Today’s Prep- This is part 2 of casting your own bullets.    Once your bullets are cast and cooled  you need to size and lubricate them.

You need to lube the bullet to help stop the lead from depositing on the surface of the barrel when you fire the gun. The bullets can be lubed by several methods.  I do not have a Lubri-sizer, not yet anyway.  That is a great word – say it 3 times out load – Lubri-sizer.  Guess what, it does just that,  it lubes and sizes the bullets in one motion.  I lube them and then size them in 2 different operations.

Here is a picture of 2 lubed bullets.  The 45 ACP on the right was lubed with a liquid Lube by Lee Precision.  It is a thick lube that coats the entire bullet.  Simply add the bullets and liquid lube together in a bowl and toss them around to mix.  Once they are coated pour them out on a flat surface and allow them to dry (about 24 hours) This method works well but it is messy.  The 38 Special bullet on the left was pan lubed with a paraffin/bees wax/petroleum jelly mixture.  I am not going to recommend a mixture since there are hundreds of recipes and products online.  You will find something that works for you with very little research.  With this method you stand all the bullets up in a pan and pour the wax lube around the bullets.  Once the wax is dry you just pop them out. Cast bullets have several grooves cut into them to hold the wax as you can see in the picture.

The bullets need to be cut to the exact diameter that you need.  I do this with what is called a Sizing Die.  A Sizing Die is basically a tube that you force the lead bullet through.  This shaves the bullet to the exact diameter or caliber of bullet you are making.  For example a 45 ACP lead bullet is .452 of an inch in diameter.  Lead bullets should be sized to .001″ larger than the bore.  Once the bullets are sized and lubed they are ready to be used in reloading.

Start collecting lead, I promise it will be worth something in the future.

Can you have too much ammo?