Shiloh Rifle Forums

I've never cast before, and I've never seen anyone cast. I'm getting ready to start casting 38-55's for my Winchester while I'm waiting for my Shiloh #1 Sporter 40-65 (hopefully ready in March '04).

Can anyone recommend a good book with practical recommendations for bullet casting (pot & mould maintenance, etc., along with casting "techniques"). Simple questions .. "when finished .. do you empty the pot of lead .. or let the remainder in the pot til the next time you cast?". If you need empty the pot .. do you then need a mould of some sort (ingot mould). Very basice "how to" recommendations for a complete rookie.

Bought a Waage pot, Seco mould, 30-1 alloy, RCBS ladle (now ordering a Rowell), getting some Shiloh lube .. and want to get started. Your recommendations ... as always ... will be appreciated. Thanks again. Rick.

Rickd, You can read about this and it will be helpful, however, If you can figure out how to do this, you will shorten your learning curve and deveop confidence in a hurry. Go to a local shooting range or match (cowboy shooters are usually good for what I am suggesting here) and ask, find, a person experienced in bullet casting and ask them for help. Casting handgun bullets Vs. large rifle bullets is somewhat different, but an experienced caster can teach you more in a hour then you will learn on your own through trial and error. Good Luck to ya. If you live across the street from me you would be an expert tomarrow.

good morning
the lyman cast bullet handbook third edition is a good basic reference. make sure you have a thermometer and use consistant movements and go for it. If you read through the posts here you can see what works for a lot of people, I keep the lead mix at + - 10 degrees and make very good bullets for my needs you can leave the lead in the pot if you have the same alloy on hand to refill from. on bottom pour pots they recommend to drain them down to an inch or so mostly because they leak when they start up. dipper pots it is not critical if you leave the pot full it will melt faster when you turn it on. if you use clean alloy the pot should stay clean.flux the alloy occasionly while casting and scrape the sides and bottom of the pot ( a spoon stolen from the kitchen works good)and when you start to get a lot of dross than drain the pot and clean. When you drain the pot and need an ingot mould go down to the thrift store and get a muffin tin they make exelent moulds. you are off to a good start with good equipment so you should not have any trouble.

dean

Hey guys--if ya want a cool looking ingot then use a couple of old cast iron corn bread makers--you get a half ear of corn looking ingot!!---Kinda cool and a neat conversation piece when anyone sees them!!

Paul Matthews has a book on casting match grade bullets. Its good reading for the newbie and long time bullet caster. I see that Buffalo Arms carries Rowell casting ladles and have decided to order a #2. Rbump

Powderburner, just cast a batch of Lyman 500gr Goverment style and as usual I empty my pot into a muffin tin which worked fine with my old one. Tryed a different one I had picked up tonight and dangit if I can't get the lead out of this one. Beat on it and dropped it a couple of times and they are stuck solid. I think maybe if I heat the underside a lttle with a propane torch hopefully they'll come out. Guess this tin goes in the garbage after this so may cut them out if the torch doesn't work.

buckeyeshooter

I got aluminum ones and it dont stick to them I also got a bunch that are kinda black and they dont stick either. I did finally make up a bunch out of 1 1/4 angle with a 5 degree on the ends and put up between 5 and 17 sticks together and they turn out a 2 lb triangle ingot that stacks up real nice they are easy to use and I can keep up with two 300 lb pots with 8 of them

before pitching it try seasoning it with wax or oil and burn the seasoning on if the ingots finally come out

I'll give it a try. My other tin makes real nice 1/2 pound ingots and they drop out real nice.

Thanks for the tips guys. Matthew's book and a muffin tin should complete my gear. I'll be casting my first batch the first week in November .. after I return from my Oct. 31 trip to the Shiloh factory!! 1st. vacation in a few years .. a weekend in Montana .. tour the Shiloh plant and visit the folks at Cal Graf (they make real nice shooting boxes & gun totes). Rickd.

Rick be sure to let us know about those shooting boxes and toats. I"m thinking of building a box.
Omak

Bumper, I'm not telling you what to order or what to do but the guy that sells the rowell ladles told me and Lee Stone that the #2 is too big unless you are casting 4 or 6 cavity ganged molds. He said for a single or double cavity mold the #1 is the better ladle!!