Bullet casting

[beorn]

I am getting ready to start some winter reloading I have the brass collected and cleaned but need a lot more bullets. Here I am casting pistol and some rifle bullets from recycled wheel weight lead.

https://youtu.be/3dXSasQm_Aw

[Jerry D Young]

Never cast very many bullets, just a few for a friend, using his molds, but my plumber's pot and lead pouring equipment. I did, however, make a large number of sinkers of various types and sizes, as well as trot line weights. It was definitely an outdoor project. I did occasionally have to put up a windbreak, but always just to protect the pot. I kept my head in the open, and never over the pot. Always well clear of it.


I never had enough nerve to use regular leather gloves, especially to handle the metal ends of the molds. It was always either insulated gloves, fireplace gloves, or forge gloves.


That was nice work.


Just my opinion.

[beorn]

Normally I just wear one light glove to handle the mold and the other free to better control the pouring . when the molds get too hot to do this I change to the next one for a while to let things cool down. Maybe I shouldn't recommend this to anyone as I have got some good burns but these have all come from moisture in the lead causing a steam explosion.

[Jerry D Young]

I never (almost never) do anything I am not comfortable with doing, so seeing someone else doing something they are comfortable with is not going to cause me a problem.


And I have to agree and reiterate what you said about the moisture being extremely dangerous when working with hot molten metals, or really, any hot liquid. Literally just a tiny drop of water going into something that hot is enough to create a steam explosion with enough force to throw the hot liquid some distance.


They are very informative videos, and should give anyone with an interest in starting in bullet and other types of casting a good place to start.


Just my opinion.

[WolfBrother]

Jerry,The reason for the steam "explosion". 

IIRC from back when I was a Fire Fighter and college student - 1 unit of liquid converts to 640 units of vapor at Standard Temp & Pressure.
So 1 drop of water would make 640 drop sizes of steam.

[Jerry D Young]

Major ouch any way you look at it.