All them dang zombies ain't gonna kill they selves!

[Guest pfries]

I am just getting a good start on reloading 7.62x54R,

9mm, .40, .45 and .308 under control.

Still need dies for .270.

I have not started casting as of yet, can’t figure out why as I used to pour lead for a living and have a little knowledge. But time is fast approaching.

[Caster]

I have not started casting as of yet, can’t figure out why as I used to pour lead for a living and have a little knowledge. But time is fast approaching.

GET ON WITH IT!

That 7,62x54R LOVES cast bullets. Takes a good bit of work to find that sweet spot, but when you do...pennies on the dollar man!

[xd shooter]

My "thing" for now is loading for the Marlin1895GBL 45-70 guide gun I just got. I have a couple loads to try as soon as I get a good chance.

Trying a lyman 457122 HP that weigh 340gr that I got from a guy on another forum to try out.

Putting that in front of 50gr realoader 7.

Also got a Lee 90374 405gr flat nose that I cast.

I put it in front of 50gr of Varget.

I'm not a big fan on how this boolit looks. The lube grooves are very shallow & narrow.

Hopefully it won't lead the barrel up.

I still need to load each of the bullets with the oppisite powder.

I really like the Lyman boolit. I shot it into 3ft of sheraded tire rubber in carboard boxes with 1/8 sheet of steel in the back of the last box "for good measure" & it traveled about 2 1/2 ft into the rubber & averaged out of 5 shots 180gr when recovered.

If you see a deal on the Lyman 457122 HP mold I want one.

Caster you talkin about swaping bullets I have a Lyman 356242 that drops 126gr, & a 452374 that drops 218gr if you wanna try them.

Both of those weights are lubed & sized.

Also have a 311413 that I don't cast much with & never loaded.

[Caster]

I have a Lee mold that drops .453 boolit at 205g so I am close on that one. The .356 is in intriguing. I'll make a note of that one. I may hit you up later on when I get caught up. If my new 30 cal molds don't pan out, I'll have to remember that 311413 too.

I used to load for 45/70. I had a Ruger No3. If it had been a No1 I would still have it. LOVE that cartridge. As it is, the No3 is rough on the body when you start feeding that cartridge a healthy diet. Wish I hadn't sold the mold I had. I had a Lyman 457671, a 475g gas check. It was a stomper!

[xd shooter]

I also have some boolits that anothe guy gave me to try in the 45-70 & I tried them in the NEF that I'm trying to sell.

They weigh almost 550gr & will kill your shouder with Trapdoor preasures.

I shot 3 of them at my "boxes" of shreaded tire rubber, but I only used 2 boxes (about 2ft) with 1/8 plate of steel in the back.

It acually put a hole about 1" in the steel & lodged into a tree stump behind the boxes & I couldn't find the boolit.

You get 550gr moving & it will not stop!!

[Guest pfries]

GET ON WITH IT!

That 7,62x54R LOVES cast bullets. Takes a good bit of work to find that sweet spot, but when you do...pennies on the dollar man!

Do you have a mold recommendation?

I would like to start with the 7.62 as I can use it for multiple applications if I work up the load for each independently.

Also with the high power rounds what do you lean toward? Softer (calcium) or harder (antimony)?

[xd shooter]

Best way is to slug your barrel, then measure the largest diameter & add .002 to it for the size of mold that you need .

Weight & style of boolit is up to you.

I need to get started on the old Mosin pack for myself,but I don't know witch one of the 4 to start with!

[Guest pfries]

So most of the manufacture specs on diameter are on or very close then?

With the variances in weight alone that I have read about I wanted to ask.

[xd shooter]

I have been hearing of some Mosin's with bore sizes on out to .314 to .315. as Westwindmike. He was saying his cast boolits in his Mosin were comming apart & hitting the target like a shotgun.

[Caster]

Yup, slug your bore with a soft lead slug first. If you wanna get fancy you can take a cerrosafe casting of your chamber and throat. Measuring your throat will get you going on how far out you can seat your bullet. Longer is better up to a certain point. You don't want the base of the bullet below the case neck; protruding into the case. Obviously you don't have to do this to get the length but it will give you a more precise idea of what the throat looks like.

Here's a good one to start with. I had great luck back when I cast for 303 british.

2-Cavity Bullet Mold C312-185-1R 303 British (312 Diameter) 185 Grain 1 Ogive Radius Gas Check

[xd shooter]

OK working on getting me a S&W model 58 chambered in 41 Mag.

Going to be on a lookout for a mold for it. Keep me in mind!!

[Caster]

OK working on getting me a S&W model 58 chambered in 41 Mag.

Going to be on a lookout for a mold for it. Keep me in mind!!

What'd you come up with? Anything? Never messed that caliber before but..........

I did manage finish some .357 mags tonight. Much anticipated by me, these are the first loadings of a new mold I picked up. 170g Lyman (358429 I think) lubed with my own recipe. These buggers are just BARELY gonna work in my SP101!!! I have about .010 clearance when seated as deep as I can seat them and still be able to use the crimp groove. I put a heavy crimp on these. Starting charge of AA #5 and a CCI standard primer. Should run just over 1,100 fps.

Much as I LOVE Hornady, you can keep your Zmax zombie ammo. Even untested, I'm pretty certain these are going to be a piledriver sure to put the great divide in some undead skulls.

