Cast bullet
![Cast bullets as cast (left), with gas check (center) and sized & lubricated (right).](/Images/godic/202501/02/3CastBullets4952.png")
![The earliest cast bullets were round.](/Images/godic/202501/02/Naseby_musket_balls4952.jpg")
![Minié balls of the American Civil War era could be either cast or swaged.](/Images/godic/202501/02/Minie_Balls4952.jpg")
![An open single-cavity bullet mould and a closed two-cavity mould.](/Images/godic/202501/02/BulletMolds4952.png")
A cast bullet is made by allowing molten metal to solidify in a mold. Most cast bullets are made of lead alloyed with tin and antimony; but zinc alloys have been used when lead is scarce, and may be used again in response to concerns about lead toxicity. Most commercial bullet manufacturers use swaging in preference to casting, but bullet casting remains popular with handloaders.