sticking cast slugs, help

[mp5k]

does anyone know a good trick to get 12ga slugs to release from the key drive center on my lee 1oz slug mold, i have smoked it & the sides release but i am having trouble with the center letting go, any help appreciated.....

 

[hs4570]

Lee one ounce slug mold

Just got my mold last week and after smokin the mold I sprayed some graphite on the "key drive" part and did up about 200 of them in one session. DO NOT spray it on the inside of the mold walls itself or you'll have to remove it as the mold won't fill out properly. Only sprayed it on before I started to cast ..to avoid the possibility of a "sticking" factor and did not apply any more later.

You may want to check for any burrs on the key drive first and a lite touch with fine emery paper should help too.

All of the first 40-50 required heavy taps on the molds cross bolt ...with a wooden hammer handle I use to open the sprue cutter..... I then ran the pot only half full after that and got higher temperatures... and all the rest came out with a slight tap only and some required no tapping ..and dropped them in a 5 gallon bucket of water.

 

[BPCR]

I had some problems if I did not pre heat the mold enough.
The key needs to be up to full temperature or else it will expand when hit by the hot lead.
I also spray the key with moly lub.

 

[msg.drew]

You need to preheat your mold even though it says that its not nessary in the instructions

I have a little camp stove that i put the molds on when they arnt being used and before I start it can take up to 5-10 min to get it hot enough

 

[BPCR]

I pre heat by putting the mold in the top of lead pot--- just float it.