Cast Bullet shooters

[PeterN2]

I used to cast lead bullets for my .577/450 Martini-Henry before I retired it to antique status. I have cast some .577 bullets for my Parker-Hale 1858 Enfield. In fact, I fired some yesterday. It was the first time I had fired the .577. A nice satisfying boom and a meaningful hole in the target. I had only fired eight or nine shots before a thunderstorm arrived and rained on my parade.

My source of lead has been roof lead sheet and lead pipes.

Regards

Peter

[ian27]

Well I made quite a few calls today to tyre shops and scrap yards. I don't think I am going to be able to get a good supply of wheel weights. All of the tyre shops I phoned are all using zinc wheel weights, and according to them lead ones are a thing of the past. They all said much the same, that they are not even getting any great quantites of lead ones off customers wheels. I did the usual sweetner and offered to pay, but they said they just were not getting them in any quantity, and even if they were, I could have had them for free. I did strike it lucky with one shop, the guy said that they change quite a lot of lorry tyres and they still get some lead in. He said that he would start keeping the lead ones for me in a separate bucket. I offered money, but he refused to accept it. I think a few crates of beer will be in order for him. He did say that I would probably have to wait quite a while for him even to gather a bucket full.

Ordinary lead flashing, pipes etc is not going to be a problem to get. I did a few sums, and if I buy about 28lbs of Linotype alloy at a time from Midway UK (cost of which would be around £108 including shipping), it will cost me about 1 pence more per bullet than what I can buy them for. If I couldnt buy the bullets, or a specific one I was looking for, I wouldnt think twice about buying the alloy from Midway. As regards the 455 Webley bullets, they are way cheaper to buy than making them, thats of course if I have to resort to buying the alloy.

It just doesnt look good, certainly not a cheap method for me of getting bullets, unless I can score lead wheel weights or can come up with something else. Even if I do score some wheel weights, I am never going to be able to get enough of a constant supply to keep me casting.

As for range lead, that too is a non starter. The ranges that my club use are all military ranges, and very few civillian shooters are using them. The butts are all sandbanks, and will just be full of FMJ bullets. So there you go, I'm up shit creek without a paddle( or even a boat for that matter).

If anybody has any other ideas, I will only be too glad to hear them!!!!!

Ian

[Mike]

I cast bullets using wheel weights using a 20# lee furnace. So far obtaining wheel weights has not been a problem. I cast primarily for my Rem 03-A3, MAS 36 and 308 Isaphore. Using a 180 gr Lee mold for all three rifles and SR4759 I have obtained acceptable accuracy. I also run bullets for my revolvers in 44 and 38 caliber and for a 45 auto. Sure cuts down on expensive jacket bullets! I use both a rcbs lubisizer and also use alox lube which works just fine. The price of ammunition has risen dramatically this year and casting bullets sure lets me shoot more and for alot less price. Surprised more shooters dont cast their own.

[DuncaninFrance]

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This was my last lot of pipe! Still looking for more

[dromia]

Don't give up Ian your time will come.

In the interim I'd go looking for old hardcast bullets there plenty around at gun fairs etc.

Calibre doesn't matter.

Use them to help cut your lead a bit harder and keep those feelers going out. I lucked onto a couple of cwt of linotype yesterday, need to wait a few months for delivery as its down sowff and the guy won't be up 'till the autumn. Balckisler has a cwt of lead for me when I get up north next, hope he doesn't get into casting before then.

Once people know your looking stuff will start to come in. Just use old and cheap bullets for now you'll make them into better ones specific for your needs.

Steady away and keep the faith with the silver stream.

[DuncaninFrance]

I just finished sorting out the pile of stuff I collected from the various tyre repair centres in Blaye.

I have 25kg of wheel weights in lead and 7kg of zinc. That includes the weight of the clips. I also have about 60 spare valve covers!!

It's too hot to start smelting it down so it is in store for the autumn/winter when I will make some ingots, ready for when I can obtain all the right gear to cats my own.

[Reese Williams]

Ian,

If you can get the FMJ rounds from the military ranges they'll work as a source for lead. Just throw them in your smelting pot, the lead will melt out and the jackets will float to the top where you can skim them off. I reclaim rounds from the backstop at my range and just throw everything in the pot, cast and jacketed together.

An old pump pressure plumber's pot makes a great smelting rig and you can pick them up for next to nothing.

[Brithunter]

It seems that here in the UK the Health and Safety folks have decreed that lead is unsafe to use for wheel weights. I tried to get some a while ago and was told that even if they had any they were not allowed to sell it even. It had to go for "Approved" disposal Will pop into the scrappy and see if they have any.

[24626151]

I cast Ounce and 1/2 slugs for my 12 bore pump. I have lots of lead as I scrap out the berdan primed brass and swap for old lead at the scrap man. I also had a big job that produced 2 tonnes of scrap lead wrap cable. It was worth the grief stripping the lead from the cable. You dont get lots of slugs from a lb of lead but I sell them for £5 for 20. An RFD buys them from me and I off course roll my own!

It also pays to be friendly with a roofer! I prefer pure soft lead as it squeezes through the chokes and not having rifling helps reduce the leading on the barrel.