Casting Keith-style SWCs

[Ad Astra]

Elmer, you are gone but never forgotten!

At some point in the last couple decades (!) I firmly settled on Keith-style semiwadcutters (SWC) as the best all-around bullet design. Historically, I've cast and shot just a ton in .45 caliber out of a Ruger Bisley SA. However.

Been shooting a lot of .38 lately, as noted in another thread. Used up most of my stock of Lyman roundnose boolits, so bought a Lyman Keith-style mold off the bay, 358477.

This one is said to be best for .38 vice .357 as it is slightly shorter. Anyways. Heated the beyotch up this morning.

(These pix are of mild interest to the experienced casters here, but if any reloaders who don't cast are interested, this is a typical setup)

Load the Lee (Old Drippy) with ingots of alloy. Rotometals superhard and local lead. Percentage is a guess!

Adios, ingots! Lead soup.

No photos for two hours, wearing gauntlets. Lead spray doesn't play! If you hate weepers a bit of hot lead on your skin will make you wish for a bad cart shave. Anyways.

The final product ... Some beautiful pills!

Casters can critique the sprues ...

What a mess!

Time for Motrin ...

Now I just need more primers! And brass!


AA

 

[stone and strop]

Never seen the process before, thanks.
Are they tumbled or dressed in some way to remove the seam from casting?
Sorry if its a silly question but I know nothing of casting bullets.
They look like nice crisp castings to me.

 

[Ad Astra]

Never seen the process before, thanks.
Are they tumbled or dressed in some way to remove the seam from casting?
Sorry if its a silly question but I know nothing of casting bullets.
They look like nice crisp castings to me.

They will be run through a .358 sizing die next, then tumble-lubed with Lee Alox. There are many ways to lube and size, I go the Lee route.

There could and should be imperfect ones in that mess, I had to stop! Back hurts!

You can see how many sprues there are (one per bullet, it's the lead splash from the top of the mold). Generally I toss them back in as I go, but that's not really safe ... There are splashes.

AA

 

[Bhugo]

Thanks for posting this.

 

[stone and strop]

Interesting, thank you.

 

[Ad Astra]

Thanks for posting this.

It's a hobby ... That feeds a hobby ... That feeds a hobby!

Talk about rabbit holes!


AA

 

[Ad Astra]

During the American Revolution, patriots tore down a lead statue of King George and turned it into thousands of musket balls.

I totally get it! What a sense of satisfaction they must have had ...


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[HARMON]

Great post..I used to love making bullets as a young boy with my dad, then around 11 years old it became a "chore".
I have been tempted over the last few months to dig out the old Lyman Mould Master 61 and start again, you and Nortac are bad influences lol..

 

[Ad Astra]

Great post..I used to love making bullets as a young boy with my dad, then around 11 years old it became a "chore".
I have been tempted over the last few months to dig out the old Lyman Mould Master 61 and start again, you and Nortac are bad influences lol..

That is high praise! Shoot, his avatar is Elmer Keith!

Elmer Keith - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Thanks.


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[nortac]

Don't shoot my avatar, my avatar shoots back!

 

[OkieStubble]

Thanks for posting this.

+1. I could read Mike talking about this all day. And the pics to go along with it is great.

 

[OkieStubble]

Don't shoot my avatar, my avatar shoots back!

I grew up reading Elmer Keith’s adventure’s and many others. Fairbanks, Wilson and others.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Don't shoot my avatar, my avatar shoots back!

I just noticed- he smoked a pipe, too.

 

[Ad Astra]

Don't shoot my avatar, my avatar shoots back!

Rephrase: "Well, heck yeah - his avatar is Elmer Keith!"

AA

 

[Ad Astra]

+1. I could read Mike talking about this all day. And the pics to go along with it is great.

I just needed some boolits!

I am a rookie reloader, caster and shooter compared to many here - but I WAS casting today ...


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[Ad Astra]

When I was cleaning up the sprues, I noticed a tinkling sound. Pure lead clunks. Those bars were all marked "A" for alloy, I thought. Hope they aren't too hard. Can scratch with a fingernail, so. Doubt they are pure antimony.


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[Whiterook]

Looks like you have it down! Great post!

 

[OkieStubble]

When casting, how much if any, does one concern themselves with lead exposure? Are there concerns or precautions one should take?

 

[Ad Astra]

When casting, how much if any, does one concern themselves with lead exposure? Are there concerns or precautions one should take?

That is a thing. I'm over 50, so it matters less.

When it breaks into melt, I keep a distance. Ventilation is fine, its right by the garage door - practically outside.

AA

 

[kelbro]

That's a big pile for a single cavity mold! Four cavity Lymans get heavy quick. Two cavity is ideal (no pun intended).