# Cast Hunting Ammo With Simple Wooden Mold



## Charles

In this tutorial, I will show you how to make a very simple wooden mold that you can use for casting lead hunting ammo. The ammo will be in the shape of a cylinder, rather than the shape of a round ball. However, it will still be plenty accurate for hunting, and because of its shape it will generally inflict much greater damage than a ball.

While probably not as dangerous as driving your car on a crowded freeway, working with molten lead is not something to take lightly. I must assume that you have good common sense and a basic understanding of how to protect yourself. I take no responsibility for any injuries you might incur while trying to do this. I am providing this information so that you may see how I do it. If you have any worries or concerns, then by all means do not attempt to carry out this project.

The first step is to make your mold. The easiest material to use is a couple of pieces of scrap standard 2x4. The type of wood does not matter, as long as it is clean and dry. Before some nervous Nelly begins running in circles warning about moisture in wood, let me assure you that if the wood is dry enough to paint or varnish, then it will be just fine for casting lead. So, do not use wood that has been lying out in the rain. If it has been stored under cover, it will be all right.

I suggest you cut two pieces about 12 inches long. You are going to place the two pieces face to face, and you want them to be as good a fit as possible. So to begin, put a sheet of coarse sandpaper between the blocks and rub the blocks against each other.After you have smoothed one side of one block, turn the sandpaper over and rub the blocks together to smooth one side of the other block in the same way. When the two faces are quite smooth to each other, you should see little or no light between them when you place their faces together. Place the edges of the blocks on a flat surface to align them, and clamp the two faces together. Pre-drill some holes, and screw the two blocks together ... I put two screws at each end and two in the middle. You pre-drill the holes to prevent the blocks from cracking, and also to help keep the blocks from being forced apart as the screw passes from one block to the other ... be very careful of this last point. I also use a table saw to take a very light cut across the top and bottom of the joined blocks so they will be smooth across the seam. You could do much the same thing with a good plane or some elbow grease and a sanding block.

Next, mark out points along the seam about one inch from each other, avoiding the screws. Then drill straight down the seam for the length you want your slugs; I went .5 inches. I used a 3/8 inch drill, and that is a pretty good diameter to start. You do not want it too small, or your ammo will not be weighty enough. Nor do you really want it too big. If you later want bigger ammo, just re-drill the holes, to say .5 of an inch in diameter, or make another mold. I used a drill press to drill my holes. I lowered the table of the press so that the drill bit would only penetrate the desired depth. You could use a hand held drill by just putting a piece of masking tape around the bit at the proper depth as a guide.










Since your holes are shallow, you can just flip the block over and drill another line of holes along the seam on the other side. This will allow you to cast two sets of slugs with the same mold. With the mold in the picture, I can cast 11 slugs per side, or a total of 22 slugs in one pour.

After you have drilled the holes, take the blocks apart, and sand the surfaces smooth again, removing any burrs left from the drilling operation. After you have sanded everything smooth again, you can re-assemble your mold. You are now ready to cast lead slugs that are 3/8 of an inch in diameter and .5 of an inch long.

You are probably going to have some excess molten lead at the end. I suggest that you pick up a muffin tin for small muffins at your local second hand store. Before you begin melting lead, smoke the inside of the muffin tin. To do this, just light a standard candle. Then turn the tin over and lower it close to the flame. The smoky flame will deposit a layer of soot on the inside where the muffins would sit. Move the tin around and smoke all the little muffin places. When you are finished casting, you can pour your left over lead into the muffin tin and make little ingots. These ingots will be easier to handle and melt again later. Smoking the muffin tin will make it easier to get the ingots out.










The next step is to prepare and melt your lead. If your lead is in big chunks, use a hammer and chisel to cut it up into smaller pieces that will fit into your melting pot. More about a melting pot in a moment.










I advise you not to use a saw to cut up lead blocks. Sawing will make very fine lead dust, which is easy to inhale and very hard to clean up. Be safe ... use a hammer and chisel.

You are going to be melting lead and pouring molten lead. Lead fumes are toxic. Do not hold your face directly over the molten lead. Do the melting out of doors if possible. If you cannot do it out of doors, do it next to an open window. Avoid water around molten lead ... do not melt lead outdoors in the rain or with a sprinkler running. If you start a fire, pour dry sand or baking soda on it.

