Constrcutive Criticism Requested (other forms allowed as well)

[theleo]

I don't have any body around me that casts so I'd like to put it up to the forum to tell me what I could be doing better.144436144437144435
I casted these this weekend and while they look good to me I'm pretty new to this and don't really know squat. The alloy is 20/1 using dead soft medical shielding lead. Boolits with rounded edges along the lube grooves, rounded bases, and uneven thickness around the cavity were culled. How did I do?

[jugulater]

looks pretty good to me, definitely worthy of being shot. lol.

you may benefit from running alittle hotter. most of my boolits are usually a tiny bit frosted.

you are on the right track for sure.

[varmint243]

shoot those
make some more
repeat

[sigep1764]

Umm, I'll take em if you really don't want them...

[country gent]

Those look very good nice finish no wrinkles or radioused corners showing. Ver solid looking fillout. How is the wieght variation on the visual keepers? Weighing can tell you alot about the consistancy of your session also. not as important with close range plinking hand gun rounds but long range match rifle bullets it can make a big diffrence.

[TenTea]

I think your bullets that survived the cull look to be stellar examples.
Shoot away!

[leadman]

I agree that running the mold a little hotter will improve the fill out. I cast all of mine frosted. If you go hotter just let the sprue cool a little longer before cutting and dumping the boolits.
If you use a tumble lube or baked on coating the frosted surface helps the lube or coating stick.

[nagantguy]

Those real nice, you'll soon get a feel and third eye for how the lead looks coming out of the pot into the mold and how quick your sprue hardens...and also we all like pretty boolits but for handgun plinking wrinkley or other wise slightly deformed ones still work fine especially with a pc type coating, I for a long time used all my rejects which I saved for someone to look at and tell me what I was doing wrong, for idpa practice and if the bases were good and the lube groves were 90% or so I noticed almost no poi shifts. Shot the same lousy scores as usual.

[fredj338]

Also agree, run the alloy a bit hotter. Even 25-30 deg can make a diff in fill out.

[theleo]

I appreciate the feedback guys.
The mold is a brass NOE .460 350gr Ranch Dog. I know running hotter helps mold fill out but as is it takes the sprue a good 10 seconds to cool to the point of being sold above the cavities and the another 3-4 to frost. I just don't want to damage my mold by pushing it to much hotter. These bullets are meant for three rifles, a Whinchester 45-90, a Marlin 45-70, and a .50 cal muzzleloader using a sabots. I'm wondering what sort of velocity threshold should I expect from the 20/1 in the Whinchester and Marlin? I'll be putting on gas checks and lubing with Carnuba Red and just want to make sure that it's a sturdy enough alloy for the 1600-1700 fps range.

The funny thing to me is that all three rifles will probably end up running close to the same speed and the muzzleloader will get the most asked of it to deliver 200 yard minute of pie plate accuracy. This is my first time asking for much of accuracy from cast boolits (I'm minute of chunk of firewood at 30 yards with handguns) and I'm just trying to lessen the learning curve a bit.

[35remington]

From what I can see the bullets looked decent enough.

Other criticism? Yep.

You cast those bullets this weekend, not "casted." "Casted" isn't a word. Grammar Nazi is in the house. Apologies for that, but hey, it's information.

[country gent]

One thing thats interesting to do and see is to track the bell curve on the wieght of the boolits dropped in a session. as the mould breaks in and your technique gets better and more consistant the weight curve becomes steeper ( fewer lights and highs wieght range and a taller narrower "bell" of bullets in the keeper wieght range. On a 350 grns wieght 1 grn +/- to start and if you want to see if it makes a diffrence sort some +/- 1/2 grn. Some tips to help lightly tap hinge pin when opening mould to provide some vibration helping to ease blocks open. Drop bullets on a soft stack of towels 4-8 deep when bullets become crowded and its hard not to drop them on each other, lift top towel off and set aside to cool. Close moulds resting on a straight edge / surface. A paint tray to catch bollits rolled edge makes a good place for this. This pre alighns blocks and saves wear on alighnment pins. Once closed a light tap or 2 to at the blocks handle joint to seat make sure they are completely closed can help at times. Pouring a large sprue takes more lead but allows for better off gassing of the mould and keeps base liquid longer. I ladle cast and pour over pot pouring a ladle full of lead letting it run off back into pot, forming a nice sprue and keeping it molten as long as possible, keeping the bullet molten longer gives time for a better fill out and less chances or inclusions. Soap and water clean blocks before each session and lube when dried. As brass blocks break in and age they aquire a nice patina casting even better.

