My first boolit casting session

[kylix.rd]

After several weeks of research, reading, scrounging and smelting, I've finally cast my first batch of boolits. I think it went very well. I cast about 8lbs and ended up with about 7lbs of good ones. I used two dual cavity Lee .452 230gr TL RN moulds. It took about a dozen pours to start getting good castings.; no wrinkles and a slightly frosty to shiny surface.

I used my yet-to-be-finished PID controller and thermocouple to measure the melt temp and it was holding steady at around 700-720F. Once the SSRs come in, I'll complete the controller box and it will keep the pot at the right temp.

Here's a top view of the results.

http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q730/kylix_rd/2012-10-20140741_zps7e92d08e.jpg

A closer view of a group of 50.
http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q730/kylix_rd/2012-10-20140652_zps58112991.jpg

And an even closer view of a typical boolit from the session.
http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q730/kylix_rd/2012-10-20141630_zpsfdb3e760.jpg

All in all, I think I'm well on my way to joining the illustrious ranks of boolit casters :) Next stop; the boolit lube forum for some lube recipes. I'll likely go with the JPW/LLA/MS mix.

On a related note, I'm already talking to the family about doing a deep-fried turkey for Thanksgiving this year... well we all know what that means :) I could never justify a turkey fryer if it sits for most of the year. Not a problem anymore.

[bigjason6]

Those are some nice lookin boolits!

[kylix.rd]

Thanks! I weighed a few random samples and I was getting 229.5-230.5gr. Can't complain.

[monge]

Great first cast I bet they shoot as good as they look !

[kylix.rd]

Yeah it is somewhat ironic that we casters make such beautiful art... and then proceed to pack explosives behind it and send it hurtling toward a target :).

[HangFireW8]

Yeah it is somewhat ironic that we casters make such beautiful art... and then proceed to pack explosives behind it and send it hurtling toward a target :).

Propellants, not explosives. There are chemical, physics, and legal differences.

HF

[snuffy]

Looking at the noses tell us little about how the boolits filled out. Put some side views up, then we'll tell you how we really feel.[smilie=1:

Looks like a candidate for OCD of the year, all lined up ready for battle.

Fun, ain't it??¿¿ Be careful, you'll get addicted. But we're a good support group for therapy!:groner:

[runfiverun]

the 45/45 lube will work much better than regular alox.
measure them both directions after a few days that will also give you an idea of whether you need to size or not.

[kylix.rd]

HangFireW8, we're a pedantic bunch too :) C'mon "explosives" sounded more dramatic. Just a little literary license. However, you're absolutely right, they're not explosives and in my more technical discussions I'll certainly not confuse them.

[kylix.rd]

snuffy, Maybe a little OCD... :) however it was a quick way to count them. Arranging them in neat rows by simply matching the previous row allowed me to count them in less time.

[Recluse]

That's a good boolit (it's in my stable). I run 'em all through the push-through at .452 as I've found that sometimes the TL bands tend to not always fill completely out, and thus the lower half of the boolit (where the bearing surface is) isn't always concentric until you run it through the push-through sizer.

I do a light coat of 45/45/10, size, lube again, store, load. I've found that seating them flush gives me best feed and accuracy in every .45 I run them through.

Looks like you had an excellent and enjoyable first casting session. Good news on Thanksgiving, too. :)

Lots of ways we can justify our habit.

:coffee:

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

the 45/45/10 mix is a great lube!

[PS Paul]

Hmmmmm. Well, I got nothin' clever OR funny to say since I just got off work and I'm BEAT. So, how about this: they are just plain gorgeous, that's all. You should be proud of yerself!! Furthermore, "explosives" has much more "dramatic" inference, so I'll support ya on that, too, correct or not (ha-ha)! Now look, something clever after all!:bigsmyl2:

Dude, I love it and welcome to the forum! I belong to no other internet community and it's about the best bunch of guys anywhere. I have been at it for almost 3 decades and I learn something here DAILY. Makes me feel good to be in such outstanding company, you know?

[kylix.rd]

Recluse, I cooked up a bunch of your 45/45/10 recipe... and well, I hope the smell disipates before the wife walks back to the office area... Had a window open, but holy cow that stuff is noxious. Next time will be out in the driveway for that.

As for the sizer, I've got the .452 Lee push through like you mentioned. I made sure I'd gathered all the tools and materials before pushing ahead with this project.

I've been also thinking about doing impact application of moly as an alternative to the 45/45/10 tumble lube. The bullets I'd been reloading with before casting are from Bear Creek Bullets, which are moly coated. I have to run 300 or more rounds before I start to see any signs of leading in my 1911. Have you compared your concoction vs. moly vs. lubesized? My guess is that since I'm shooting a 1911, any of the above will work equally well since the pressures aren't crazy and the loads are mild relative to rifles or magnums.

[kylix.rd]

PS Paul,

If there is one thing I've found is that most folks in this sport/hobby/craft/obsession are a welcoming and spunky bunch. I just got my first personal gun, an RIA 1911A1 gun for my birthday only a couple months ago from the wife. I'd grown up with friends that owned guns, did reloading, and let me tag along when shooting or hunting, but never personally owned a gun. Now that all the kids are 20 and up, I have more time to "play". Within a month of getting the gun, I was reloading my own ammo on a progressive press and now just started casting. I'm also a big fan of doing it yourself. I built my own vibratory tumbler, kinetic bullet puller, a brass catcher. I will be starting on a BHN tester soon, once I've got the design finished in my head.