For a melting pot, take a trip to your local second hand store. You are looking for a small aluminum pan, that is about 1/8 of an inch thick. If you have lots of money, you could get a stainless steel pan. Avoid those really thin aluminum pans, as they will not hold up. And do not get a big pan ... lead is heavy, and you do not want to have a lot of it melted all at once. If the pan does not have a good pouring lip on the edge, place the edge across the gap of a vice or a couple of blocks of wood, and using a hammer and blunt chisel or piece of steel bar from the inside, make a divot in the edge so you can pour the molten lead.










Put chunks of lead in your melting pot, and put the pot on the burner of a propane camp stove. I like to keep everything pretty fire safe, so I put it all on an old stainless steel cookie sheet I picked up at a second hand store. You could just use an ordinary cookie sheet.

It will only take about 10 or 15 minutes to melt the lead. You may see some junk floating on the top. Use a spoon to remove this crap ... just dump it to on the side of your cookie sheet, and when cool, throw it away. The surface of your melted lead should look bright and shiny.

Once the lead is melted and you have skimmed off any dross from the surface, it is time to pour it into your mold. You should wear leather gloves to avoid burning yourself during this process. You should also wear safety glasses to protect your eyes. Wear old clothes and long sleeves. When ready, just pick up the pot by the handle, and gently fill each of the holes in your wooden mold. The lead will harden quickly, and look like the following.










If you work quickly, you can scrape a flat piece of scrap steel across the top of the block and remove much of the excess lead before it hardens on top of the block. When you have one side poured, flip the block over and pour the other side.
Place your prepared muffin tin on a fire proof surface, and pour you excess lead into the muffin tin to make small ingots as we discussed above.










Now you can take the mold apart by removing the screws holding the two blocks of wood together. You will probably have to gently wedge the blocks apart with a chisel. Usually prying with your fingers is sufficient to remove the slugs, but you may have to use a pair of pliers if the slugs do not come out easily.










Your mold can be reassembled and used for another casting session. As you can see, the wood was not even scorched by the hot lead.










Use a pair of side-cutting pliers to trim the excess lead from the cast rods. Save the trimmings for a future melt.










My chunks averaged about 140 grains, which is between my .44 caliber balls (126 grains) and my .50 caliber balls (170 grains). Being rod shaped, they sit easily in the pouch and tumble in flight. No matter how they hit, there is always an edge striking the target. The effect on a free standing soda can is exactly the same as a stone.










In short, they do a LOT of damage. For target practice, this ammo is probably not quite as consistent as cast lead balls. But for hunting purposes, you are not likely to find anything better.

So with my one mold I can cast 22 hunting slugs in less than half an hour, starting with a cold lead pot. Even taking the mold apart and putting it back together, I could cast 44 slugs in one hour. These molds are so easy to make and cost nothing if made from scrap, so you could easily make two or three if you wanted to cast a large number of slugs at one sitting.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## cedar hunter

Thank you Charles, I will be giving this a go!


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## Henry the Hermit

Great tutorial, Charles. Clear and concise, covered all the bases. Kudos!


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## nutthrower

Excellent info - thanks - I'm known to be cheap , so this fits me purrrrrfic

NT


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## Tex-Shooter

Nicely written article Charles. You can also make a mold by making cardboard box about 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 by 12 inches, open on one side. Coat inside with wax paper. Pour 1/2 full with dental plaster (must have some body to it). Spray 1/2 inch marbles with non stick cooking spray (there is probability some in the kitchen) float the marbles 1/2 way deep in the plaster on a line in the middle of dental plaster. You have 1/2 of your mold. Let dry and remove the 2 end marbles. Spray the first half of the mold with non stick cooking spray. Mix and pour second half of mold and let dry. Remove cardboard and wax paper. Separate mold. Remove balls. Set the two mold haves in the hot sun for a couple of hours to be sure there is no moisture left in the mold. *Warning*, If the is moisture in the plaster it will explode when you pour in the lead. I made one a long time ago like this before I had a metal one. -- Tex


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## Charles

Tex-Shooter said:


