2019 NES Cast Bullet Seminar Sign Up Thread

I'm at an estate sale. I scored around 5lbs of Pewter for $20.

And I'm debating on taking what's left...

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When you score peter cheap take the time to see if its a piece worth something.
i bought a old pewter plate had some faint marks. I brought it to a local shop that use to buy pewter to try and trade for a bayonet they had.
Although not worth big money she showed me a book and turns out it was pretty old. 17th plate.
Although we where miles apart on tbe bayonet she offered my $80 for the plate. I dont know how to tell if the stuff is old or not but theres a cup set here
For $300 or so?
 
If anyone is gonna be down this way (Daytona Beach/Orlando Area), I am doing a Cast Bullet Workshop Feb 29th (Leap Year Day) 2020.
Details here:

I have about 9 people signed up and paid so far. Might be a good reason to go on vacation in Florida vs a snow storm or 16 degree WX. It's been mostly in the 60's and 70';s here every day with few exceptions. Email me if questions: [email protected]

It's my first workshop here since I moved. I drove up the first year I moved here, and assisted at the NES workshop that year in Shirley. I'm delighted that Michael and others have picked up and continued the workshops that I started a long time ago. See the Mega Thread for details on the first one I did.......... 10 years ago!!!!
Mega Thread with pictures etc for first workshop
 
If anyone is gonna be down this way (Daytona Beach/Orlando Area), I am doing a Cast Bullet Workshop Feb 29th (Leap Year Day) 2020.
Details here:

I have about 9 people signed up and paid so far. Might be a good reason to go on vacation in Florida vs a snow storm or 16 degree WX. It's been mostly in the 60's and 70';s here every day with few exceptions. Email me if questions: [email protected]

It's my first workshop here since I moved. I drove up the first year I moved here, and assisted at the NES workshop that year in Shirley. I'm delighted that Michael and others have picked up and continued the workshops that I started a long time ago. See the Mega Thread for details on the first one I did.......... 10 years ago!!!!
Mega Thread with pictures etc for first workshop

If anyone is vacationing in the area or any of the members winter down there this seminar can change your life. No Joke.
 
I go thru several thousand 125Gr 9MM bullets every year. Have used Blue Bullets last year. Now also loading a 125 Gr. bullet for the .38 Special for Steel Challenge this year. I'm thinking this mold will let me throw bullets for both. Coat and size appropriately. Anyone use this one?

356/359-125 Flat Round Nose, Flat Base, 8 Cavity Aluminum No Lube Groove Mold ~ MP-molds
That should be perfect. I have a round nose version from him almost exactly like that and it works awesome for 9 and 38.
let me know if you want to try it out or some of the bullets.
 
Had some pulled bullets and wheel weights. My first shot making ingots since the seminar. Went quicker than I thought but muffin pan fail. Had to bang the shite out of the pan to drop the ingots. Now a bent pan. Now to wash my hands and enjoy a beer and cigar.
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Good work man!!
yeah some pans suck. It sure does feel good to make something from nothing
 
Had some pulled bullets and wheel weights. My first shot making ingots since the seminar. Went quicker than I thought but muffin pan fail. Had to bang the shite out of the pan to drop the ingots. Now a bent pan. Now to wash my hands and enjoy a beer and cigar.
View attachment 330599
Look to see if theres any restaurant supply places around you and see if they have used stuff.
You can get some heavy duty muffin pans cheap.
i got several for $10.

pans with no stick coatings can really stick.
Let the pans rust up a bit if steel.
cast Iron are great but heavy.
 
I saw some 160g cast 9mm on sale online.

Are there any good moulds out there that will drop a 160g 9mm?

Heres where I got my last few.

Somewhere in that page (or the next) the molds go from .357 to .358, so theres a 160 9mm in there somewhere.
 
Quick update on my progress, and a quick question:

Wheel weights into ingots: Check

Ingots into boolits: Check

Boolits coated with Hi-tek: Nope.

I got everything ready to go, toaster, baskets, acetone, etc... then we got a puppy! (pic attached for cuteness factor)
Needless to say, she took all of my free time. It's been about a month since I cast them.

If I recall correctly, the boolits will harden with time, making sizing difficult at this point. My question is when I coat with Hi-tek, will the oven temp & time bring the hardness down so they can be sized after coating?

I've only made 100 pcs ish. So, if they have to go back in the pot, and start over, its not the end of the world.
 

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Quick update on my progress, and a quick question:

Wheel weights into ingots: Check

Ingots into boolits: Check

Boolits coated with Hi-tek: Nope.

I got everything ready to go, toaster, baskets, acetone, etc... then we got a puppy! (pic attached for cuteness factor)
Needless to say, she took all of my free time. It's been about a month since I cast them.

If I recall correctly, the boolits will harden with time, making sizing difficult at this point. My question is when I coat with Hi-tek, will the oven temp & time bring the hardness down so they can be sized after coating?

I've only made 100 pcs ish. So, if they have to go back in the pot, and start over, its not the end of the world.
You are correct sir. The oven temp and time will drop the hardness on them.
you should be totally fine. If you run into any issues with them being hard to size just spray them with a little bit of Dillon case lube before sizing.
It works wonders!
 
With 100% COWW - they are going to be hard after a couple of weeks

If they are too hard to size with lube (I use DIY lanolin lube) then throw them back in the toaster oven for 30 minutes at about 350° - the coating color may darken but hte bullets should soften enough to size easily.

Great looking pup!
 
I suggest sizing BEFORE coating, and allow for the thickness of the coating before hand. I wouldn't do anything that would disturb the coating after coating them.
Sizing, you should do that within about 48 hours of casting. Plan ahead so that you have time to do this ASAP. Some people only have short amounts of time sometimes available. Or, forget that they did all that casting work. After about 2 weeks, the bullets, especially rifle bullets (harder alloy than pistol castings) will be a bear to pull through any sizers. So, plan ahead. Do the casting when you know you will also have time to do the sizing ASAP. That's especially true with coated bullet sizing, but also true with Lyman type lubricizing. Let them sit and harden up after all the work is done on them.
 
Duke, Thanks for the input. I can certainly plan to do it that way in the future.

Couple questions on that:
1) Now that I am where I am, do you agree with Michael and Pastera above that I can put them in an oven to get them to a point where I can size them?
2) Any idea on what the thickness of Hi-tek coating is, so I can size accordingly?

Further information: I am casting .45 ACP for pistol only using wheel weight alloy. I plan on coating as I don't have any lubricizers available, as I'm just starting down the path of casting.
 
You can't HiTek after sizing - the lubrication needed to size lead bullets will stop the coating from adhering after
You won't hurt the coating by sizing them unless your die is damaged

I would just spray them with a little case lube and try sizing a couple - if they go through easy enough then do them all. If not, you could heat them or just recast.
 
You can't HiTek after sizing - the lubrication needed to size lead bullets will stop the coating from adhering after
You won't hurt the coating by sizing them unless your die is damaged

I would just spray them with a little case lube and try sizing a couple - if they go through easy enough then do them all. If not, you could heat them or just recast.
I think I remember that from the seminar now that you say it!
Thanks for the info.
I'll try coating, and sizing. See what happens.
 
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