Noob; We Have NEW Lee Molds,, Advice needed to season them,,

[sparkz]

Hello all
my Son and I tend to do lot of shooting here ( and have our own range/s at our home place)
so after spending so much and then the rising costs of what can no longer be found with our what I call a "300% Obama Tax" we both thought to get into Cast molding our own, I have reloaded shot shells for few years so a switch to Brass reloading don't seem so far a leap for me,
BUT there's much to learn and re-learn,
Please let us draw on your experience if we might
we have got;

An assortment of "White Label Lube/s" (knowing we need it we thought to buy from a fourm friendly vendor)
( 2 ) Two, Lee Molds (1) #TL430-420-SWC, Six Cavity
and
(1) LEE # 429-200-RF Double Cavity Mold

we have cast a bunch of fish sinkers last summer so we have all to melt, pour, ect
we plan or hope to save on the .45 Auto & 44 Mag & Special shooting first and if it does work out to save some money (We have more time then money it would seem :roll: ) we then would try to add some other sizes to the kits we hope to build,
but trying to start on the cheap has proven to cost more in the end for me many times but we have to go that / this way,
so given what i have said, and from some reading here He and I thought we might try to cast a few " boolits "
first even before we have bought the rest of the reloading "kit " as if we can not get a splendid cast its a waste to continue to shovel money at this venture..
again our Brand molds are just that Brand new, so I want to season them correctly and test cast some
Using some Wheel wights and some super soft lead we have from a big piece of Flashing used for roofing
I know we need to get a correct mix of the two but again I draw on the collective knowledge of you pros .
also not wanting to over buy just yet and your knowing we are aimed at .45 auto and 44cal.
best posb kit for the money, I mean to say go with Lee or other brands ( will one venders dies fit others equpt?)
I don't have lots of money but really hate to but blind, as in buying cheap junk twice and to had bought the better would had saved lot of dough for what we really needed, ( I know some stuffs better bought at higher cost then to buy pain in da *** junk two or three times before you figure out this small statement of fact) Please advise there also..

But for now we will keep collect the needed things for our small venture, with the idea of loading some cast in numbers of 50-200 in a week end and with your help and knowledge we can build on those numbers as the OBAMA Tax :roll: will allow and as stocks of necessary components are re-stocked,,

one long term Item is to reload 7.62x39 boxer and " berdan Later " Tula I am told is selling these here in the USA now is that true? my son loves to shoot this once affordable shell :Fire: , but from a cost of $0.18 to over a dollar a shot that guns on the shelf for now,, haha

Thank you for any and all help, and opinions, rumors, facts, ect. both good bad,
Patrick
AKA; Sparkz


PS; again we what to pour a few ASAP so help us season them right the first time,
so we can play " Hot Stuff "

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Go to the Mold- Maintenance and design forum and you will find all kinds of info. on your LEE molds. One of them is called LEE-menting a mold. Quite a bit of info there on getting them up and running.

[Tatume]

Sparkz,

There is no need to "season" your molds. Take them to your kitched sink and scrub them thoroughly with hot water and dishwashing detergent. Get every trace of oil off and out of the cavities. If you get them clean, and get them hot when you use them, they will drop beautiful bullets and the bullets will drop easily.

Take care, Tom

[turmech]

Clean the molds with hot soapy water (I use comet and a tooth brush).

Heat them up on the corner of your casting pot (hot plate could work better but not required) Dip corner of mold in lead alloy until the lead does not stick to the mold.

Fill the cavities with lead. Open sprue plate and lube the sprue plate and top of mold blocks. Open the mold and lube the alinement pins. I use zip lube or bullplate to lube the mold. They are sold here by sponsors. If yo don't have any may try synthetic 2 cycle oil ( never tried it but IIRC some use it.)

I have never conditioned a mold, smoked or added a release agent.

[sparkz]

See! this is just why we posted here
the info is endless and most can't be found in a published book,
My son and I had been readin thu the many Posts loaded with info
Keep the info and tips coming guys
many thanks
Patrick

[Olevern]

Looks like you are starting with the 44 cal. (I assume 44 magnum?). You state you are focused on 44 and 45 auto so, you will have to buy a mold for the 45 as both you have purchased are for the 44 cal.'s (unless that 200 grain was a typo and was for the 45 cal?) I would start with purchasing two reloading manuals and reading them thru (repeatedly) to get the basics: ie; roll vs. taper crimp, headspace differences between the 44 and 45 auto (44 headspaces on rim and 45 auto headspaces on the case mouth). Also things like the necessity of trimming to the same length to achieve consistent crimp; things like that you wouldn't know from your shotshell reloading experience.