> Nicely written article Charles. You can also make a mold by making cardboard box about 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 by 12 inches, open on one side. Coat inside with wax paper. Pour 1/2 full with dental plaster (must have some body to it). Spray 1/2 inch marbles with non stick cooking spray (there is probability some in the kitchen) float the marbles 1/2 way deep in the plaster on a line in the middle of dental plaster. You have 1/2 of your mold. Let dry and remove the 2 end marbles. Spray the first half of the mold with non stick cooking spray. Mix and pour second half of mold and let dry. Remove cardboard and wax paper. Separate mold. Remove balls. Set the two mold haves in the hot sun for a couple of hours to be sure there is no moisture left in the mold. *Warning*, If the is moisture in the plaster it will explode when you pour in the lead. I made one a long time ago like this before I had a metal one. -- Tex


That's a good idea, Tex. I have heard of this but never done it myself. Good to know from your experience that it works. And of course using marbles to make the mold would allow you to cast round balls. I would have thought the plaster would be a bit fragile. How long did your mold last?

Cheers ..... Charles


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## mckee

nice Charles I good thing is sand too just use your finger for the holes


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## Tex-Shooter

The dental plaster it a little tougher than regular. but it still don't last very long. I think that I got about 15 cast out of mine. -- Tex


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## Charles

mckee said:


> nice Charles I good thing is sand too just use your finger for the holes


I have heard of this, but never tried it. I would think it would be hard to get consistent size. And doesn't the sand get embedded in the lead?

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Abe_Stranger

Should I wear a gas mask for this?


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## Jacktrevally

I use to cast many ammos using a similar mould before. Mine was a 1pc mould without the split. All I did was drill holes like yours in a block of wood and after the pour knock the mould on a hard surface and the slugs would drop off.

I use to cut the excess first while the slugs were still in the mould (using a bevelled chisel), no trimming necessary as you de-mould the slugs!


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## Charles

[quote name=&#39;Abe_Stranger&#39; timestamp=&#39;1327036949&#39; post=&#39;151363&#39;]
Should I wear a gas mask for this?
[/quote]

That is probably overkill, in my opinion, as long as you have good ventilation. But if you have one and do not mind wearing it, then perhaps better safe than sorry.

Cheers ......... Charles


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## Charles

Jacktrevally said:


> I use to cast many ammos using a similar mould before. Mine was a 1pc mould without the split. All I did was drill holes like yours in a block of wood and after the pour knock the mould on a hard surface and the slugs would drop off.
> 
> I use to cut the excess first while the slugs were still in the mould (using a bevelled chisel), no trimming necessary as you de-mould the slugs!


I am using scrap fir lumber. I am certian my slugs will not drop out, no matter how hard you bang the mold ... the drilled surface is way too rough, and the molten lead forms to that surface. Perhaps other types of wood would be smooth enough for that treatment. It would be hard to get cast slugs out of a solid machined steel mold unless the holes were conical.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Jacktrevally

I remember my mould was made of a hardwood called Balau.

Mine were 6.5mm x aprox 7mm deep. Knock off easily.

I also used to cast fishing leads thst way with 12.5mm dia drill, 12mm- 15mm deep but it had a wire that I pulled!


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## Jacktrevally

http://postimage.org/image/ljj8iienb/


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## BIG PAPA

Excellent tutorial Charles.


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## Charles

Jacktrevally said:


> I remember my mould was made of a hardwood called Balau.
> 
> Mine were 6.5mm x aprox 7mm deep. Knock off easily.
> 
> I also used to cast fishing leads thst way with 12.5mm dia drill, 12mm- 15mm deep but it had a wire that I pulled!


Thanks for the information, Jack. I do not know the wood you mention. Perhaps a really hard, close grained wood, and a very sharp bit would work without the split ... maybe oak or maple. But the split mold allows you to use any scrap lumber available, and it is very easy to make one.

