First Cast Boolits Ever - Lee 452-200 SWC

[kenn]

I finally got to casting a bit today. I melted about 15lbs of lead from COWW into a Lee Magnum and fluxed 3x with sawdust. I cleaned my mold with comet then brake cleaner followed by smoking the mold. Everything released well, but at first, I couldn't get them to fill out. I finally dipped the corner of the mold in the lead for a bit and that helped some, but still didn't get full fill out. I had my Lee magnum on about 6 to smelt as I didn't want to melt any zinc that might have snuck in. I turned it up to about 7.5 and that seemed to get me over the hump. I still had one or two that were occasionally not filling out but I cast about 100 when I finally got up to temp and most of the last 30 or so were keepers. I kept about 40 of the total of 100 and called it a day as I now have an idea of what I'm in for. I'll need to get the pot off the driveway or my back won't last. Here's a sample of the boolits...

106836

And thanks to all the answers to all my questions. I became an "expert" from this site before I ever started and seems like the results paid off. Now I just need to get in a rhythm and crank out a couple thousand.

[Bill in Ky]

Looking good..
Those are shooting good in my XDs..

[jonp]

My kahr likes that weight. Good deal!

[kenn]

One more bit of data to add: They are coming out about .455 diameter at the base and are coming in between 202 and 205 grains each. This is 100% clip on wheel weight. I quenched up just because I wanted to handle them long before they cooled. It will be at least a week before I can load them and see if the work well in the 1911.

[chsparkman]

They look good Kenn. I think you're in the right track.

[gray wolf]

Good going, now that you know what they look like you can stop water dropping them, totally unnecessary for a 45 acp. also the numbers on the pot most times do not mean anything, if you don't sort out the zinc then you need a thermometer to stay below about 680*
Nice to have a new caster, welcome.

[twc1964]

Well your first boolits look a whe lot better than my first ones! Mine looked like a wrinkled piece of aluminum foil! lol. I'm still trying to get the hang of it but still have many culls. fun though, ain't it.

[scattershot]

Looking good! Try those over 4.0 Red Dot.

[Beerd]

yup, those are keepers alright. good work.
whatcha using for loob?
..

[flyingmonkey35]

So..


How you going to lube em?

Alox
45/45/10
Powder coat
Panlube?

They look great btw

[Driver man]

Good looking boolits. Well done

[Goesfaster]

Great job. Amazing how much hard earned information is freely given, a testament to the quality of the people on this site. I am far from an expert....but I too felt like reading threads here FIRST really helped.

[WILCO]

They look good. Welcome aboard!

[kenn]

yup, those are keepers alright. good work.
whatcha using for loob?
..

Several on here and other forums suggested that Hornady One Shot lube for the mold would work fine. I have it and used it and let it dry 24 hours before using it. Hopefully that's actually OK. I've read other reports about melting a small amount of wax into the hinges but chose the one-shot route.


So..


How you going to lube em?

Alox
45/45/10
Powder coat
Panlube?

They look great btw


They look good. Welcome aboard!

I haven't decided on lubing them just yet. I was going to try Alox knowing that I may have a slightly tacky product when done. I'll order some 45/45/10 perhaps, but I have Alox already as it came with the sizing die. Also considering trying PC.

BUT..... I now have a new issue. The sprue handle apparently weakened during my casting as it literally just "fell" off. It cracked around the pin that holds it on the sprue plate and after inspection, I've found that it is a cast, grainy metal. Some call it pot metal. I believe the correct term is sintered. Regardless, I PM'd Kal to get one of his handles as well as a free replacement from Lee. I can see this happening more often and that thing is seriously weak at that point.

[Cherokee]

Welcome to the fun of casting. You are off to a good start....good boolit choice too.

[petroid]

Which mold are you using? Sounds like a lee 6cav. If so, they take a while to get up to temp and you have to cast fast to keep them hot. Even my two bangers take a while to get hot even preheated on top of pot. A hot plate should make this easier

[62chevy]

Good looking boolits Kenn !!!! I use 45/45/10 from White Label but in strong consideration of going the PC route. PC is a little more work that tumble lubing but in the end just might be worth the effort. The advantage I see with PCing boolits is you don't have to worry about lead hardness so much and just cast what you have. I don't hunt and only plink or shoot paper so as long as they don't fall apart in the barrel I'm good.

[kenn]

Which mold are you using? Sounds like a lee 6cav. If so, they take a while to get up to temp and you have to cast fast to keep them hot. Even my two bangers take a while to get hot even preheated on top of pot. A hot plate should make this easier

Yeah, a hotplate is in the works as I have struggling to keep the mold temperature high enough. Generally 4-5 would cast clean and 1-2 wouldn't fill out. I was moving quickly, but I'm certain the mold wasn't hot enough. I'll pick up a hotplate as soon as I replace the broken sprue handle. I'd rather the sprue pour to take a little longer to frost than constantly have to sort bad boolits. The hot plate will fix my issue, i'm sure.


