My First Cast Bullets

[DaveTNC]

After years of lurking here and on other sites and reading about casting and watching videos about casting I finally decided to try it. I picked up a small Lee Melter, Lee Ladle, and a couple of 2-cavity Lee molds from Titan Reloading, and some range lead ingots from a seller here.

Today was the day. Started up the pot with a couple of pounds of lead in it and cleaned and smoked the new molds. After the lead was melted I turned the pot down to "6" . Skimmed the little bit of junk off the top and laid the ladle in the molten lead and the mold on the rim of the pot for a few minutes. After several casts of wrinkled and not filled out ones I turned up the pot to "6.5", and they started looking better, but the tumble lube grooves weren't being formed good. So I went to "7" and finally started getting some that at least looked like they were close to right.

But they still don't look completely right to me. Some of the grooves look frosted, but not fully formed.

The biggest issue I had, other than getting the temperature adjusted, is that the little Lee Ladle sucks. it doesn't really pour out of the little spout formed into the side of it, and only held about 1-1/2 bullets worth of lead. I started using a dip for each cavity. I need a real casting ladle or eventually I may get a bottom pour pot.

These vary in weight from 158.6 to 159.5 grains. As for diameter, the best I can tell using my cheapie Harbor Freight calipers is that most are right at .3585, with a couple each at .3575, .358, and .359.

Here's the picture of the one's I kept. Any hints, tips, comments, or criticism are welcome.:)

225439

[tazman]

The ones in the picture look good to me. I would shoot them.
Getting your mold up to heat is always an issue and causes wrinkles and boolits that don't fill out correctly. Lightly frosted boolits are not a problem.
IF you read the Lee instructions, it told you to heat the mold by holding part of it in the molten lead for a few seconds to heat the mold up. This works and can be fine tuned by experimenting. For me, 30 seconds works well with double cavity molds. If using 6 cavity molds, you can hold it in longer. Make sure you keep the mold blocks closed as you do this.
As far as temp controls on the pot, I set mine at full temp and turn it down as the mold continues to heat up. Each pot and mold combination seems to vary a bit as to what temp setting works best.
Keeping the mixture a little too hot for fastest casting just costs you a little time waiting for the sprue to cool. It won't hurt anything as far as the boolits are concerned.
When casting with a dipper, I use an old Lyman dipper that holds enough for several of those boolits you are making.

[DaveTNC]

Thanks, Tazman. I'll try dipping the mold next time. I remember reading that in the instructions, but I see so many people just lay the molds on the pot that I tried that first.

As slow as I am right now, I don't think I'll have a problem with the sprue getting too hot. As a matter of fact, I was told that it looked like the bases weren't filled out good because my sprue may be too cool. I might turn the temperature up some next time. A new ladle may help that, too.

I'm getting the idea that my mold just wasn't quite as hot as it should have been.

Dave

[RayinNH]

Dave those look fine. I've read on more than one occasion from Mike Venturino (who does show up here once in a while) that flaws in handgun bullets doesn't amount to spit for plinking purposes, you know tin cans, plates or dueling tree. That does not suggest that you shouldn't try for good castings though but that an occasional raisin doesn't have to be thrown back.

Not knowing what that lead is as far as makeup, sometimes a bit of tin added can help with fill out with those tiny tumble lube grooves.

That bullet is a very good shooter in .38 specials. I've never tried it in the .357 though. Good luck.

[RU shooter]

Them ones look ok to me ! Not perfect but at accuracy at plinking distance I doubt anyone be able to tell the difference . Yep the Lee ladle is pretty sad . Find yourself a Lyman ladle . You'll get better at this just keep going at it .

[tazman]

Thanks, Tazman. I'll try dipping the mold next time. I remember reading that in the instructions, but I see so many people just lay the molds on the pot that I tried that first.

As slow as I am right now, I don't think I'll have a problem with the sprue getting too hot. As a matter of fact, I was told that it looked like the bases weren't filled out good because my sprue may be too cool. I might turn the temperature up some next time. A new ladle may help that, too.

I'm getting the idea that my mold just wasn't quite as hot as it should have been.