Cheers ........ Charles


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## Charles

Someone just sent me a PM asking how my hunting ammo compared to round ball. After I made the tutorial, I cast a couple hundred of the slugs, and I have been shooting them all week. I am pleasantly surprised to find that I am more accurate with them at 10 meters (33 feet) than I am with round ball. I speculate that there are several reasons. For one, the cylinder shape is easier to place properly in the pouch; I just lay it on its side. And it is easier to hold. I also think I have a more consistent release ... my thumb does not slip off to one side or the other. And those cylinders do not slip off center as the pouch accelerates ... I think sometimes the ball rolls off the top or the bottom of the pouch, but the cylinder can't do that. They are heavy, but I prefer heavier ammo ... with the exception of a set half doubled 1745 Chinese tubes, my other slingshots with a variety of bands (1 inch Theraband gold, 1 inch other exercise band, Sparco 107 at 7.5 inches, Sparco 107 at 12 inches in full butterfly draw) seem to send those cylinders to the same point of aim as 3/8 lead ball. I am really quite pleased with them.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## THWACK!

Just one li'l bit of safety advice:

If you're dumb enough to have your face/head above the pot of molten lead, at the very least wear a bandana to keep your sweat from dripping into the pot and causing an explosion.

A Best Bet for safety is probably a clear face shield from Harbor Freight.

Ok, that was _two_ li'l pieces of advice, so sue me.

Best2u,
Mike


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## Sean

Excellent tutorial. I have been using hardwood flooring, (solid) and it's kind of nice because it's flat on both sides, is dry as dry
gets, and when you put two pieces together (finished sides) they have grooves which keep the lead from dripping off the edges
which makes for a clean setup.


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## Charles

Just one more tip. When pouring, just pour two or three cavities, and while the lead is still molten, drag the edge of a piece of steel plate or angle iron across the top to remove any excess lead puddled on the top of the mold. Then pour a couple more, etc. By doing this, the slugs turn out to be much more uniform in weight and you will have no trimming to do at the base of each slug.

Sean, your oak flooring molds look really good. I am sure they give a smoother slug than my fir ones!

Cheers ...... Charles


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## goldrush

I made a mold by bolting 2 angle irons together and drilling the holes on the line where they are joined back to back.

20


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## goldrush

Sorry, cant figure out how to edit and finish last post.................

I made a mold with 2 angle irons back to back and bolted together. Then we drilled on the centerline of the 2 pieces and made the 3/8" holes 2" deep.















It was built to make slugs for weighting KubKar/Pinewood derby cars.









To trim off the rounded end from the drill bit, and the rough cut from the sprue, we made a simple shear.









I usually pre-melt all my wheel weights to get rid of the clips and dross (paint, grease, road grime).

I put them in the mini muffin tins as previously mentioned.


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## Charles

If you have the steel that is thick enough, for sure the steel mold will last longer. Some years ago I made a similar steel mold to cast .22 slugs with which to swage .22 caliber bullets.

Cheers .... Charles


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## msasso

Hey, tried this last night. I have like 40lbs of fishing weights I have collected over the years from diving and I am always melting them into something or other. These little lead cylinders shoot incredibly well. I'll be knocking a bunch of these out over the next few days


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## Charles

msasso said:


> Hey, tried this last night. I have like 40lbs of fishing weights I have collected over the years from diving and I am always melting them into something or other. These little lead cylinders shoot incredibly well. I'll be knocking a bunch of these out over the next few days


Glad to hear it works for you. I too find that those cylindrical slugs seem to shoot as well as round ball, at least up to 10 meters. Hope they are good game ammo for you.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## CK Slingshots

Made a mold and it works well Bro! Thanks for the info! The tire shops are happy to give up the lead!


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## Charles

CK Slingshots said:


> Made a mold and it works well Bro! Thanks for the info! The tire shops are happy to give up the lead!


Glad to hear it is working for you.

In many places, shops with lead have to pay some hazmat outfit to take lead away. So they are often happy to have someone take it off their hands for nothing. A fellow at one place I frequent dropped a couple of hints about wanting a slingshot. So I made him one and a clam shell back stop to go with it. Gave him 15 minutes of instruction. He saved me a bunch more lead and half a bucket of ball bearings as well! Soooo, just a suggestion ... make a slingshot for the guy at the shop that you are dealing with. Even if they never use it, they will appreciate the gesture.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## CK Slingshots

I will!


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## bigron

very indepth tutorial thanks charles


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## Thewolf2000

i am doingn that!


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## Charles

It is really easy, and it does work well. Good luck with it.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## ryguy27

Does It Lose Its Shape After A Dozen Or So Mouldings?


