First casting session.

[larryw]

Yea baby First casting session yesterday.
My old Lee 10 pounder did great, & YES did leak
But that's OK, It works, & for what I gave in trade, I love it!!
All 3 of the molds I got in that trade I did not have much hope for
they are all 3 in pretty rough shape, but surprisingly worked great.
That is until the spru plate screw stripped out of the Lee & the
plate went airborne?? I did not think the Ideal 358 156 would work
at all, looks like someone hit it a good one with a hammer right on
the edge of the parting line, I thought it was gonna have fins like
a fish, but it didn't?http://reloadingmadeeasy.com/forum/Smileys/default/huh.gif Here are some pics, If I can get them to work.
Not perfect by any means, not pretty, except to me, & to me, they
are beautimus. http://reloadingmadeeasy.com/forum/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif http://reloadingmadeeasy.com/forum/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif Thank's Cast boolits for all the archives / stickys
& Thank's fellow members for all the info & help. As you can see, I have
a LONG way to go, but i'll get there...

Lee 90318 2 cav. 140gr SWC.
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb424/Larryw410/0043.jpg (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/Larryw410/media/0043.jpg.html)


Ideal 358 156 155gr RNFP (cast @ 158gr)
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb424/Larryw410/0034.jpg (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/Larryw410/media/0034.jpg.html)

Ideal358 156 141gr WC. (Cast @ 150gr?)
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb424/Larryw410/0024.jpg (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/Larryw410/media/0024.jpg.html)

[1911KY]

Those are some good lookin casts! Nice work! I love the full Wad Cutters!!!

[Beagle333]

I don't know about a long way to go.... unless you store your brass across town somewhere. Load them babies up! They look great!

[35 shooter]

Nice job...your hooked for sure now! I've used the same old 'drip o matic' Lee 10 lb. pot for well over 30 years and it's still going strong. LOL thinking about upgrading to a 20 lb. for Christmas this year. Just keep a screwdriver close by!

[larryw]

I sure do thank you guy's for the kind words & encouragement, Very much appreciated..
I figured I would be getting tore apart because they are not "perfect" But I was so
proud I had to show 'em off?? LMAO Thanks again...

[s mac]

Good job, keep practicing, lots of fun. The search for moulds never ends it seems, at least in my case.

[Echo]

Way To Go, Mate! Good lookin' boolits!

[Bill in Ky]

Good lookin boolets there !!
My 10 pound Lee pot will get to dripping from time to time but a little twist with a screwdriver on the rod (mine has a slot in the end, I assume all do) and it will stop dripping..

[mdi]

Perfect?? Heck, perfect bullets (round to .0005", dead nut weight, full sharp edges, and silky smooth surface) only fall out of my molds by mistake...:bigsmyl2:

[NavyVet1959]

If you ever get fed up with dealing with the Lee pot either dripping or getting clogged up, you might want to give ladle casting a try. I took a 1-oz stainless condiment ladle that I purchased from a restaurant supply store (about $1) and drilled a 1/16" hole in the bottom. It didn't give me the lead flow that I wanted, so I then drilled it out to 3/32" and like it. I find that since I'm doing my casting above the pot with this method, I have better lighting and it's easier to see what I'm doing.

[bangerjim]

Perfect boolits.......we don't need no stinking perfect boolits! Only for bragging picture!!!!!

As long as they are round, fairly wrinkle-free, no voids, sharp edges of grooves.......load and shoot 'em!! :guntootsmiley:

Good job for the 1st time!

Now time to thing about powder coating!

banger

[nrdewalt]

They're perty!

[62chevy]

I sure do thank you guy's for the kind words & encouragement, Very much appreciated..
I figured I would be getting tore apart because they are not "perfect" But I was so
proud I had to show 'em off?? LMAO Thanks again...

Never seen anyone get tore apart on the first attempt or even the hundredth.

Larry what lube are you going to use?

[captaint]

They look a site better than my first ones. I'd be shooting them !!! Good job.! Mike

[Down South]

That is until the spru plate screw stripped out of the Lee & the
plate went airborne?? You can fix that with a Helicoil.
Your casts look great for a first timer. They should shoot fine. I see a lot of rounded edges and a few voids. You need more heat, maybe a little tin. That's a maybe. Some do fine without it. Take a look at these and compare.

[62chevy]

You can fix that with a Helicoil.
Your casts look great for a first timer. They should shoot fine. I see a lot of rounded edges and a few voids. You need more heat, maybe a little tin. That's a maybe. Some do fine without it. Take a look at these and compare.

Good looking boolits and they look way better than mine but mine look better than my first cast and Larry's boolits look a sight better than my first boolits. We will get there just takes time and persistence.

[Down South]

Good looking boolits and they look way better than mine but mine look better than my first cast and Larry's boolits look a sight better than my first boolits. We will get there just takes time and persistence.
Yes, I wish that I had more pics in my album. I probably do, just didn't want to look for them. But you have the right attitude, persistence. Time and patience pays. The boolits posted by the OP look great for a first timer. I wish mine had looked that good.

[pjames32]

Keep castin! After 40+ years casting, I'm not as critical as I once was. Make shootable bullets and shoot them!

[larryw]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it very much!! I am hooked. That silver is the
nicest silver color i have ever seen. Yep, I'm gonna love it...

62Chevy, I just got a package from Mid-Way today, A friend got me a new RCBS Lube-A- Matic 2.
It came with a tube of RCBS lube (Light Tan hollow stick) That be my lube Chev. Anybody know anything about it.
Well, should I say just as soon as I get the funds for a .358 die & flat top punch it will be my lube LOL.

[Cherokee]

Good boolits for first session. They will get better as you learn, meanwhile, get out there and shoot them. The target will not likely know they are not perefect. The RCBS lube should work OK.

[62chevy]

Nice Larry !!! RCBS makes good stuff so you should be just fine with this setup.

[jeepyj]

Maybe I'm crazy but in photo # 3 I think you meant 358091 not 358156. I shoot that the 091 in my 38 and the 156 with a GC in my 357. Nicely done. Now is time to lube and shoot and see how they meet your expectations. All good designs. Good luck!
jeepyj

[MT Beard]

Haahha, there is no hope for you now LarryW! I just started casting boolits this September with a Lee six cavity .45 mold. Now I've got three other rifle molds and am scheming on how to acquire more. Keep having fun!