Does Desperado Cowboy Bullets Offer "As Cast" Bullets for Custom Lubing and Sizing?

Yes. Desperado Cowboy Bullets (DCB) lists plain-based soft cast bullets in the "as cast" condition as a special order, intended for the specialist who prefers to apply their own lube and do their own sizing. The bullets are still cast from the same soft lead alloy and keep the plain (flat) base design; what changes is that DCB does not finish them with its own lube and sizing.

What the "as cast" option includes and leaves out

The core design is unchanged: the same soft alloy and authentic flat-base shape that DCB builds around Cowboy Action Shooting and Old West applications. The difference is strictly in the finishing steps.

Who this option is for

DCB describes the "as cast" bullets as being for the specialist who prefers their own lube and sizings. In practice, that means a shooter who:

• Already has a lubrisizer or other lubing/sizing setup and a lube they trust
• Wants to control final diameter for a specific revolver or rifle bore
• Prefers to experiment with lube types without paying for a factory-applied lube they will remove or replace

If you do not already lube and size your own cast bullets, the standard finished bullets are the simpler path — they arrive ready to load.

Why the soft alloy and plain base still matter

The "as cast" condition does not change the performance rationale DCB gives for its bullets. The company states that its ~10 Brinell soft lead, plain-based design:

• Reduces recoil compared with harder alloys
• Mushrooms on impact and stays at the target, minimizing ricochets
• Improves gas sealing, which DCB says reduces leading and fouling in the bore
• Retains energy for knock-down targets

DCB also says the soft lead greatly diminishes the fragmentation and shrapnel associated with harder alloy lead, which is the basis for its claim of a safer Cowboy Action Shooting environment under SASS rules. If you lube and size these bullets yourself, those characteristics come from the alloy and bullet shape, not from DCB's finishing.

Practical points before ordering

• It is a special order. The site presents "as cast" bullets as a special order rather than a standard catalog item, so confirm availability and current terms with DCB directly rather than assuming it ships like a regular product.
• Membership applies. DCB now operates as a private membership association (PMA). Creating an account and shopping with them means you agree the purchase is a private contract between you and Ed & LeAnn Kemmerer, and each order includes a $1 membership fee. That applies to special orders as well.
• Plan your finishing steps. Because the bullets arrive unlubed and unsized, you will need your own lube and sizing die, and you should size to the diameter your gun actually wants — typically checked against your bore or chamber throats — before working up a load.
• Powder compatibility is about your lube. DCB's own lube is stated to work with both Black Powder and Smokeless powder. With "as cast" bullets, that compatibility depends on the lube you choose, so pick one suited to the powder you load.

The short answer

DCB does offer "as cast," plain-based soft lead bullets as a special order for shooters who want to handle lubing and sizing themselves. They are the same soft alloy and flat-base design as the finished bullets, sold without DCB's lube and sizing — a fit for reloaders who already have that equipment and want control over the final finish.