A Question/New Aluminum Accurate 4 Cavity Mold

[DHDeal]

First and foremost, new to casting handgun bullets. I've cast thousands of BPCR bullets from many different Paul Jones, Brooks, Old West, Accurate, Saeco, well I have a lot of nice molds. I have spent most of my time on the paper patching forum or other BPCR forums. My normal casting session involves a 50 lb pot and a made for me casting table where I cast 1 at a time. I can cast about 200 max before I get tired or too bored to go on. My bullets are +/- .5 grain or it's a reject. I don't get many rejects.

Anyway, I figured I may as well start casting handgun bullets so I can have exactly what I want when I want. I'll lube size and powder coat then size when I get this figured out.

Now my question/problem. I am thinking I should have started with a 2 or 3 cavity mold instead of a 4 cavity as I am having a hell of a time getting more than 2 decent bullets from a pour. This handgun mold casting isn't as easy as I thought. What I really wonder is do most of you use an electric bottom pour pot? Using my ladle and this mold means I get alloy into the next hole before I am ready and you know what that means.

New electric bottom pour pot, or do I need to use my ladle a different way?

Oh, an aluminum Accurate Mold is a beautiful thing. Couldn't help it as I have 2 more 3 cavity molds on order. He lists 3 weeks as his normal delivery but my first one showed up 10 days after I ordered it. All the molds I ordered have 2 different bullets per mold. Same caliber for each mold though. He has too many choices!

[shoot-n-lead]

Read my experience with a new alum mold, this past Sunday.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?316259-Bliss

Assuming you did the prep on the mold prior to casting...give it another try with the mold preheated. You will have to play wth alloy temp, mold temp and cadence. Also, there is a good chance that the next session will have the mold getting settled and acting a lot better...and sometimes it may take 2 or 3 sessions for them to hit their stride.

[DHDeal]

I have similar experiences with every mold whether it's iron or brass. This is my first aluminum mold and also my first multiple cavity. I usually run them through my ultrasonic cleaner with hot water and a few drops of dawn. I blow them dry immediately and more times than not, they throw perfect bullets quickly. However, my first casting session is usually like mine was today. Seems all molds like at least 1 heat up cool down session, even the $$$$$ ones.

I'll admit I probably got too much Bull lube (whatever the mold lube is called) where it didn't belong. I fear the aluminum is more likely to scar than my iron/brass molds so I obviously used more than needed. I've always been told grease is cheap, parts are expensive. I guess it doesn't apply here does it.

I was wondering about how to pour into each cavity without screwing it up like I did today.

I know these handgun bullets don't need to be as perfect as the long range rifle bullets, but I prefer quality over quantity any day.

Thanks for your reply.

[shoot-n-lead]

What was bad on the bullet?

Wrinkles, bases not filled out...

I am going to say that it was not the pour, causing your problem.

Are you using a ladle?

[DHDeal]

Another thing about this mold is that the bullets (even though they looked like **** this time) just fell out of the cavities. I'm used to having to give my handle a good rap to get those 400-550 grain bullets to release. These things jump out of the mold.

[DHDeal]

What was bad on the bullet?

Wrinkles, bases not filled out...

I am going to say that it was not the pour, causing your problem.

Are you using a ladle?

Yes, ladle (I have and use both RCBS and Lyman). Alloy temp was right at 750°, 20/1 alloy. I had wrinkles on some of the first and some rounded bases.

What I was getting was the melt pouring over into the next hole before I was through with the previous one. This Accurate Mold does not have the sprue plate with the trough.

[shoot-n-lead]

Yes, ladle (I have and use both RCBS and Lyman). Alloy temp was right at 750°, 20/1 alloy. I had wrinkles on some of the first and some rounded bases.

What I was getting was the melt pouring over into the next hole before I was through with the previous one. This Accurate Mold does not have the sprue plate with the trough.

Give it another try...that was a heat issue, either the alloy or the mold...I have seen it be either one.

[DHDeal]

Oh, I am going to give it another try all right. I bet it'll start throwing out better bullets on the second go around (third, fourth, etc). I just need to figure out a better way to pour with the ladle to get each cavity filled without getting alloy into the next one too soon.

