Ascking casters verdict

[Motard]

I have been casting since e few month for 45-70 but just twice for 30-30 (with issues described in other post). Now while the two Lyman steel single cavity molds I have semms needing needs a some good heating before dropping axceptables boolits the LEE 170-fn-GC seems way harder. I tossed the first ten/fiftynn bulletts, dropped a corner of the mold in the lead, rised the temp steady at 750 before seeing some fullfilled boolits. And this only from one cavity while the other doesn't fill. I have tried speeding as well as slowing the process but no matter: one fill the other doesn't. Here are some samples of my today trial. I seated on the left the ones with some wrinkles but will love to ear from you if I have to discard, or I may use them 153194at the range. I have also bought me a MiHec-308-Hunting-Boolit-2 but never used it. I read that also e (very) few zinc in the alloy can ruin a brass mold for ever so I will keep it untill I will change my actual scrap coming WW alloy.

[Walter Laich]

something to try though you won't get keepers from this

try filling the molds with the sprue plate open (not over the cavities). If the bullets come out acceptable then you might want to consider opening the holes in the sprue plate. Could be lead is hardening before you get the cavities filled.

FWIW I do my casting with the temp at 720 F so 750 is not that hot.

[Tatume]

The mold is not hot enough, or not clean enough. It is most likely not hot enough. Cast more bullets, faster and let the mold heat up. Frosty bullets are good bullets.

That said, shoot the wrinkled bullets. They will probably shoot just fine.

[Yodogsandman]

It sometimes takes 3 or 4 complete heat cycles with a new mold for the wrinkles to go away. Probably from manufacturing oils trapped in the pores.

It could also be the sprue plate is too tight preventing the mold from venting correctly.

Also the top edge might need to be relieved to allow proper venting. Relieve by stoning, filing or sanding a very slight 45* degree angle on the top edges.

[stubbicatt]

If you are using bottom pour, try ladle casting. Press the nozzle into the sprue plate taper from 90 degrees, turn the whole assembly vertical for a count of 2 seconds or so, then pull the ladle nozzle away and pour your sprue. Sometimes this works. At least it works better on my 32-40 bullets than does bottom pour.

[GhostHawk]

All the above! To which I will add that each mold has its own preferences, it is our job to figure those out. Some molds I use a dipper and pour lead on the bottom with the mold held nearly vertical to get them warm enough. Some just like a fast tempo, others like a more measured rate.

I would add that the .357/38special seems to be the easiest to please.

Stick with it, keep reading, casting, take notes.

[robg]

some molds like the lead to swirl in, some like to be close to the spout

[country gent]

Also on long bullets getting the lead in fast before the first part starts to cool is a plus. CAsting bullets 1 3/8"- 1 7/16" long is diffrent than short fat pitol bullets. Keep flow up as high as possible fill mould quick and pour a large sprue. the large sprue helps keep base hot allowing gasses and impurities to work out. On multiple cavity moulds yu may want to break in by casting one cavity hard till good bullets show then adding additional cavites one at a time. filling the cavities there are several things to try. a fast pour down center of sprue with mould slightly angled or straight about 3/4" below spout. A pour with the spout seated in the sprue hole allowing pressure to fill moulds from pot or ladle. Pouring a sprue that almost or does run off the side of the moulds. Keep temp up around 750 or so to start and once you get good bullets start working with temps lowering slowly in 10* or so increments. Keep detailed notes of what you have done and what works dosnt so it can be repeated.

[Hickok]

If you are using bottom pour, try ladle casting. Press the nozzle into the sprue plate taper from 90 degrees, turn the whole assembly vertical for a count of 2 seconds or so, then pull the ladle nozzle away and pour your sprue. Sometimes this works. At least it works better on my 32-40 bullets than does bottom pour.My method also.

