Bullet Casting strictly for costs savings ?

[ett]

I've been reloading for just under two years. Started early in 2015.
And so far; I've fallen into the minority (5% ?) of reloaders for whom reloading has been a cost saver.
By not shooting any more than before I began reloading.

I've been reloading handgun ammo of 45LC and 357MAG.
And have been very happy with using Berry's plated bullets for both.

Recently I became the owner of a S&W 9mm Shield. That may become my everyday carry weapon.
And I can foresee that causing me to shoot a lot more.
So I considered reloading 9mm.
Even bought the die set just in case.

Since there is not much; if any; cost savings with reloading 9mm; unless you cast your own bullets.
I've began reading about casting.

It looks simple enough and rather fun.
But since I won't have a permanent workbench to be used for casting.
I'm thinking casting may be more hassle than it's worth.
Although obtaining the knowledge, experience, and equipment; may be a worthwhile investment.

Are there many of you who got into casting strictly for cost savings; and continued casting ?

Thanks;

[MT1]

What components are you using that you say, "there is not much; if any; cost savings with reloading 9mm; unless you cast your own bullets". I can load a box of 9mm for as little as $5 which is half of what I see commercial 9mm on sale going for. If you have discovered the cost savings in loading .357 and 45LC, how can you not get the math to work for 9mm?

Living in Allentown you are close to one of the best suppliers I have found, T&T Reloading in Stockertown. www.tntreloading.com

I'm sure you're already aware that the key is buying in bulk at the lowest cost. Cast 125 gr 9mm round nose can be easily found for under $30 per 500 from Master Cast and Alpha Bravo Manufacturing. Primers are on sale at Cabelas for $25/1000 several times per year (T&T prices are similar). Buy your powder by the 4 lb can and NEVER buy new 9mm brass. 9mm brass is available free at most ranges if you spend enough time there or you can get it through trades here and online.

Now, as far as casting goes... Unless you have a lot of free time I do not find it cost effective. I have cast my own bullets in a number of calibers but it is very time consuming. The full process involves a lot of steps:

1. Lead recovery from the range berms and backstops will take you hours just to fill a small bucket (assuming your range allows it and you aren't interrupted by shooters wanting to use the range)
2. Place the recovered lead in a strainer and thoroughly rinse outside with the garden hose to get the dirt out, figure 15 minutes of stirring and spraying. (never use the strainer for food again)
3. Lead must be totally dry before smelting. I let mine sit in the bucket for a few days in the sun.
4. You have to hand pick the 100% jacketed bullets out of the mix. The copper jackets must be cut open to avoid a small explosion of molten pressurized lead in your face later on. Wire dikes or a blow from a hammer will work.
5. Now it's time to cook. Melting speed will depend on the size of your pot and heat source. I use a Coleman stove and cast 7" fry pan.
6. Once molten, the lead will need skimmed and fluxed. It probably takes me an average of 10-15 minutes per "cake".
7. Steps 5 and 6 may need repeating depending on the amount of junk in your lead.
8. Once your cakes are cooled you'll be ready to mold. I use a different lead pot to reduce debris contamination. (This means melting all over again)
9. Now you're ready to cast. To keep costs reasonable you'll probably be using a 2 or 4 cavity mold. Keeping the mold and pot at the perfect temps can be a challenge.
10. HOURS later when you have a few hundred bullets you'll be ready to lube and size.

I am sure others out there are faster but for me this is a multi day process. I'd much rather drop a pair of $20s and buy a box of 500 commercially cast bullets. My time is limited and I'd rather spend more time on the range than cooking on the patio.

From a health perspective, always wear latex gloves to reduce your lead intake and understand that the melting process releases smoke and fumes that you will inhale. If you have small children, or just generally value the health of your family, shower and wash your clothing immediately after melting and fluxing.

[markshere2]

There are still a lot of lead alloy wheel weights out there.
They are easy to smelt down with a turkey cooker and a stainless pot .
Skim off the clips and zinc & steel weights.
Pour into an ingot mold of some sort.

Once you are melting ingots to pour into moulds, the fun begins.

There is no longer a need to tumble lube or run the bullets through a lubrisizer since the casting community found about powder coating.

I'm still doing the former, but not for much longer.

All my 9mm 40 mm and .45 reloads work great with cast boolits.
It costs me about 6-10 cents per round for these calibers.

My enormous equipment investment has been amortized. I do have a RCBS bottom pour pot, but I started out with a little cast-iron ladle with a melter coil in it, scooping spoons of lead into Lee aluminum moulds.

I can tune the bullet size to a specific gun with the right mould and get terrific accuracy..

