Casting 300 Blackout - need help, advice

[mmesa005]

Hello All,

Last night I tried casting 300 Blackout using the Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold TL309-230-5R 30 Caliber (309 Diameter) 230 Grain 300 AAC Blackout Tumble Lube 5 Ogive Radius mold. This was my first attempt at casting rifle boolits and after several hours of trying I have only a handful of boolits that turned out well. The challenge I am having is getting the right flow of alloy into the mold in a single pour. The bulk of the boolits show signs of a double pour and some inclusions. I believe this is all due to not allowing the air in the mold to smoothly escape while being displaced by alloy?

I read somewhere else on the forum of another member having a similar problem and switching to a ladle. I would like to get the bottom pour Lee pot to work but again after trying different flow rates, adjusting the height between the mold and the bottom spout, angling the mold, the results are the same. As a sanity check I poured several mold full's of 158gr pistol boolits using a Lee 6 cavity mold. All turned out great.

Help appreciated!

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/mmesa005/Reloading/Cast%20Boolits/300%20Blackout%20Casting%202.jpg

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/mmesa005/Reloading/Cast%20Boolits/300%20Blackout%20Casting%201.jpg

[rda72927]

I just finished a run of 1100. But I have just the basic 10lb pot, but love the bottom pour Lyman ladle. I have the best results with running the pot a little hot and KEEP the mold hot. Once up and running, I run nearly 100%. I'm not bothered by a light frosting color to the cast. I have a great working sub-sonic load with this round.

[Greg_R]

I had the same problem first time I used this mold, bent bullets, would not fill out well. I started ladle pouring and it has worked well since. I find if I run a wire up the spout of my Lee 10 pound bottom pour from time to time, it will keep up a faster flow and casts the longer bullets better. Ladle still works better for me though. I was given a Lyman ladle and it made all the difference in the world!

[mmesa005]

Sounds like time to order a ladle?

What loads are you using? I have a CMMG 300 BO Upper 16.1" with a 1:7 twist.

Thanks!

[runfiverun]

you can bottom pour the 230gr lee I do it without issues.
the longer boolits generally like you to line up the hole with the spout, then a straight long pour shot directly into the cavity works the best for me.

no stuttering and the pour doesn't have to be super fast, just straight and consistent.

if all else fail hold the mold up to the spout and pressure pour it full giving a 4 count then switch to the other cavity.
don't slow down and look at the boolits just maintain a easy consistent pace.

[mmesa005]

I have been doing some additional reading and have emptied the pot to inspect and clean the spout. I will give it another go later today or tomorrow. Thanks for all the advice and help!

[Drew P]

What temp is the lead? I've been running mine 680° or so and it helped me iron out some wrinkles I think. But before I had a thermometer i couldn't say with any amount of confidence the temp coming from that incompetent temp control
system the lee pot comes with.

[mmesa005]

Sorry, missed seeing your question.. My Lyman thermometer shows 725 - 750 when I get the best results. At 700 and below I don't get good results. But remember I am new at this and still learning so take my experience with that in mind.

[popper]

My Lyman thermometer shows 725 - 750 - good temp for normal alloy. Normally don't need to drain the pot & clean, just make sure you've cleaned the alloy good. Like R5R says - good steady stream, not so fast so it will vent good. Don't bother with the small Lee ladle - ***. Of course preheat the mold and dip the sprue handle into the melt to get it to temp quickly. Scrape the top edge of the block , cavity edge, with a box knife to get better venting - just take off the sharp edge - don't remove much metal at all! I went from 40% to 6% reject rate using this technique on 170gr 30 cal boolits. Observe the flow when you pour - you will see the difference in good vs bad. My plate is ~ 1/2" from the spout. Pour near the pivot first, cut with leather gloved hand, not a mallet.
Use a toothpick on the Lee mould, to clean flash from the vent lines. My old 40SW moulds were pretty bad.

[Rich22]

Sounds like time to order a ladle?

What loads are you using? I have a CMMG 300 BO Upper 16.1" with a 1:7 twist.

Thanks!



Let me know how that bullet works in your rifle, anything over 180gr in mine I have had 0 luck with and my setup is very similar

Good luck

[mmesa005]

It's been raining but I am hoping to fire them on Friday. I don't have a chrono (on my wish list) but will let you know my experience other than that.

popper - thanks for the advice!!!

[GooseGestapo]

Looks like you also need to further clean the mold and resmoke. Looks like there is still some residual cutting fluid (oil) in the pores of the metal. Wash well with Dawn cleaning liquid and tooth brush. Wipe dry. Repeat with acetone. Should get all the residue. If not, wet the mold and lap it with cast bullet coated with tooth paste.