[Caster]

Another victory!!! I been tinkering with this old Ishapore, okay. Once a thorough enema was performed, it is VERY clean and a PERFECT bore. So my first time out with a cast boolit load and lo-and-behold SUCCESS!!! I used Hornady match brass, fire formed, neck sized and run through an M-die. The boolit is a Lee tumble lube gas check that falls a VERY consistent 168g after gas check and lube. It's supposed to be a 160g [but straight wheel weights often fall a bit heavy] and .312 diameter. I slugged the bore and it's a bit oversize [stupid indians!] at .310-.3105 so sizing them back to .310 was easy. Loaded with a winchester standard large rifle primer and 10g of Unique. First off, they are a SUPER cheap load to make. Second, all I can describe the recoil as is laughable. I actually had a guy at the range walk over and ask me what was so funny. I let him shoot it and he was snickering too. Next is accuracy...I had NO issues busting clays offhand at 50 and 100 yards. I shot 50 rounds and had zero...ZERO leading. This load is so easy on the brass too, by neck sizing I'm guessing I'll get dozens of loadings out of this lot of brass. I figure they cost me about 9 cents apiece to load. Heck yeah!

three round group at 50 yards. Rifle shoots a touch low off the bench. Dunno why??? Don't care.

[Caster]

More from the lyman 358429. These little fellas are cast from air cooled stick-on wheel weights. They aren't pure lead, but they're close, and soft as butter. These are for .38 special and should run in the 800fps range. Nice & gentle, but deadly to zombies melon.

The weather is getting warmer everyday, you guys better get on the stick, casting. It'll be too hot soon!

[JeffsSig]

Now you need some green tips!

[Caster]

I can do that!!!

[xd shooter]

Dang the zombie thread back form the dead!!

I did get the model 58 S&W , .41Mag

Also got a .444 Marlin & got a 30-30 on the way.

Man I haven't had a 30-30 in years.

So if you see any decent molds let me know.

lookin good on the soft lead .358

[Caster]

Dang the zombie thread back form the dead!!

I did get the model 58 S&W , .41Mag

Also got a .444 Marlin & got a 30-30 on the way.

Man I haven't had a 30-30 in years.

So if you see any decent molds let me know.

lookin good on the soft lead .358

I've got a single cavity 170g RNFP Ohaus mold I've been saving for 30/30. When I get caught up, I'm getting back into 30/30. One of the best rifle cartridges there is and they take to a cast boolit better than anything.

I've always admired the .444 marlin. It's just a beautiful cartridge to look at. If I had one, I'd cast some pure lead hollow points and paper patch that bad boy.

[Guest andrew tanksley]

it has been 20 years or so since i reloaded but when i did i casted too. i had a sw 41 mag 4 inch nickle plated. i ran across a set of molds that cast a bullit that was about 115 gr. it looked like a button. i had to use the messy lube that you squirted on and rolled around to lube it. i dont remember what it is called but i hated it because it was so messy. but when a propper hot load( i used alot of bullseye and unique) was applied to this little "button" it sounded like a cannon going off. the recoil was almost nonexistant. it was a very fun load to shoot and it never caused me any problems with leading.

[Dolomite_supafly]

For those wanting cheap slugs do like I do.

I buy the cheap Remington bulk pack target or sport loads. They run $25/100. I cut the tops out and dump the lead out. Pull the wad out and replace it with Winchester AA 0012 hulls that are $6/250. I cast slugs out of the lead pellets and drop then into the hulls.

The weight is the same so they cycle the same. They are accurate enough in my Saiga and cost under .30 each.

I use .690" round balls that weigh 1.25 ounces for most of my needs now. Provides a little more operating pressures. They are man sized accurate to beyond 50 yards. They are 2' accurate at 100 yards 75% of the time.

And if you want hotter slugs just buy hotter game loads and do the same.

Dolomite

[Caster]

^ This works.

It's frowned upon by some of the more elite shogun crowd types, but it WORKS. AND like he said, it's cheap.

[Caster]

My newest creation, the first batch finished tonight! 38 special: Lyman 358429 170g [actual weight 161g] cast from dead soft stick on wheel weights. Air cooled they are very close to pure lead. My own lube recipe, CCI primer, 3g of Bullseye all wrapped up in some very sweet Norma brass. Can't wait to test these out this weekend in a buddy's pistol. I don't even own a .38 right now!

Finished up some .45's today. Properly packaged and ready to go.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Caster

[Caster]

Does anyone reload for .38 S&W? I just traded for a pile of virgin unmarked [no headstamp] Starline brass.

I'm working on coming up with a 200g mold so I can duplicate the old British 380/200 MkI revolver loads.

I suppose you know you've gone off the casting/reloading deep end when you start loading for calibers like this......I don't even OWN a .38S&W revolver!

I'm having me an Enfield revolver someday though. Won't it be nice when I have some ammo waiting for it?

[gjohnsoniv]

For those wanting cheap slugs do like I do.

I buy the cheap Remington bulk pack target or sport loads. They run $25/100. I cut the tops out and dump the lead out. Pull the wad out and replace it with Winchester AA 0012 hulls that are $6/250. I cast slugs out of the lead pellets and drop then into the hulls.

Dolomite

Do you mean cut the crimp off of it? From there how do you re-crimp it?

I made some wax .308's the other day and am going to make some more today/tomorrow if I have the chance.

Edited April 4, 2012 by gjohnsoniv

[Jonnin]

I recently saw an important post for those who worry about the zombies. You need to start buying used treadmills and generators to power them. Surround your house and plug em in. 90% of the zombies will just be running in place!