Thanks

Steve

TXGunNut said
 Be careful around Jeremy, guns tend to follow him home. Sometimes he doesn't even have to pay for them! 
 
Mike
  

I've heard you shouldn't covet your neighbor's wife or something like that, blah blah blah....pretty sure that doesn't count for guns. At the very least, it's not cheating if I just shoot another owner's gun, right?

I may not have much pocket money to take with me and no pending raffles!

For my current needs with the commercial bullets now available I'm not sure I would go down the "pour your own" road today. Yes there are risks but I take a risk driving, walking or cooking and that doesn't stop me. I've made mistakes and experienced equipment malfunctions but the impact was mitigated by good PPE and safety procedures. One change that is a factor for aspiring bullet casters is that very few passenger vehicles use lead wheel weights today so that "nearly free lead" window of opportunity is closing. There are also several commercial casters today who produce a good product for less than I would sell them for if I thought my time was worth anything. 

The 44WCF is a cartridge best loaded by a bullet caster who can tailor bullet diameter and hardness to the varied bore diameters found in vintage and modern rifles. Commercial alloys remove the risk of melting and cleaning scrap lead so when I run out of my current supply of scrap lead I will quit using it, even though WW scrap makes a great handgun bullet. It's possibly a bit hard for the 44WCF but I've found pure lead mixed 50/50 with WW scrap gets close to the 20-1 or 16-1 the old BP cartridges were designed for. 

Mike

You Can't go wrong building a library. Having these members help to verify, what you find in Tulsa, would be a plus and a learning experience that would be second to none.

Tony

TXGunNut said
Welcome, IndianCent! You're off to a great start, the Tulsa show will give you an awesome opportunity to look at and handle hundreds of Winchesters and talk with dozens of collectors. There's no better way to learn about these wonderful old guns. Books are good, too. Be careful around Jeremy, guns tend to follow him home. Sometimes he doesn't even have to pay for them! 
 
Mike
  

Appreciate the kind words. This is my 5th year in Tulsa (display pre-73 Rugers). I shoot and load SAA's (Colt, Uberti n USFA). I want to get some long guns to go with that. I ordered the book on Mod 86 n 92 from Arthur Pirkle. I hope it's gets here before we leave for Tulsa. My main focus is on 1892's, I already have a 1892 73' in 32-20. Much more fun ahead.

Mike

Bullet casting is an activity for the competent only.  Although I see myself as generally competent, I am not familiar with all the aspects of bullet casting.  That implies a, "learning curve" is needed.  I know we can learn from our mistakes but the consequence of making a mistake can vary widely. And of course, even among the competent, accidents can happen.

I appreciate the comments from those who cast their own and report a good level of satisfied derived from the activity.  Becoming competent at something is a good path to satisfaction.

Reading the forum a bit, I hear that there are good and trustworthy collectors at the coming Tulsa show. I would love to get some PM's recommending who to see. I have a basic understanding of firearms, but I am not an expert on Winchesters...yet. Thanks

slk said
I have been casting for these old calibers for years and it is pure enjoyment. 
I too have casted straight wheel weights for the most part and have had great results. 
Now when i do mix alloys and have to use tin for some extra hardness I no longer buy tin as it has gotten way over priced. What I do is go to garage and estate sales an buy old pewter cups and such for like a buck. Tin is $30 bucks a lb and a half pound pewter cup is like 50 cents to a dollar. Just melt the pewter into your mix and you are good to go. Pewter is 98% tin. 
I agree that you can have a lot of stuff tied up in casting. Ya have the mold, sizing dies,and lubing. Top punches that fit the bullet you cast,etc. But it sure is rewarding. 
  

SLK, if you're having issues with the melt not filling out the mold fully, with crisp, sharp edges, a little tin will lower the surface tension of the melt and help provide fully formed (and bright, shiny) bullets.  Antimony is also an effective hardening agent, but wheel weights already contain about 5% antimony, which is close to ideal. I think wheel weights have essentially no tin, unless it's there as an impurity from some previous source.

I don't even remember where or how I came across a supply of linotype, but I have about 25 pounds, which serves as my source of tin when needed.

Paul

I too have casted straight wheel weights for the most part and have had great results. 

Now when i do mix alloys and have to use tin for some extra hardness I no longer buy tin as it has gotten way over priced. What I do is go to garage and estate sales an buy old pewter cups and such for like a buck. Tin is $30 bucks a lb and a half pound pewter cup is like 50 cents to a dollar. Just melt the pewter into your mix and you are good to go. Pewter is 98% tin. 

I agree that you can have a lot of stuff tied up in casting. Ya have the mold, sizing dies,and lubing. Top punches that fit the bullet you cast,etc. But it sure is rewarding.