First kick at the can

Lexthedestroyer said:
This is why I come here, lol. I'm guessing it's more of a "feel" thing, but how long do you typically wait? I was just waiting until the sprue looked dull, and then cutting it.
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It depends on the mold / bullet size you are casting. Larger bullets take longer to solidify. I have a Master Caster and it is very easy to get going too quickly. I usually wait until the sprue solidifies, wait another 3 seconds and then dump the mold. That is for my 9mm and .38 molds. The .44's I leave another second or two longer. You will have to determine how long to wait by experimenting a little.

Your bullets are certainly useable as is. There is the potential of the void left in the base being off center causing a bit of wobble. I wouldn't hesitate to use them as I am not such a gifted marksman that I would be able to tell!

Auggie D.
 
Auggie Doggie said:
It depends on the mold / bullet size you are casting. Larger bullets take longer to solidify. I have a Master Caster and it is very easy to get going too quickly. I usually wait until the sprue solidifies, wait another 3 seconds and then dump the mold. That is for my 9mm and .38 molds. The .44's I leave another second or two longer. You will have to determine how long to wait by experimenting a little.

Your bullets are certainly useable as is. There is the potential of the void left in the base being off center causing a bit of wobble. I wouldn't hesitate to use them as I am not such a gifted marksman that I would be able to tell!

Auggie D.
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Nor am I! Definitely something to look for/work on for the next batch. Thanks for the insight.
 
Try to find Linotype which is about 12% antimony and 4% tin. You can melt/alloy 1 part lino to 2 parts pure lead and you end up at about 4% antimony. Or you can alloy one part lino to 5 parts wheel weight and you'll end up with approximately the same amount of (4%) antimony. That's how I usually my m proportion my melts, but at best they are still approximations.

If they fill out the mold nicely and are not undersize, that's a good start. Pure lead shrinks more than 4% antimony and 1% tin alloy. Mold diameters are designed and calibrated to produce the claimed diameter with lead with 4% antimony and 1% tin. For example, My Lee .356 Round nose 6-cavity mold throws .357 diameter bullets before sizing using 4% antimony and 1% tin. If I use less antimony and tin, the mold throws undersized bullets, ie .356 diameter.

Another parameter to watch for is melt temperature. Too hot a melt will produce smaller diameter bullets because the hot melt shrinks more and will give you undersized bullets.

I just set the melter temp to keep the lead flowing and filling the molds nicely. You'll figure out how to make bullets that are not wrinkly and drop to correct size and correct hardness as you gain experience.

Also I've always water dropped the bullets directly into a bucket with at least 8 inches of water.
 
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I finally managed to get to the range today and try these babies out. Fired/cycled well, decent grouping, lots of smoke, and... leaded the barrel. I was going to ask "what does a leaded barrel look like", but it is very self evident. So I guess I'll have add some antimony to my alloy. Does powder coating give you a little more leeway on bullet hardness?
 
Auggie Doggie said:
.356 is for jacketed bullets. I size mine to .357 with good results.

Auggie D.
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Looks like I'll have to slug my barrel and get a new sizer... what's the general consensus, 1 thou over size? I've got lots to learn, so thanks everyone for the insight.
skookumchuck said:
Metalex sells individual 60 pound pigs. I bought two on Friday, 4.5% antimony, 124 pounds $226 tax in.
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Awesome, thanks for sharing, I was really curious as to general cost. Might have to get myself down there to pick some up...
 
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