Having trouble with my new NOE mold.

[boltons75]

I have been working at pouring some bolits from my 4 cavity hollow point NOE .40 s&w/10mm 160 gr. mold. I am able to get good fill out but the nose of the boolit around the hp hole is never uniform. It is looking like some lead is getting between the pin and the mold causing a sharp thin edge on half of the boolit, the other half of the nose looks like is should.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc431/sbolton36/DSC05221.jpg
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc431/sbolton36/DSC05212.jpg

These are the best pictures I could take of these boolits. I have tried casting from 650 degrees up to 775. I cleaned the mold and pins a couple times. I have a MIHA brass hp mold that casts beautifully. Am I doing something wrong with the NOE HP mold? This is the first time using this type of HP mold.

Any suggestions? I am going to put the flat nose pins in tomorrow and see if they cast ok.

[HangFireW8]

Tell us about your mold pre-heat.

I'm thinking 775 is too hot for the melt, you might be trying to compensate for a too-cool mold.

I know in my experience, the more complicated the mold, the more important it is to get it to, and hold it at temp.

[boltons75]

Forgot to mention that, sites on a hot plate under a cat iron pot lid, then I tried dipping it in the melt, still no luck. I am not sure what to try next.

[runfiverun]

hmm i'd look for a small burr or something on the nose of one of the cavity's.
you are definatly getting good boolits.
but it looks like a little leakage around the edge of the pins.

[boltons75]

The problem is, the deformity is happening evenly on all 4 cavities. It seems to be toward the front of the mold, not just on one block. I have the flat nose pins in now and will pour some tomorrow to see how they look.

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[runfiverun]

it only takes one area of the mold being held open to affect all the cavitys.

[Iron Mike Golf]

Looks like it is only on one side of the parting line. Is that true? If so, is it on the pin guide side or the other one?

[zuke]

Add some tin and increase your heat.
I have an NOE 330 GR HP that I found LOVE'S to be run at 800-825.
The HP feature suck's the heat out of the molten lead.

[boltons75]

Looks like it is only on one side of the parting line. Is that true? If so, is it on the pin guide side or the other one?

It's actually happening through the parting line. The sharp edge is on both sides of the line on most boolits. Could a burr in a pin slot cause the issue?

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[Blammer]

with the mould cold, wipe off the pins with a clean cloth and then degrease or use a qtip with brake cleaner on it.

It looks like the lead is not flowing sufficientely around the pin to finish the HP nose, try a bit of pressure pour too. see if that helps any.

[Blammer]

P.S. they do look a tad ugly but I'd shoot them!

[boltons75]

with the mould cold, wipe off the pins with a clean cloth and then degrease or use a qtip with brake cleaner on it.

It looks like the lead is not flowing sufficientely around the pin to finish the HP nose, try a bit of pressure pour too. see if that helps any.

I actually degreased before my first use, then after no luck I soaked the whole mold overnight in purple power degreaser, then rinsed off with hot water and wiped down with qtips, but still no luck. Going to give the pins a good inspection to see if one of the four has an issue.

[boltons75]

P.S. they do look a tad ugly but I'd shoot them!

But I just have the need to get some purty boolits out of this new mold I've been waiting for for soo long........:sad:

[runfiverun]

a burr there would simulate what i was talking about perfectly.

[leftiye]

Add some tin and increase your heat.
I have an NOE 330 GR HP that I found LOVE'S to be run at 800-825.
The HP feature suck's the heat out of the molten lead.

Plus 1 - a little more heat. I suspect your hollow point pin may be lose in the mold, this would allow lead to run into the crack between pin and mold, heat won't help that, but may even make it worse. But as it sits there now, more heat and see. Your bullets aren't very frosted, and can stand a little more before they frost too much. My best formed boolits happen at this nexus between shiny and frosted. First raise the mold temp by increasing heat of hotplate, then increase lead temp (just a little will do it).

[Beau Cassidy]

More heat and adjust your head pressure.

[boltons75]

Well today I put the flat nose pound in and cast about 15 pounds, give or take and they all look good. I'll put the steel hp pins in and try casting hp's again at a higher temp.

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[NSP64]

Are you using a bottom pour or laddle?
I switched to laddle pouring and havent had boolits that look like yours.
Its about getting enough lead to fill all the way around the pins before they start wicking the heat out of the lead.

[boltons75]

Are you using a bottom pour or laddle?
I switched to laddle pouring and havent had boolits that look like yours.
Its about getting enough lead to fill all the way around the pins before they start wicking the heat out of the lead.

Yeah, bottom pour is what I'm using.

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[Dan Cash]

Give a big ladle a try. I have used a RCBS ladle somewhat modified for years to cast Lyman and Hoch moulds; even 4 cavities. Last year I bought my first four cavity Accurate Mould. After much experimentation, I discovered that using a relatively large soup ladle provided enough flow to heat the mould and fill the cavities. I use the same method for a 4 hole 250 grain .38 and a 4 hole 105 grain .30 mould with great success and satisfaction.

[Oreo]

What about just drilling the hole in the bottom pour pot a little bigger for more flow? It wouldn't take much.

[Lefty SRH]

I have the same mold but no HP pins, they can be a pain. Seems as though NOE used a large mold block for a small boolit which is fine. Personally I'd try a higher heat setting on the hot plate and run your alloy at about 700 in the pot. Thats what I do for my NOE 402-160gr RN. The large block take a little more time to heat up to the right casting temp. I then run it fast to maintain the heat in the mold.

[40Super]

I just cast some last night with my new 230grhp from NOE and it needed a lot of heat to get good fillout around the pins. I can see where filling as fast as possible will help big time. One of my Miha 9mm hp molds has that little fin around one half of the tip also, it is from a little clearance around the pin at the top, the top punch flattens it out when sizing/lubing.

[boltons75]

I have the same mold but no HP pins, they can be a pain. Seems as though NOE used a large mold block for a small boolit which is fine. Personally I'd try a higher heat setting on the hot plate and run your alloy at about 700 in the pot. Thats what I do for my NOE 402-160gr RN. The large block take a little more time to heat up to the right casting temp. I then run it fast to maintain the heat in the mold.

I also have the 402 round nose, out cast fine art around 700,

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