311041 Cast nub

[OverMax]

Hello gents. Have a quick question.
Just purchased a new Lyman 311041. Made about 200 tips and noticed towards the end of the session a number of cast tips had a larger than liked sprue nub sticking up. (cutter plate loosened) Anyway when Gas Checking some of the checks were so to speak not centered or tipped looking on the boolits base when observed closely. But the checks do still hold tight to the boolits base. I was wondering if gas checks are not quite centered & flat fitting on the base of a boolit will that cause the boolit to become less stable in flight and accuracy suffers down range on target? (Cheaper to ask here than to drive 30 minuets to the Range to find out) Thanks for your comments.

PS: All the molds I use. I've never encounter this situation. This is the first mold I {never checked over} before casting with it. Right out of the box this one was. Maybe a foolish move on my part after all these years of draining lead from a my furnace/ pot. Don't we ever learn. Apparently I haven't. ):

O/M

[uscra112]

If the checks are not square to the boolit axis the accuracy will suffer quite a bit.

Are you saying that your sprues weren't cut off properly?

[rintinglen]

If the base isn't flat and square, the bullet will not fly true. It will be imbalanced as the gas pressing against it tips the boolit to the side as the edges of the boolit depart the bore at different points. A bad crown on the barrel will do the same thing. If the "stud" on the base where the sprue was removed prevents you from seating the gas check fully, then either file the stud off, or toss the boolit back. If they are already sized, GC'd, and lubed, go ahead and shoot them, but understand you will have flyers.

[Ben]

That gas check MUST be on the base of the bullet square.

[OverMax]

Are you saying that your sprues weren't cut off properly? Exactly uscra112
When cutting the sprues off because of that factory tightened sprue/cutter plate left un-checked for tightness. Nearly all the sprues cut. Were left higher than they should be. Never caught it happening. Just pitched the boolit's that looked deformed back into the furnace. i.e. >wrinkled or poorly filled. O well since their all Gas checked resized and lubed. 200 boolit's is near 5lbs of CO-W/W. To much to waste shooting down range for the he11 of it. Easier and less time consuming to just re-cast them with their checks left on. Checks and all go into the pot. Gee's another hard lesson to learned. One good thing. With all that Saeco lube going into the pot left on them. I shouldn't have to flux it. Hey how about that!!

O/M

[trk]

Ok, now that you already know it, I cut the sprues by hand (gloved) and will most always do a visual inspection before opening the mould of the sprue cut and of the sharpness of the base edge. By watching carefully how the sprue is cut you will be able to adjust the temperature of the mix and the time to cool - adjust both such that you have a CLEAN cut of the sprue.

[uscra112]

I think I'd agree. Waste of powder and primers to shoot 'em, and as we know both powder and primers are hard to come by these days.

Yep, you'll get some value by recycling the lube as flux !

[OverMax]

Yep your absolutely right (trk.) I guess I took this 041 new Lyman for granted that it was factory set correct. Looks like I'll be paying attention to those boolit bases from now on before their dropped. Hopefully I get to cast some tomorrow and head over to the range this Saturday. "Get that old saddle ring 30-WCF carbine of mine digesting cast yet!!" (:

O/M

[leadman]

I suggest you remove the sprue plate and bolt and try running in the allen set screw to see how far it goes into the sprue plate bolt hole. I have found on every Lyman mold I have that the hole is not tapped out correctly and the screw will only go in just enough to barely tightened against the sprue plate bolt.
I use a bottoming tap to chase out the threads so the screw goes in all the way. I think Lyman uses a tapered starting tap only. A bottoming tap has very little taper so makes the threads the correct diameter all the way.
The tap size is 10-32. I bought mine at Ace Hardware.

[Larry Gibson]

Many times, when the sprue plate loosens slightly, the actual base of the cast bullet is still flat and square to the axis as the weight of the sprue plate and washer tension still hold the sprue plate flat against the mould blocks during the pour. It is the "sprue nub", as OverMax calls them, that sticks up as the sprue plate lifts slightly during cutoff.

If such is the case (the bases still being flat) then the bullets are easily salvagable. Simply use a sharp knife (sharp is the key) and lay the bullet on a soft piece of wood, hold the bullet with a couple fingers and cut the "sprue nub" off with the knife blade held against the actual flat of the bullet base as a guide. Easy to do and well worth it if the bullets are otherwise well cast.

However, if the base of the cast bullets are not square with the bullet axis then best to through them back into the pot and recast. I also use gloves in lieu of a mallet or stick to open the sprue plate and have not had that problem since doing so. Additionally besides tightening the sprue plate against the mould blocks sharpening the sprue hole edge slightly may make it cut quicker and easier w/o lifting.

Larry Gibson

[OverMax]

To resolve the looseness of its top plate I had to add a small flat washer to take up the slack I wasn't able to do so with its top plate screw adjustment. Not and easy fine was that little washer.
Top Plate. It's Allen screw lock set. I haven't had a chance to check out the threading on that little item yet either.

O/M

[OverMax]

A little late with a response. But better than none. I did cast a little more. Later than I originally thought. (weather cooperation hasn't been the best up here in MN.) Checked out everything on this mold before hand from its Alignment pins settings to the set screws hole threading. I did have to cut a piece of small brass rod to act as a pinch between the top plate bolt and its Allen set screw lock. (I noticed the top plate screw threading was being damaged by its Allen set screw is why the need for a spacer between the two screw.) Everything was set perfect as far as I could see. There was also need to clear the smear of lead out from under its Top Plate also. Polished its bullet cavities with a Dremel tool. (because of its rear cavity sticky-ness and refusal in dropping its lead here and there during the last session) Fired up the mag 20 and >WOW!! what a difference.__ "Tried the glove instead of the club."__ As suggested by Larry Gibson. That works well so long as I catch the sprue a little soft. (Otherwise its back to the club. If I wait to long.) Especially so if I forget to smoke the Top Plate after there initial cleaning.)__ I for years have always dunked my molds after their initial heating some in lacquer fluid/thinner before their using. (I know. I know your thoughts on it) but doing so. The best results are always seen in cleaning the molds of what ever I had stored them with as an anti-rust inhibitor. Anyway. This last casting session. With all those thoughts and ideas to check on you fellows commented. And I went and checked and corrected and gone over everyone of them to see they were made right. I actually could show case the result's. I kid you not >there perfect. Now its up to these old eyes to see if they fly straight as I think they will.