First casting session tonight.

[novalty]

Ouch, damn arthritis. Kicked my own butt, and don't have alot to show for it. Knew I probably wouldn' t get alot of keepers, but knew I had to start somewhere. Got set up, and fired up my RCBS Promelt for the first time. Put my molds including my new Mihec 4 cavity 9mm mold on the hot plate.

Didn't get far with the Mihec mold, pins were sticking. My Lyman 452374, and Lachmiller 162gr SWC were casting the best. Had a lot of wrinkle issues with my RCBS 158gr. RN, guessing I'll need to give it a good cleaning before the next session.

Overall, besides the aching body, it was a good time. Learned a few new things, and was really please at the look of the bullets that came out well. Will try to get some pics of the keepers posted.

[novalty]

Sorry in advance for the blurry photos.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Firstcast_zps5462c59b.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Firstcast_zps5462c59b.jpg.html)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC3_zps252c7ee3.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC3_zps252c7ee3.jpg.html)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC5_zps5e027cb2.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC5_zps5e027cb2.jpg.html)

[GP100man]

Posted on the S&W forum also :

I started in `83 & wish my first 1s looked that good !!!

Your alloy temp looks OK , maybe too warm ,but the molds can get too hot & cause fillout problems also , by the pic it looks as if the far left Lachmiller boolit the mold may have been too warm (cookin the tin)
& causing poor fill out .

May I suggest a Thermometer to monitor the alloy closer ,the numbers on the dial are just for reference & as the melt comes to temp & the levels drop ya have to keep tweekin the temp down . Some build PID controllers but I never have.

As far as the wrinkles go on a preheated mold , it was either not up to temp (I like to start at 350f on steel molds, checked with an infared temp gun & 300 on aluminum).
Also the molds have to be free of any lubes ,oils or cleaners that will cook off or leach from the pores as it comes to temp & ya found the best way to do that CAST & get em hot !
Sometimes I smoke the cavity with a slightly visible coating of carbon from a butane liter , the spray release stuff will coat the cavity & lessen dia accordingly.

I like the lachmillers & my GPs do also !!
I have the 162 plainbased swc in 2 cavity & the 162 swc GCed in 3 cavity , both are quality molds !!

Here`s a pic of the 2 holer after a cleanin & some hot alloy .

http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx110/GP100man/102_0450.jpg (http://s746.photobucket.com/user/GP100man/media/102_0450.jpg.html)

Now the HP problem , I have no exp with MP molds or cramer style HPs but plenty with NOE molds & I usually smooth the pins as much as possible with 600 paper (carefully) to a shine , then after they heat up with the mold I barely touch the tips with a q tip that`s damp with Bull Shops sprue plate lube, or a synthetic 2 cycle ashless oil will do in a pinch ,but will have to be applied more often than Bull Shops lube .

I also touch the alignment pins & lube any moving part ,applied to the any surface then dried off lead will not stik .

But use any lube sparingly as applied & as the mold comes to temp or is to to temp alittle will migrate a long ways & we need to keep the cavitys free of anything .

Hope this helps .

GP

[Shiloh]

You're hooked. Wait till you shoot them. Your transformation to the Dark Side will be complete.

Shiloh

[novalty]

Appreciate the advice. I know one of my problems was biting off more than I could chew for the first run--trying to use 4 different molds. When I cast in the future, I will probably just stick with 1 or 2. I have about 1400 commercially cast 45cal 200gr SWC's now, so I really didn't need to try out the Lyman 452374, but just wanted to see how it cast. I have 2 38 molds, and really am more of the fan of the SWC design as opposed to the RN. The next session I will probably work on the MP brass 4 cavity 9mm 125gr cramer style mold some more. I took it apart this morning and lubed the pins and worked them in and out of the block and got most of them moving pretty well by hand, hoping they will move better during the next casting session. Think the big issue with wrinkles in the 158gr. RN was due to lubricant still left in the block. Temp probably played some role in it too-will try backing the Pro-melt down to around 675.

[runfiverun]

I get my mold up and running well at about 715 or so then back the alloy temp down to the 675 range.
if I am going to change molds I turn the alloy back up and get the mold in place to be heated up then let everything chill while I clean up the first run.

I have found it much easier to just do long runs with one mold.
then do another long run with another mold in a different session.
you eventually build up a good stock of each boolit.

[novalty]

I get my mold up and running well at about 715 or so then back the alloy temp down to the 675 range.
if I am going to change molds I turn the alloy back up and get the mold in place to be heated up then let everything chill while I clean up the first run.

I have found it much easier to just do long runs with one mold.
then do another long run with another mold in a different session.
you eventually build up a good stock of each boolit.

That is my plan for the next casting session--just using one mold. Fortunately, I have a good stock pile of 45's right now, and a good amount of 9mm, so will cast up a bunch of the 162gr SWC's for my 38/357. I would imagine it won't take me nearly as long to make a pile of those, especially since my Pro-melt is about half-full of lead now. Took quite awhile starting with a new empty pot.