Lead and Hard Cast.

[Guest Nikator]

I'm getting some research done before I start buying equipment to reload. I'm looking into component costs and see a big difference in fmj, hard cast, and lead bullets. The price of lead looks good, but there are a lot of opinions out there that lead can foul the barrel fast and should generally be avoided. I also see that some of you cast your own bullets which I assume are straight up lead rounds. So, the question is, should I avoid lead bullets, or do you just need to be more vigilant about cleaning if you shoot lead?

Thank you for all the help so far. This forum (and the members) is awesome.

[Caster]

Nik, I shoot lead in just about everything. From 800fps bunny fart loads in 45 colt to 2000 fps in a 308 winchester. How about 1200+fps 325g round nose flat point gas check in my 45 colt blackhawk?

Ohh I saw some leading until I found the proper components to weave my spell. I don't see leading now....

It's funny, and I am NOT flogging you here (I swear) but there is so much myth and BS about lead. There's guys paper patching lead bullets at over 2500fps. Don't be afraid of lead. Be afraid to follow the lemmings and sheeple. Remember, lead boolits have been around a lot longer than copper condoms. Lead won the west and slaughtered buffalo and native americans by the thousands at very long distances.

What are we loading here? Let's talk about it. BTW, I load my 9mm to around 1,000fps and I get only a light bit of leading at the muzzle from a good day of shooting. A good day of shooting is 300-400 and I have shot as many as 600-700 without cleaning.

[I_Like_Pie]

Think about it this way....how much lead does your .22 rifle have in the barrel?

Caster is right.

[dlm37015]

i havent hunted with anything but a cast bullet in years .my beat small bore load 6.5 x 55 shoots 1-11/2 inches all day with a 150 grain cast bullet gas checked at about 1800 fps

[Guest Nikator]

Nice. Shooting is about to get much less expensive.

[Caster]

Nice. Shooting is about to get much less expensive.

Well it certainly could. What caliber are you starting with here? If it's one I've loaded I'll tell you all about how I screwed it up the first go 'round. Save you even more$$ by avoiding my mistakes.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Listen to Caster, he has saved me a bunch of hedaches when I started casting. Your biggest obstacle is gong to be finding enough lead to keep up with production.

I cast 9mm and 45 ACP now as well as shotgun slugs. It now costs me about a nickel per shot in bolt 9mm and 45.

Dolomite

[Guest canebreaker]

I cast from 4 different molds for my 38spl and 357. One for my .380 auto and 1 for my 9mm. Pure and mixed lead boolits. I pan lube with alox. Wipe the boolit down after loading for my autos. The 38 was bought new, never had a jacketed boolit in it and no telling how many rounds have been shot from it. The 357 was bought used, not knowing how many jacketed boolits have been shot in it. But close to 10,000 lead boolits since I've had it. The 380 and 9m were bought used. Not knowing how many jacketed boolits have been shot in them. But close to 5,000 lead boolits shot in them since I've had them. I buy gas checked boolits for my 308, 30-30, 30 carbine and 762x39. I've never noticed leading.

[Guest Nikator]

Well it certainly could. What caliber are you starting with here? If it's one I've loaded I'll tell you all about how I screwed it up the first go 'round. Save you even more$$ by avoiding my mistakes.

I'm interested in loading .45 acp. I found 1000 bullets online for $56. That should give me a cost of 14 cents per round, give or take. I don't reload yet so I'd rather buy the components and pick up brass at the range.

[Caster]

Well Nik, .45 acp is a GREAT cartridge to cut your reloading teeth on. It's very forgiving, hard to make mistakes on and hard to find too many loads that aren't at least moderately accurate. In my opinion it is THE cartridge to learn to reload with. Do you have an idea of what direction you want to go? Cheap range ammo, match grade target, or maybe something to back up a hunting rifle??? A 230g cast bullet is hard to beat and in the .45acp, it doesn't need to be extremely hard. You're not going to be driving it really fast so something a little soft will probably do you better as long as accuracy is good and you're not getting any leading.

[Guest Nikator]

Do you have an idea of what direction you want to go? Cheap range ammo, match grade target, or maybe something to back up a hunting rifle???

I'm looking to make inexpensive range ammo. I don't shoot more than 25 yards.

[Caster]

That's easy man. You'll have fun with it. Start with a 230g and a starting charge of Accurate #5. Work in lots of 50-100 and work up slowly. AND, if you find that your pistol cycles flawlessly and is nice and accurate, stop. People try to wring out the last bit of performance and for what? Less is more, especially with range and practice ammo.

Good luck and post your results. Good or bad. Often folks new to reloading won't post bad results out of shame or some other retarded bassackwards reason. You'll have fun though. Not much better out there than shooting your own loads and the pride you get from it.

[DWARREN123]

I like some lead bullets. I reload a 175gr hardcast lead semi wad cutter for both my Glock22 and Glock20SF. Very accurate round out to 25 yards and low recoil.

[Sidinman]

I started reloading just over a year ago, and all that I have done is lead. What is really cool is that I killed a deer with one of MY loads this year. May start casting a little this year, this stuff is really addicting. So be careful. lol. What I have found out is that reloading is just as enjoyable as shooting. Hell maybe more.

Hey, by the way where did you see the 1000 for $56 if you don't mind me asking?

Edited January 24, 2012 by Sidinman
added a question

[Caster]

I started reloading just over a year ago, and all that I have done is lead. What is really cool is that I killed a deer with one of MY loads this year. May start casting a little this year, this stuff is really addicting. So be careful. lol. What I have found out is that reloading is just as enjoyable as shooting. Hell maybe more.

Hey, by the way where did you see the 1000 for $56 if you don't mind me asking?

Don't lie, it was one of the best deer you've ever taken, wasn't it? All cuz it was YOUR load;)

[Guest Nikator]

Hey, by the way where did you see the 1000 for $56 if you don't mind me asking?

I was looking at an old price list. Figures. current site is:

BulletsDirect.com

200 grain .45 acp $73 / 1000 + $13 shipping.

Probably not the best deal out there, but its decent from what I've seen.

[Sidinman]

Don't lie, it was one of the best deer you've ever taken, wasn't it? All cuz it was YOUR load;)

Pretty close,but the nicest one this year was with a muzzle loader. Which is kind of my own load also. lol

Thanks Nik I check 'em out, was looking last nite and best I seen IIRC was $4o for 500.

Edited January 25, 2012 by Sidinman

[Dolomite_supafly]

Missouri bullet company for $38.50/500. You add the code and get anoher 5% off. You can get 1,000 for under $85 shipped.

Dolomite

[Guest canebreaker]

When you make the purchase online, add to your cart. See if shipping cost goes up with just one more box of boolits. You may be able to get a few boxes for the same shipping. You can always subtract.

friendswoodbullet.com

[Sidinman]

Missouri bullet company for $38.50/500. You add the code and get anoher 5% off. You can get 1,000 for under $85 shipped.

Dolomite

What code?