It's not as simple for me as the single cavity BIG molds. Each type of casting has it's own specific set of problems/techniques.

[RedHawk357Mag]

I ladle cast with all types of materials of molds. I have a tricked out Lee pot and used it quite a bit. But for me, using a Rowell and a cast iron pot just gives me more quality bullets, with minimal drama. As for spilling into cavities before your ready... It happens, when it does just go through your typical procedures and dump that round in the culls and go again. I tilt my molds slightly when pouring to prevent this. I pour excessive spru puddles with Alloy running off the mold and back in the pot. I try first to allow the alloy to run off a corner, tilted basically two directions. Should that not work I slightly tilt only one direction with Alloy running down the center of the mold back into the pot. I take reasonable care to ensure I keep all lead from adhering to the split by coating that edge of the mold with mold lube on the bottom of the mold and edge where excess Alloy runs off. Works for me. I wish I could get similar results with bottom pour as the heat of propane heater isn't much fun in Oklahoma summer heat.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[Wayne Smith]

I also use the Lyman ladle and tilt my molds so the excess runs back into the pot. I can use a Lee six cavity and load the ladle twice. It's just a matter of practice and watching what you are doing as you cast. Oh, the mold I load the ladle twice - a 420 gr 45-70 boolit, an old Lee custom group buy.

[DHDeal]

Good information, thanks.

I've got the 1lb Rowell ladle too. I am going to clean the mold again to make sure there isn't any extra mold lube inside of the cavities and work on technique with the ladles. The RCBS and Lyman don't hold quite enough to give me a complete pour the way I was doing it, but I was having a huge sprue.

The bullets that were good from yesterday's casting held a very tight weight and I ran them through a Lee .358" die. A very nice mold Accurate makes......

[mold maker]

Go to WalMart (Kitchen-ware dept) and purchase a SS soup ladle. Bend the handle to a more vertical position and drill a 1/16 hole in the bottom. What you have is a bottom pour/ladle with the advantages of both.
Keep the leaking ladle over your pot and slide the mold under the stream.
Saw this on both Utube and a video here on CB. It works, and the ladle holds enough to pour most any mold with just one dip.
BTW There are two ladles to choose from, and I like the deeper (smaller dia) one better. The cost is under $5. and there are several other items there that are easily adapted for casting.
NOTE: The thin aluminum mini loaf pans won't stand the heat for casting ingots. Don't ask how I know.

[clum553946]

Are you preheating your mould on a hot plate? The Accurate moulds have a sweet spot when it comes to temperature & when you find it, you are golden. They make one heck of a mould! Wrinkles & round bottoms are indicative of not being hot enough. I use a bottom pour pot & have never used a ladle, but when you get into the correct rhythm, you can crank out a ton of great bullets. I think a bottom pour pot is great, but only you can decide if it's right for you. Try preheating the mould alternately upside down to get the sprue plate up to temp. This helps eliminate rounded bases. If you have wrinkles, bump your melt temp a little at a time. I like to get the highest capacity to speed up the process & if you're having problems with certain cavities, alternate your pour sequence (ie front to back, & then back to front) to keep everything at a consistent temperature.

[DHDeal]

Again, very good information. I'm used to either iron or brass molds, so aluminum is a new deal. I sure doesn't hold temp as well, but as soon as I find the cadence I'm sure I'll be able to make a lot of bullets. I will try the front to back, then back to front for sure.

I never needed a hot plate before as I just poured a few bullets and my mold was good to go (well that and sitting on top of the pot). I'll grab one tomorrow on my trip to the store.

Thanks again,

[GWM]

I have found that with multiple cavities it can be difficult to get every pour perfect and every sprue to cool off within reason. 3 cavity molds seems to work OK for me but 4 cavity makes for more culls. I use a bottom pour. Tilting in the direction where I start keeps the overflow out of the next cavity most of the time. And the hotplate helps a lot in starting up.