Dave

The bases on those are fine. They are designed with a slight bevel on the base. No problems there at all. Look at the picture on the Lee website for that boolit.
https://leeprecision.com/6-cavity-tl358-158swc.html

[Tripplebeards]

I'd shoot them. Next time try bumping the heat up one number and get the mold a little hotter. The bases will have nice sharp edges. Nice job. All you have to do is place a $21 order to smoke fir a pound of powder and som bb's then head over to the $1 store and buy somtupperware to tumble.

[upnorthwis]

I recommend a casting thermometer as your next purchase. Just because the lead is melted doesn't mean it's hot enough. I don't even start casting till it's 750.

[Tom W.]

I have one TL bullet mold, an old Ranch Dog 165 gr. I use it for my 30/30 and 30-06 A.I. for plinking and fire forming.
Those bullets look fine, and as stated earlier, a paper target or metal plate ain't gonna complain about a little wrinkle. If your bases are good, they'll shoot.
There's a lot of different tumble lubes out there, Check with White Label Lubes for some 45-45-10. I use plain old JPW for a tumble lube and it is just great. I don't like Lee LLA, but from what I've read about the 45-45-10 it's supposed to be the best stuff since sliced bread... Ask Glen @ WLL for his suggestions. He's very knowledgeable about his craft.

[John McCorkle]

Well done, and congratulations!

Glad you took the plunge and started casting. Those pills look fine and I'd send them right along their way.

With aluminum molds (like Lee) the pace you cast at also makes a difference in your mold temp. Mold temp is what matters most...you can have super hot lead and a cold mold and get poor bullets but a hot mold is hard to beat...casting at a pace that keeps this mold temp higher takes time when learning the rhythm and mechanics so that it's axiomatic...but once you get it down, it's a great feeling.

Good luck and don't get frustrated...you're doing great so far

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

[DaveTNC]

Thanks for all the replies...


Dave those look fine. I've read on more than one occasion from Mike Venturino (who does show up here once in a while) that flaws in handgun bullets doesn't amount to spit for plinking purposes, you know tin cans, plates or dueling tree. That does not suggest that you shouldn't try for good castings though but that an occasional raisin doesn't have to be thrown back.

Not knowing what that lead is as far as makeup, sometimes a bit of tin added can help with fill out with those tiny tumble lube grooves.

That bullet is a very good shooter in .38 specials. I've never tried it in the .357 though. Good luck.

Thanks, I know they're not perfect, but I figured they were good enough to plink with, which is what most of my shooting is.


Them ones look ok to me ! Not perfect but at accuracy at plinking distance I doubt anyone be able to tell the difference . Yep the Lee ladle is pretty sad . Find yourself a Lyman ladle . You'll get better at this just keep going at it .

The Lee ladle was a big disappointment. I didn't expect much for $6, but I had hoped it would do better than it did.


The bases on those are fine. They are designed with a slight bevel on the base. No problems there at all. Look at the picture on the Lee website for that boolit.
https://leeprecision.com/6-cavity-tl358-158swc.html

Thanks, I see that now. So I guess they're better than I thought.:smile:


I'd shoot them. Next time try bumping the heat up one number and get the mold a little hotter. The bases will have nice sharp edges. Nice job. All you have to do is place a $21 order to smoke fir a pound of powder and som bb's then head over to the $1 store and buy somtupperware to tumble.

I'm going to shoot them. I have come to the conclusion that both my lead and my mold could stand to be a little hotter. The best ones came out toward the end of my short session and I think that among other things it was because temperatures were getting up where they needed to be.

I plan to look into powder coating later. These will probably just get a light coat of Lee Liquid Alox on them. One new thing at a time.:)


I recommend a casting thermometer as your next purchase. Just because the lead is melted doesn't mean it's hot enough. I don't even start casting till it's 750.

I've been looking at thermometers but not ought one yet. Might have to wait until I get a better dipper/ladle. But from various comments here and on another forum, I think the lead and mold may have both been a little cool.