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## Charles

ryguy27 said:


> Does It Lose Its Shape After A Dozen Or So Mouldings?


I have used mine about half a dozen times, with no noticeable change. But if the mold starts to degrade, it is a very simple matter to make another.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## ryguy27

I'll Make One By The End Of This Week Hopefully! Thanks!


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## Dr J

A Very useful post, thanks Charles!


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## Charles

Dr J said:


> A Very useful post, thanks Charles!


You are most welcome!

Cheers ..... Charles


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## JUSTJOB

I will have to give this a go sometime for hunting ammo. Thanks for the tutorial!


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## Whitewolf

Thanks for this Charles....

Dennis


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## gbeauvin

How well do your lead cylinders survive target practice? Small game season doesn't open up for another 6 months in these parts, but once I start getting reasonably accurate with 3/8" steel I'd like to start practicing with something I could take small game with.

-GB


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## slofyr

A safer and easier to use option for a casting metal are the low-fusing alloys. Some will flow under 212* so you can do a melt on the stove with a double boiler without fumes. The lower temp allows the metal to be poured into a silicone rubber mold without damaging the rubber. Flexible RTV rubber gives you options to copy many shapes without needing a rigid split mold, and you can pull the cooled rounds out of the mold by their sprues. These metals aren't inexpensive but can be cost effective if you reuse the rounds. They also tend to be harder than pure lead so you'll get less impact deformity, and cleaner handling.

http://tinyurl.com/l6c5nm3


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## Charles

gbeauvin said:


> How well do your lead cylinders survive target practice? Small game season doesn't open up for another 6 months in these parts, but once I start getting reasonably accurate with 3/8" steel I'd like to start practicing with something I could take small game with.
> 
> -GB


Shooting cans, there appears to be no deformity at all. I used to use lead balls to shoot spoons, and spoons will definitely deform lead ammo. But you can always recast your deformed ammo. Of course there is no problem at all with leather, felt, or whiffle ball targets.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Rathunter

I prefer lead. I honestly like it because it is cheap, fairly reuseable, and I use it a lot for other stuff anyway.


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## Charles

slofyr said:


> A safer and easier to use option for a casting metal are the low-fusing alloys. Some will flow under 212* so you can do a melt on the stove with a double boiler without fumes. The lower temp allows the metal to be poured into a silicone rubber mold without damaging the rubber. Flexible RTV rubber gives you options to copy many shapes without needing a rigid split mold, and you can pull the cooled rounds out of the mold by their sprues. These metals aren't inexpensive but can be cost effective if you reuse the rounds. They also tend to be harder than pure lead so you'll get less impact deformity, and cleaner handling.
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/l6c5nm3


I have a few reservations about these alloys.

For one thing, lead is about 16% more dense than bismuth, and bismuth seems to be the primary ingredient in the low-fusing alloys. So lead ammo of the same size will be heavier.

For another thing, lead shrinks slightly as it cools. That means it is pretty easy to get it out of a mold. On the other hand, the low-fusing alloys expand as they cool, which might make them somewhat harder to get out of a solid mold.

But for me, the biggest downside is cost and availability. Most folks can get lead for nothing, just by asking at tire shops or auto service stations. And even if you have to buy it, scrap lead is generally very cheap. On the other hand, those low-fusing alloys are extremely expensive, and are not easy to find. My local tire shops do not have them, nor do my local scrap merchants. Yep, I could order it online ... but at over $50 for 1.5 pounds, plus shipping, I just cannot justify it.

Certainly if I had lots of the stuff sitting around, I would probably use it. But for me, there is no incentive to switch from pure lead to those alloys.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## kzoorichie

Yikes! Using an aluminum pan to melt lead is asking for trouble. Trust me 600 degrees of liquid metal is a type of trouble best avoided.

Aluminum melts at a temp not a lot hotter than lead. When aluminum fails if tends to do so catastrophically. I urge anyone who reads this to research safe practices before casting. Googling "cast boolits" will give you lots of information.


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## Charles

kzoorichie said:


> Yikes! Using an aluminum pan to melt lead is asking for trouble. Trust me 600 degrees of liquid metal is a type of trouble best avoided.
> 
> Aluminum melts at a temp not a lot hotter than lead. When aluminum fails if tends to do so catastrophically. I urge anyone who reads this to research safe practices before casting. Googling "cast boolits" will give you lots of information.