When I start melting the alloy down, I lay my mold across the top of the pot so it can heat up as my alloy is melting. Some fellows have hot plates and so forth they use to pre heat the mold. Me, I have an extra Lee 10 pound electric pot that I throw my sprue into while casting, and I simply lay my mold on top of it to preheat while I am getting my separate main melter and alloy up to casting temp.

Setting on top of the inexpensive Lee 10 pound furnace for about 15 to 20 minutes as even thing gets ready for casting, I can usually begin casting good boolits immediately with iron molds or aluminum.

Also watch for any "breezes" or air temperature change around your casting area, as outside air temp. changes can really affect your molds and how well they drop boolits.

Leave a large sprue puddle on top of the sprue plate, as this will heat a mold quicker.

[Wayne Smith]

One cavity casting and the other not is often a venting problem. One cavity is venting and the other is not. If you have a good sprue hole that may be your problem.

[mdi]

I too would think the mold is not hot enough. I eliminated nearly 95% of my rejects when I got a hot plate and got/kept my molds hot. BTW I believe aluminum molds lose temperature fairly fast and once my molds are up to good casting temp., I turn down the hot plate a bit and rest the mold on it between pours (whenever I'm inspecting fresh bullets, or dumping sprues, etc.).

[Blackwater]

Motard, I think you're getting very good advice here. It may be worth noting that many of us here were at one point where you are now, and had to learn by just trying things and seeing what kind of results we got, and making notes and refining our techniques, alloy and temps of pot and mold. It all matters, and you're going about the learning process in a very intelligent and organized way. This should lead you to not long from now, wondering why you ever shoot jacketed in anything except maybe your long range, high performance rifles. Shooting cast will allow you to practice MUCH more than shooting expensive factory ammo now, and practice will show when you get an opportunity to shoot for more serious purposes. I applaud your efforts. Keep going like you're going, and you'll be able to teach others how to do it also, and that will make for a very enjoyable time. It's no fun shooting or reloading alone, without someone to compare notes with locally, and when you're pursuing a technical skill like casting and loading and shooting, two heads are always better than one. Don't know what kind of lube you're using, but once you get your casting down to where you're making really good and consistent bullets, you can expand out into trying different lubes, and seeing how that affects things. By then, you ought to be a really good shot, too, and that's always a good skill to have, and lets us feel a bit proud of our humble efforts, and as long as we remember none of us knows it all, that's a GOOD thing. I sure wish I'd had this board way back when I was new at this. It would have made my progress MUCH easier and quicker! And the best thing is that you can get input here from some of the best folks on the 'net. Great guys, and very knowledgeable here.

[RED333]

Also on long bullets getting the lead in fast before the first part starts to cool is a plus. CAsting bullets 1 3/8"- 1 7/16" long is diffrent than short fat pitol bullets. Keep flow up as high as possible fill mould quick and pour a large sprue. the large sprue helps keep base hot allowing gasses and impurities to work out. On multiple cavity moulds yu may want to break in by casting one cavity hard till good bullets show then adding additional cavites one at a time. filling the cavities there are several things to try. a fast pour down center of sprue with mould slightly angled or straight about 3/4" below spout. A pour with the spout seated in the sprue hole allowing pressure to fill moulds from pot or ladle. Pouring a sprue that almost or does run off the side of the moulds. Keep temp up around 750 or so to start and once you get good bullets start working with temps lowering slowly in 10* or so increments. Keep detailed notes of what you have done and what works dosnt so it can be repeated.

I have found this very helpful, it is the way I cast long boolits.

