years old inside a pretty tightly sealed house in Alaska in the winter. Did it for years and tests show insignificant amounts lead, all in the normal range.

 

[High Standard]

I used wheel weights for all my casting. Just make SURE you have adequate ventilation when casting. Those fumes could cause a health problem if you cast over a long period of time (years).

I only cast outside, no way in hell am I playing with lead fumes in any kind of enclosed space. Plus when you flux the lead, the large flames kind of make it a requirement to be an outside event.

I started casting when I was 9 years old inside a pretty tightly sealed house in Alaska in the winter. Did it for years and tests show insignificant amounts lead, all in the normal range.

I may not be remembering this correctly but I think I read somewhere that most lead poisoning cases are from ingestion and not breathing it in. I still take all sorts of precautions myself. I also make sure I I don’t put my hands in my mouth and wash my hands thoroughly when I have been casting.

 

[Boriqua]

I cant speak to the issues you are having with the process but .. damn they look good!!

 

[marlin39a]

I flux twice. Get the mold preheated by keeping a corner in the mix. Usually get good bullets quick.

 

[Flash]

I may not be remembering this correctly but I think I read somewhere that most lead poisoning cases are from ingestion and not breathing it in. I still take all sorts of precautions myself. I also make sure I I don’t put my hands in my mouth and wash my hands thoroughly when I have been casting.

You remember correctly. You're at a much bigger risk simply breathing while shooting in dead still air than from casting indoors.


https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/lead/index.cfm#:~:text=Lead%20can%20get%20into%20your,or%20dust%20that%20contain%20lead.

How does lead get into the body, and how is it measured?
Lead can get into your body by consuming contaminated water or food, or from breathing fumes or dust that contain lead.

 

[knockonit]

out of curiosity, what is the brinell ( i know spelling) hardness for the store bought mini balls, not hard to alloy a tad,
we did it to get a 16 hardness which in our opinion was the happy spot for cast boolits for modern guns, issue with lead is to slug barrels, and see what size mold works best to negate leading in barrel.
So far what we have cast many k's worth and shot as many, no leading issue.

good luck, me likes lead, especially before it intrudes into an intruder
Rj

 

[Flash]

I've only checked a few minie balls but they were BHN 5

 

[792mauser]

They look good. Good fill and minimal wrinkles.
For complicated shapes you need to run the lead very hot.

You look like you got the hang of it.

 

[vtachrn]

They look good. Good fill and minimal wrinkles.
For complicated shapes you need to run the lead very hot.

You look like you got the hang of it.

One thing I have been doing to get decent minie ball casts is to keep the lead pot thermostat wide open, and keep a hot plate near by cranked up to about 550 degrees to set the mold down on if I need to stop casting bullets for a minute or so. Most of the time the bullets just drop right out of the mold with no issue at all.

 

[792mauser]

Yeah. That'll do it.

As long as the mold stays hot and the lead is as well. I have no problems filling out my .58 minie molds, the 405/510 trapdoor molds, and the wadcutters.