Oh yeah, I think I got "it" pretty bad :)

[PS Paul]

So I suppose it just begs the question, "What took you so long, man?" LOL!!

[kylix.rd]

So I suppose it just begs the question, "What took you so long, man?" LOL!!

No kidding, right? Well, I do love learning new things, so I'll try and catch/keep up :)

[PS Paul]

This has been a really fun thread! I do appreciate your enthusiasm; just like mine. One of the greatest things about all this is the constant learning opportunities. Cameraderie, sharing, respect and trust as well as ethics and principles in practice are a few others. Not to mention just plain old FUN.
You did not list where you live?

[Recluse]

I've been also thinking about doing impact application of moly as an alternative to the 45/45/10 tumble lube. The bullets I'd been reloading with before casting are from Bear Creek Bullets, which are moly coated. I have to run 300 or more rounds before I start to see any signs of leading in my 1911. Have you compared your concoction vs. moly vs. lubesized? My guess is that since I'm shooting a 1911, any of the above will work equally well since the pressures aren't crazy and the loads are mild relative to rifles or magnums.

Kyle,

I don't like trying to clean moly residue out of my barrels--that my primary objection to moly anything. However, a lot of people swear by it and have very good, consistent results. That's why we have a lot of different ways to achieve the same results, I reckon. :)

I've never had ANY leading with that boolit in any of my 45's--which include mainly 1911 designs (Series 70 Gold Cup, Series 70 Gov't, AMT Longslide Hardballer) and a Sig P220. I have an old Gov't Colt 45 that was given to me when I discharged from the service and it normally will lead simply by waving a wheel weight in front of the muzzle. But even with that Lee TL230RN, the leading is at all-time minimum.

With the other guns and running the 45/45/10 lube through them, all I do is run a dry patch through the bore three or four times, and it's nice and shiny and clean--no leading. Best of all, my accuracy is as consistent, reliable and spot-on as I've EVER experienced it with any 45ACP I've ever owned. It's definitely a combination of boolit/lube and sizing/loading that I have no plans on changing or chunking.

:coffee:

[kylix.rd]

You did not list where you live?

I, uh, live in California (sigh) a ways south of Pelosi-ville (aka. San Francisco). I'm originally from Missouri. It's listing my loction now.

[kylix.rd]

I don't like trying to clean moly residue out of my barrels--that my primary objection to moly anything. However, a lot of people swear by it and have very good, consistent results. That's why we have a lot of different ways to achieve the same results, I reckon. :)

Recluse,

Well, I suppose that since I'm generally "cheap" your 45/45/10 mix is certainly the most economical in terms of effort vs. results I'll be hitting the range soon to try this stuff out.

I think I may have gotten the proportions a bit off. Too much LLA relative to the JPW. The first set I tumbled aren't "sticky" per se, they just don't have the same feel from the descriptions. Also once the mixture cooled, it became nearly as thick as the original LLA. It's in the upper 60s to low 70s right now.

At least the smell seems to have dispersed :).

[PS Paul]

Used to live in S.F. and Sunnyvale (and L.A.) before we came back up to the great PNW where I grew up. Life is great, but the rain kinda wears on me.

There seems to be a lot of different opinions on those TL designs. I own LEE .452 mould with traditional lube grooves, but no experience with the TL design. Although I have tumble-lubed other boolits in the past.

I suggest you give that moly-mix a try. Let us know how it turns out, please......

[375RUGER]

Those are some well organized boolits. I just unceremoniously dump mine in a box.

[kylix.rd]

Life is great, but the rain kinda wears on me.

The rain, moisture and humidity has got to wreak havoc on your casting schedule :(. The rainy season hasn't yet started here, so I plan on doing as much casting as I can until then.


I suggest you give that moly-mix a try. Let us know how it turns out, please......

Once I locate all the parts to my homemade tumbler, I'll be giving that a go. I built the tumbler >10 years ago when I was into making black-power and sugar based rocket propellants. The proportions are slightly different than what you use for shooting black powder due to a slower burn. I've got the tumblers and even the 50 cal lead balls for the tumbling media which I used to grind up the kno3 and charcoal into fine powders. Just need to locate the gearhead motor and support.

Hmmm... now that I have a single stage press, I could better compress the propellants into... ack! stop it! [smilie=b: I've got enough to keep me busy.

[kylix.rd]

Those are some well organized boolits. I just unceremoniously dump mine in a box.

Well, I've already been accused of having OCD... However, they're now in a box randomly arranged... with the lid closed so I don't have to see them :).

[PS Paul]

Rain does not affect my casting schedule any longer since I built a ventilation box/hood near a window in my basement garage. In fact, given the few sunny, warm days up here for 9 months of the year, I prefer to cast on cold, gloomy and rainy days-- we have LOTS of those! Today is beautiful, so I am working on the deck to prepare for winter, smoking some salmon I caught last Monday and taking the occasional break to check the forum while trying to stay OFF the swap n' sell area!! Spendin' too much lately on "good deals", don't you know.:-P