what type of metal should i use to cast bullets for my marlin 30 30

airbornerangerinthesky · 02-15-2011, 07:32 PM

i just need some pointers to know what type of metal to buy for my cast to make flat nose 30 30 bullets

10 Bears · 02-15-2011, 08:07 PM

Do not recommend pure lead, ie; Soft Lead.
Use an allow, to harden them, like found in wheel weights.

airbornerangerinthesky · 02-15-2011, 08:20 PM

so i can use just wheel weights and not have to add anything else

Desert Rat · 02-15-2011, 08:25 PM

Tin, antimony, (not to be confused with alimony

) But the old wheel weights make a great starting point and even acceptable bullet if you don't push them too fast.

The problem is the metals used for alloys are getting more expensive and harder to find.

My favorite combination was wheel weights and a small handful of linotype metal like they used to use in print shops. Linotype was worth it's weight in gold as cast bullet alloy. Now it costs like gold.....IF you can find it.

I think you can buy bars of tin solder but again not cheap.

It's best to round up good supply of metals BEFORE you order the other stuff necessary for casting IMHO. Without metal, you don't have a product obviously

This is just part of why Pogo wisely suggested you ORDER some commercial made cast bullets prior to tooling up for this sport.

If you're not careful, you may end up with a couple hundred dollars worth of equipment and wish you had never started this quest.

Anyway, first step is start checking older tire shops and places that service truck tires. Most new filling stations don't even know how to change a tire.

Round you up a good stock of wheel weights. Obviously you'll need to melt them down and dig the clips and shit out of them, burn off oils and grime. Flux with a marble sized chunk of paraffin or candle chip. (Stir around and ignite)

Then you've got your first casting metal.

Desert Rat · 02-15-2011, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by airbornerangerinthesky

so i can use just wheel weights and not have to add anything else

Yes...up to a point. And wheel weight quality today varies as well. When these bullets start leading your barrel, you're pushing too hard and the metal needs some additional alloys.

How do you remove lead from your barrel? This notion terrorizes many reloaders but the simple answer is just shoot a couple of jacketed bullets thru the gun and this will do excellent job of scraping it out. A little leading in the barrel isn't the end of the world but don't let it build up.

10 Bears · 02-15-2011, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desert Rat

How do you remove lead from your barrel? This notion terrorizes many reloaders but the simple answer is just shoot a couple of jacketed bullets thru the gun and this will do excellent job of scraping it out. A little leading in the barrel isn't the end of the world but don't let it build up.

Glad I'm not the only one to use that method of "lead removal!"

Pogo · 02-15-2011, 09:57 PM

I usually use straight wheel weights. Why? Because that's what I've got.

Don't use straight lead as already mentioned. If you find some, save it for your muzzle loaders.

10 Bears · 02-15-2011, 10:13 PM

If you have a "Gas Check" bullet and you are able to find those gas checks, thay actually help a bit in the "less lead" left in the barrel.

Desert Rat · 02-15-2011, 10:21 PM

Yeah, there are gas check molds made for everything that moves and I started out thinking everything that moved needed a gas check. Few years later I realized this was silly idea and I adopted the following policy.

Rifle = Gas check it.

Pistol = Don't bother.

Some guys shoot plain base bullets in rifles but I've never been able to get away without some leading.

Rew · 02-16-2011, 12:18 AM

I use wheel wights, with about 1/5 lb silver bearing lead free solider. This is in a 10 lb pot.

gunnysmith · 02-16-2011, 08:44 AM

Hardball Bullet Casting Alloy Ingot (2%-Tin,-6%-Antimony-And-92%-Lead)

http://http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

http://www.rotometals.com/product-p/...stingalloy.htm

OldBob · 02-17-2011, 06:27 AM

Everybody has their own preferences and if it works for you, then why not ? I use 3 parts wheel weight, 2 parts lead, and a couple of ounces of 95/5 solder for rifle bullets. I do use gas check bullets in most rifles and I tend to use either ALOX lube or White Label BAC lube. Fit to the bore is the crucial part of the whole process, most 30-30 bullets will be bore rider designs and the nose portion of the bullet should be a very close slip fit in the bore, the body of the bullet should be a .001 to .002 interference fit in the bore. If you get all of the above working for you and the moon is in the proper phase, you should be able to reach near factory velocity w/ cast in a 30-30. Bore condition is also critical, clean out copper jacket fouling with a good bore cleaner, polish w/ JB Bore Paste if necessary. Pay close attention when cleaning with a tight patch, many barrels will have a tight area under the sight dovetails, polishing these out will improve things a bit and every little bit helps.
Keep in mind while you are doing this, it is a labor of love......... very seldom do you get the right load combination right out of the box,. if you find yourself getting discouraged, remember Harry Pope and A.O. Zischang and many others achieved MOA accuracy with cast bullets and a lot of determination ! It usualy requires quite a bit of experimenting to get there. Lyman Cast Bullet handbooks are a good source of info, and the older ones are great reading. The Cast Boolet section of Gunloads.com is a fantastic source for cast bullet shooters and one of the members wrote this ( http://sourceforge.net/projects/reloadersrfrnce/ ) manual, its free and a great tool for reloaders. This could ramble on for pages, it is a great hobby and provides hours of enjoyment.

airbornerangerinthesky · 02-17-2011, 07:52 PM

thank you everyone for your inputs OldBob that manual is flippin amazing i enjoy it ive already been scanning through it and it is basically dummy proof and it completely helps me thx again everyone for the help

Rew · 02-18-2011, 01:00 PM

Allot of times you have to use what is available. Sure I like certain things. But you can't always get there. So you do the best you can with what you can get. I like really hard cast bullets. But some times I just have to cast a little heaver and slow them down a bit. The idea is to learn to use what you can get.

