Cast my first batch!!!

[johnstonab]

I did it! I finally cast my first boolits. .452 230gr LRN. Lee pot (the small one, not bottom poor), lee ladle, lee 2 boolit mould. I think I did pretty good for a first timer. About 50/50 keepers/back to the melt. 60689 The top are the keepers.

[jondavis0904]

congrats. they look good. i'm waiting on all my lee products to come in so i can start.

[rexherring]

As the mold breaks in (oils, etc. cook out), you should also get less rejects. looking good for fist casts.

[Woody3]

Those top ones look real good!!! Congrats on a successful first session. So, are you hooked? Lol

[johnstonab]

yes, yes I am hooked. now to decide what cal next. it's a toss up between casting for my 9mm or casting for my 35 rem. leaning towards the 35 rem, just not sure how I am going to seat GCs. I cant afford a lubersizer. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

me

[Hounddog]

If you can scrounge up an old hot plate to pre-heat your mold, you'll see your number of rejects go way down. Those lee molds like to be run hot.

[runfiverun]

lee push through sizers will install gas checks just fine.

[johnstonab]

most of the rejects were the first ones through the mold. a couple were from dropping them out to early (still to hot and soft). a few fell onto little pieces of lead that were on the towel and dented. all things to keep in mind for the next go around. I am sure that it being kinda cold out side didn't help but that's ok.

[Bullwolf]

First, congratulations on some real nice looking 45 boolits. I have that same mould, and I am a big fan of it for use in .45 acp. My mould tends to cast on the larger side of things (.454+ ) So I need to run them through a .452 Lee push through sizer die first before I can load them for 45 acp.


yes, yes I am hooked. now to decide what cal next. it's a toss up between casting for my 9mm or casting for my 35 rem. leaning towards the 35 rem, just not sure how I am going to seat GCs. I cant afford a lubersizer. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

me


You can also use a Lee boolit size lube kit, in the appropriate size range to seat a gas checks with. They are typically pretty inexpensive, like under $20 bucks or so, depending on where you get it from. Check out all the usual suspects, and I would also suggest trying Titan Reloading (one of our site sponsors as well) They are pretty speedy, have great prices, and are a real pleasure to deal with.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRtR7um-UMnSXX0twcubImN7evfCzabt8mfh50pTi32a9425u8S0Q

I got started with a Lyman 450 Lube sizer, and eventually moved towards just using the simple Lee push through sizing dies for the convenience, and the economy of them.


- Bullwolf

[Bullwolf]

Sorry for the double redundant information post above. Runfiverun was just a minute or two faster than me with the reply button on that last one.


If you can scrounge up an old hot plate to pre-heat your mold, you'll see your number of rejects go way down. Those lee molds like to be run hot.

I use a hotplate when casting too. It's even more convenient during the winter months. Your mould will be up to operating temperature right from the beginning, and you start off casting consistent keeper boolits, rather than tossing your first few casts back into the pot while trying to warm up the mould.

You don't need a top of the line model hotplate either, I think mine was under 10 bucks at a thrift store. You can do things easy and cheap, or as expensive and complex as you want. I place an old skill saw blade on top of my el-cheapo electric hot plate for a flat and stable base. I use the hotplate to pre-heat lead ingots before they go in the pot as well.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=52448&d=1308462430
The hotplate really shines when I want to cast with two molds at once, or when a quick break is needed during a casting session. That way you always return to a warm ready to go mould, that's already at operating temperature.

Here's some 45 boolits cast from the Lee TL-452-230-2R. I have definitely gotten my moneys worth, and a whole lot more out of this mould.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=52468&d=1308732009
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=52469&d=1308732009

I'm a little embarrassed to post those pictures of my old Lee TL-452-230-2R. I was a lot harder on my moulds back then, and I have had that one for a long time. It has cast a lot of 45 boolits, and also been rode pretty hard and put away wet. I have since learned that it's easy to cut the sprue by hand while wearing a leather glove, rather than hitting it with a piece of wood. Another good idea is to lubricate the mould alignment pins, and sprue plate with something like Bullplate, dielectric grease, or a quality 2 cycle oil. All those tips will help a mould provide a longer serviceable life. Today I store all my moulds in air tight containers (especially the steel ones) like surplus ammo cans, so they don't rust. While that Lee mould has had a rough life, it will still cast a fine boolit.


- Bullwolf

[Down South]

The more you cast, the more you learn. Rejects will become fewer. I usually dump my first several casts in my sprue pile while my mould is getting to operating temp. Once my temps are right, I have very few rejects.

