magma 45-70

[686]

got my magma 340 gr bullet mold yesterday. last night i made about 200 bullets. the bullets were not filled out good in the middle groves, on the side of the bullets in the center of the mold. this is a 2 cav mold. with this big bullet there is not much steel between the 2 cavities. it seamed to be frosted and not good bands. i marked the bullets to check where this was comming from and it is between the bullets. i was casting at 700 ,started cooling the mold longer and even went to 775 but eather got a not so smothed bullet or it would start frosting and not filling out. it showes up in sizing as smaller in that area also. my lead is 18 hardness. this is my first big bullet in the magma caster. is there any one useing this set up that can help me? i made some lee 340 gr same lead and had good fill out just a little touche on not getting the little alum. mold to hot and keeping it hot enugh. they sized and lubed good. i am sizing .459 . thanks

[45 2.1]

I've got that mold and had to turn the thermostat up to get it to cast good, then had to turn it down some to keep it from overheating. That mold requires you to use really good alloy that casts well for it to turn out well filled out castings. I believe a lot of the problem is the flow rate, or lack of enough flow rate, out of the bottom.

[686]

45 2.1 pm sent

[runfiverun]

hot mold ,cold alloy, that is how i run all of my magma molds
once they hit a grey color, i blow aiir on the molds occasionally to keep them at a consistent temp.

[686]

fired up the magma caster w/340 gr rn fp gc mold. took out my reg lead and put in a new batch. 50/50 ww-soft lead. worked with it about 1 hr. from 700-800 de. hot mold to too cool. never got 1 good bullet. i then took out that lead and put in some 50-50 ww- liontype. ran 700 de. there was a small window on the cooling but when you stayed in that 10-12 sec under the fain every bullet was good. i do not care what the mixture is as long as it makes good shooting bullets. i have enugh liontype to burn up the barrel. waiting on my gc to come. i know this hard bullet does not need one but wanted to try with and without the gc. now that i know this setup will make good bullets i need help with my reg lead and the softer 50-50 ww- soft lead. i do not mind using the loin. but just want to beat this problem with mt reg led. thanks

[Southern Son]

big boolits will drive you nuts. Most of what I cast is 525grain and up, and sometimes one mold wont like what another mold does.

[686]

45 2.1 i did try the 50-50 ww-soft lead and could not get good fill out. i ran it hot. after 1 hr i had o bullets . the hard 50-50 ww-lion. did give me goof fill out. what am i doing wrong and can change? i do not ming using the dard mix but would like to keep it simple and use the same mix i use for 9mm, 38, 45 acp. thanks

[45 2.1]

45 2.1 i did try the 50-50 ww-soft lead and could not get good fill out. i ran it hot. after 1 hr i had o bullets . the hard 50-50 ww-lion. did give me goof fill out. what am i doing wrong and can change? i do not ming using the dard mix but would like to keep it simple and use the same mix i use for 9mm, 38, 45 acp. thanks

Good question.............. It works fine for everything in mine. Does that mix cast ok in your handheld molds with a dipper? The soft lead might of been contaminated somehow.

[runfiverun]

tin is in your second mix try 2% with the colder lead...magma molds usually have rather sharp corners