[armexman]

Something else to try is a mentor close by that has been casting for a while.
There are many intricate details to casting that are best answered in person.
A Lyman #3 or #4 manual is another good resource if'n no one can talk you through your problem. That is also why 99% of my blackout shooting is with the lee and NOE 155-160 boolit. I tried a friends Lee 240 and cast up 300 boolits by putting the sprue hole and stream in line with each other. Nice Boolit for Subs with H-110

[Mr Humble]

It's a common problem with long bullets. Too many people want shiny bullets but frosted ones shoot just as well. Run the temp up until they frost and spue takes 5 seconds to harden. Best way is to run 2 or 3 molds at once. They won't be shiny but the mold will fill out.

One of my big NEI .411 bullets. Frosty and accurate.

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z377/rocketcity1/450-400group_zps8f905bcf.jpg (http://s1186.photobucket.com/user/rocketcity1/media/450-400group_zps8f905bcf.jpg.html)

[Boolit_Head]

Clean that mold and run it and the melt just a bit hotter. You want it to take a few seconds to solidify to avoid just what you are running in to.

[GhostHawk]

Learn to watch your sprue, on the last cavity poured. As it hardens you should see a slight surface change in color and texture. For large bullets from that point I would start with a nice slow 1-5 count the pop sprue and open.

If you have troubles with that try a couple seconds longer, or shorter.
They key here is that each mold will have its quirks, your job is to figure out what it likes.
Once you do find them, do it the same every time for that mold and the boolits will pile up.

I agree about not bothering with the Lee ladle, the lyman with the nipple on the front works well. I've had mine since the 70's and it is still going strong. Have cast thousands of boolits in multiple calibers with it plus thousands of fishing sinkers. Once a year it gets a trip to my wire brush on the bench grinder to get cleaned up, and that is it.

If your nervous about overflowing lead on the mold find some type of steel/iron plate that you can slip under the lead pot to contain any spills. When you are done and it has cooled spills will peel off and go right back into the pot.

At this point the key is to just keep doing it, try subtle variations, find out what works and keep refining and learning. Be stubborn!

You can DO this.

[mmesa005]

Here are the actions I have taken with the advice from others on this forum (greatly appreciated!!!)


re-cleaned molds
I started monitoring the alloy temperature more closely and found that at @ 700 deg F I am getting good fill out and not quite shiny and not quite frosty boolits.
I purchased a hot plate and preheated the molds which cut down on the number of pours before I got good boolits. Also watched for overheating the molds.
I built a PID which helped keep pot/furnace temperature more constant as I noticed the pot/furnace temperature fluctuations as the alloy level went down. Now with the PID temperatures are much more stable.
Align the mold fill hole under the spout and get a more direct and steady pour of alloy.


I greatly appreciate all the advice and recognize that without a local mentor, reading through the forum, books, watching some videos, and practice, all helped with my learning!

[mmesa005]

Let me know how that bullet works in your rifle, anything over 180gr in mine I have had 0 luck with and my setup is very similar

Good luck

Rich22,

I finally made it out to the range and can report the following results:

I tried 2 loads with the Lee 300 Blackout mold using H110 9.5 / 10.0 grains seated at crimp groove. Rifle wont cycle and poor accuracy. I have read others have used as much as 11.8 with no leading so I will consider that load for my next trials?

Based on other reading in the forum I purchased and cast the Lee C312-155-2R with gas checks. 15.5 grains of H110 seated to crimp groove. These shot great! If I get no progress with the Lee 300 Blackout mold I will stick with the C312-155-2R mold with gas checks.

In both cases I used 45 45 10 - before resizing/ gas check and after.

[mmesa005]

Made it to the range today to shoot the Lee C312-155-2R resized to .309, gas check, 15.5 grains of H110 seated to crimp groove, moderate crimp, Lee 300 Blackout Die Set. These are at the 50 yard range. Shot group on the right is before adjusting scope. Center group is after adjustment. Lower right corner was shot next.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/mmesa005/Reloading/Cast%20Boolits/20160401_C309_170_F.jpg


I also cast and loaded the Lee C309-200-2R, gas check, 11.0 H110, seated to crimp groove, moderate crimp, Lee 300 Blackout Die Set. Shot at 50 yard range.

11.0 was not enough to cycle the bolt so I will have to increase the load.

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/mmesa005/Reloading/Cast%20Boolits/20160401_C309_200_R.jpg