[Down South]

just not sure how I am going to seat GCs. I cant afford a lubersizer. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

me
Pan lube and use the Lee push through. I did a lot of that and still do for some big bore boolits.

['74 sharps]

First, congratulations on some real nice looking 45 boolits. I have that same mould, and I am a big fan of it for use in .45 acp. My mould tends to cast on the larger side of things (.454+ ) So I need to run them through a .452 Lee push through sizer die first before I can load them for 45 acp.




You can also use a Lee boolit size lube kit, in the appropriate size range to seat a gas checks with. They are typically pretty inexpensive, like under $20 bucks or so, depending on where you get it from. Check out all the usual suspects, and I would also suggest trying Titan Reloading (one of our site sponsors as well) They are pretty speedy, have great prices, and are a real pleasure to deal with.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRtR7um-UMnSXX0twcubImN7evfCzabt8mfh50pTi32a9425u8S0Q

I got started with a Lyman 450 Lube sizer, and eventually moved towards just using the simple Lee push through sizing dies for the convenience, and the economy of them.


- Bullwolf


I don't use Lee TL molds; however, I believe that I read NOT to size them as that would reduce the fine grooves ability to hold the LLA. I would lube and shoot and see how accurate they are.

[Bullwolf]

I don't use Lee TL molds; however, I believe that I read NOT to size them as that would reduce the fine grooves ability to hold the LLA. I would lube and shoot and see how accurate they are.

If you have to size down a boolit by a LARGE amount, yes it is possible to completely size away the TL (Tumble Lube) grooves, especially so if you size the boolit without any lube. In normal sizing applications though that does not happen, though I have done it intentionally before in a lube sizer. While the result may look funny, the boolit can still be tumble lubed and loaded, and it will shoot just fine.

Non TL boolits can also be tumble lubed, and still function like a TL design. I do this quite often. I believe there is even a sticky about it. I have not however managed to successfully apply a gas check, and load it without using a sizer of some kind.

I use Lee sizer dies on both TL style, and non TL boolits. They work fine on either style for gas check seating. I have sized many, many TL boolits with no ill effects whatsoever. I can also testify that they load, and shoot quite well. Lee dies are made for sizing Lee boolits using the provided tumble lube "Lee Liquid Alox" after all.
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRtR7um-UMnSXX0twcubImN7evfCzabt8mfh50pTi32a9425u8S0Q

If a mould drops a boolit that's too large to chamber, you pretty much have to either size it down, modify your alloy, or else cull it. If a mould happens to drop the correct size boolit with your alloy, that also fits your gun... Well then you can just TL and shoot them "as cast" if you like. Nothing wrong with either approach as it all boils down to personal preference really.

If not sizing is an option, loading and shooting boolits "as cast" is definitely a faster, and simpler process. It's also how lots of folks originally got started shooting cast boolits, myself included.

In the past I didn't size my boolits, and I would shoot them "as cast" just the way they dropped from the mould, when it was an option. Now I prefer to size everything that I cast, as it keeps my boolits much more consistent. This also prevents you from accidentally loading a boolit that's too large to chamber. It only takes one fat boolit to jam up your gun during a shooting session. If you shoot your TL boolits "as cast" without sizing, I recommend gauging all your ammo prior to shooting, to help keep those overly large boolit malfunctions from happening.

I now run all of my TL cast boolits through a Lee sizer die as a quality control step. It helps insure proper boolit fit, even if they are so close that they barely get sized at all. I find it much easier to catch an overly large, or overly small casting mistake simply from the feedback given by the press handle. Doing this helped me standardize my cast boolit quality, and my groups shrunk correspondingly.

Both style boolit lube groove designs hold up better if there is already boolit lube in the grooves before performing the sizing operation. Especially so if you are sizing down by more than .001-.002 thousandths.


- Bullwolf

[johnstonab]

Casting take two: cast 111 boolits today. This time with much better numbers. Out of that 111, 100 were keepers. Also water dropped them this time.

I'm gonna need more lead.

[500MAG]

Congrats. The addiction begins.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Looks good! I've started to get away from TL bullets and I've gone to pan lubing full time. It takes longer but I like the results better.

[johnstonab]

I misspoke on my last update, 112 total not 111. That combined with my first batch, I'm up to 126. Learned that liquid alox STINKS! I cast at my brother's house, he told me to move them outside to dry.