[Hickok]

Motard, I think you're getting very good advice here. It may be worth noting that many of us here were at one point where you are now, and had to learn by just trying things and seeing what kind of results we got, and making notes and refining our techniques, alloy and temps of pot and mold. It all matters, and you're going about the learning process in a very intelligent and organized way. This should lead you to not long from now, wondering why you ever shoot jacketed in anything except maybe your long range, high performance rifles. Shooting cast will allow you to practice MUCH more than shooting expensive factory ammo now, and practice will show when you get an opportunity to shoot for more serious purposes. I applaud your efforts. Keep going like you're going, and you'll be able to teach others how to do it also, and that will make for a very enjoyable time. It's no fun shooting or reloading alone, without someone to compare notes with locally, and when you're pursuing a technical skill like casting and loading and shooting, two heads are always better than one. Don't know what kind of lube you're using, but once you get your casting down to where you're making really good and consistent bullets, you can expand out into trying different lubes, and seeing how that affects things. By then, you ought to be a really good shot, too, and that's always a good skill to have, and lets us feel a bit proud of our humble efforts, and as long as we remember none of us knows it all, that's a GOOD thing. I sure wish I'd had this board way back when I was new at this. It would have made my progress MUCH easier and quicker! And the best thing is that you can get input here from some of the best folks on the 'net. Great guys, and very knowledgeable here.Excellent advice, a big thumbs up! And don't be afraid to try different techniques when filling the mold. Sometimes I will vary which cavity I fill first on a two cavity mold to get a good fillout on the boolits. Try one cavity for awahile and then go to the other. Some molds seem to have a mind of their own about what they like to drop good boolits.

Casting is as much an art as it is a science at times!

[OnHoPr]

All molds have their idiosyncrasies with heat temps and pouring and the cooling stage. As noted in above comments there has been good advice given as well in your previous post on the subject. It still seems that you are new to casting. Those boolits will still put holes in paper, plinking, and general hunting situations. The aesthetics will get better with more practice. I think I mentioned in one of your previous post that even with the mold up to temp as well as the alloy if you interrupt the silver stream significantly while pouring the wrinkles will appear. So, if using a ladle and you miss your cadence with either your mold hand or ladle hand you could create wrinkles in the boolit. If you are using a bottom pour and you move your mold hand significantly or interrupt the stream with the lever hand you could do the same. If you have to many coffees or similar while casting this could make your hands a little wiggly as well.

[Motard]

Getting started I only have a 10 pounds cheap Lee furnace (well non that cheap here: runs nearly 70 E) so I am ladding only. I bought both the Lee ladder and the Lyman (costs about half a furnace) but to be honest I way prefer the Lee unitill now. I added to furnace a good thermometer. Generally speaking casting with the Lyman molds is a charm. Not that I am sayng that I cook wonderfully, but only that is way easier for me. The Lee, once heated, whorks as well but as said only in single cavity mode (I too was wondering a venting problem Wayne). I will try to file a little the back sprue hole (the one on the cavity wich doesen't fill) so to have the other functioning (thanks Yodogsandman). Thankyou all for advises :).
BlacWater: for the lubes I have a local version of Ben's and Recluse's formula. Being impossible to find the same components (expecially Jhonson's) I developed similar lubes with what I can have on handy. I have tested on my 45-70 with no leading at all. Being 30-30 a faster round verdict is still penng for this cal. My process: I seat gas-check in place by hands, tumble lube them in Alox plus my "special" furniture wax with similar component to Jb, size in the Lee sizer that also is suppose square GC seating, let them dry (quick process) diplube in 45 L.A. +45 EcoWax (beeswax-carnauba compund) + 10 MS. Let them sit overnight and retumble again.

[P Flados]

FYI,

I have a number of Lee molds.

Some are more finicky than others.

My two cavity C309-170-F is actually one of least finicky. I get a much low cull percentage than most.

The wrinkles in the pictures do look like the mold was not hot enough.

[Hickok]

Motard, we are just like doctors in conference with a patient. We would like have you come back and tell us of any improvements.

Something I learned years ago casting big .58 caliber hollow base minie balls, don't be afraid to run your pot/alloy and your molds on the"hot" side. You can always back it down when needed.

Also if you don't have any tin, go to your hardware store, buy a roll of solder, (check label to get highest tin content, the dang stuff is expensive) and throw some into pot with your alloy, it can work miracles in getting good boolit fillout.