Cast bullets- Are they worth it?

[New2Reload]

So I am newer to the reloading game… I inherited a bunch of cast bullets. I have been trying to sell a few different sizes as I have no intention of reloading some of them. However – I have had zero luck in trying to sell them. As I have researched loading my own hand casted bullets the process looks a little more intensive.

so here are a few of my questions:
first – is there even a market for hand casted bullets or recycled lead anymore?
Second- is it worth me investing in the time and knowledge to use all of these casted bullets in my own reloading? I have an old lubricator and some gas checks but I will be starting from scratch in knowledge and skill… Is it worth it?

I should also mention that I am mostly interested in just plinking rounds and hobby shooting. Not a benchrest guy by any means.

thanks,

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[RVTECH]

A lot depends on the calibers of the bullets, styles & weights of them.

Some may be very practical to use while others may not.

Please post some pics and calibers of the bullets.

 

[Member 34319]

If you are just plinking, light load the lead bullets and shoot shoot them.

 

[Pepe-lepew]

If you can use them, load and shoot them. If not, they will sell for lead scrap price. Some commercial casters will trade lead for their bullets.

 

[arakboss]

They will sell at the right price. What is the right price? The price they sell at.

 

[Hooyah DeepSea]

Check around your area for cowboy action shooters / groups. Cast lead bullets is all they use. Now the question is; do you know what 'mix' the metal is? Meaning, is it pure lead / dead soft, or is it old wheelweights, or, or, or, etc. This can help if you are trying to sell them.
On the other hand, cast lead bullets can be a very economical for general shooting; way cheaper than jacketed bullets. If your main shooting is plinking or 'just for fun' stuff, cast lead bullets are the way to go. There are several books out there that can give you all the details you could possibly want; especially the one from Lyman.

 

[Certaindeaf]

So I am newer to the reloading game… I inherited a bunch of cast bullets. I have been trying to sell a few different sizes as I have no intention of reloading some of them. However – I have had zero luck in trying to sell them. As I have researched loading my own hand casted bullets the process looks a little more intensive.

so here are a few of my questions:
first – is there even a market for hand casted bullets or recycled lead anymore?
Second- is it worth me investing in the time and knowledge to use all of these casted bullets in my own reloading? I have an old lubricator and some gas checks but I will be starting from scratch in knowledge and skill… Is it worth it?

I should also mention that I am mostly interested in just plinking rounds and hobby shooting. Not a benchrest guy by any means.

thanks,

You can sell them. There is a market for them. Lead bullets are still the mainstay of most pistol reloaders.
Most powder coat their bullets now since it's far better in every measurable aspect compared to greased.

 

[oremike]

Sounds like you've got the purfict bullets for the type of shooting you do.

 

[TNThomas]

Yup, I would just use them. Generally speaking the bigger dia the smarter it is to run cast bullets. Also, powdercoating is pretty easy, not as bad as it sounds. I shake and bake @400f for 12min, get them off the foil as fast as possible. Use a #5 plastic container for the shaking. NOE molds has a pretty slick sizing die kit , if you end up wanting a bunch of different dia push through sizers. I run 90% cast in all centerfire firearms.

Casting really depends on what calibers you are into as well. Really fast rounds like .223 are better suited to fmj. Big slow rocks... 45 colt, 44 mag, 45/70, etc, those can perform just as good since they have standard velocities well within what lead can handle. Also, wayyyyy cheaper running cast in big bore shooting. Check out lee bullet molds, really cheap for new casters.