Here the are.
61087

[johnstonab]

Boys (5&7 yrs old) wanted to help size them. 612676126861269
Alex

[Hounddog]

@bullwolf

How do you get your tumble lube boolits so shiny? Do you polish them. They almost look too purdy to shoot!

[johnstonab]

The first pic was before lube. The last pic before the boys was post lube and they are not purty at all.

Oops. Missed the @bullwolf. Sorry.

[ultramag]

Boys (5&7 yrs old) wanted to help size them. Alex


Way to get them boys involved Dad!!! I've got a pair 4 & 6 and they really get a kick out of the little reloading jobs they get. Already have the oldest on the BB gun.

[johnstonab]

Both of mine have gone tho the gun range with us. 5yr old isn't quite big enough for the 22 rifle. He loves shooting grandmas 22 pistol. 7 yr old is pretty darn good with the 22rifle. 4" group at 25yds (scoped rifle) first time ever shooting it. They love to help with everything, thats why I do the casting at my brother's place.

Alex

[Giggidy]

@bullwolf
Those are some nice looking boolits! Makes me wish the weather has been more cooperative here so I can get some casting done. While I haven't been able to do any casting for a while, I did pick up my new CZ P-01 and will be breaking it in on Monday. I still get some hobby happiness from that.

[johnstonab]

Well I loaded a couple of my cast into empty cases to check fit and cycling in my XD. The bullets fit nicely. Had to set the dies on dad's press properly, not crimping the case bells down. After that adjustment they cycle nicely. And to top it off, here is a pic of the similar to final product. 61366

Alex

[10mmShooter]

Good job John now go load em up and shootem and repeat the process :)

[Bullwolf]

@bullwolf
Those are some nice looking boolits!

Thank you.

@bullwolf
How do you get your tumble lube boolits so shiny? Do you polish them. They almost look too purdy to shoot!
I wipe the tumble lube off my boolit noses using a dab of Johnson's baby oil on a rag, or a paper towel. It cuts right through Alox, or 45-45-10.
(and smells better than mineral spirits too if your indoors)

When I put loaded tumble lubed boolits in a tumbler full of Walnut shell or Corn cob media... I get a messy smear, and lube in my media and bowl. I also end up with dull looking boolits. I am somewhat OCD, so I have been wiping the lube off the boolit noses, rather than tumbling my loaded cases a second time.

Disclaimer: Boolits will shoot fine with lube on their noses, I just like em clean for storage.

Sometimes if I have single tarnished setup dummy cartridge on the bench, I will shine it up with a little Flitz metal polish before taking pictures.

Most of my pictures are simply cast from a shiny, very high tin alloy (like Linotype) and are not polished.

A few other tricks I use:

Add a cap full of automotive wax to your tumbler media, to keep your brass shiny and prevent surface oxidization.

Use a Lanolin based case lube, not a water based case lube that can corrode cartridge brass.

Citric acid brass cleaner. Sticky below.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?83572-Citric-acid-brass-cleaner&highlight=citric+acid

If I want to cast shiny boolits, I don't water drop, and I cast using a high tin alloy like Lino, or Mono type. Shiny boolits don't shoot any better than dull ones, they just photograph pretty. Straight Lino type can be very brittle, and is extremely hard. It is often thinned out using WW, or even pure lead to make a more desirable, flexible alloy.

There was some more talk about this in the thread Where do all the "Shiny Boolits" come from?
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?183070-Where-do-the-quot-Shiny-Boolits-quot-come-from

Feel free to check it out.



- Bullwolf

[David2011]

Hi Alex,

Congrats! Welcome to Castboolits. You've come a long way fast. People who don't just can't understand how much fun casting is. Don't worry about not having a lot of equipment. The day is not as far away as you think when you will wonder where all that stuff came from.

One little concern here from the photo of loaded ammo. If I'm wrong, please disregard. It looks like you have a nice solid roll crimp on those .45 ACPs. If so, it might lead to failures to fire. The belled mouth of the .45 ACP should only be straightened back out and not rolled inward because the case headspaces on the mouth. The spec is that the mouth of the loaded case should measure .471". If the mouth is too small the cartridge can go too far into the chamber and allow the primer to be too far from the firing pin which will give light strikes and even fail to ignite the primer.

Keep up the great work!

David

[robpete]

Not trying to hijack, but i have a barely used .452 Lee size/luber kit that the OP can have for ten bucks. I used it on a batch a couple of years ago and it's been collecting dust ever since.