Page 1 of Bullet Casting by MidwayUSA, Inc.

bullet casting bullet casting buying guide introduction bullet casting is the process of making bullets from molten lead or a lead-based alloy those who cast their own bullets do so for a variety of reasons including reduced cost historical accuracy and the lack of commercial bullets for obsolete cartridges this guide is intended to provide a basic understanding of the tools required to begin bullet casting it is in no way exhaustive but meant to serve as a starting point for anyone interested in the bullet casting process for more detailed information and instructions consult a manual with step-by-step instructions a heating element and a thermostat to control the temperature often they will have a spout on the bottom to pour lead directly into the mold they are typically seated to the bullet during the sizing process gas checks can allow cast bullets to be driven at higher velocities with minimal deformation mold a bullet mold is a set of metal blocks with a hollow cavity in the shape of a bullet molten lead is poured into the mold where it cools and hardens to form the actual bullet most molds have a metal piece at the top called a sprue plate that pinches off the extra lead that pools and hardens at the top of the mold molds most commonly cast one or two bullets at a time but can produce as many as six bullets at a time basic equipment needed cast bullet handbook pages 808813 accessories although bullet casting is a fairly simple and straightforward process there are several accessories that will help produce a better product and make the casting easier warning melting lead and casting lead objects will expose persons in the area to lead which is known to cause birth defects other reproductive harm and cancer exposure to lead is a potential health risk but the risks can be reduced with strong ventilation proper hygiene and careful cleaning lead/casting alloy page 175 bullet sizer lubricator after casting the bullets it is necessary to size them to a more precise diameter this is done with a bullet sizer/lubricator rather just a few basic tools are needed to start bullet casting and with them you can begin to craft your own bullets than removing material sizer dies swage or compress the bullet to the correct diameter and to perfect roundness because mold release agent no material is removed the weight of the helps bullets drop easily from the mold bullet is not affected a top punch allows after cooling the bullet to be pressed through the die without deforming the nose furnace page 176 safety molten lead is very hot optimum casting temperature can be above 700 degrees fahrenheit a furnace must be on a stable platform to avoid spills keep water away from molten lead as it will rapidly turn to steam and cause the lead to splatter violently safety glasses heavy gloves and a shop apron should be worn through the entire casting process molds pages 157-174 mold mallet bullet sizer/lubricator pages 180-182 lead/casting alloy the most common casting material is lead pure lead is readily available and is the standard for most muzzleloading projectiles however lead can leave heavy deposits inside the barrel and can deliver below average performance on game for these reasons bullets are often cast from an alloy containing a mixture of lead antimony and tin antimony is much harder than lead and produces a bullet that results in less barrel leading and improved performance on game tin has little effect on the hardness of a bullet but it improves the viscosity of the alloy and creates a bullet that is more uniform with fewer voids caused by air pockets trapped in the mold bullet lube bullet lube comes in two basic forms liquid lubricants are used to tumble-lube cast bullets by placing them in a bowl and gently shaking them with a small amount of the lubricant then they are poured out onto wax paper and left to dry hard lubricant comes in stick form and is designed for use with a bullet sizer hard lube is applied during the sizing process some sizers may have a heat source to help melt the lube and make it easier to use bullet lube can be made from beeswax paraffin alox or other materials and the formula differs depending on the intended use blackpowder shooters should use a lube specifically formulated for blackpowder shooting used to tap the handle of the mold to help dislodge the cast bullet thermometer monitors the temperature of molten lead to make sure that it is the proper temperature for optimal bullet casting · bullet lubricant · gas checks · sizer die/top punch casting flux helps to ensure metals of the alloy are completely integrated and causes impurities called dross to rise to the surface to be skimmed off accessories pages 177-178 lead dipper used for ladling molten lead directly into a mold and for skimming dross from the surface of the lead furnace · mold release agent · mold mallet · thermometer · casting flux · lead dipper · ingot mold ingot mold to prevent unnecessary wear on casting equipment store leftover casting alloy in ingot form rather than allowing it to harden in the pot ingot molds also allow you to form custom alloys for future use since 1977 simply stated a casting furnace melts the lead and keeps it in a molten form so that it is readily available for casting most bullet casters use electric furnaces that consist of a pot that holds the lead www.midwayusa.com gas checks gas checks are small copper disks that are attached to the base of cast bullets to protect the bullets from the hot gasses produced by the powder charge 800-243-3220 156

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