I've been casting for many years,since I was a teen. NO lead poisoning yet. Cast 160 pounds of pistol slugs this past winter. Do 100-200 pounds each year.
A LOT of things have changed since I started forty years plus, back.
Lyman's mold quality is DOWN from years back. Many of the great mold makers now gone. BUT...NOW thanks to CAD/CAM we live in the Golden Age of quality, Custom Bullet molds.
NOE Bullet Moulds A link to NOE one of my favorite custom mold builders. Just got an old H&G #34 design the other day. Five cavity, aluminum, well under a hundred bucks.
Accurate molds is another one to check out. and on the CB forums they do a lot of "Group Buys" as well. Nice way to get a popular or custom design. They get many built by a fellow in SLOVENIA, beautiful brass molds. I've got 6 or 7 from Mr. Previc.Works of art...Ya hate to use them.
The best value in bullet lube today...........
http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/ FAR cheaper than the stuff Lyman or Redding sells.
You are going to need the Cast Boolits forums too...Especially with the STAR sizer. A learning curve with; temperature, pressure and top punch adjustment. BUT once you have it figured out probably THE BEST sizer out there.
Sizing dies from STAR are expensive...on Cast Boolits there's a vendor who machiens hiis own and they are every bit as good as STAR's and he will do Custom dies as well. He goes by "Lathesmith" on the forum.
I smelt my WW's and scrap lead down with a gas fired plumbers pot affair...But finally went with an electric 30# pot for my casting. Built in the USA by WAAGE. On the net. Not cheap, but high quality. The temperature control is very accurate and makes liife a lot easier than a gas stove or gas fired pot. A good thermometer , or a way to accurately regulate alloy temp is a MUST have.
Ladles for pot casting or smelting.... check out Rowell Bottom Pour ladles.
Cast Boolits site will be the best way to get information.
FN in MT