Hollow point mold filling

[oger]

I recently picked up an alum. mold with a large hollow point and no mater what trick I have tried I can't get the forward edge of the bullet to fill out. Any ideas?

[hickfu]

Sounds to me like the pins are not hot and they are cooling the lead alloy before it reaches the forward edge of the mold, Have you tried heating with a tourch, dipping into your pot, using a hot plate?

[1Shirt]

Yep, like Doc says! Dip the pin frequently and you probably won't have a problem
1Shirt!

[lancem]

I had the same problem with my first round of HP boolit making. What I finally figured out was my problem was that I was slow and the mold itself was not up to or staying at a good temp. I raised my pot temp about 50 degrees over what I would usually use and everything came together and good boolits started dropping. Try raising your pot temp and see if it helps.

[Old School Big Bore]

First, scrub scrub scrub w solvent or hottest soapy water/hottest rinse/high pressure air dry. You didn't say what type of pin you had so I can't tell you the exact technique (hotplate, stove, torch or dip), but the blocks, pin and alloy all need to be pretty hot and your rate of casting needs to be pretty fast to keep things hot.

[runfiverun]

I dunno if anyone mentioned this but heat is your friend.

the other thing you might need to look at is the pin itself, is it smooth and shiny with no burrs or steps on the tip.

[45-70 Chevroner]

Hot plate, hot plate, hot plate. I have become a true beliver. I have become a much happier caster with any of my molds sence using one. Clean is also a must.

[cs86]

After reading a few post prior to this I highly advise you watch what you're doing if you use a torch or hot plate. I've tried them both. Hot plate is great, but understand how far to turn it up. I think I almost ruined a new mold after I had it way to high and let it set to long. Experiment low and work up. A torch I won't ever do again because I can't judge how long to keep it on the mold and almost ruined another mold. Heat is your friend as others have said above. I like to use a hot plate to get it semi hot then start casting at a high temp like 750 until I start frosting bullets, then turn it down until the bullets start dropping nice and keeping good fill out along edges. Tin also helps with the fill out, and it shouldn't take a lot. As others have said make sure it is also clean. Hot water and soap recommended then I wipe each clean with Q-tips and sometimes alcohol if I don't scrub them. Good luck!

[Hickok]

I know when casting Minie balls, if you polish the core pin nice and shiney it will help the fillout. Run your melt and mold HOT, and some extra tin always helps the fillout.

Should also help with HP's.

[oger]

Thanks, it was heat if the mold gets below 410deg it simply will not fill out the large hollow point above that everything is fine.

[PhantomF4E]

Already said , but bears repeating lol . Heat !! Hot pot ... Hot plate ... keep it hot ... Some extra tin to the mix can't hurt .