Fired My First Batch of Home-Cast, Must Have Done Something Wrong

[ScratchnDent]

I'm sure I must have made a mistake, because they were perfect the very first time!

I used the Lee .45 acp 200 gr SWC Tumble Lube mould, a mix of about 75% wheel weights/ 25% range lead, water quenched, and loaded as cast at .4525 diameter and 210 grains before lube. I lubed them with straight Johnson's Paste Wax, loaded them over 6.5 and 6.7 grains of Unique, and shot them.

All rounds fed and functioned flawlessly in my 5" SW1911. The 6.7 grain load shot perfectly to POA, and chrono'ed at 925 fps. Accuracy was excellent.

I may never buy another pistol bullet again!

Next up are some 38/357's and I am going to start looking for a .30 cal rifle mould.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

Excellent. I first started casting in 1976 right after I started reloading. As [good] luck would have it, it was for a two groove 30-06 Springfield, which I later leaned is a ideal cast bullet barrel, and I,as you, had terrific results from the start. Later gun's proved to be a bit more of a challenge
No reload has the satisfaction as one where the bullet came out of your own stew pot.

 

[lgbloader]

Gotta love that JPW. I have a certain caliber that I tumble first in LLA and then a second time in JPW and I barely have to clean the bore after shooting.

congrats and happy trails.

LGB

 

[ScratchnDent]

Yes, I am still grinning ear-to-ear, lol. It was definitely more satisfying than my first reloads with commercial bullets.

I was dubious about using the JPW, but am now a believer! My bore actually seemed cleaner than when I use the same powder behind jacketed or plated bullets. It was shiny!

 

[rcmodel]

Not sure how the Johnsons Paste Floor Wax will react with powder & primers during long term storage. The solvents might kill or weaken them?

That's a new one on me.
Never heard of anyone using it before.

Probably because Alox bullet lube is cheaper then JPFW.

rc

 

[ScratchnDent]

That's a good question, rcmodel.

I don't know the answer yet.

I did let the waxed bullets air dry for 2 full days before I loaded them in the cases, so I am thinking the solvents were mostly evaporated. The next batch I load, I will set some aside and store them for a year or so and then try them after pulling a couple apart to look for any obvious warning signs of powder degradation or contamination.

I read about using the JPW on castboolits.com, where lots of people seem very happy with it. I've had a can of it sitting in my garage for 10 or 15 years, collecting dust, and since I didn't have any other suitable lube on hand, decided to give it a try.

 

[Jeff H]

I've had a can of it sitting in my garage for 10 or 15 years, collecting dust,

I do too. Sounds like an excellent excuse to start casting bullets. I can see it now: Sure hon, we absolutely need to spend that money on a pot and molds, don't you see all that wax out in the garage we need to use up.

 

[Remo-99]

a mix of about 75% wheel weights/ 25% range lead

For 45acp and 38spl I often use just straight range lead(a mix of hardcast, soft swaged, 22lr and jacketed soft core stuff) sometimes I'd toss in some wheelweights if they were laying around, but for 45acp and 38spl velocities there's no need to make the alloy any harder than a common mix of range lead. imo.

 

[BHP FAN]

I add a little linotype when I'm hardcasting rifle bullets.

 

[qajaq59]

I may never buy another pistol bullet again!

From the sound of things I don't see any reason why you'd have to buy them anymore. Cast bullets usually surprise people. They shoot real well if they fit the barrel.

 

[rickomatic]

All rounds fed and functioned flawlessly in my 5" SW1911. The 6.7 grain load shot perfectly to POA, and chrono'ed at 925 fps. Accuracy was excellent.

This is completely unacceptable. You must try again and again until your boolits start to fail to feed, lead your barrel, or keyhole your target. It just takes all the fun out of it if they work great from the get-go.