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Posted: 4/27/2009 11:35:37 AM EDT
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I would like to learn how to cast round balls for my pistol. (1858 44 cal.)
Will I be able to save money over just buying balls? Is this a pretty foolproof task? Also what about lead, can I use any type of scraps melted together? If not were do I find the type I need? Any other info would be appreciated. |
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Quoted:
I would like to learn how to cast round balls for my pistol. (1858 44 cal.) Will I be able to save money over just buying balls? yes Is this a pretty foolproof task? ....sort of, there IS a slight learning curve/safety Also what about lead, can I use any type of scraps melted together? If not were do I find the type I need?...PURE lead works best,old bathtub liners are a good source Any other info would be appreciated..... a decent mold, Rapine is my favorite, a decent melt pot, the large Lee is a good start it also depends on how much you are going to shoot, unless you are shooting 500+ a year I wouldnt worry about casting for production, or unless you have odd calibers, we have to cast our own, one of my Officers Fusils i built some years back is a 59 cal, and my others use .595, my 2nd Model Bess with an old Kit Ravenshear barrel likes .705's ...... |
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I cast my own for the .44 and the .54, also cast for 38 Spec,.357 Mag, 44 Mag, 45 LC, 45/70 Govt.
There is always lead for sale on Ebay but you will want soft lead for your .44, moulds are also for sale on Ebay all the time. I prefer Lyman over Lee but both will work just fine. I use a Lee Pro Furnace but you can get by very well with the smaller Production Pot. |
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Safety is paramount when casting. As was mentioned before, there can be NO MOISTURE on the lead, or anything that comes in contact with it. Best procedure is to fill the pot cold and bring the contents to the melting point, but at some point you will need to add lead to the pot and it needs to be bone dry. If you can, preheat the lead with a propane torch to drive off any moisture before adding it to the melt.
Even the tiniest amount of moisture can cause a steam bubble that will blow molten lead out of the pot. In worse cases, the entire contents of the pot can be blown out in a steam explosion. Casting your own balls can have many benefits. I cast my own because you can't just drop by WallyWorld and pick up something like this... 
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