I have one TL bullet mold, an old Ranch Dog 165 gr. I use it for my 30/30 and 30-06 A.I. for plinking and fire forming.
Those bullets look fine, and as stated earlier, a paper target or metal plate ain't gonna complain about a little wrinkle. If your bases are good, they'll shoot.
There's a lot of different tumble lubes out there, Check with White Label Lubes for some 45-45-10. I use plain old JPW for a tumble lube and it is just great. I don't like Lee LLA, but from what I've read about the 45-45-10 it's supposed to be the best stuff since sliced bread... Ask Glen @ WLL for his suggestions. He's very knowledgeable about his craft.

These will get straight Alox, but I'm planning to mix up some 45/45/10 or Ben's Liquid Lube when I gt a chance. I've been reading good things about both of them on here.


Well done, and congratulations!

Glad you took the plunge and started casting. Those pills look fine and I'd send them right along their way.

With aluminum molds (like Lee) the pace you cast at also makes a difference in your mold temp. Mold temp is what matters most...you can have super hot lead and a cold mold and get poor bullets but a hot mold is hard to beat...casting at a pace that keeps this mold temp higher takes time when learning the rhythm and mechanics so that it's axiomatic...but once you get it down, it's a great feeling.

Good luck and don't get frustrated...you're doing great so far

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

Yeah, I will have to work on the pace and find a rhythm that works. I started out looking at each bullet as I dropped it from the mold to see how they looked. That didn't work out so well. I think everything cooled off too much between pours. But toward the end when I was finally getting into a rhythm they turned out a lot better.

Thanks for all the comments and tips. I appreciate it.

Dave

[jcren]

Easiest beginning estimate for mold temp I found was simply to dip the end/corner of the mold into the melt and wait until the mold will lift out clean. If lead is freezing and sticking to the outside, it will freeze and wrinkle when poured inside.

[Czech_too]

Easiest beginning estimate for mold temp I found was simply to dip the end/corner of the mold into the melt and wait until the mold will lift out clean. If lead is freezing and sticking to the outside, it will freeze and wrinkle when poured inside.

^^^^^

[tward]

DaveTNC, the Boolits look good. Just keep at it and it will get easier. Practice doesn't make perfect here but it does make better! I believe I have an extra Lyman ladle. Send me a PM and I'll send it along. No it's not free, you have to do something similar in the future for a new caster!
Tim :bigsmyl2:

[DaveTNC]

Easiest beginning estimate for mold temp I found was simply to dip the end/corner of the mold into the melt and wait until the mold will lift out clean. If lead is freezing and sticking to the outside, it will freeze and wrinkle when poured inside.


^^^^^

That seems to be the biggest thing I neglected to do. I read about in the instructions when I got the molds, but forgot about it when I actually started trying to use them and just rested the mold on the pot like I had seen so many others do in videos and stuff. Who would of thought that the manufacturer would know the best way to use their product? :-D Next time I'll heat them up that way for sure.

And Czech_too, that's your lead in them boolits. Thanks!


DaveTNC, the Boolits look good. Just keep at it and it will get easier. Practice doesn't make perfect here but it does make better! I believe I have an extra Lyman ladle. Send me a PM and I'll send it along. No it's not free, you have to do something similar in the future for a new caster!
Tim :bigsmyl2:

Tim I would really appreciate that. I was looking at them online last night but didn't order one yet. I'll take you up on the offer and PIF to someone else when I see the opportunity. I'll send a PM later today. Thanks!

Dave

[owejia]

Casting gets better with every experience, some days it seems to me to be like voo-doo science. We usually overthink simple things such as casting lubing or powder coating. Just relax and try to solve each problem as they occur. Most of the casting community have been where you are. Some times when things do not work exactly as I want I have to stop and walk away and relax, think about the problem and then correct it. Every one's experience is unique to them.

[DaveTNC]

Casting gets better with every experience, some days it seems to me to be like voo-doo science. We usually overthink simple things such as casting lubing or powder coating. Just relax and try to solve each problem as they occur. Most of the casting community have been where you are. Some times when things do not work exactly as I want I have to stop and walk away and relax, think about the problem and then correct it. Every one's experience is unique to them.