Other than that, you are in the right place for a good education; spend your time in the manuals and then ask here when something is not clear from your readings.

Best case scenario is to find an experienced reloader close to you to do your first several reloading sessions with; sometimes your friendly local gunshop can put you with someone to mentor you and get you started.

OH, in answer to your question, the dies from the major manufacturers are all interchangeable.

[turmech]

If you have not done so already download the book From Ingot to Target. It is located in the stickies. The best part is it is FREE. Will answer most of you initial questions. Best place to start for any one looking to cast bullets for the first time. Just my opinion.

[randyrat]

Once in a while, I will give a welcoming gift to a new member. PM me and I'll send it your way.

[41 mag fan]

Once in a while, I will give a welcoming gift to a new member. PM me and I'll send it your way.

Now you let the cat out of the bag Randy!!!!

[sparkz]

Looks like you are starting with the 44 cal. (I assume 44 magnum?). You state you are focused on 44 and 45 auto so, you will have to buy a mold for the 45 as both you have purchased are for the 44 cal.'s (unless that 200 grain was a typo and was for the 45 cal?)


Hummm, we where told we could load .45 ACP usein a "" LEE # 429-200-RF Double Cavity Mold "" they would be light loads, and we had planed them for 25-50 feet on paper,,

can anyone confirm this mold can be used for a .45 load, we where told
200grn, loaded in light powder charge was a useable reload for our Colt

Please advise
and il find and look up any info for tolerances for this mold



Thank you for pointing this "small detail" out "Ouch"
(see this is why i made this post to ask those that DO LOAD cast and use these molds, so we
DID NOT buy something we can not or do not want to start-up with)

Please keep info coming guys
thanks agan

Patrick

[turmech]

the weight is not the problem it is the 429 part. 429 is the diameter. You would need a 452 or larger for 45.

[Mal Paso]

You were misinformed on the 200g. They are both 44 cal.

[turmech]

I am not clear by your post if you are talking 45 long colt or 45 acp
If you are meaning 45 acp then:
TL452-230-2R this is a good one if you want to tumble lube
452-230-TC this one for conventional lube groove.
sticking with the lee brand that is.

[Norbrat]

Both the 429 and the 430 boolits are for 44 magnum and 44 special, etc. For the 45 Auto you will need a mould which will cast a 452 boolit.

http://leeprecision.com/bullet-casting/hand-gun-bullet-molds/bullet-mold-6-cavity/

[quilbilly]

I treat the Lee boolit molds the same way I treat my custom commercial aluminum fishing jig casting molds. I clean them, give them a light smoke treatment, then start casting. No problems in 30+ years of casting. I do make sure there is adequate tin in the boolit lead to fill fully around the lube grooves which is not necessary with fishing jigs (most anyway).

[sparkz]

Right, I have just read that .452
well thats what i get from the gun show, so i have 2 44mag now damn

and just at a quick look-see looks like everyones got Obama panic so sold out
well make best of it we are gona shoot for the 44 first,, anyone have a good 45 acp there retireing?
keep me in mind

thanks guys
Back to reading

Sparkz
Please keep info coming guys
thanks agan

Patrick

[Mal Paso]

This info is so good I stole it!



When we cut a cavity it exposes new material.
Aluminum starts to oxidize the instant it is exposed to air.
This oxidization seems to be a real advantage to making bullets.
Heating and cooling it promotes this oxidization.



When I get a new mould I use a sloppy version of NOE's instuctions for seasoning the mould.

I thoroughly clean the moulds with hot soapy water, dry them and put the moulds on top of the cast iron stove in the living room, when they get hot the first time I treat the pins and sprue plate with bull plate as per the instructions then leave the moulds on the stove for w few days they heat up and cool down with the fire in the stove and then are ready to cast with. A couple of more sparing applications of bullplate during the first few casting sessions and the moulds are fettled.

Also I think you mean TL430-240-SWC not 420 which would be an ounce of lead.

[Redd508]

I have the 452-200-RF and it makes a nice bullet. I bought it for light 45 colt loads but it works in my acp too.

[454PB]

I use brake cleaner rather than the kitchen sink to clean a new mould....it promotes tranquility in the household.

I've never bought a mould that needed any more than that initial cleaning and some pre-heating to cast good boolits. When I first started 40 some years ago, I did the smoking thing and found that it caused more problems than it solved.

