running lead

[geo]

technical question: what's the break even point for you guys on casting your own lead bullets? let's say that the molds, dies, and melting pot costs have been absorbed by your budget. cost of lead will be extra. time is a factor. i have found that hunters supply will provide 2k 100 gr. .38 special sized and lubed cas rounds for 4.4 cents a bullet (shipping is included in the price). dixie gun works will provide 100 .54 ring tail sharps for 31 cents a bullet (shipping included; sized and lubed).  is it cheaper to run my own lead or cheaper to buy? i have no idea what bulk lead costs; my lead so far has been of minimal cost.  the above rounds use hard lead. thanks in advance. geo.

[Grizzle Bear]

It's all going to depend on your sources for lead.  If you can scrounge wheelweights and lead pipe, cheap or free, casting your own saves a lot of money.  If you are having to buy lead at retail prices, I'd say you're better off buying bullets ready-made.

Now, if you are shooting black powder, or like strange and unusual firearms in strange and unusual calibers, casting, sizing, and lubing your own bullets will be something you have  to do.

Grizzle Bear

[geo]

why the special consideration for black powder? thanks in advance. geo.

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[klw]

In the past six years I've shot just over 100,000 rounds, 80% of which were reloads.

The least expensive of these ran right at 2.3 cents per round.  The wheelweights were virtually free, $20 for almost a ton, and the powder had been given to me.

Where I had to buy the powder the price rose to maybe 5.3 cents each for pistol rounds.  Rifle rounds were significantly more expensive because the bullet weights could be a lot higher.

Any of the reloads using cast bullets, however, were less expensive than the few cases where I bought bullets or ammunition.

Reloading, I think, is really about trading time for money.  Load your own but with factory bullets and you save some money.  Load your own with cast bullets and you can get the cost down farther.  Use wheelweights, which isn't the best choice for rifle bullets, and costs drop again.

But a lot of the cost savings also have to do with being a careful shopper.  For example I buy powder in BULK from Crossbow Enterprises (e-mail:  crossbow@fone.net) because their prices are good and they deliver.  Well actually they pass through Flagstaff Arizona a couple times a year and I meet them near the freeway.  I buy linotype or whatever from Art Green hundreds of pounds at a time.  Since the postal service will deliver a 75 pound package for $7.70, this isn't expensive either.  My last order was for 1200 pounds of linotype.  Art ships 50 pounds at a time every few weeks.  (the post office literally hates me).  Primers can also be gotten inexpensively if you really look for good prices and order in bulk.

So reloading is cost effective if you are serious about it and probably a complete waste of time and money if you aren't.

[Dakota Widowmaker]

Depends on what you shoot.

For 56-50, casting my own was the only choice.

For 44-40 (Henry) I now cast my own, since I wanted a softer bullet for BP loads and there were no local casters willing to meet my needs.

Same for 38-55. I needed a soft .379" bullet that could "bump up". After casting my own, my group sizes REALLY tightened up.

I like to use conicals with my BP cap-n-ball guns and nobody commercially casts them (based on the Lee moulds).


I found a local supplier (plumbing warehouse) that has 99.9% pure lead for $1/lb. I also picked up some lead/tin alloy from them.

I have enough lead for another 10K bullets, and then some. They were happy to get rid of it.

I tried using wheel weights, but, they were so gawd aweful to clean up, I didn't bother with them again.

[Grizzle Bear]

Geo:

Black powder usually requires softer alloy, and special lube.  It is possible to buy BP ready bullets, but they are more expensive than smokeless bullets.

Since you asked, I presume you don't shoot BP (yet) so I will warn you, don't try to load BP under a bullet lubed for smokeless powder!  Smokeless lube and BP fouling create a horrible mess in your barrel, that you'll spend hours cleaning out.

Grizzle Bear