[runfiverun]

2 spouts keeps even a 3 or 5 cavity mold running smoothly.
it's even easier with an even number of holes to hit.
the trick is heat, the mold needs to be in a heat window.
375-f is a good number to get it to.
once the mold is there it will start cooperating and doing what you want.

when you use the bull-plate apply it with the swipe of a Q-tip and do it when the cavity's are full.
you don't need that much and you can re-swipe the Q-tip again in a couple of pours.

[DHDeal]

Just picked up a cheap hotel plate. It has exposed coils, so I'll either just put the mold on top, or lay a small piece of metal on top. I'll figure that out quickly.

My other Accurate Mold arrived today (7 days from order) and it is also a thing of beauty. I went ahead and ultrasonicaly cleaned both aluminum molds and reassembled them. I'll cast again tonight. I figure my new mold will be cantankerous for it's first session too, but maybe the hot plate will make the difference.

[clum553946]

Did you heat cycle the new moulds?

[whisler]

Use an old circular saw blade over the coils of the hot plate. Don't put aluminum molds directly on the coils.

[DHDeal]

I like the idea of the old saw blade. I have probably about a dozen of them I've kept for no good reason.

I'll call my first attempt casting my "heat cycle" because it wasn't worth anything else.

This afternoon I had another chance at using the 4 cavity mold, and after warming it on the hot plate (and throwing the first 5 pours back into the pot) it started dropping beauties.

My ladle technique got better but I still get some melt into the next hole occasionally. I got a rhythm going and only stopped to lube the sprue plate and top of the mold ever so often. Probably cast 300 or so. This aluminum Accurate Mold really likes to run hot. I kept the alloy (20/1) at 775° and only had to the give the handle a tap to make them drop. Nice! The bullets are as smooth as my Brooks or Paul Jones molds.

It does seem that every mold, regardless of material it is made out of, needs one good heating up (heat cycle?) before they are happy. Now I have to go through the whole process again with my new .452" Accurate Molds mold. Maybe letting it warm up on the hot plate will let me cast good bullets from the get go.

Thanks for all the good information gentlemen!

[country gent]

On multiple cavity mpoulds I ladle pour into I tip the mould front a little lower than the back over the pot and start pouring farthest cavity away. This way any extra over a full spru runs off or into the full cavity. I normally fill the cavities and pour a full ladle of lead letting the excess run back into pot and keep spures and bases hot longer.

[DHDeal]

On multiple cavity mpoulds I ladle pour into I tip the mould front a little lower than the back over the pot and start pouring farthest cavity away. This way any extra over a full spru runs off or into the full cavity. I normally fill the cavities and pour a full ladle of lead letting the excess run back into pot and keep spures and bases hot longer.

I didn't do it that way, but I will for now on. More great information.

[country gent]

DH, my casting pot holds 130 lbs of alloy ( ussually 20-1) and when we cast its 3 of us sitting around it ladleing into moulds. ( we are older and have some issues so none of us are casting alone this way). I have always ladle cast overfilling the mould as described. When the other 2 seen my bullets and how clean they looked they started doing it that way also. I have even ground shallow troughs in my heavier sprue plates to control the over fill running off. On thiner plates I make a new one from 1/4" gage stock and cut the trough in it. My BPCR bullets are normally around 1 grn spread doing this. I cast 300-365 grn 38s 400-430grn 40s and 400-550 grn 45s. I have cast some of my PP cup based 45 that the machine marks from the insert showed in the bullet bases.

[gundownunder]

I'm with Mold Maker. A soup ladle with a 1/16 hole in the bottom works great on both my 4 cavity Accurate molds and my 4 cavity Mihec mold. The only thing I would watch out for is that the handle is a solid addition to the ladle, because if you buy one of the cheap flimsy ones and the handle falls off, it is going to hurt.
I use a cast iron dutch oven on a gas ring and that will hold about 40 lb of lead when full. It takes over 1/2 an hour to get up to temp but will then hold a very consistent temp even when I add another ingot to the mix. I preheat my mold by hanging it on the side of the pot while the pot gets up to temp and then I preheat my additional ingots by using them as a heat sink for my mold while the sprue hardens. This system has worked for me for the last 10 years and it's cheaper than electricity as a 20 lb gas bottle goes a loooong way.