Desert Rat · 02-18-2011, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rew

Allot of times you have to use what is available. Sure I like certain things. But you can't always get there. So you do the best you can with what you can get. I like really hard cast bullets. But some times I just have to cast a little heaver and slow them down a bit. The idea is to learn to use what you can get.

I'll give you a big AMEN on this, Rew. Excellent comment and totally true.

02-15-2011, 07:32 PM	#1
airbornerangerinthesky Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 25	what type of metal should i use to cast bullets for my marlin 30 30 i just need some pointers to know what type of metal to buy for my cast to make flat nose 30 30 bullets

02-15-2011, 09:57 PM	#7
Pogo Mystic Knight of the Sea Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Great Swamp Posts: 81,997	I usually use straight wheel weights. Why? Because that's what I've got. Don't use straight lead as already mentioned. If you find some, save it for your muzzle loaders. __________________ .................................................. ....................................… *We have met the enemy, and he is us!*

02-16-2011, 08:44 AM	#11
gunnysmith Fear what you cannot see Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 6,730	Hardball Bullet Casting Alloy Ingot (2%-Tin,-6%-Antimony-And-92%-Lead) http://http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm http://www.rotometals.com/product-p/...stingalloy.htm __________________ Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. H. L. Mencken

02-17-2011, 06:27 AM	#12
OldBob Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Way Upstate NY Posts: 760	Everybody has their own preferences and if it works for you, then why not ? I use 3 parts wheel weight, 2 parts lead, and a couple of ounces of 95/5 solder for rifle bullets. I do use gas check bullets in most rifles and I tend to use either ALOX lube or White Label BAC lube. Fit to the bore is the crucial part of the whole process, most 30-30 bullets will be bore rider designs and the nose portion of the bullet should be a very close slip fit in the bore, the body of the bullet should be a .001 to .002 interference fit in the bore. If you get all of the above working for you and the moon is in the proper phase, you should be able to reach near factory velocity w/ cast in a 30-30. Bore condition is also critical, clean out copper jacket fouling with a good bore cleaner, polish w/ JB Bore Paste if necessary. Pay close attention when cleaning with a tight patch, many barrels will have a tight area under the sight dovetails, polishing these out will improve things a bit and every little bit helps. Keep in mind while you are doing this, it is a labor of love......... very seldom do you get the right load combination right out of the box,. if you find yourself getting discouraged, remember Harry Pope and A.O. Zischang and many others achieved MOA accuracy with cast bullets and a lot of determination ! It usualy requires quite a bit of experimenting to get there. Lyman Cast Bullet handbooks are a good source of info, and the older ones are great reading. The Cast Boolet section of Gunloads.com is a fantastic source for cast bullet shooters and one of the members wrote this ( http://sourceforge.net/projects/reloadersrfrnce/ ) manual, its free and a great tool for reloaders. This could ramble on for pages, it is a great hobby and provides hours of enjoyment. __________________ "At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child - miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosophy of sniveling brats." -- P.J. O'Rourke

02-15-2011, 08:07 PM	#2
10 Bears Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: E-Da-How Posts: 137,846	Do not recommend pure lead, ie; Soft Lead. Use an allow, to harden them, like found in wheel weights.

02-15-2011, 08:20 PM	#3
airbornerangerinthesky Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 25	so i can use just wheel weights and not have to add anything else

02-15-2011, 08:25 PM	#4
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	Tin, antimony, (not to be confused with alimony ) But the old wheel weights make a great starting point and even acceptable bullet if you don't push them too fast. The problem is the metals used for alloys are getting more expensive and harder to find. My favorite combination was wheel weights and a small handful of linotype metal like they used to use in print shops. Linotype was worth it's weight in gold as cast bullet alloy. Now it costs like gold.....IF you can find it. I think you can buy bars of tin solder but again not cheap. It's best to round up good supply of metals BEFORE you order the other stuff necessary for casting IMHO. Without metal, you don't have a product obviously This is just part of why Pogo wisely suggested you ORDER some commercial made cast bullets prior to tooling up for this sport. If you're not careful, you may end up with a couple hundred dollars worth of equipment and wish you had never started this quest. Anyway, first step is start checking older tire shops and places that service truck tires. Most new filling stations don't even know how to change a tire. Round you up a good stock of wheel weights. Obviously you'll need to melt them down and dig the clips and shit out of them, burn off oils and grime. Flux with a marble sized chunk of paraffin or candle chip. (Stir around and ignite) Then you've got your first casting metal.

02-15-2011, 10:13 PM	#8
10 Bears Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: E-Da-How Posts: 137,846	If you have a "Gas Check" bullet and you are able to find those gas checks, thay actually help a bit in the "less lead" left in the barrel.

02-15-2011, 10:21 PM	#9
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	Yeah, there are gas check molds made for everything that moves and I started out thinking everything that moved needed a gas check. Few years later I realized this was silly idea and I adopted the following policy. Rifle = Gas check it. Pistol = Don't bother. Some guys shoot plain base bullets in rifles but I've never been able to get away without some leading.

02-16-2011, 12:18 AM	#10
Rew Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 9,710	I use wheel wights, with about 1/5 lb silver bearing lead free solider. This is in a 10 lb pot.

02-17-2011, 07:52 PM	#13
airbornerangerinthesky Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 25	thank you everyone for your inputs OldBob that manual is flippin amazing i enjoy it ive already been scanning through it and it is basically dummy proof and it completely helps me thx again everyone for the help

02-18-2011, 01:00 PM	#14
Rew Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 9,710	Allot of times you have to use what is available. Sure I like certain things. But you can't always get there. So you do the best you can with what you can get. I like really hard cast bullets. But some times I just have to cast a little heaver and slow them down a bit. The idea is to learn to use what you can get.