First trip to range with cast loads, need advice.

I cleaned out the tip and now she flows! I don't give up very easily, I will own this S.O.B. if its the last thing I do! I put my thermometer in the pot and it was reading over 950 degrees on setting 8 so I am now just cooling it down and trying for around 700. I did some more reading and Tin begins to come out of the mix around 725 so I will have to add some more. I was wondering what all that funny coloured stuff I was scraping off the top was!
 
You loading 9mm or .38/.357? Cast 9mm diameter is .356". .38/357 is .358". You have a .38 RN mold.
Bullseye is smoky stuff at the best of times. Then you're adding the lube. Isn't anything you've done though.
 
sunray said:
You loading 9mm or .38/.357? Cast 9mm diameter is .356". .38/357 is .358". You have a .38 RN mold.
Bullseye is smoky stuff at the best of times. Then you're adding the lube. Isn't anything you've done though.
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Stop posting, seriously......



Yes that's the tin oxidizing, you can Flux with beeswax to mix it back in. Some people use cat litter as a layer to protect the lead but I could see that getting messy quick.

How are you breaking/cutting your sprue? I do it by hand with leather welding gloves, it helps me to gauge the mold tempature. When I can barely cut the screw it's way to cold, if it takes no effort and the lead smears it's to hot. I keep a soaked towel to dab the mold on to help control the mold temp.
 
I am cutting the sprue by hand as well. I am experimenting with the mold temp this afternoon. I have damp towel as well. I am getting good shape to my bullets now at about 700 750, nice sharp edges but am getting some wrinkling on them. I am going to clean the mold again and see if that helps a bit.
 
Sometimes adjusting your alloy mix can help.Range scrap can be and is almost anything mixture wise.They say fit is king with cast bullets, and to always size them at or preferably .001" over groove diameter.Even slightly smaller than groove diameter invites leading, and the best alloys and lube will not make up for a projectile being undersized.

Alloys closer to pure lead will cast a slightly smaller diameter boolit than an alloy that is less close to pure lead.So clip on wheel weight or other alloys may give a larger bullet out of your mold, with other variables staying the same.Temp. etc.happy casting!

I have found so far that higher temp casting seems to work better for me, around 800 f.Frosty looking Boolits shoot just fine.
Preheating one's mold with a cheap hot plate and using it as a warmer if you need to break your rhythm while casting speeds thing up too.As does using that same plate to preheat ingots to add to the pot to keep tbe pace up and avoid the tinsel fairy.Keeping that mold up to temp helps with wrinkly bullets.
 
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Well, I have cleaned the mold, not just clean but surgical clean, added tin, fluxed my pot with beeswax, preheated my mold and set my pot to around 750 degrees and this is what I am able to produce consistently. They are measuring .3575". There seem to be a few small spots that look they may have inclusions. Is this the norm or should I be trying to get better results?

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Spawn-Inc said:
Try the paperclip and see how it pours after, hopefully your not discouraged by all the issues you've been having. It's alot of trial and error getting things running smooth.
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Wise words here.

Keep it up bud and you'll soon be casting perfect bullets. I'm sure even the most experienced bullet casters have a few rejects as they sort through their castings. Those wrinkles in the pic make me believe the alloy isn't hot enough but I've only been casting for 8 months now and am still newbish myself.
 
They look way better in the fill out, but try sizing them and see how it goes. Then pick something else to change like different lube, larger sizing die, modifying the mold to cast bigger bullets, called "leementing"

The other thing I would suggest is calling up Lee and explain what's going on. they might replace it, but I'm not sure what size they find acceptable for it to cast.
 
Rotaxpower said:
I would start with this, I cast for my 9mm JR Carbine and load them without sizing, and just tumble lubing them and have had good luck with them like that. No leading at all
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I wonder why JR carbines specifically warn against the use of cast bullets!?
I myself have had no issues either. In fact, I shoot cast bullets almost exclusively in my 45ACP JR.
Fun guns!!!
 
Drop the temperature of your pot a bit and preheat your mold a bit more and make sure you have it smoked enough. I use three wooden matches to give a good layer of carbon on the mold halves.
 
mr.e moose said:
Drop the temperature of your pot a bit and preheat your mold a bit more and make sure you have it smoked enough. I use three wooden matches to give a good layer of carbon on the mold halves.
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you shouldn't have to smoke your molds and bash the hell out of them to get bullets to drop. when i first started casting i used graphite spray and matches to help release the bullets, but i didn't have proper tempatures with my pot or mold. since i've figured that stuff out at most i need a few light taps with a wooden dowel to get them to drop.
 
Never had to bash the hell out of my molds to get them to drop. Just open them and one light tap on the hinge. I have been melting lead for more years than I care to remember. Still have my yarning and packing irons and a few running ropes.
 
mr.e moose said:
Never had to bash the hell out of my molds to get them to drop. Just open them and one light tap on the hinge. I have been melting lead for more years than I care to remember. Still have my yarning and packing irons and a few running ropes.
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i should have clarified that the bashing part wasn't directed at you, just a general statement. i guess you have been melting lead because i have no clue what your last sentence means lol. (assuming no typo's)
 
Spawn-Inc said:
i should have clarified that the bashing part wasn't directed at you, just a general statement. i guess you have been melting lead because i have no clue what your last sentence means lol. (assuming no typo's)
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Proper temp and a good clean melt can make casting a joy.Get your temp up a bit to high and get some zinc into the mix and you will pull your hair out trying to get good bullets.To high and you will also start to lose that precious tin to oxidation.As to yarning and packing irons and running ropes those are old plumbing terms used in the pouring of lead joints in pipe.I have not poured one in more than thirty years. But back to bullets. Tell us what works for you?
 
You said it already, pot temperature and mold temp are the biggest part for good results. I have a pid controller for my Lee 420 set to 715*f and let my mold warm up on the rim of the pot. Once I'm about ready to cast I put the corner of the mold into the lead for 5-10 minutes. Takes maybe 2 pours to get good bullets.

As for the OP he latest picture shows very good bullets, if they still lead then it's time to change something else like lube, sizing die, modifying the mold to cast bigger diameter bullets.
 
I smoke the molds with a candle, just hold the mold horizontally,bullet cavity facing down and bring the flame right up to the mold so the paraffin doesn't completely burn (almost like you are trying to quench the flame out with the block)and it will deposit a nice thin coat of soot on the mold. once you get the knack,the bullets will almost fall out by themselves. depending on how slick and concentric the mold is, expect 60-100 bullets before re-sooting.
 
I am working on how I now pour from the pot into the mold. Trying not to pour directly into the hole. I will also play with the pot heat some more. If I can get 100 or so of the same quality as the last picture I posted, I will load them up and do a range test and see how things look.
 
Here is my latest and what I would call most successful casting attempt. I ended up heating the crap out of my mold over my propane burner. Actually kind of forgot about it for a few minutes. I started pouring and the bullets were coming liquid, no kidding, I had to pour the first ones out the top of the mold, they wouldn't solidify. After waiting a few minutes, and the mold cooling down, it started casting reasonably well.

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