Yeah, this was my first attempt after studying it to death for the last few weeks, but once I got things going and started to get into a little bit of a rhythm and I settled down, it became sort of enjoyable knowing I was actually making bullets that I could shoot. Kind of like reloading, I think it will become a hobby of it's own. I know I have a lot to learn, but I like experimenting and learning how to do things.

Dave

[wendyj]

I have that same mold in 44 mag. Got to get it hot first for sure. You can plan on dumping first 5-6 pours back out until it gets hot. I also take a propane torch and heat both sides of the spruce plate with it and it always helps.

[David2011]

Boolits look fine. Choot 'em. They will get even better as you gain experience and learn to manage the temperature of the mold which is more important that the temperature of the pot. The mold itself may get a little better with use, too. Read up on fluxing with sawdust within this forum. It will make a difference. We have some die hard ladle casters here but it seems like most of them are casting heavier rifle boolits where it's easier to keep everything hot.

One new thing at a time is an excellent approach. Too many changes at one make troubleshooting more complicated.

[DaveTNC]

It seems from all the comments that one of the key things is getting the mold hot enough. I'll have to watch that better next time.

I didn't flux this pot. The range lead ingots that I got from Czech_too looked really clean. There was just about a tablespoon of stuff to skim off the top when they melted. Will fluxing still help?

Thanks for all the help,
Dave

[DxieLandMan]

They look good to me. I have the same mold and I shoot them with just a little lube or Smoke's powder. You are going to be hooked now that you casted your own!

[cwlongshot]

Your doing great, if your having fun doing it!

(Bullets look just fine)

CW

[Wag]

I don't use a thermometer. I just turn the pot up all the way and have at it. I also plan to throw out the first few boolits until the mold heats up. When they start looking good, I cast away at it.

After I pour the boolits and I'm waiting for the sprue to cool, I set the mold on a hunk of lead I have on the bench just for that purpose. It acts as a heat sink and cools the boolits more quickly. Occasionally, I'll turn it over of set out a different chunk of lead when the first one starts to heat up.

It's as much art as it is science, or so it seems. You can follow all the rules and recipes you like but after that, you just have to do it. The more you do it, the more you start to get a feel for it. How your equipment works, how the boolits are formed, how they fall out of the mold, the motions you make to put it all together. Just take your time and all of that will get into your habit and you'll be the next guy telling a newbie how it all works!

As an aside, I'm still a newbie, too. :mrgreen:

--Wag--

[DaveTNC]

They look good to me. I have the same mold and I shoot them with just a little lube or Smoke's powder. You are going to be hooked now that you casted your own!

I can't wait to shoot these. It's just a matter of finding a little time to lube 'em and load 'em and head to the range. I can already fell that hook getting set. :smile:


Your doing great, if your having fun doing it!

(Bullets look just fine)

CW

Thanks! I am having fun with this!


I don't use a thermometer. I just turn the pot up all the way and have at it. I also plan to throw out the first few boolits until the mold heats up. When they start looking good, I cast away at it.

After I pour the boolits and I'm waiting for the sprue to cool, I set the mold on a hunk of lead I have on the bench just for that purpose. It acts as a heat sink and cools the boolits more quickly. Occasionally, I'll turn it over of set out a different chunk of lead when the first one starts to heat up.

It's as much art as it is science, or so it seems. You can follow all the rules and recipes you like but after that, you just have to do it. The more you do it, the more you start to get a feel for it. How your equipment works, how the boolits are formed, how they fall out of the mold, the motions you make to put it all together. Just take your time and all of that will get into your habit and you'll be the next guy telling a newbie how it all works!

As an aside, I'm still a newbie, too. :mrgreen:

--Wag--

Yeah, I think I'll get a feel for it when I start casting more. This first time was really just to try it out and see what all's involved. I probably attempted about 60-70 boolits, but only ended up with this couple of dozen worth keeping. But I learned what to do as I went along. And all the advice on the forum has been a big help.