 

[thorborg]

As a seller, I have no answer, as a user, the low cost spoke for me big time, as a castor, not my forte.
I was going to say I've shot my weight in cast lead, but rethinking it, I'm a pretty big fellow so that may be a stretch. Still, I have done several thousands of rounds in 45 colt and 45-70 albeit I bought 99% of them them from LaserCast, mostly, ready to go, well pre lubed and close enough in size to be totally functional without additional effort, plus, costing (me anyway) half of what I could find in bulk of coated, plated, or jacketed stuff and without the hassle of casting, which I tried for a while but gave up. I never had what I would consider a "leading problem" but others seem to find it a nightmare, but some of thast might be in the quality or application of the lube though I often wonder if there was something else in play with them. I actually have more copper cleaning effort I believe. I was going to try them in my 45ACP but ended up acquiring some 800 rounds .451 round nose that looked like they were flash plated, nearly free! they fed well so stuck with them.
As long as you aren't loading super sonic I think they are well worth the use. Even then, and if making your own, if you want to start diddling with hardening up your alloy and mess with using gas checks, you can push the speed some as long as they will hold up in flight, so I'm told.

 

[New2Reload]

Thank you everyone for the insightful feedback. I have spenttime researching and also tracking down a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. Needless to say I am not so intimidated about loading cast bullets anymore. That handbook is pretty amazing.
I have nearly 1000 .358 casted bullets sized and lubed and just picked up some powder. I think with the handbook and your encouragement I will give it a shot in my Colt Trooper MKIII

Now to get my hands on some magnum primers! Or can I use standard SP primers in light loaded .357 cases?

 

[oremike]

It's not the case that needs the magnum primer, it's the powder. basically w-296/H-110.

 

[New2Reload]

It's not the case that needs the magnum primer, it's the powder. basically w-296/H-110.

I have some Titegroup and H110. Looks like titegroup does both .38 and .357. Can I get away with loading SP in the .357 loads then?
I know I need the magnum for the H110

 

[oremike]

I have some Titegroup and H110. Looks like titegroup does both .38 and .357. Can I get away with loading SP in the .357 loads then?
I know I need the magnum for the H110

You should be fine with the regular primers and tight group powder.

 

[SCLU]

I like quality hard cast Bullets for 9, 45, .38, .357 (speed dependent), 44Mag.

Saves money. More time shooting with the same $$ versus trying to argue whose dick is longest by what overpriced bullet they shoot. Especially when plinking.

 

[Mikej]

I have some Titegroup and H110. Looks like titegroup does both .38 and .357. Can I get away with loading SP in the .357 loads then?
I know I need the magnum for the H110

Put me in the camp with people that played with cast bullets and hated it. It was my fault I'm sure. i know the basics of it, I just don't care to play with cast anymore. I recently got some polymer coated for a couple of calibers and am fine with that.

Generally magnum loads with cast bullets gets more tricky. Pushing for that kind of velocity with cast is a balancing act. Too soft a bullet and high velocity can lead to serious leading. H-110 loads are generally a pretty full case because that's the way it burns properly. And there's no problem with loading regular .38 special loads/velocities in .357 mag cases. Standard primers, trim for uniform case length, light roll crimp and you're golden.

 

[oremike]

I make a lot of ammo and buy good cast and coated bullets. My last order of bullets from the blue bullet company was about 350 Lbs. My next order will be from rim rock bullets and will be at least that much. The post office hates me. I find that if I keep the coated blue bullets under 1200 fps they shoot clean. The nice thing about the rim rock bullets is they are available in different hardness's, softer for cowboy level and harder for the magnums. Makes it easy to find the "just right" bullet for the ammo I'm making.

 

[ageingstudent]

I have some Titegroup and H110. Looks like titegroup does both .38 and .357. Can I get away with loading SP in the .357 loads then?
I know I need the magnum for the H110.

Sp will be fine for titegroup. The charge will be really small in that long case be extra diligent not to double charge.

 

[ageingstudent]

You can sell them. There is a market for them. Lead bullets are still the mainstay of most pistol reloaders.
Most powder coat their bullets now since it's far better in every measurable aspect compared to greased.

They work so well powder coated I actually went through my storage recently and melted down all my lubed boolits and recast them for coating. So much easier and cleaner to coat and process on the press. Not smokey when you shoot'em. BHN doesn't seem to matter as much either. Size matters.

 

[41mag]

New2:
Approximately 95% of the loads I've sent downrange over the past 40 years has been cast lead. As good as they've become it seems poly coated cast lead offers even more advantage. Good luck in your discoveries.