30 cal bullets

Doubs · 07-19-2002, 12:41 PM

I've cast many thousands of bullets for both rifle and pistol. My molds include iron/steel and aluminum. (That's "aluminium" for our English-speaking friends.) The makers of my molds include RCBS, Lyman, SAECO, Lee and NEI. My own personal favorites are the aluminum molds by NEI. The spru cutter on the NEI molds are the best I've used while Lyman has, IMO, the poorest. I have a custom-made mold for a 95 grain truncated cone bullet that I use in the .30 Luger.

An aluminum mold can be pre-heated by sticking the lower forward end into the molten lead for about 20 seconds. The lead will not stick to the mold block.

When casting, I keep a half-round sponge in a shallow pan of water that keeps the sponge damp. I turn the filled mold upside down and press the spru cutter against the damp sponge to cool the cutter and the spru. That gives a cleaner cut without smearing lead on the underside of the cutter. The bullets are then dropped into a shallow pan of cold water. The cold water tempers the bullet surface and makes it harder.

I keep a hammer handle available to tap the mold handle bolt that acts as the pivot point for opening and closing the molds. Tapping is necessary to make bullets drop from the mold. NEVER tap or hit the mold blocks! Turn the mold over after cutting the spru and with the cutter to one side, open the blocks and tap the handle bolt until the bullets drop into the water pan.

As a matter of safety, keep the damp sponge container and the drop pan of water a safe distance from the molten lead. A single drop of water into the lead will cause an instant "explosion" of molten lead. ALWAYS wear a long sleeve shirt, leather gloves and eye protection when casting. Good ventilation is also a must.

Fluxing the molten lead mixture is important. It keeps the lead/tin/antimony properly mixed and also brings impurities to the surface to be skimmed off. While beeswax will work as a flux, it's smokey and gives off a greasy film that will coat nearby things. I prefer "Marvel-flux" that's available from Brownells.

There are excellent books and articles available for bullet casting. Lyman's "Cast Bullet Book" is one you'll probably want. Casting is another hobby that can get as complicated as you want to make it.

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07-19-2002, 12:41 PM	#9
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,736 Thanks: 819 Thanked 1,767 Times in 584 Posts	I've cast many thousands of bullets for both rifle and pistol. My molds include iron/steel and aluminum. (That's "aluminium" for our English-speaking friends.) The makers of my molds include RCBS, Lyman, SAECO, Lee and NEI. My own personal favorites are the aluminum molds by NEI. The spru cutter on the NEI molds are the best I've used while Lyman has, IMO, the poorest. I have a custom-made mold for a 95 grain truncated cone bullet that I use in the .30 Luger. An aluminum mold can be pre-heated by sticking the lower forward end into the molten lead for about 20 seconds. The lead will not stick to the mold block. When casting, I keep a half-round sponge in a shallow pan of water that keeps the sponge damp. I turn the filled mold upside down and press the spru cutter against the damp sponge to cool the cutter and the spru. That gives a cleaner cut without smearing lead on the underside of the cutter. The bullets are then dropped into a shallow pan of cold water. The cold water tempers the bullet surface and makes it harder. I keep a hammer handle available to tap the mold handle bolt that acts as the pivot point for opening and closing the molds. Tapping is necessary to make bullets drop from the mold. NEVER tap or hit the mold blocks! Turn the mold over after cutting the spru and with the cutter to one side, open the blocks and tap the handle bolt until the bullets drop into the water pan. As a matter of safety, keep the damp sponge container and the drop pan of water a safe distance from the molten lead. A single drop of water into the lead will cause an instant "explosion" of molten lead. ALWAYS wear a long sleeve shirt, leather gloves and eye protection when casting. Good ventilation is also a must. Fluxing the molten lead mixture is important. It keeps the lead/tin/antimony properly mixed and also brings impurities to the surface to be skimmed off. While beeswax will work as a flux, it's smokey and gives off a greasy film that will coat nearby things. I prefer "Marvel-flux" that's available from Brownells. There are excellent books and articles available for bullet casting. Lyman's "Cast Bullet Book" is one you'll probably want. Casting is another hobby that can get as complicated as you want to make it.