Dave

[Wag]

Whenever I'm casting, I get a rhythm going and before I know it, I've cast out a whole 10 lb pot of lead. It's moderately frustrating to have to wait to melt up another 10 lbs. :wink:

When I was first getting started, I cast up about 10,000 rounds of 230gr LRN .45 ACP boolits in very short order. I don't even have that much brass and still haven't shot up the 1,200 or so that I actually loaded up. But they're purty. I can't even bring myself to melt 'em back down and make 9mm which is what I've been shooting more lately.

Yes, it's addicting.

--Wag--

[daloper]

HELP! HELP! And down the rabbit hole he falls. Welcome to the group. Be sure to put your location in. Maybe you are close to someone that can offer some hands on help .

[DaveTNC]

HELP! HELP! And down the rabbit hole he falls. Welcome to the group. Be sure to put your location in. Maybe you are close to someone that can offer some hands on help .

Thanks! I didn't realize I never added my location. I'll take care of that now.

Dave

[pjames32]

I think with a bigger dipper and more temp you are on your way. When you are casting, don't stop to look at the boolits. You can keep a better pace and cull them later. A thermometer would be a good addition. I do flux even clean ingots. Some use sawdust (I do when smelting dirty lead) and some use wax or bullet lube. There are several good threads on fluxing to look at. Good luck!

[DaveTNC]

Thanks to tward and Czech_too, I've already got the bigger dipper taken care of. (Thanks again, guys :-D)

Now that I know to get and keep my mold temperature up, and to stop looking at them as they drop out of the mold, I'm eager to try it again.

I think I'm well on my way down daloper's rabbit hole.

Dave

[DaveTNC]

I gave it another try today, and here are the results.

My second batch of SWCs:
226461

And my first try with the Lee TL358-148-WC mold:
226462

I can see I still have a ways to go to get this right. These are what I kept. I'm not thrilled with most of them, a few of them turned out great, but about 10% of the SWCs and about 30% of the wadcutters got culled. The rest look good enough to to me to shoot, but I can't say there are more than a couple of the WCs that I think look really good. Probably about a quarter or so of the SWCs look pretty good to me. But I'm hoping they will get better with practice.

I concentrated on keeping the mold hotter this time, dipping the corner of it into the melt before starting, and pouring generous sprues. I also rested the mold on the edge of the pot while pouring. I also turned the pot up a little higher and fluxed with beeswax before starting.

This time I used the ladle that Czech_too sent me. That's so much better than the little Lee ladle I did my first batch with, and I was able to get into a little bit of a rhythm this time. Thanks again, Brian.

Another thing I learned - my little 4 pound Lee Melter is going to need to be upgraded to something bigger. I used to think I'd get a bottom pour pot next, but with the right ladle it's so much easier and I like being able to see what I'm doing, so it may be a 20 lb Magnum Melter.

It seems harder to get good fill out with the wadcutter mold, especially at the bases. I might try adding a little tin to the mix next time.

Now to tumble lube them in Lee Liquid Alox, load them up, and "choot 'em".:-D

Dave

[DEC505]

Dave, you have come to the right place for help. These guys are great. I lurked here for over a year before I made my first buy of any equipment. I don't post often as I'm still learning myself. Keep it simple and as you said, one change at a time. And just think of all the money you will be saving !! :)

[John McCorkle]

Dave, you have come to the right place for help. These guys are great. I lurked here for over a year before I made my first buy of any equipment. I don't post often as I'm still learning myself. Keep it simple and as you said, one change at a time. And just think of all the money you will be saving !! :)Oh and the pride in mastering a complex process over time...I enjoy the casting and loading almost as much as shooting itself!

Economy also helps...I got exponentially better with pistol after 9mm and 38 spc started costing me 5 bucks a hundred! Never think about the cost every time I squeeze the trigger just focus on shooting better

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

[DaveTNC]

Dave, you have come to the right place for help. These guys are great. I lurked here for over a year before I made my first buy of any equipment. I don't post often as I'm still learning myself. Keep it simple and as you said, one change at a time. And just think of all the money you will be saving !! :)

Yes, the people here have been a great help. I lurked here about a year or so before I started reloading, then another year before I started casting. Learned a lot about both.


