Annual start-up of casting gear
- Steelbanger
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Annual start-up of casting gear
Tomorrow morning I am all set to fire up my aging burner and once again begin to cast my annual supply of bullets. Tomorrow I will be using two brand new 6 cavity moulds, a Ranch Dog design TLC 432-240 RF and the other is his TLC 432-265 RF. The 240 gr. mould output will be used in my Super Blackhawk. I ordered these moulds when RD was phasing out his business and had him ream out the gas check base on three of the cavities of the 240 grainer for exclusive use in the handgun. The 265 gr. mould will be used to feed my still growing group of 44 cal. rifles. I wasted some ideal casting weather in the past few weeks when daytime high temps were in the 20's. In the next few weeks I intend to stockpile some 38-55's, 357's, 200 gr. FN for a few 44-40's, and some 30 and 45 cal. rifle bullets also.
A few years back I decided on an alloy of three parts pure lead to one part linotype. So far this alloy has been satisfactory so I'm going to stick with it until I eventually run out of the soft material which should take a few years of shooting to accomplish.
Anyone else find winter weather the ideal for casting?
A few years back I decided on an alloy of three parts pure lead to one part linotype. So far this alloy has been satisfactory so I'm going to stick with it until I eventually run out of the soft material which should take a few years of shooting to accomplish.
Anyone else find winter weather the ideal for casting?
Steelbanger, NRA Life
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Marlin - a hard habit to break.
Annual Member PRPA
Marlin - a hard habit to break.
- Ranch Dog
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Re: Annual start-up of casting gear
I schedule most of my cast this time of year as other activities are few. I need bullets for everything.
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Michael
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Re: Annual start-up of casting gear
I usually cast in the summer. When it's the hottest. Sounds insane, right?
You see, I'm a stay at home dad. I started casting as a way to have something to do while guarding the pool. We have a small above-ground pool, and with our kids and the neighbor kids in there I wouldn't leave them unmonitored for a minute. I'd hang around the deck, but there's only so much I had to do out there. I had to find something constructive I could do near the pool.
I had accumulated most of the gear for casting over the years, so I got the last few pieces and got started. Now, if they are going to be in the pool, I get everything setup and cooking, and sit out on the deck overlooking the pool and cast for a few hours.
You see, I'm a stay at home dad. I started casting as a way to have something to do while guarding the pool. We have a small above-ground pool, and with our kids and the neighbor kids in there I wouldn't leave them unmonitored for a minute. I'd hang around the deck, but there's only so much I had to do out there. I had to find something constructive I could do near the pool.
I had accumulated most of the gear for casting over the years, so I got the last few pieces and got started. Now, if they are going to be in the pool, I get everything setup and cooking, and sit out on the deck overlooking the pool and cast for a few hours.
- Ranch Dog
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Re: Annual start-up of casting gear
Great idea! You can use the pool to water quench for bullets and have the kids retrieve them!Barry in IN wrote:I usually cast in the summer. When it's the hottest. Sounds insane, right?
You see, I'm a stay at home dad. I started casting as a way to have something to do while guarding the pool. We have a small above-ground pool, and with our kids and the neighbor kids in there I wouldn't leave them unmonitored for a minute. I'd hang around the deck, but there's only so much I had to do out there. I had to find something constructive I could do near the pool.
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Michael
- akuser47
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Re: Annual start-up of casting gear
I wish I could cast right now but 10 degrees outside doesn't work too well. I usually cast enough to load all winter and I'm not out yet, but my ingots are calling me. My problem is the cost of shooting here. Prior to moving to this hell-hole, it cost me $30 per year at a private range and now it's $22 per day at a state owned crowded range. If you don't arrive early, it's a wait for a bench so I don't shoot as much as I want to. Only a few more years untill I can move to a better location and hopefully shoot in my back yard.
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Re: Annual start-up of casting gear
I cast in an unheated garage in MT. I do my best when the temps are mid teens to 40. If I do things right I can alloy my lead in a summer weekend, cast from Late Feb to March, enjoy summer, hunt in the fall and ice fish Dec-Feb.
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Re: Annual start-up of casting gear
i converted my garage to a shop.
i keep it @ 55 in there almost all year around,heat in the winter and a swamp cooler in the summer.
i cast when it's a high humidity day.
and if it isn't i make it so with a humidifier in the winter and the cooler in the summer.
and save the smelting for the summer, i go out and get it done in the morning while i'm still in the shade.
as soon as the sun clears the house i wrap it up and put everything away.
i will make batches of alloy in the winter in the shop from the summertime cleaned ww alloy this gives me my casting alloys.
i'll also take all the batches of summer work and separtly work them into one homogenous batch during the winter.
this makes all my alloy one big continous same thing.
i keep it @ 55 in there almost all year around,heat in the winter and a swamp cooler in the summer.
i cast when it's a high humidity day.
and if it isn't i make it so with a humidifier in the winter and the cooler in the summer.
and save the smelting for the summer, i go out and get it done in the morning while i'm still in the shade.
as soon as the sun clears the house i wrap it up and put everything away.
i will make batches of alloy in the winter in the shop from the summertime cleaned ww alloy this gives me my casting alloys.
i'll also take all the batches of summer work and separtly work them into one homogenous batch during the winter.
this makes all my alloy one big continous same thing.