Help -- Lead in alignment pins on Lee mold causing bullet finning

[jklein_1968]

I was casting good yesterday and toward the end of the session I was beginning to have finns on some of the projectiles. Looking at the mold I got lead in the allignment pins.

Ok what did I do to cause that? (I gladly presume operator error)

Second what is the best way to fix?

Thanks

[mooman76]

Next time youy heat up the mould to use have a brass brush handy, you know the size of a tooth brush and just lightly brush it off. I always have some stuff handy while casting like pliers, a small screw driver and brass brush. The green scratch pads work good too but get kind of hot! And by the way it just gets in there, the lead I mean so I wouldn't loose any sleep over it!

[John Boy]

Second what is the best way to fix?
Other than Lee Molds ... buy a Locking Mould Holder from Cabine Tree
http://www.castingstuff.com/cabinetree_loading_products.htm

[44man]

Make sure you are holding the handles together tight and don't try and cut sprues or drop boolits before they are set up good.
You are just being sloppy! :-D

[Jeffery8mm]

I too just had this problem and did not know what to do, so thanks for the post 1968
Jeff

[randyrat]

You can also heat your mold up real good and push your allignment pin in with a punch,you'll see some lead squeeze out brush it off with a sharp peice of wood. If your mold face get globs or smears of lead on it do the same thing using 1/2 of a wood cloths pin and scrape it off. Re lube your mold,pencil your mold face with a #2 pencil,don't get it inside the mold cavities, heat it back up and your back in business. Lead smears on your sprue plate(underside)- remove your sprue plate sand it with a light sand paper(don't remove any metal just lead) be sure to do it on a flat surface. NOW buy some Bull shop sprue plate lube and use it.

[Ricochet]

Be sure not to drop reject boolits from the mould directly back into the pot. Splashing lead will get on your mould blocks and jam them up.