Bullet drop from Lee mold

[GregLaROCHE]

Hello Everyone,

I’ve been casting with a new Lee .30cal 230gr double mold. I’m loading pure range scrap so it’s not pure lead, but still pretty soft. I need to cast really hot or I get wrinkles on the boolits.

The problem I have is one side drops perfectly. It’s as if the boolit wants to jump out! However, the side, closest to the handles, is impossible to get to drop. I’ve given up pounding on the bolt to the handles. I can pop it out with the corner of a small flat screwdriver, but because they are still pretty hot, they often break in two.

It’s very frustrating! Without exaggeration, I could cast faster only using the good side.

I have checked for burrs, but it looks just the same as the other side. I’ve casted well over a hundred times with the mold. I’ve never had to smoke or use any products before on any other new molds.

Any ideas or advice? Thanks.

[Spaceball]

Have a look at the cast bullets nose on. Is the part line dead in the middle or off to one side?
If it is off to one side like one of my molds then they will stick in the mold.
I have a 6 cavity like this that requires a lot of hits to get them out.

[Stephen Cohen]

I have fixed several of my Lee moulds by polishing the cavity with a little tooth past, centre drill a cast bullet and add a screw, fix to drill and add a little tooth past. It does not take much at low speed then clean well.Regards Stephen

[Walter Laich]

I have fixed several of my Lee moulds by polishing the cavity with a little tooth past, centre drill a cast bullet and add a screw, fix to drill and add a little tooth past. It does not take much at low speed then clean well.Regards Stephen

be careful doing this as I had a bullet hang up in the cavity and the screw went completely through it and ruined the mold

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

my advice...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?358488-Lee-menting-The-Spinning-of-boolits

[Boogedy_Man]

Good advice. I can completely see myself doing that.


be careful doing this as I had a bullet hang up in the cavity and the screw went completely through it and ruined the mold

[jdfoxinc]

If the bullet is breaking it hasn't cooled enough. Wait 30 sec + longer with the mold open, the bullet will release easier.

[GregLaROCHE]

If the bullet is breaking it hasn't cooled enough. Wait 30 sec + longer with the mold open, the bullet will release easier.

I don’t think that is the problem, because the one side drops quickly and even with cooler casts it does the same thing. I’m sure I have tapped on it for more than thirty seconds too.

I think I will try the polishing method first. Now I just need figure out what kind of abrasive to use. Polishing compound isn’t as easy to find as it once was. I don’t live near a big town with lots of automotive stores. I’ll probably have use the internet to find some.

Thanks to everyone for the advice and ideas. I’ll post the results.

One last question though. Would it be better to polish with the boolit from the same side or a boolit from the good side?

[RED BEAR]

Definitely try polishing first I've used tooth paste cleanser and lapping compound. Usually works but have a couple that are a little off center. And nothing you can do for them. If it is off center you have a single cavity mold. With one of mine both cavities were off center so it was pretty much junk. But like I said polishing usually works. Good luck.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I don’t think that is the problem, because the one side drops quickly and even with cooler casts it does the same thing. I’m sure I have tapped on it for more than thirty seconds too.

I think I will try the polishing method first. Now I just need figure out what kind of abrasive to use. Polishing compound isn’t as easy to find as it once was. I don’t live near a big town with lots of automotive stores. I’ll probably have use the internet to find some.

Thanks to everyone for the advice and ideas. I’ll post the results.

One last question though. Would it be better to polish with the boolit from the same side or a boolit from the good side?
I bought Turtle wax rubbing compound at Menards on sale for 99¢ (Home Depot or Lowes should have it)..or small town hardware store should also.
here's Walmart online for $3.50
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Turtle-Wax-Renew-Rubbing-Compound/16888958?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227010394393&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42967037792&wl4=pla-81459285032&wl5=9019601&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=16888958&wl13=&veh=sem

I don't think it matters which cavity the boolit came from for "spinning".

[David2011]

The problem I have is one side drops perfectly. It’s as if the boolit wants to jump out! However, the side, closest to the handles, is impossible to get to drop. I’ve given up pounding on the bolt to the handles. I can pop it out with the corner of a small flat screwdriver, but because they are still pretty hot, they often break in two.


