50 degrees and a couple notes

[Mike W1]

Have been casting some 9mm's lately and noticed that if I run the melt about 50 degrees hotter than I usually do with that alloy the bullets don't stick nearly as much in the mould as they ordinarily would. Anybody else notice that?

Back when I was casting .30 caliber rifle bullets, years back, I noticed I never seemed to have any trouble with the bases not filling out IF I pretty much hit the center of the sprue hole with the lead stream. Seems to be holding true with these 9's also. There was an article in one of the bullet casting books from Wolfe years back and the author of that put a lot of emphasis on a constant stream of lead. I think he hit that one dead on and it' s probably the more important of the two though I always strive for both in my efforts. Pretty much can count on good bullets if I manage it!

Don't know how it'd work with other types moulds as I only have double cavity Lymans and bottom pour. Just something one can do while casting that seem to help me at least.

[DLCTEX]

It varies from mould to mould in my experience. Some moulds want the stream straight in, some want it bounced in. Some of my moulds will not drop well until you find the temp they like, but usually Leementing will improve that. I've learned to not think I've got casting all figured out, but I have figured out more things to try and I know where to come for advice.

[Mike W1]

What does the term "leementing" mean? Never noticed that one before.

[sqlbullet]

Like dlctex I find certain molds like to cast at certain temps. I have a 44 mold that will only drop when the alloy is 700 degrees.

[41mag]

I'm using a Lee bottom pour. When I got started I simply set the thermostat to one of the marks I had put on the dial so that I knew the lead would all be melted and keep things going. Once I got to pouring boolits I did have to back it down as the level dropped.

Then I got both a pot thermometer and the mold probe one as well. I drilled my 6 banger molds to accommodate the probe ans went to it one weekend testing different molds at different temps with the same alloy. It took a bit of playing with them but I learned that they all want close but different temps to put out good boolits.

What surprised me was the differences in pour technique that was required to get a good fill out. One like the mold to be right against the spot, and wide open. The big 300's like about 630 degree pot temp, a half full stream and about 3/8" drop to fill out and keep the mold right in between 320 and 350 degrees.

One of my Lymans has to have close to 700 degree pot temp, a tilt to it, and be swirled in or you can forget it all together your not getting a good boolit from it.

It has been a learning experience for sure and these little things I have jotted down on note cards so as to keep me from pulling my hair out when I decide to pour up some and get rejects from the first ten cast.

[fredj338]

I am guessing it's the hotter alloy shrinking just a bit more, so the bullet has less surface area to cling to the mold. Just a guess.

[SciFiJim]

What does the term "leementing" mean? Never noticed that one before.


It is one of the stickies in the "Molds...Maintenance and Design" subforum about preparing Lee molds to help them work better. The same prep work will often help a problem mold from a different manufacturer as well.

Sure-Fire Lee-Menting Technique (Aimoo Post Revisited) (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=654)