I like the hobby a a lot, and i have enough lead so that my great great grandchildren can be making boolits.

I hate golf and many other "sports" so I have time do do some other things.

[noylj]

Let's see, 9x19 costs me .07 for bullet, .01 for powder, and .03 for primer, for a total of less than 12 cents/round. You say you can find factory ammo for that price?
I see it for 25-30 cents/round, with Brown Bear for 21—and I didn't spend money on a gun to feed it junk ammo.
I cast because I wanted good bullets. They were cheaper and just as good as any jacketed bullets.

[dkf]

I mainly started casting because commercial cast bullets were not the size, hardness and designs I wanted. Plus I didn't want to have to depend on a company to make me bullets. It can save money if you have a good source for the right lead at a good price. How much you spend to get started casting kind of depends on the volume you need. So far I am well over a grand in molds alone.

[DucatiRon]

I run a casting business. Casting should be something everyone should know how to do. Being new to reloading you probly dont remember the shortages the rest of us lived through. Even if you dont cast all the time or buy cast off of someone get the basics so you can shoot in the more lean times.

[Hoppy]

I only figure out basic figures on the savings associated with casting but I know that it is cost effective for me. Also, I'm fairly cheap and a DIY'er kind of person, so I cast. At the moment I have about 150 lbs of lead at my shop ( I scrounge or it's given to me). That does help. My brother and I bought a casting pot and 4 molds so far. We cast 4 bullets for 3 different calibers. 45 ACP, 9mm, and 38/357. We have Lee equipment.

Even when buying powder retail in small lots reloading is cost effective. My brother dropped off 1000 primers and a pound of green dot and I owed him $65. For 9mm that's about 5.5 cents for powder and primer per round (since you get about 1700 rounds out of a pound of powder). I have range and saved brass that we use so if I already have bullets casted, a box of ammo in 9mm is about $3. I don't count time casting, etc. I recently bought 500 plated 9mm bullets from extreme when they had a sale plus free shipping for $34. That would make a box of 9mm just over $6. I don't see that price in stores anywhere. I only bought the plated for use in polygonal barrels.

I know I should count my equipment and time for casting, but I enjoy casting and trying new loads with the bullets I make. Certainly more than driving around trying to find deals on ammo. Plus my brother and I split the task and we get to shoot the ammo together.

As others have stated, I also powder coat. Some rounds I still tumble lube the bullets, but I recently started loading for .357 magnum and am excited to work up a load using my 158 grain swc powder coated. Apparently, they can be driven a lot faster than traditionally lubed lead. How's that for fun!

[MT1]

There are still a lot of lead alloy wheel weights out there.
They are easy to smelt down with a turkey cooker and a stainless pot .
Skim off the clips and zinc & steel weights.
Pour into an ingot mold of some sort.

Once you are melting ingots to pour into moulds, the fun begins.

There is no longer a need to tumble lube or run the bullets through a lubrisizer since the casting community found about powder coating.

I'm still doing the former, but not for much longer.

All my 9mm 40 mm and .45 reloads work great with cast boolits.
It costs me about 6-10 cents per round for these calibers.

My enormous equipment investment has been amortized. I do have a RCBS bottom pour pot, but I started out with a little cast-iron ladle with a melter coil in it, scooping spoons of lead into Lee aluminum moulds.

I can tune the bullet size to a specific gun with the right mould and get terrific accuracy..

I like the hobby a a lot, and i have enough lead so that my great great grandchildren can be making boolits.

I hate golf and many other "sports" so I have time do do some other things.

I'm glad someone is still finding wheel weights. All of the shops in my area have contracts with the tire suppliers to give them the lead. I've looked into buying lead from the local scrap recycling yards and they want far more than it is worth.

[Hoppy]

Wheel weights are great. I still have half a five gallon bucket. My last score was from a bathroom I remodeled. It had a lead shower pan. Probably 35-40 lbs. The last time at the scrap yard I think it was .38 per pound. Although the last bit was all shot pellets but there was definitely steel mixed in. I watched a video with a guy that said dentist offices that still use little lead x-ray tabs needs to dispose of them.

[MT1]

Wheel weights are great. I still have half a five gallon bucket. My last score was from a bathroom I remodeled. It had a lead shower pan. Probably 35-40 lbs. The last time at the scrap yard I think it was .38 per pound. Although the last bit was all shot pellets but there was definitely steel mixed in. I watched a video with a guy that said dentist offices that still use little lead x-ray tabs needs to dispose of them.

Good luck getting a dental office to give you x-ray trash. Medical wastes, especially that involving x-rays, isn't something they just throw away. Disposal of dental foils requires recycling through certified processors.