Hey all. New here to the forum but I first found this page about 2
years ago. I had just discovered the use of the sling as a weapon
and - was surfing the net for info on technique etc. - found the info
on this site very useful and it made me take a giant leap in my know
how on the subject. Thanks to you guys for that. Here now I'm
Still no expert but I can hit what I'm throwin at most of the time.  
I,ve tried various projectiles from concrete to clay, lead and stone.
I recently bought a .690 lead round ball mould from lee precision and
it makes a great bullet. Most tire shops around here will give away old
tire weights. I melt these down into ball rounds and they throw like
A rocket. (On a side note .690 is the proper size for a 12 gauge shotgun
I handload these ball rounds for hog huntin, but that's another matter)
I have also used with moderate success plaster moulds for casting lead.
Take a small cardboard box about 3 inches by 4 inches or so. You need
A model for your casting. I used a 1 1/2 ounce lead egg sinker for
Mine but I bet you could use clay also. Mix the plaster and pour the box
Half full. Coat the sinker with a light coat of vasoline and insert. It
Halfway WIDTHWAYS into the plaster after it hardens enough
That the sinker won't sink into it. Let this dry for 24 hours. Then
Carve a few key slots into the top( what will become the inside) of
the mould. These need not be much deeper than 1/4 inch by 1/4
inch or so. They wil aid in aligning the mould blocks when using it.  
Put a light coat of vasoline on the top of what you poured
yesterday. Too much and the blocks won't fit together properly.
Too little and you won't be able to get the blocks apart when dry
Pour the box the rest of the way fill and set it aside for another
24 hours. Peel the cardboard off and CAREFULLY seperate the blocks
The plaster will still be a little soft. Take a knife, small chisel or
Flat blade screwdriver and carve the groove in both blocks that
You will pour the lead through. These need not be wider than 3/16
to 1/4 inch. Set the blocks aside for another couple days to dry.
You will notice a texture and hardness change in the plaster when
It is completely dry. I have gotten about 50 or 60 castings from these
Before. They become unusable. Happy slinging.  

A few notes on casting:

I heat the lead over a small camping type propane burner.
I use a small. 3 inch cast iron ashtray skillet(available
anywhere that sells cast iron cookware).
Tie the blocks together, heat the lead to molten, and
pour the lead slowly through the sprue hole you carved
In the blocks. Give the mould a slight side to side shake
While the lead is still molten. This will settle the lead fully
Into the cavity. Open the blocks and gently dump the bullet
Onto a piece of leather. The lead is still soft enough to dent
If you drop it onto a hard surface. After it cools use a pair of
Wire cutters to remove the sprue. Done. Have fun.

Hi, leadrocks;
  Welcome to our forum.  Thanks for all that info about casting lead.  Obviously, it's something you've done quite a bit of.

how about putting it in the FAQ? it's a start, and we have nothing else on this subject as detailed as this.

Great job, and welcome.

xxkid123 wrote on May 1^st, 2010 at 11:40am:

how about putting it in the FAQ? it's a start, and we have nothing else on this subject as detailed as this. Great job, and welcome.

I'd be honored. Thanks.

Not bad :).  
With this info I should be able to transform the lead I got laying about into lead glandes when and if I want to.  Thanks.
timann

Here's a pic of my old plaster mould. You can see what eventually rendered
It unserviceable. From repeated exposure to heat the plaster slowly chipped
Out around the edges. The 2 dimples on either side are the keyslots that
Made the blocks fit together securely. I also made dog ears on the corners  to
Help the blocks fit but I don't think they were necessary.  I used clay to fill in
A few of the chips in the plaster. That's what the dark smudges in the cavity
Are.

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I tried a 2 piece mould a while ago. The first few casts were great,m but soon after, the mould broke from the heat.
Now, I use a one piece mould for modern bullet shaped glandes. These works ok for me.

I just found one of my 12 salvaged 40MM inert and spent Mark19Mod 3 grenade launcher machine gun rounds. I forgot all about them for years.
I will get a pic up later, but the thing is made of aluminum and is 40MM in width. I dug a bunch out of a berm way back when I was a full time Leatherneck armorer. The ones that hit the practice tank were painted onto the side of the tanks armor. I'd like to get a mold of it and cast more with your process, but maybe lead would be too heavy for such a gigantic round.

