first time casting the boolits!
- Thread starter guncheese
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Re-melt any that look like the one with the major flaw running through the driving bands.
It has gas cutting & bore leading written all over it!!
If you were using wheels weights?
Either the alloy or the mold was not hot enough to get a complete fill.
rc
It has gas cutting & bore leading written all over it!!
If you were using wheels weights?
Either the alloy or the mold was not hot enough to get a complete fill.
rc
Jesse Heywood
Member
Never saw zombie snot before! 
Reefinmike
Member
not trying to be critical, just trying to help.
I see a couple bullets you need to throw back in the pot. the complete bullet you see on the left and the one on the very right. These are from a cold mold. Dip your mold in the lead and leave it there a good couple minutes. when you pull the mold off, you shouldnt have any lead sticking to the bottom. In my experience, the two cavity molds dont hold the heat as well as the lee six cavity molds, so you really gotta work quick with a two cavity mold to keep her running warm.
I switched to the six cavity molds and havent looked back. They have a much more positive system for closing up the mold halves nice and 100% even. they retain their heat more, sprue breaks easier and you can cast 600 bullets an hour pretty easily. I only have to spend a couple hours a month to keep up with my 250 rounds a week that I like to shoot.
My experience with lee molds, that if you have the mold sufficiently hot and the lead the right temp, you will cast perfect bullets on the first pour. you just gotta the mold hot enough and keep it hot enough.
I see a couple bullets you need to throw back in the pot. the complete bullet you see on the left and the one on the very right. These are from a cold mold. Dip your mold in the lead and leave it there a good couple minutes. when you pull the mold off, you shouldnt have any lead sticking to the bottom. In my experience, the two cavity molds dont hold the heat as well as the lee six cavity molds, so you really gotta work quick with a two cavity mold to keep her running warm.
I switched to the six cavity molds and havent looked back. They have a much more positive system for closing up the mold halves nice and 100% even. they retain their heat more, sprue breaks easier and you can cast 600 bullets an hour pretty easily. I only have to spend a couple hours a month to keep up with my 250 rounds a week that I like to shoot.
My experience with lee molds, that if you have the mold sufficiently hot and the lead the right temp, you will cast perfect bullets on the first pour. you just gotta the mold hot enough and keep it hot enough.
ya there maybe a couple that need to go back into the hell fire
but it just range fodder
they are not as bad as the pic shows
today i added a bit of 95/5 solder to the pot
and that seemed to fill a bit better
and now can run a cooler pot
experience experience experience
and i dont have any yet
but i really enjoy it!
but it just range fodder
they are not as bad as the pic shows
today i added a bit of 95/5 solder to the pot
and that seemed to fill a bit better
and now can run a cooler pot
experience experience experience
and i dont have any yet
but i really enjoy it!
USSR
Member
Yep, if you're using wheel weights, you need to add tin to get your bullets to fill out good.
Don
Don
41 Mag
Member
Well your learning and that is half the battle.
I find that about 3-4" of 95-5 solder in my 4-20 pot is plenty to sweeten up straight WW to a great casting alloy. It works great with most all of the Lee tumble lube molds I have, and "IF" you can get all those little ribs filled out your doing good. It works great on traditional lube grooved bullets as well.
I find that about 3-4" of 95-5 solder in my 4-20 pot is plenty to sweeten up straight WW to a great casting alloy. It works great with most all of the Lee tumble lube molds I have, and "IF" you can get all those little ribs filled out your doing good. It works great on traditional lube grooved bullets as well.
RugerBob
Member
Glad to see more people get into casting thier own.
I use a single burner electric hot plat and set my molds on it while everything is getting ready. With my 4 cav steel mold I usually get to keep 3 out of the 1st drop. Really helps heat the mold up. Do the same with my 6cav molds.
Tin really helps with wheel wieght lead.
Have fun, be safe.
I use a single burner electric hot plat and set my molds on it while everything is getting ready. With my 4 cav steel mold I usually get to keep 3 out of the 1st drop. Really helps heat the mold up. Do the same with my 6cav molds.
Tin really helps with wheel wieght lead.
Have fun, be safe.
osteodoc08
Member
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2005
- Messages
- 1,261
Any ones with driving band defects, I toss back. A good temp gauge is an invaluable tool. 650-700F. Need some Tin for better fill out. Be careful, this is addicting. A good big bore magnum with some trail boss will become your friend. Best stress therapy out there.
grubbylabs
Member
41 Mag
Member
Grubby,
That looks awefully familiar, almost like one of MP's 452640 molds....
If it is try running your alloy in the 725 - 745 range, and they should pop out like popcorn when you open the mold.
Just beware, you had better have a big pan to drop them in cause once you start you will just keep going and going till the pot is empty...
That looks awefully familiar, almost like one of MP's 452640 molds....
If it is try running your alloy in the 725 - 745 range, and they should pop out like popcorn when you open the mold.
Just beware, you had better have a big pan to drop them in cause once you start you will just keep going and going till the pot is empty...
grubbylabs
Member
They are from an NOE mold 358-135 4 banger. I am going to give them another go tonight and see if I can't get temps up just a little and see what that does for me.
Springfield0612
Member
Be careful with the Lee 2 cavity molds. If you pre heat the mold too hot on a hot plate or with a torch you can permanently alter the size of the alignment pins and holes. If this happens the pins will be tight in the holes when the mold is cool, but once the mold comes up to temp the pins will slip back and your mold won't shut properly and you will get out of round bullets. The only way to fix is install bigger alignment pins. My 9mm mold is currently headed back to Lee for this issue. I wish I could find a 9mm 6 cavity mold! I love my .45 acp 6 cavity molds.
Guncheese, how are you casting? With a Lee pro pot or something similar or are you going old school and using a laddel?
Guncheese, how are you casting? With a Lee pro pot or something similar or are you going old school and using a laddel?
ohh i cast on a hotplate with a little cast iron frying pan
i plopped a stainless sheathed type K thermocouple in there to help keep track of the temp.
the temp control on the hot plate works out just fine
i can cast a couple hundred a hour with my setup
good enough for me!
i plopped a stainless sheathed type K thermocouple in there to help keep track of the temp.
the temp control on the hot plate works out just fine
i can cast a couple hundred a hour with my setup
good enough for me!
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