I have been doing this for years with no problems. Caution is always advised of course. If you are worried about it, do not do it ... simple as that.

As for melting points ... lead melts at 621 degrees Fahrenheit, while aluminum melts at 1221 degrees Fahrenheit. You would be hard pressed to melt aluminum with the set up I have shown. If it were that easy to melt aluminum, we would all be using a propane stove to melt aluminum and cast slingshot frames!!!! Just give it a try and you will see what I mean. I note that many frying pans are made from aluminum, and there is no warning about melting them on your stove. Most stainless steel frying pans have aluminum slabs on the bottom to better distribute the heat ... and I have yet to see a warning about melting the bottom of the pan.

And perhaps you meant "cast BULLETS" ????

Methinks your worries are rather considerably over blown.

Cheers .... Charles

P.S. Lee bullet molds are made from aluminum ... have yet to see one melt, even though they are often pre-heated to get good lead flow.


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## kzoorichie

I have no skin in this game other than helping folks stay safe.

Just because you have done it for years, does not mean it's safe. You might never have a problem, but your living on the Darwin side of the risk/reward ratio.

A big part of the bug a boo is aluminum can get weak when it is hot.

Perhaps if you had taken a moment to google cast bollits rather than compose a condescending reply you may have found links such as:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-200811.html

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-130193.html

I urge anyone who is melting lead to read the above and more. There are a couple forums out about casting ammo. Please spend a bit of time with them. I pray that you do and consider editing your OP.

Saving a couple bones is not worth the risk. Best to buy a lead pot, cast iron should do the trick, but does have risk. Before you get your snark on. Yes, I know lead pots are cast iron, but they are much thicker than cooking cast iron. Stainless should be Kool and the Gang.


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## NaturalFork

Those do seem like they would be great hunting ammo.


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## Charles

kzoorichie said:


> I have no skin in this game other than helping folks stay safe.
> 
> Just because you have done it for years, does not mean it's safe. You might never have a problem, but your living on the Darwin side of the risk/reward ratio.
> 
> A big part of the bug a boo is aluminum can get weak when it is hot.
> 
> Perhaps if you had taken a moment to google cast bollits rather than compose a condescending reply you may have found links such as:
> 
> http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-200811.html
> 
> http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-130193.html
> 
> I urge anyone who is melting lead to read the above and more. There are a couple forums out about casting ammo. Please spend a bit of time with them. I pray that you do and consider editing your OP.
> 
> Saving a couple bones is not worth the risk. Best to buy a lead pot, cast iron should do the trick, but does have risk. Before you get your snark on. Yes, I know lead pots are cast iron, but they are much thicker than cooking cast iron. Stainless should be Kool and the Gang.


As I said, if you do not think it is safe, do not do it.

The links you provided are just statements of opinion by others who are worried. I have given you my experience of many years. I believe my experience is as good as your opinion. I also provided you with facts ... the commercial production and use of aluminum skillets, aluminum backing on stainless skillets, the use of aluminum for bullet molds ... and the difference in melting temperatures between lead and aluminum. I would be interested in your experience trying to melt aluminum on a small propane camp stove.

You will also note that I am not suggesting melting great quantities of lead at one time, as some were suggesting in the links you listed. In my OP, I specifically warned NOT to melt great quantities at one time. For a small pot of the sort I use, the melt time from a cold pot is very short indeed ... on the order of 10 minutes or so ... and the weight is easily managed, being a few pounds at most.

I appreciate your concerns about the safety of others. However, in my opinion, your worries are seriously over blown ... but of course that is only my opinion based on a lot of experience. If you or anyone else feel better purchasing a crucible to melt lead, then by all means do so. Of course you could avoid all dangers by just buying lead ammo from a supplier ... or just not shooting at all.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Charles

NaturalFork said:


> Those do seem like they would be great hunting ammo.