quote author=Rockman link=1272693329/0#7 date=1272912081]I tried a 2 piece mould a while ago. The first few casts were great,m but soon after, the mould broke from the heat.
Now, I use a one piece mould for modern bullet shaped glandes. These works ok for me.[/quote]
I'd be interested to see what that one piece mold looks like.
I made a new mold over the last couple days. It needs to dry
For a couple more before i can cast in it. That may have been
Your problem with plaster, rockman. If the mold has too much
Moisture in it it will expand and crack the mold when it gets
Hot. My new one was a little stubborn when i tried to seperate
The blocks for the first time. I had to a butter knife and score
Around the separation line then gently pry the blocks apart.
You can go too fast when casting. Take your time. The lead will
Stay molten for as long as it has flame under it. Let your blocks
Cool for a few minutes every few castings. The lead can get too
Hot also. After it is melted you can turn the burner down.
Also make sure the blocks are clean. Use alcohol or acetone
To remove any oil from the blocks. Oil of any kind will show
Up as swirls on the outside of your casting. Clean all the
Vaseline off the plaster molds before you use them.
Here's a pic of my setup. The dark stuff on top of the
Molten lead is the corrosion off the outside of the old
Lead. It just floats to the top and when i pour, good
Clean lead pours right out from underneath it.
The mold on the burner is my 12. Ga Lrb (1 1/8 oz
Or 31.5 grams) lee mold and the plaster one is my old
Mold. I tie the blocks together with wire because i can just
Twist or untwist instad of tying a knot every time. Only
Got a few more castings out of that old mold before i
Declared it officially done. That mold has already cast it's
Share though. Glad i'm makin a new one.

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Here's a drawing of my mould. It's very simple, just some white concrete on a container.
I made a bullet with modeling clay and let the mould dry. You have to use something soft and maleable for the bullet shape, otherwise it gets stuck forever.

Then, I scrapped the modeling clay and that's it. I use an electric stove like the ones you take for camping to melt the lead.  

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Cool. Good idea. Be easy to. Make a multiple cavity that
Way. Do the bullets orient in flight with the flat part to the
Back? Here's a pic of my new plaster mold. *note in my last
Post* it is necessary to heat metal molds before you pour.
This prevents lead from solidifying in the sprue hole before
The cavity is full. Do not try to heat plaster molds over direct
heat. Simply make the sprue hole large enough to prevent
Problems.

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Here's another one of a 1 1/8 oz ball stuck over an inch into my 3d deer
Archery target. Greek throw at 20 yards.

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leadrocks wrote on May 19^th, 2010 at 5:10pm:

Cool. Good idea. Be easy to. Make a multiple cavity that Way. Do the bullets orient in flight with the flat part to the Back? Here's a pic of my new plaster mold. *note in my last Post* it is necessary to heat metal molds before you pour. This prevents lead from solidifying in the sprue hole before The cavity is full. Do not try to heat plaster molds over direct heat. Simply make the sprue hole large enough to prevent Problems.

These are the 2nd batch of bullet shaped glandes I've made. This second try is are best yet, I'm happy with the results.  
The first ones were not very good, somewhat asymetric and too fat. However, the test I've done with those ugly glandes show that they do strike point first using a sidearm release. You have to make sure to set glandes in the pouch pointing forward.

Football shaped glandes are nice, but the one piece mould is good enough for me. It avoids complications form handling 2 diferent pieces.  

leadrocks wrote on May 19^th, 2010 at 5:17pm:

Here's another one of a 1 1/8 oz ball stuck over an inch into my 3d deer Archery target. Greek throw at 20 yards.

I suppose that target is somewhat similar in density to actual muscle. Good shot, you achieve penetration with a sphere ammo.

Rockman wrote on May 19^th, 2010 at 8:21pm:

leadrocks wrote on May 19th, 2010 at 5:17pm: Here's another one of a 1 1/8 oz ball stuck over an inch into my 3d deer Archery target. Greek throw at 20 yards. I suppose that target is somewhat similar in density to actual muscle. Good shot, you achieve penetration with a sphere ammo.

Actually that target is much tougher than tissue. If an arrow were to penetrate
As deep as it would flesh you'd like to not get it out. Arrows from my 70 pound longbow
Onny penetrate this target about 4 to 5 inches.  Last deer i shot the arrow buried up to
The fleching with the point sticking out the other side about a foot.

Thanks for this tutorial.

I painted the glandes black and white, putting them a bit closer to the day they will fly on camera.

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For a better sense of scale

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Great stuff guys.

Leadrocks, that pic of the deer target is a real eye-opener. Wow! Makes me wonder what a bi-conical could do to a real deer?

i have no doubt it would kill a deer. Whether or not it should be done is another matter. :) state laws here won't allow it anyway.  

Rockman how do you remover the lead from the one piece mold? In my mind I see the lead just staying in the mold when it dries.

Rockman wrote on May 19^th, 2010 at 4:45pm:

Here's a drawing of my mould. It's very simple, just some white concrete on a container. I made a bullet with modeling clay and let the mould dry. You have to use something soft and maleable for the bullet shape, otherwise it gets stuck forever. Then, I scrapped the modeling clay and that's it. I use an electric stove like the ones you take for camping to melt the lead.

I'm really diggin' the design; looks good, while being relatively easy to make.
Have you thought about making Hollowpoints? (I'm not sure if the glandes will travel fast enough for a hollowpoint design to be effective...)