Glen,

This is a little confusing. I don't see how you could cast only using one "side" of the mold. Do you mean one "end" by chance? I have seen aluminum molds get hotter on one end than the other. It was due to my casting technique/rhythm. It sounds like something is happening in the pouring process that is making the "inboard" end of the mold get hotter than the "outboard" end. Take a look at how you're filling the cavities. Are you pouring quickly or slowly? A slow pour will cause greater heat soak time at the first cavity filled and the last cavity will be cooler. Is the puddle cooling evenly or does the outboard end freeze before the inboard end? Is the puddle much bigger inboard than outboard? Look for anything that would cause uneven heating of the mold.

Keep casting with the mold. A hundred cycles is not a good break-in yet IMO. Get the temperature under control and keep running lead through the mold and you will likely see improvement soon.

[randyrat]

I polish all new molds with "Bar Keepers Friend" using a tooth brush, then scrub /wash with a good dish soap and Hot water.
The cast bullets jump! out of the mold.
Bar keeper friend is a real fine polishing cleaning powder, comes in a container like Ajax. You could use Ajax also.

[Cherokee]

Last month I bought a Lee 6Cv that would not release bullets...all 6 cavities were cut off center. Returned for full refund.

[country gent]

There are several compounds that work for simple polishing of moulds. Toothpaste is probably the most available and one of the least aggressive. Flitz is another this may be available in hardware stores gun shops . Its also a good choice for polishing smoothing out cavites. Simichrome is harder to find can be found in tool supply stores or ordered over the internet. Automotive rubbing compound is available in auto parts stores and walmarts menards . Its for removing fine scratches from clear coats and paints. I have heard of JB bore cleaner being used also.

when polishing lapping a mould most valve grinding compounds are very aggressive. Lapping compounds in desired grits are better for just polishing 800-1000 grit. Always remember even polishing removes metal and in a mould cavity its 2 for 1, for every .001 removed the bullet grows .002 so a very mild compound is best. Its not a hard process but like a lot of the old processes requires attention to details and process.

I hand lap moulds, its easier for me.

Cast a few good clean slugs from the mould
drill a hole in the center not breaking thru sides or nose I normally drill a hole for a piece of 1/8" key stock a broken off tap works as well here and a number 6 or 8 tap is better in small bullets.
I super glue the key stock or tap in the bullets and let cure. This provides a square drive end for the tap handle to clamp on.
Put a small amount of compound on a flat steel plate and roll the bullets between it and another plate to impregnate the compound into the lead.
Lightly remove excess, this excess can cause rounded fuzzy corners.
Carefully fit lap into cavity and close blocks carefully on it.
Rotate lap 1/2 turn back and forth 3-4 times and rotate 1/4 turn repeat the back and forth and repeat this thru 2-3 full rotations. repeat in each cavity. When doing the next time start in second cavity working thru them.

I would recommend you measure the cavities from face of mould to see if cavities are centered. The above fixes rough surfaces burrs and other little issues but dosnt change the center point of the bullets.

[RogerDat]

Put on the cheater eye glasses and use a wooden toothpick to rub the edge of the cavity. Small burr at that edge can cause a problem. Little rub with a toothpick can remove the burr without harming the cavity.

Try using a hand screwdriver to polish if you decide to polish by spinning a bullet with a screw in it inside the mold cavity. More control and you really are not "removing" metal so by hand will work fine.

Reverse the cavity you fill first. For some heat transfer thermal dynamics of the universe reason some molds have a cavity that won't drop if filled second but both will drop fine if the balky one is filled first. I have a round ball mold and a 44 mag mold that do that. Little more cooling time. Add a measured 5 count after you would normally open the mold. Or as someone said count a few after opening mold to let it cool.

Flip the mold upside down before tapping. A member here laid that one on me and it made a heck of a difference. Open sprue plate with gloved hand, tap handle twice without opening mold, flip mold - open mold - tap handle. He described the tap as like tapping a pencil on a desk. rapid but light. I think one gets a better path for bullet coming out with big end down and the extra second or two for tap-flip-tap process allows more lead cooling.

As a side note: I have developed a process where I tuck the mold mallet under my left arm near the armpit. Allows me to pour with right hand, then open sprue plate with right hand, pull mallet from under left arm, tap, then tuck mallet back under arm. Picking the mallet up off the bench was slower and awkward, grabbing handle sticking out from under arm went faster. I was thinking of making a holder so mold mallet would be handier and always in same spot. About that time I had to take a glove off to do some little thing. I stuck the glove under my arm like I do to keep it handy and light bulb went on. Tried mold mallet there and it just worked for me.