Yep ... because of the cylindrical shape, they do work very well. No matter how they hit, they always strike with an edge. Rebar cut-offs also work well for the same reason, but of course lead cylinders of the same size as rebar cut-offs will weigh more and so probably have greater energy when they hit.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## kzoorichie

It's irresponable that you advocate ignoring commonly held safety practices, especially as a moderator. People will incorrectly believe your advice can be trusted. Some would say safety glasses are overblown.... I've shot lots of things my whole life, I've never been hit in the glasses, but I wear them for a reason.

It's just a little bit of lead, small stove, I've done it for years.... What could possibly go wrong???

Staying away from aluminum is part of the collective wisdom of casters for the same reason we wear safety glasses. Accidents are unpredictable and tend to happen quickly. Aluminum is an unessary risk, and for what reason???

But I guess it's your sandbox, I'm only playing in it. It's a bummer that your more concerned with pointing out perceived spelling errors than promoting best safety practices. I hope that those without experience read this far and can choose for themselves.


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## Charles

kzoorichie said:


> It's irresponable that you advocate ignoring commonly held safety practices, especially as a moderator. People will incorrectly believe your advice can be trusted. Some would say safety glasses are overblown.... I've shot lots of things my whole life, I've never been hit in the glasses, but I wear them for a reason.
> 
> It's just a little bit of lead, small stove, I've done it for years.... What could possibly go wrong???
> 
> Staying away from aluminum is part of the collective wisdom of casters for the same reason we wear safety glasses. Accidents are unpredictable and tend to happen quickly. Aluminum is an unessary risk, and for what reason???
> 
> But I guess it's your sandbox, I'm only playing in it. It's a bummer that your more concerned with pointing out perceived spelling errors than promoting best safety practices. I hope that those without experience read this far and can choose for themselves.


You have stated your opinion. Everyone here can read it and take note, and if they deem it appropriate, they are welcome to take whatever action they deem appropriate. I have stated my opinion, and the evidence for it. We just disagree on the risk involved.

As for the "collective wisdom of casters" .... you and I disagree about what that is, and about what constitutes "wisdom". Perhaps an empirical experiment is in order. Get a small aluminum pot of the sort I described, with a 1/8 inch or greater thickness, put in a handful of wheel weights, put it on a small, propane camp stove for 15 minutes and demonstrate the sort of "catastrophic failure" you allege is likely to happen. Video the whole thing and post it here ... I am sure it would be of great interest to us all.

Cheers .... Charles


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## Marnix

Thank you Charles. I will have to try it. How much $$$ do you save this way?


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## kzoorichie

I never said likely, it's possible. It's unlikely that someone will shoot an eye out, but the risk is there, and we mitigate the risk with safety glasses. Again risk v reward. The purpose of aluminum is what exactly?

A wealth on casting information is on the web. You will consistently find that use aluminum is too dangerous.

Of course I will not risk unsafe practices to prove the risk. It may never happen, but for those unfamiliar and do no research, or the hard headed the consequences could be sever as death. I hope you and everyone else will do a bit of research and reconsider editing the OP. Since you seem like a guy who wants to get the last word in I'll drop this here and pray that you choose to act in a safe and responsible way.


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## Charles

Marnix said:


> Thank you Charles. I will have to try it. How much $$$ do you save this way?


Well, if I were just shooting rocks, I would not be saving any money!!! How much money you save depends on many, many factors.

Of course you could just buy lead ammo that someone else has cast for you. That would probably be the most expensive way to go. Or you could buy steel balls, which are also pretty expensive.

If you can get scrap rebar for nothing and cut it yourself, that might be cheaper ... but rebar is not that easy to cut consistently. And if you are buying new rebar, that might prove to be pretty costly.

Prices for scrap lead vary widely, depending on where you are located and what kind of scrounger you are. I get used wheel weights from my local garage for nothing, so the cost of the lead to me is nil.

Lee round ball molds are running about $30 or so, depending on what you buy and where you get them. The cost of scrap 2x4s is nil ... I pick them up at construction and house reno sites.

Using this technique, you can vary the size of your ammo, just by using different drill diameters and depths when making the mold. You can make several molds to make ammo for different purposes. And for hunting, the cylindrical ammo is generally more effective than round ball.

As I said, how much you save depends on a wide variety of factors. But it is not all about just saving money. I find it comforting to know how to do things myself, with minimal equipment if necessary.

