Choose the tool you use to beat on the sprue plate carefully—no metal of any kind! When I started out, I used a discarded hammer handle. For two-cavity moulds it worked fine, but on my four-cavity moulds I ended up beating it like I was driving nails. Some casters like a dead-blow hammer. They work OK, but the plastic coating melts on the hot sprue plate. I plan on making a dedicated mallet of hardwood, heavy enough to handle the four-cavity moulds I often use. To give the head some heft, I’ll drill it out, fill it with shot and plug it.

Most casters dump their just-cast bullets on a convenient shop rag. I like to soak it in a bit of water—not sopping wet but damp—as I believe the cooling via evaporation helps the bullets cool a little quicker.

In the beginning it’s a good idea to measure and weigh your bullets. Measuring will determine whether you’ll need much sizing, if any, and weighing them will determine whether your technique is correct. For most of my pistol bullets I like to keep them within plus or minus 0.5 grains. If you are an accuracy buff with a long-range rifle the ± 0.2 grain is better. To achieve that degree of accuracy you’ll need a pouring technique that is perfect, repeatable as a metronome and an alloy that is perfectly consistent.

When you complete a casting session, leave the pot between a quarter and half full. It will melt quicker the next time you get going.

Part 3 addresses lubing, sizing and loading cast bullets. The act of putting it all together results in a much more pleasant shooting experience.