N/A Who's Casting or Wants to Learn?

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If your just shooting pellets (not slugs), there is little reason to cast. .177 and .22 pellets are so plentiful and easy to attain, there is little reason to re-invent that wheel. Others may argue, but to me casting is not even a consideration until you get to .257 diameter. Yeah, I have had custom slugs made for my Marauder in .250, and they work well. But there are plenty of pellets up to 53 grain that work just as well.

As for working with lead and being afraid of lead contamination, get over it! Follow a few simple rules and you'll be fine. Ever dig into a tin of pellets? Little difference. Learn to wash after use and dont put things into your mouth while handling. As I showed above, I take ventilation seriously, but don't let that put you off. There are many other ways to achieve the same goal. I used to just put a couple fans on either side of my casting operation, pushing the fumes out my garage door. That worked for many years, but I wanted something more permanent. Everyone has his own way to do things and you'll find yours, make it happen!

Chris
 
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Yup, gang moulds are the way to go when you can get them. I have several. I guess, for me, I only have the one .250 (my other is a .257- different animal altogether). It's a Marauder and I don't shoot it that much, kinda heavy and unwieldy. I suppose if I ever get another .250 that I really like shooting, I'll cast for it.

Years ago, I tried casting slugs for my .22 CF's. .222 Rem, 22-250 etc. The thing with lead is: even if using a gas check, you can really only push the slug to around 2500fps. So what's the point? Slowing a 22-250 down to 22 mag levels is silly to me. Just buy a rimfire and load up you CF's with jacketed slugs. So, even though I have some .224 and .243 moulds, I have long since retired them.

Anyhow, those are my thoughts, as always, YMMV.

Chris
 
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These expand like this at 950 fps, so I'll keep casting em.

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That's just what I was getting at in my comments in post #45. You've basically taken a CF cartridge and downloaded it to just a tad over 22LR levels. That never made sense to me, I want my 22CF's to go like stink. You can even get chamber adaptors that allow you to fire a 22LR from a 22 CF gun. I have a few of those, but again, a 22LR rifle just made more sense to me. If you want go fast, get a CF 17, 22 or 6mm...if you want a plinker get a 22LR rifle.

Lead slugs just make so much more sense when used in an application that CANNOT get a get them too fast. Does that make sense? Take a 38 spl, there is no way it could ever get to 2500fps...perfect candidate for lead slugs. Our airguns are the same. None of them is gonna get over say 1300fps...perfect for slugs.
But, to each his own and I applaud you for such fine results.

I'm not trying to get flamed here, just pointing out my logic in selecting what I will and won't cast for. And yes, I realize we're waaaaay off the rails here with all the PB talk. I'll stop it here.

Chris
 
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Everyone has different reasons to cast .. for me the first time I shot. 257 I knew I have to have one in .224 .. from those 2 calibers I have every discontinued mold you could imagine that came in GC .. for my plinking used they make all the sense of the world just for the fun of it .. a condor with the correct valve could shoot. 224 - 62gr at 1,100fps at 3200psi .. the only reason 177 don't make sense is because there is not enough twist aviable for 26gr+ slugs if they were a 1-9 that is what people use in 172 would be a interesting slug to cast.. I'm collecting 308 molds now maybe later 457.. here PB are only alowed in ranges not in your land no matter how big it is .. n there is nothing to hunt here that a good .. 22 -34 gr slug shouldn't take down.
 
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I just started casting my own slugs for my Bulldog, and I am getting decent results. Recycling lead from my ductseal pellet trap makes it possible to never run out of ammo now. I am not even sizing because they drop at .358 using a .356/9mm Lee 125grain mold.
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Using a bottom pour Lee melting pot, and watching YouTube videos helps keep it simple.
IMG_20240108_165304.jpg
 
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WarriorPoet said:
I just started casting my own slugs for my Bulldog, and I am getting decent results. Recycling lead from my ductseal pellet trap makes it possible to never run out of ammo now. I am not even sizing because they drop at .358 using a .356/9mm Lee 125grain mold.



Using a bottom pour Lee melting pot, and watching YouTube videos helps keep it simple.
View attachment 423471
Click to expand...
I just cast a bunch of 250-27-RFs today with the same Lee pot.
 
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Ezana4CE said:
@WarriorPoet Wait, your slugs are dripping at .358 from a .356 mold? They do that consistently? Why does that happen?
Click to expand...
That is normal from my research. Most molds drop slugs oversized, then you size back down to your desired diameter. Plus everything depends on the lead Mixture too, pure lead vs. a mix with tin, etc. For example if I were have bought a .357/38 special mold, they would probably drop at .359 or .360 and I would have to use a sizing die for sure for my .357 Bulldog.

I am using almost pure lead and although the mold says 125 grains, they drop at 128,129,and 131 grains... Worked out for me, not having to take the extra steps in sizing, being a newbie the less work involved in figuring out if I like casting or not the better. Now I know I do, and will eventually invest in NOE molds, hand press and die sizing kits.
 
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