Good looking boolits Kenn !!!! I use 45/45/10 from White Label but in strong consideration of going the PC route. PC is a little more work that tumble lubing but in the end just might be worth the effort. The advantage I see with PCing boolits is you don't have to worry about lead hardness so much and just cast what you have. I don't hunt and only plink or shoot paper so as long as they don't fall apart in the barrel I'm good.

Thanks! I may just skip Alox entirely and go white label and see if I can get no leading out of tumble lube. If i can, I'll selve the PC idea as I'm all for "quick".

[leadman]

The Lee 6 cavity sprue plate handle will break if the mold id too cold and you try to cut the sprues. Andy Lee suggests now to preheat the mold in the hot alloy until the lead does not stick to it. This does work. It takes a couple of minutes for the heat to travel to the rear of the mold so some boolits may still be wrinkled at first.
Now that you have good looking boolits to lube I recommend looking at the powder coating or Hi-Tek lube. Initial investment is probably a little less than buying a new luber/sizer but the results are far superior.
It does not hurt to water quench boolits for the 45 acp and I recommend it. As long as the boolit seals the bore you are good to go. When I cast and then water quench I drop a mold on a towel intermittently and quickly inspect the boolits just to make sure they are casting with no issues. It is disappointing to cast a pot full of alloy and then find out there was a problem with the mold.

[hd09]

Hot plate is a must. They should include one with a furnace when they are sold but that ain't gonna happen. You are off to a great start.

[kenn]

The Lee 6 cavity sprue plate handle will break if the mold id too cold and you try to cut the sprues. Andy Lee suggests now to preheat the mold in the hot alloy until the lead does not stick to it. This does work. It takes a couple of minutes for the heat to travel to the rear of the mold so some boolits may still be wrinkled at first.
Now that you have good looking boolits to lube I recommend looking at the powder coating or Hi-Tek lube. Initial investment is probably a little less than buying a new luber/sizer but the results are far superior.
It does not hurt to water quench boolits for the 45 acp and I recommend it. As long as the boolit seals the bore you are good to go. When I cast and then water quench I drop a mold on a towel intermittently and quickly inspect the boolits just to make sure they are casting with no issues. It is disappointing to cast a pot full of alloy and then find out there was a problem with the mold.

Leadman,

Thanks for the info. I was dipped for a couple of minutes and that was the only way to get it hot enough. Call #1 the bulled farthest from the handle (the end that would dip). After dipping, 1, 2, 3 would form fine. 4, 5, and 6 were laggards. 5 and 6 were very stubborn even after dipping and moving quickly to keep the mold hot. I'm going to need that hotplate, I think, to get it really hot and keep it there as I have a fan on me from behind to keep smoke away and I think that is contributing to rapid mold cooling.

[nagantguy]

Welcome home kenn, mighty fine boolits you sure this is your first rodeo? Keep that 6er hot and good things will fall from it

[62chevy]

My casting has improved by using a hot plate to heat the molds. Turn them on the sprue plate to heat that first then right side up and last a couple of minutes on the sprue again and you should be good to go. Still dip a corner in the melt just to make sure.

[338RemUltraMag]

Several on here and other forums suggested that Hornady One Shot lube for the mold would work fine. I have it and used it and let it dry 24 hours before using it. Hopefully that's actually OK. I've read other reports about melting a small amount of wax into the hinges but chose the one-shot route.





I haven't decided on lubing them just yet. I was going to try Alox knowing that I may have a slightly tacky product when done. I'll order some 45/45/10 perhaps, but I have Alox already as it came with the sizing die. Also considering trying PC.

BUT..... I now have a new issue. The sprue handle apparently weakened during my casting as it literally just "fell" off. It cracked around the pin that holds it on the sprue plate and after inspection, I've found that it is a cast, grainy metal. Some call it pot metal. I believe the correct term is sintered. Regardless, I PM'd Kal to get one of his handles as well as a free replacement from Lee. I can see this happening more often and that thing is seriously weak at that point.

Sir,

I am looking for a few H&G 68 samples, if you would send me a few I would happily trade one of my steel cam levers. Shoot me a PM and we can make it happen!

[3006mv]

This is my new favorite boolit and mold. I only have the 2 cavity. I agree w/ previous poster, on top of 4.0 gr Red Dot, good load! Why do some not like the new bevel base design? I don't have any issues with it.

[kenn]

This is my new favorite boolit and mold. I only have the 2 cavity. I agree w/ previous poster, on top of 4.0 gr Red Dot, good load! Why do some not like the new bevel base design? I don't have any issues with it.

I've seem many mentions about lubesizer lube getting squished around the bevel but since I'm doing TL, it's not an issue. I didn't expect to have such success with my first rounds shot with this boolit but a small sample fired well. Now to ramp up and find best accuracy load...