Cast my first bullets tonight!

[AFK]

I received my LEE pot in the mail today and I just had to try it out. I had some clean ingots of range scrap so I decided to give my pot and new molds a try. I didn't figure I would get any great results tonight, but I wanted to play around with flow rate, temp of melt, temp of molds, etc. I still want to order a thermometer so I can log temp when it seems to be right. I experimented with higher melt temp and lower melt temp to try to see the differences. I wanted to see how the bullets would drop when things were too cold and too hot and what they looked like. It took me a while just to figure out what the flow rate should be to get a nice sprue puddle. After I started dropping, what I considered to be, decent bullets, I let them cool and measured them. The mold was a LEE TL452-2302R. The bullets were measuring .451 and were very frosty. I lowered the temp of the mold unitl the puddle hardened at about 5 seconds and I added a little pewter to the mix. By the end I have bullets that meaure .452-.453 and weigh 234-235 grains, although only a handful. I also tried the LEE 356-120-TC mold and was dropping bullets at .358 that weighed 124 grains.

I have a couple of questions too. I am going to check the BHN of these bullets, but it seems to me that they might be a little soft due to the fact that they are weighing heavy. Would that be a correct assumption? I am going to start out with a BHN of around 12 for .45 ACP, 9 mm, .38 Special, and .380. If they are a little soft and heavy, should I add a little lino?

Anyways, below are a few pics from my phone. I am wondering about the bases. It seems like they taper a slight bit at the absolute bottom. Should they be 100% straight? Any critiqueing would be appreciated. I am looking forward to smelting some of my lead, in a different pot outside, in to ingots and really spending some time casting and learning. I am gonna take the handful of bullets I have now and try out the 45/45/10 lube recipe and run them through my LEE sizers just to learn how all of that works.

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee516/afkeating74/3-2.jpg (http://s1231.photobucket.com/user/afkeating74/media/3-2.jpg.html)

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee516/afkeating74/2.jpg (http://s1231.photobucket.com/user/afkeating74/media/2.jpg.html)

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee516/afkeating74/1.jpg (http://s1231.photobucket.com/user/afkeating74/media/1.jpg.html)

[Big Steve]

Congrats! You are well on your way now!

[Bzcraig]

They look great and the beveled base is the way they are made.

[Garyshome]

Well done!

[websterz]

Very nice for a first casting session!

[John Guedry]

Wish my first one's came out like that.

[s mac]

Your off to a fine start, after sizing them load them and shoot. I do find a thermometer while not totally required is helpful, you would be surprised at temp swings when adding ingots etc.
I don't load any pistols you mentioned but I'd think you alloy is plenty tough enough.

[Bill in Ky]

Good job on those!!
Like most of us....your hooked
d:^)

[gwpercle]

Doing good! Keep on keeping on and welcome to the addiction.
Don't worry about too much about hardness, load and shoot and see how they work.
After years of using straight wheel weights discovered 50/50 WW and lead works better even out of 45 acp and 9mm Luger. Hard boolits are over rated. Size and proper lube is much more important.
I cast mine just below frosting, have never owned a thermometer .
Gary

[pretzelxx]

Wish my boolits came out that nice looking. I'm working on it though!

[AFK]

Thanks for the tips and kind remarks. I already slugged my barrels and have some assorted sizers. I will be sizing and making some dummy rounds to see if they pass the plunk test.

[Shiloh]

Wait till you shoot your product. ;)

Shiloh

[Boolseye]

Looking great. As others mentioned, they don't need to be harder than 12-14 bhn. I like to water drop mine.
-BE

[62chevy]

Awesome looking boolits and you have it going on with the dummy rounds and slugging your barrel.

[CPL Lou]

Welcome to the addiction !
Nice looking boolits!

CPL Lou

[AFK]

they don't need to be harder than 12-14 bhn

Good to know, I am going to try to zero in on 12.

[strobro32]

Congratulations! They look good.

I started last month and had good luck too. I wish it was good luck but.... mostly I spent a long time listening to these guys.

The only problem now is sending my hard work down range. :)

[gray wolf]

Great job with your new hobby,--AND a great job with the casting.
They look very good and should give you pleasure shooting them.

[JohnH]

You've gone and done it now. Look forward to having molds for calibers/cartridges you don't own, heck you'll prolly end up buying molds to justify buying a gun to go with it. You're gonna become a salvage yard junkie (if you ain't already), your wife is gonna be complainin' that you don't spend any time with her, your kids will be searching the streets for their wandering father. :kidding:

Nice boolits, a very good start. If you're gonna use 45-45-10, they will likely not need any sizing, just add lube, seat and shoot. Enjoy!