First Melt First Cast First Mold

[Socal147]

Virgin No More!
First batch was 1%and 1% Tin and Atimony respectively.
Second batch was lead bought on CL stated to be 7% Atimony with half pot of the above. Basically half first pot topped off with CL stuff. CL = Craig's list.
Second batch is much shinier.
Weights are average 312 and 307 respectively.

Molds are made from a cupcake tray. Got carried away....... I can see this method as a way of evening out batch variables.

Can't wait to shoot these thru my 500 magnum pushed with 12 gns Unique.

[Garyshome]

Well done! Practice...Practice...Practice...!

[gon2shoot]

Well, have you shot any yet?

[Buzz64]

Looks like an excellent first try.

[bart55]

Welcome to my beautiful addiction

[douglasskid]

Fantastic. now you are hooked!!

[Socal147]

Have not had the chance to get to the range. Redid my lube formula as I did not like the one I made. Too sticky and stinky. Decided to go beeswax/crisco/carnauba/red crayon route. Much friendlier to the nose and house. Need to cast some new rounds to test the lube out.

[Epd230]

Your first try looks a lot better than mine!

Good job!

[Spruce]

Nice job , and good looking boolits. Have fun shooting and thanks for the photos.

[Three44s]

Welcome to the "magic" of Cast Boolits!!

Best regards and many more happy casting sessions!

Three 44s

[FredBuddy]

Lookin' good ! I'm at the same stage.

Now I've got to figure out how to bring the casting part of the equation indoors, since winter is here.

[Jal5]

I do most of my casting in the dead of winter in my garage which is located under the family room. Just open the garage main door 2 in. and use a fan to blow over the casting pot. and keep the door to the upstairs parts of the house closed real good. Works for me.
I have thought about rigging a range hood over my casting table and venting it out one of the windows in the garage door so that I don't lose so much house heat. but haven't gotten around to it yet :)
Joe

[runfiverun]

Teflon coated pans?
that's what usually makes those little bubbles on the bottom.

[Socal147]

Yeah, I just bought some cheaply pans. Never put any real thought into it.
I did get to the range today. It was awesome. My 45 70 shot like a 223 with my light loads pushing a 405 grain bullet. My 500 shot like a 357. Pushing a 325 gn with 12 grains of unique. Can't wait to get my mold from mountain. Should be so much better than the lee real cast. And my lube was fine and I can cook frys with it. Rofl

[9.3X62AL]

Pretty darn good castings, I'd say. WE HAVE YOU NOW--you've fired and enjoyed your production efforts, the hooks are barb-deep and embedded. :)

[Rick R]

What boolit is that? Looks like a REAL muzzle loader slug?

I've to two coworkers who are looking to start loading for their .500 S&W pistols and trying to decide what mold to co-buy.

[Socal147]

It is the Lee REAL mold. I am ok with it but I would prefer a normal bullet configuration. I have purchased but not yet received a mold from Mountain. He has an outstanding mold configuration program easy to use and front and center on his website (mountainmolds). HTH

[9.3X62AL]

I'll wager some folding money that you'll really like the Mountain Molds tooling. I know I enjoy mine.

[Rick R]

It is the Lee REAL mold. I am ok with it but I would prefer a normal bullet configuration. I have purchased but not yet received a mold from Mountain. He has an outstanding mold configuration program easy to use and front and center on his website (mountainmolds). HTH

LOL! I'd have never thought of that! I'd bet it'll slay deer like a 20ga slug with those boolits and your Unique load.
Have you thought of just tumble lubing them with LLA?

[bart55]

Great job and welcome to the world of cast!

[Socal147]

Have you thought of just tumble lubing them with LLA?

Not really. I have invested in a Saeco sizer so I would prefer to go that route.

[9.3X62AL]

Not really. I have invested in a Saeco sizer so I would prefer to go that route.

Sounds like you went First Cabin on sizing and lubing. Good move. There was no LLA or Tumble-Lubing when I started (1981)--I was intro'd to the Lyman 450 setup by my mentor, and still use it. Not perfect, but usable and adequate. The SAECO is an upgrade from Lyman, and I would make the change if I ever hit the Lottery. Too much money tied up in Lyman/RCBS to change horses now.

Wait a minute......if I hit the Lottery THAT deep, I'll have the sizing and lubing hired out.

[BNE]

Welcome to the addiction. It only gets better......