Donnerschlag wrote on Jan 19^th, 2011 at 7:28pm:

Rockman wrote on May 19th, 2010 at 4:45pm: Here's a drawing of my mould. It's very simple, just some white concrete on a container. I made a bullet with modeling clay and let the mould dry. You have to use something soft and maleable for the bullet shape, otherwise it gets stuck forever. Then, I scrapped the modeling clay and that's it. I use an electric stove like the ones you take for camping to melt the lead.   I'm really diggin' the design; looks good, while being relatively easy to make. Have you thought about making Hollowpoints? (I'm not sure if the glandes will travel fast enough for a hollowpoint design to be effective...)

I don't think that would expand. i have used a lot of hollowpoints for various firearm uses and it depends on a few factors, 1. speed- it takes anywhere from 700-900 feet per second to get expansion with lead hollowpoints. 2. hardness of the lead- many lead sources are actually alloys combined with tin. pure soft lead is getting harder and harder to find. 3. the type of material that the bullet strikes on impact. for example, soft materials (i.e. tissue or water) allow more rapid and larger expansion of hollowpoints than harder materials on penetration. when a bullet enters wood the resistance on the outside of the bullet is stronger preventing the bullet from expanding as easily than it would in tissue. i have shot .45 caliber hollow points into wood to later dig the bullets out and find they hadn't expanded at all. The same rounds expand easily in softer material. Just a little experiment i did a while back. Gallon jugs full of water and watermelons are fun things to shoot with hollowpoints.

Dan wrote on Jan 18^th, 2011 at 5:40pm:

Rockman how do you remover the lead from the one piece mold? In my mind I see the lead just staying in the mold when it dries.

Turn it upside down, tap  the bottom a few time and the lead just falls out.

Rockman wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2011 at 10:11am:

Dan wrote on Jan 18th, 2011 at 5:40pm: Rockman how do you remover the lead from the one piece mold? In my mind I see the lead just staying in the mold when it dries. Turn it upside down, tap  the bottom a few time and the lead just falls out.

Thanks thats pretty cool

Hi, I show you my ammo maker system.
Fishing weights molded hammer, marbles children. Some nails driven into the lead or stuck on the marbles. Small brass cylinder. Container wood slats.

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Fill and make up with plaster.

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Placed on the drawer of the second half, fill and make up with more plaster

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separate the two halves, remove the wooden frame and refine the input lead

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close the two halves and make adjustment marks

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filled with lead

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separate the two halves and remove the parts that burn care

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cut the excess with a cutting pliers

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finally a good idea to paint the glans to avoid losing them.
I'm sorry my bad English and my computer ignorance that has prevented me putting all the photos in one post. Please ask an administrator can fix it. Hopefully it will be interesting to someone.
[edit]I resized your pictures for you. Masi.[/edit]

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When I was making a 2 mold piece, I was destroying brain cells in order to find a way of placing the master mold in a way that only 50% of the projectile was burried in cement.
I never found a way except eye calculation. Then I saw the picture and though: How come I didn´t think of that? That was very good Aurelio, clever solution.

Cuando hacía el molde de dos piezas, me rebané los sesos pensando en alguna manera de poner el molde maestro, de manera que estuviera 50% enterrado en el cemento.
Nunca encontré la manera excepto calculando al ojo. Luego ví la foto y me dije: Por qué no pensé en eso? Estuvo muy bien Aurelio, una solución ingeniosa..

Thanks Masia for resized for me.
Thanks Rockman for your words. I forgot say that  making process during you must use vaselin, wax, oil or similar for don't leave paste it parts.

The lead projectiles are very good. But what do you want to shoot at with them?

Jaegoor wrote on Jan 27^th, 2011 at 6:38am:

The lead projectiles are very good. But what do you want to shoot at with them?

anything. lol. i prefer lead for my sling projectiles. just works for me because here i can get all of it i want for free, it's consistent, and very powerful. the only thing that lends itself any easier here is cement. There are good sling stones around here but finding consistent sizes and shapes is quite difficult.  

leadrocks wrote on Jan 27^th, 2011 at 1:59pm:

Jaegoor wrote on Jan 27th, 2011 at 6:38am: The lead projectiles are very good. But what do you want to shoot at with them? anything. lol. i prefer lead for my sling projectiles. just works for me because here i can get all of it i want for free, it's consistent, and very powerful. the only thing that lends itself any easier here is cement. There are good sling stones around here but finding consistent sizes and shapes is quite difficult.

What is your lead source? Around here unless you are buying fishing weights, which are almost pointless to re shape, there really isn't any source of lead.

Read up in the thread. i get lead tire weights from tire shops around here for free. they give away the old ones.

Jaegoor wrote on Jan 27^th, 2011 at 6:38am:

The lead projectiles are very good. But what do you want to shoot at with them?

Oh, i confess i'm a beginner in sling world. I start my shoots at november 2010. By the moment   I use only rocks. I try make lead ammo only for experiment my forge skill. I shoot to three cans of beer together from 20 m distance, 1 or 2% accuracy only, when I'll arrive 20%, I'll try with lead and  I will test penetratrion power on some material too. 'm not hunter, I dont want kill no animal, I've got only human curiosity for everything.