Cheers .... Charles


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## Charles

kzoorichie said:


> I never said likely, it's possible. It's unlikely that someone will shoot an eye out, but the risk is there, and we mitigate the risk with safety glasses. Again risk v reward. The purpose of aluminum is what exactly?
> 
> A wealth on casting information is on the web. You will consistently find that use aluminum is too dangerous.
> 
> Of course I will not risk unsafe practices to prove the risk. It may never happen, but for those unfamiliar and do no research, or the hard headed the consequences could be sever as death. I hope you and everyone else will do a bit of research and reconsider editing the OP. Since you seem like a guy who wants to get the last word in I'll drop this here and pray that you choose to act in a safe and responsible way.


There are risks to everything ... it is risky just to live. We all must weigh the risks and take the actions we deem appropriate. It is risky to drive on congested highways, but most folks continue to do so. We do not all huddle at home wearing goalie pads and football helmets ... certainly I do not.

As for the purpose of the small, 1/8 inch or thicker aluminum pot: they are readily available most everywhere; they are very cheap in second hand stores, and often even free; aluminum distributes heat much better than steel or cast iron ... even modern stainless steel pans have an aluminum slab laminated to the bottom; the little aluminum pot is much lighter and easier to manipulate than a cast iron crucible.

I suspect that much of the worry about aluminum pots stems from using those cheapo types that are paper thin. I certainly would not use one of those. I would not even melt lead in a thin steel food can, because even the steel can is likely to burn through after just a few uses. And I have seen a cast iron skillet suddenly and "catastrophically" crack on an old Coleman camp stove burning white gas, so cast iron is not immune to catastrophic failure.

Bottom line ... I have shown folks how I do it ... I have been doing it this way for about 40 years. That constitutes a significant amount of experience. Clearly there are a variety of risks involved, and I strongly urge everyone to take the actions they deem appropriate to mitigate those risks. If I thought the dangers were great, I would not do it that way myself, nor would I suggest it to others.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Toolshed

Charles,

Thank you again good sir!!

You provide me with project after project.

As for the safety-nazi....Sh!t dude, I cast 1220 degree aluminum in freaking shorts and for god sake didn't even wear gloves!!!

As my signature states....Measure THREE times, cut once....PLAN for everything ahead of the task, and you will find that you will already eliminate 90% of the OOPSIES....

It wouldn't be life if you could get out of it alive!!!

Do not slip into death easily!! Slide in sideways, with sweaty palms, shouting "DAMN, that was AWESOME!!!!"


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## bread

Great idea using a muffin tin to pour ingots with the excess! I was given a crucible, and never having melted lead before, I was totally unprepared for the excess! I had to leave it in the crucible. The crucible weighs a ton! The person I got it from must have done the same thing for it to weigh so much. Next time I heat the crucible, I'm sure I can cast a whole multiple of slugs without adding any additional lead and still have enough to pour a nice ingot! Thanks Charles!


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## Charles

Thanks for the kind words, but the muffin tin thing is not original with me ... I picked it up from someone else, but cannot remember where or when. Having those little ingots sure makes your casting life a lot easier, as you can just melt one or two as needed and keep the weight of your pot down.

Cheers .... Charles


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## eiji-the-second

Hi Charles, awesome idea will be trying this , have you tried using say for example, a 12mm drill bit going 12mm deep, would this less elongated shape work better, or is it neglible under normal hunting distances (10m) and under


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## Charles

eiji-the-second said:


> Hi Charles, awesome idea will be trying this , have you tried using say for example, a 12mm drill bit going 12mm deep, would this less elongated shape work better, or is it neglible under normal hunting distances (10m) and under


I am sure that would work, but would be a bit too heavy for my taste. But to each his/her own. Give it a try and see how you like it. These molds are so simple to make ... you could make several in different sizes and see what suits you.

Cheers ... Charles


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## eiji-the-second

Or 11 x 11 10x10 etc, I'm thinking a diameter length correlation would be good, must give it a try, thanks Charles!


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## SonOfNature

I will try smaller dia. Not for huntung.
Just looking for cheap plinking ammo, that I could use anywhere I am.
For frameless it d be 7mm dia maybe 8-9mm long.
Thanks for advices.
I am searching an aluminium pan


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