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Message: <blockquote data-quote="luckless" data-source="post: 5374240" data-attributes="member: 97841">4) Open mold to remove shot.5) Snip spur and finish round. The powder is likely bought. While it is a fairly simple process to produce, it is far easier doing it in large, more industrial batches.I think it isn`t till the mid or late 18th century that you see the production of shot towers to produce quality round lead shot in large amounts. Before that bulk shot was done in water dropping, which would produce slightly out of round shot. You could buy shot, but it would often require a little `convincing`before it would work. Even your custom cast shot might need to be shaved or pinched before it would fit properly. It took a few hundred years before barrels came close to having standard sizes, which made casting your own shot in small lots as needed rather attractive.As someone who has done both shot casting and fletching, casting shot is easy. An arrow is a lot more complex than just finding a stick and slapping a few feathers on the end. They have to be properly 'tuned' to the weight of the bow so they bend around the bow properly when fired. As far as casting goes, the tools are simple: A mold, which you keep clean and everything is good. A melting ladle, which you make sure is dry before you try melting lead.You really don't have to worry too much about how fast or slow you cast. You're not likely going to over heat the lead, you'll cast it when it melts. Digging the slag off of a small cup of lead is a whole of a 2 seconds job. Warm your mold a little, carefully pour the lead in, and in less than a minute it will cool enough to safely pop out.I've never seen a manual that called for waxing the shot directly, rather you use a waxed wad as you load.Arrows require more tools and supplies, and in the amount of time it would take a skilled fletcher to cut and shape a single arrow you could cast hundreds of rounds, even if you were casting them one at a time.</blockquote>

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