[SubGunFan]

Today was long and FUN.... A BIG thanks to Beladran for hosting the bullet casting get together.

Hammer, Beladran, and Captain (+ me behind the camera) getting ready to smelt some WWs.

NOTE: Admin and Mods everywhere..... I felt like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs........

Speaking of the Admin.... Someone forgot to tell Hammer he should be driving a WHITE truck.....

Some of the 900# of WWs Hammer brought to the party. I looked in those bucket... There was water, ice, leaves, car parts and something that looked like road-kill.........................

But Beladran and Hammer spread the WWs out so they could dry (and pick out the "trash").

However, Hammer did have some good WWs. That can't be said for the WWs I brought. The combination of WWs with a HIGH zinc and steel percentage plus me not paying attention to the temperature of my smelting pot, caused the above picture.... Ingots with zinc in them..... All is not lost, but I am PISSED at myself..................

Hammer's heavy duty smelting pot and BIG A$$ bottle of propane.

Hammer gathering his stash of WW ingots. He didn't get all 900# smelted, but he went home with a BUTT-LOAD of ingots. Less a few I traded him some linotype for.............

Beladran and Hammer were smelting anything they could find. And yes, even Beladran's "famous" 10# lead "beer can" hammer is now ingots.


We then shut down for a trip to McComb for lunch. Thank you Hammer for buying the buffet lunch at Golden Corral.

When we got back.......... it was time to start CASTING some BULLETS.........

Even though Beladran was the HOST, we still made him setup in the corner of his own garage.......

Beladran has a NICE old H&G 38cal (#73) 6-C mold from the early San Diego, CA years. Now someone needs to help him get a bullet sizer/luber.......

This was my setup for casting today. This makeshift setup worked fine, but Beladran needs to get Bubba-T to make him a casting table......

I came home with some 45cal bullets and some of the 38cal bullets from Beladran's H&G mold. Later (or tomorrow) I will post some pictures of those bullets.

Beladran, thanks again for hosting the bullet casting party.

.

 

[shoeshooter]

As always, great report SGF. Sorry to miss it.

 

[SubGunFan]

Bullets from Beladran's H&G Mold

The approx. 470 bullets I cast using Beladran's H&G mold. With my casting mix these 38cal bullets average 146gr unlubed.

I would have cast more of these GREAT looking bullets, but it was getting late and the level in my pot was not going down fast enough.... A complete pot would have given me more than a 1000 bullets. Maybe next time................


.

 

[Hammer]

Well, here are a few pics from our smelting/casting party at the Beladran residence.
I managed to melt down two full 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights, and a few smeltings for Beladran.
We had a good day melting lead and enjoying good company. I am sure that Beladran would agree that we got a great deal of good info about casting from Captain and Subgun.

I did get to use one of those irreplaceable Weaver molds of Subgun’s, and let me tell you, it is FINE!! I want one!!

I also wound up coming home with about 100 or so 230gr. RN hardball for the 1911, and a bag full of those 146 gr. .38's that Subgun mentioned above. Beladran sent some green moly coated
.451 TC bullets for the 1911 to try out. I gotta get these loaded up and try them out! They are made by Bayou Bullets, which is owned and run by Jerry Miculek's brother, Donnie.

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5359481937_a76b99b488.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="moly coated" />

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5085/5360093458_14345efcf4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="green bullets" />

Below are some casting/smelting pics:

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5359145894_9720b7da51.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="truckload" />
What I started out with.

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5086/5359145142_f132f6dcd7.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="starting" />
Beladran and Subgun getting started

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5041/5358460851_89ab17a283.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Melting them down" />
My setup melting them down

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5359948400_00fc097038.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Drying out wheel weights" />
Wheel weights drying while Captain adds to the pot

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5122/5359333427_a3a1c2030d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="My setup" />
My setup

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5359944366_2c18c440e4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Captain adding to the pot" />
Captain loading the pot on batch #2

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5041/5359939906_75793b7768.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN1290" />
Subgun and Beladran casting ingots in the foreground, Captain loading the pot in the background

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5359928940_67f6917c32.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Molten lead." />
A pot full of molten lead


<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5043/5359073482_533bafe0d2.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Subgun's setup" />
Subguns smelting setup

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5359072574_b126153990.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Subgun melting lead" />
Beladran and Subgun setting up the smelter

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5359963256_9281750dcb.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="The hammer's fate..." />
Yall remember that lead hammer the Beladran made??
http://www.msgunowners.com/t11331-lead-mallet
Here it is, it’s fate is sealed…


<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5168/5359352741_91a92cc6e9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Going!" />
Going!

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5359357593_91b4054dfb.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Going!!" />
Going!!

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5359975104_a03414f0f4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Going!!!" />
GOING!!!


<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5243/5359977478_b45aa60f59.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Hammer gone!" />
GONE!

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5130/5359979646_6043902462.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="End of the hammer" />
The hammer is gone. Long live the hammer!


Thanks to Beladran for hosting the event, to Captain for helping with the smelting and sharing his vast knowledge, and to Subgun for the sharing of knowledge, use of his molds and equipment and for the linotype!

 

[msredneck]

I see I missed all the fun...was working all day in H'Burg...

Gonna get the ole lead pot out in Feb

Looks like a great time...sure hate I could not make it :yell:

 

[Beladran]

I really enjoyed everyones company yesterday. I am thankfull the weather was nice it had been in the high 10's and windy in the early morning. weather was nice enough for the wife and lil baby to come out and visit = ) looks like i gotta contract Mr Bubba for a casting table! I cant wait for the next casting party!

 

[captain-03]

Thanks Belaran for being such a good host yesterday ... enjoyed. Then though I did not bring any equipment I had a great time just enjoying the company and being around something I like to do. An of course - I learn something new everytime; especially, from SGF ... He sure can make some PURTY BOOLITS!!

Here are a few pictures I will add to the album!!

 

[Xd357]

I knew I would regret not going. Nice pics y'all.

 

[Beladran]

It's xd's fault we didn't get all those ww's melted down!