Showing some improvement on 4th casting session

[novalty]

Well started up the Pro-Melt for another session this afternoon to get some more 9mm's cast, and try out my new 452-200 HP mold from Mihec. This session I put my Lyman thermometer in the melt to see what the temp was staying at. With it running right around 760 degrees, I had what I thought were pretty good results. The boolits drop a lot easier out of the 452-200 than they do from my Mihec 359-125--and the pins seem to move a little easier.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/4thSession1_zps1ff3a826.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/4thSession1_zps1ff3a826.jpg.html)
Mihec 359-125 HP with round and penta pins.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/4thSession2_zps5b35b494.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/4thSession2_zps5b35b494.jpg.html)
Mihec 452-200 HP with round pins. Will try penta and FN in next session.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/4thSession3_zps0b653221.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/4thSession3_zps0b653221.jpg.html)

[treadwm]

Looks like a nice batch! I should get out to the shop and exercise my NOE 9mm mold. The NOE is a 4 cavity HP and I find it is harder to release than my other molds.

[1Shirt]

Look good to me!
1Shirt!

[novalty]

One thing odd that I noticed, and not sure why I tried water dropping again, but the few boolits I dropped in the middle of my casting session to air cool showed more signs of frosting. You can see them stand out in the upper right corner of the 452-200's and not quite as notably in the bottom right of the 359-125 picture.

[Maximumbob54]

It's odd to me because I can cast a sloppy pile of boolits from the .45 version but the 9mm mold has me pulling my hair out. They stick in that mold BAD. It's so bad that half the time they are so stuck that when I tap the pins the pins warp the hollow point cavity. I've tried casting radioactive hot, smoking the mold with matches and butane, and I even tried some FA mold release agent (yuck) and still they stick. I know the answer is I need to polish it out but I've ruined a mold doing that and I'm terrified to ruin this one. But I love those boolits!!!! :(

[novalty]

I don't know why the 359-125 mold pins aren't as free-moving as the 452-200 mold, as they are in essense the same block of brass, just different size cavities. I am thinking because the pins are smaller on the 9mm pins they are more prone to sticking, but I've only tried the Large HP pins with the 452-200. For this prior casting session, I heated the mold on a cheap Aroma hot-plate turn to the last "M" in "MEDIUM," the lead in my Pro-melt which was set to just above 750 on the dial showed as 760 degrees on my Lyman thermometer.

[novalty]

Took some pictures of some my loaded Mihec boolits.
Here is the 452-200HP next to a Remington 230gr. FMJ, and unknown maker 200gr. SWC
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0429_zps0ea73929.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0429_zps0ea73929.jpg.html)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0430_zps30b93b08.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0430_zps30b93b08.jpg.html)

Here is the 452-200HP next to a large HP and Penta HP 359-125.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0432_zpsf1dd0fb6.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0432_zpsf1dd0fb6.jpg.html)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0433_zps6315e6f0.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0433_zps6315e6f0.jpg.html)

Sized and lubed HG#68 clones and 452-200HP's
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0434_zps5032d25d.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0434_zps5032d25d.jpg.html)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0435_zps3a364316.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/DSCN0435_zps3a364316.jpg.html)

[abqcaster]

I got the best results with my 359-125 when I leave the HP pins loosely screwed in, and a SUPER LIGHT chamfering of the edges. Mine also likes to run around 400deg with a hot 650+ alloy. I preheat it on a hotplate. Nice pics guys!

[RED333]

Do not hit the pin rods, this will cause them to bend.
Tap the bolt at the joint on the handle.
Smoke is just that, smoke.
Clean your mold as you like, cast with it, after time you will get the hang
of what temp, speed, and what not. They will start dropping better.

[Wal']

I found a little pressure using thumb & forefinger helped align my HP pins when new, if you look close, some are a little out off straight.

Also swapping pins around helps.............& I mean just enough pressure, don't force them, trial & error!