[runfiverun]

sparkz.
just make sure you clean the mold and get it hot before you start casting.
the lubrication parts are the alignment pins and the top of the mold with boolits in the cavity.
i apply more lube throughout the session just as i see it needs it.

i'd go ahead and p.m. randy rat,i know what he wants to send you and it's worth while to get it.

[frkelly74]

I wish you were closer, I would be glad to help you get started. If you need to borrow a 452 mold I can loan one out. It is a tumble lube 452-2282R 2 cavity that has proven to be an easy to use mold. I am not ready quite yet to sell this mold however. I am not inclined to loan out 6 cavity molds .

The first mistake most people make with their 6 cavity molds is to fill up all 6 cavities before the mold is hot enough to function properly. Then they break off the sprue handle because the lead has hardened too quick. Wash the Mold as above. Heat up the mold and then start filling one cavity until the sprue cuts easily then fill 2 then 3 then 4 and so on. Start with the cavity farthest from the handles of course. I usually have spent about 45 minutes from the time I plug in the pot until I get the first good boolits from a 6 cavity mold, but then look out, they start to pile up quick, And you do need to keep up a brisk pace with those molds. You can't lollygag around sorting and admiring your work once you start to get good boolits. Be sure you have plenty of ingots handy to feed into the pot as the level goes down. If you feed them one at a time you can keep right on casting. If you feed too many at once you will cool the melt too much and the mold will also cool and you will not get good boolits for a few casts. This is not the time to melt scrap although I usually put hot sprue cut offs back in the pot and obvious hot rejects. Get safety glasses and Ove-gloves and wear thick cotton clothingwith no cuffs, or carhartts and good shoes, dress as if you were welding. With Ove-gloves you can pick up hot boolits right from the mold, you can also open the mold and close it again without fear of getting burned. I cut the sprue and dump it into my gloved hand for returning it to the pot while it is still very hot. Do not expect perfection immediately. There is quite a learning curve with your new hobby. Just keep thinking $.06 a shot, that is the prize on which to keep your eye.

[44man]

Molds do not need seasoned, it is like talking about a "seasoned" barrel, no such thing.
Just wash the mold. I take a new mold of my mill, wash with dish soap and get perfect boolits with the first cast. Just heat the mold. What is called "seasoning" is just getting cutting oils out of the cavities.
Going to a six cavity at the start is a little much.
Neither of the guns like soft lead, leave the pure out of it and use WW metal alone. You can add a touch of tin but I never found a need. As you add pure, heat must go up when you cast.
Lee molds make great boolits, I have a huge pile of them but I stay with two cavity molds.

[Dragoon454]

I only cleaned the cavities of my Lee moulds with alcohol and lubed the points outlined in the Lee videos with LSStuff 50-50 and smoked the cavities with a lighter and they work fine and drop like a dream (don't have to tap the bolt just shake them a little). I did not scrub them completely like some recommend. The first time I warmed them on my pot and the sprue plate stuck closed horribly because the moulds were too cold. Next time I pre-heated them on a hot plate before casting and they work great since they are up to temp. If your sprue plate sticks closed on the 6 cavity moulds, patience and pulling with your hand will eventually cut the sprue but it does take time. In time you will learn to "read" the lead and it will be a non-issue. Mould temp is the key.

[USMC87]

Yeah six cavs are a differant animal to deal with than the two cavs, But it is good to see 6 shiny bullets drop instead of 2 at a time.

[kenjuudo]

Looks like you are starting with the 44 cal. (I assume 44 magnum?). You state you are focused on 44 and 45 auto so, you will have to buy a mold for the 45 as both you have purchased are for the 44 cal.'s (unless that 200 grain was a typo and was for the 45 cal?)


Hummm, we where told we could load .45 ACP usein a "" LEE # 429-200-RF Double Cavity Mold "" they would be light loads, and we had planed them for 25-50 feet on paper,,

can anyone confirm this mold can be used for a .45 load, we where told
200grn, loaded in light powder charge was a useable reload for our Colt

Please advise
and il find and look up any info for tolerances for this mold



Thank you for pointing this "small detail" out "Ouch"
(see this is why i made this post to ask those that DO LOAD cast and use these molds, so we
DID NOT buy something we can not or do not want to start-up with)

Please keep info coming guys
thanks agan

Patrick

Sparkz,

I have a Lee 452-200-swc 2 cavity mold you can have for the shipping to get you started, PM me your address.

jim