[Old Coot]

Theleo,
Pick up your casting tempo. You should get a light overall frosting of the bullets. This will give you better fill out, and slightly larger bullets. We all like the looks of shiny boolets, but their edges are usually slightly rounded, and the lube grooves aren't completely filled out. If your sprue cuts off and leaves and leaves a rough looking crater in the bullet bottom slow down just a little and let the sprue harden a little longer. Brodie

[Digital Dan]

I appreciate the feedback guys.
The mold is a brass NOE .460 350gr Ranch Dog. I know running hotter helps mold fill out but as is it takes the sprue a good 10 seconds to cool to the point of being sold above the cavities and the another 3-4 to frost. I just don't want to damage my mold by pushing it to much hotter. These bullets are meant for three rifles, a Whinchester 45-90, a Marlin 45-70, and a .50 cal muzzleloader using a sabots. I'm wondering what sort of velocity threshold should I expect from the 20/1 in the Whinchester and Marlin? I'll be putting on gas checks and lubing with Carnuba Red and just want to make sure that it's a sturdy enough alloy for the 1600-1700 fps range.

The funny thing to me is that all three rifles will probably end up running close to the same speed and the muzzleloader will get the most asked of it to deliver 200 yard minute of pie plate accuracy. This is my first time asking for much of accuracy from cast boolits (I'm minute of chunk of firewood at 30 yards with handguns) and I'm just trying to lessen the learning curve a bit.

How hot is your melt? Somewhere right around 750* is required to handle that alloy properly. If you don't have a thermometer, well, get one.

Your bullets will work in the guns you have I'd think. I've shot paper patched pure and 20:1 in a .45-70 lever gun at 1800 fps. Was a 510 grain bullet so I'm guessing the pressure was a bit higher. Well, maybe more than a bit? The gun was good for MOA at 100 yards with that load. Anyway, load 'em up and let it rip.

[pjames32]

I cast the NOE 350gr 460 bullet for my lever 45-70. I usually cast 16:1 about 725*. I shoot at 1100-1200fps.
Cast a little faster with a little hotter alloy and you will get good bullets. It took me 3 sessions with the NOE mold for ME to get better. I'm used to iron molds.
Keep casting and shoot them!
PJ

[44man]

Can't frost that alloy! Cast with the pot at 800° for the soft lead. You will not hurt a great mold.
I don't know if you want a HP with those from rifles. Accurate, of course but maybe red mist from deer. Instant meat grinders!

[bedbugbilly]

Great job! I think they look just fine! Any self-respecting woodchuck would be honored to be shot with something that looked that nice! LOL Looks to me like you are doing just fine!

[Digital Dan]

Can't frost that alloy! You will not hurt a great mold.


There is that....

[Hawks Feather]

Thanks for your post. I think your bullets look great. Being somewhat of a novice I appreciate reading the replies to your post.

[theleo]

Digital Dan,
Yeah, you caught me. A thermometer is on the list for the next round of purchases for cast boolit stuff along with an M die for my 44 special. I'm not quite to the point of going to paper patching yet though. I'm working on getting the basics down before I introduce another variable.

44man,
I understand completely about me hollow points not really being needed, it just gives me more options on bullet weights to try to see if the rifles like them differently. The muzzle loader is the only one that's a dedicated hunting rifle, the 45-90 is around 130 years old and the 45-70 would only really see use cleaning up messes for bad shots from clients when I'm around an outfitter friend in Idaho. When those situations happen it's a matter of getting the elk down as fast as possible. The cup point or solid would work good for that me thinks.

To everyone, I appreciate the feedback. This is a great forum and I appreciate the open and free sharing of knowledge that you all provide. I'm definetly going to experiment and try the different things you've all said.

[NoAngel]

The target tells the truth and that's the only opinion that matters. There's no greater compliment a man can receive about his casting and loading than tight groups and no leading.

[44man]

I would go with the cup point, it will work for what you want. But that alloy has killed millions of bison at extreme ranges. You only need to make it accurate.

[Digital Dan]

theleo, you make me smile. I was paper patching for 12 years before I cast my first bullet.

You don't need a hollow or cupped nose with that alloy. It's soft enough that you can reasonably anticipate double caliber expansion or close to it.