Oh and the pride in mastering a complex process over time...I enjoy the casting and loading almost as much as shooting itself!

Economy also helps...I got exponentially better with pistol after 9mm and 38 spc started costing me 5 bucks a hundred! Never think about the cost every time I squeeze the trigger just focus on shooting better

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

I know what you mean. I'm getting to really enjoy the loading, and I think it will be the same with casting. And the economics help, too.

[tazman]

Don't be afraid to run the mold hot. When I am running in a good rhythm, I typically have to wait several seconds for the sprue to harden enough that I can cut it without smearing.
The boolits come out looking a little grey instead of shiny. The shoot well like that.
The boolits in your pictures look fine. No problems there.

[upnorthwis]

Try shooting some of those "culls" to see what they do. You might be surprised.

[DaveTNC]

Don't be afraid to run the mold hot. When I am running in a good rhythm, I typically have to wait several seconds for the sprue to harden enough that I can cut it without smearing.
The boolits come out looking a little grey instead of shiny. The shoot well like that.
The boolits in your pictures look fine. No problems there.

I actually ran into that, toward the end of my casting session. It took a while for the sprue to solidify so I figured the mold was heating up. I had to wait a few more seconds after it solidified to be able to get a clean cut.

So it sounds like I can't really get the mold too hot? Why do some people cool their molds on a damp towel or in front of a fan, just so they are shiny instead of frosted?

[DaveTNC]

Try shooting some of those "culls" to see what they do. You might be surprised.

Actually, there are quite a few in those pictures that were initially culled out, then I went through the culled pile and threw most of them into the "keep" pile. The only ones that aren't in the picture are ones that were obviously deformed or incomplete. Rounded bases and poorly formed lube grooves were kept. I figured that they're good enough for shooting steel in the mild 38 special loads I'm using.

I'm sure I'll get better the more I do it, but I'm happy to be making cheap plinking boolits.

[Traffer]

The ones in the picture look good to me. I would shoot them.
Getting your mold up to heat is always an issue and causes wrinkles and boolits that don't fill out correctly. Lightly frosted boolits are not a problem.
IF you read the Lee instructions, it told you to heat the mold by holding part of it in the molten lead for a few seconds to heat the mold up. This works and can be fine tuned by experimenting. For me, 30 seconds works well with double cavity molds. If using 6 cavity molds, you can hold it in longer. Make sure you keep the mold blocks closed as you do this.
As far as temp controls on the pot, I set mine at full temp and turn it down as the mold continues to heat up. Each pot and mold combination seems to vary a bit as to what temp setting works best.
Keeping the mixture a little too hot for fastest casting just costs you a little time waiting for the sprue to cool. It won't hurt anything as far as the boolits are concerned.
When casting with a dipper, I use an old Lyman dipper that holds enough for several of those boolits you are making.

Excellent advise here Tazman! I have learned to do much the same but I am a bit crude in most ways so I use a small handheld self lighting propane torch to help warm up the mold if it appears too cool. I also like to mold them as fast as I can get into rhythm to do. Which keeps the mold nice and hot. It is easy to tell when it is getting too hot, by the frostyness thing and having to let the lead set for a while to jell, then just let it cool a bit . But too cool of a mold can confound people. When I tend to have problems ....increasing the heat of the mold is the first thing I try. It usually solves the problem.

[Jruby38]

Bottom pour 20 pound lee pot is the way to go, especially with a 6 cavity mold. Ladle stinks. TOO SLOW and you get a lot of **** for the top of pot.

[Jruby38]

A bottom pour Lee 20 pound pot is the way to go, especially with 6 cavity molds, Ladle stinks. Too slow and you get all the **** from the top.

[DaveTNC]

Excellent advise here Tazman! I have learned to do much the same but I am a bit crude in most ways so I use a small handheld self lighting propane torch to help warm up the mold if it appears too cool. I also like to mold them as fast as I can get into rhythm to do. Which keeps the mold nice and hot. It is easy to tell when it is getting too hot, by the frostyness thing and having to let the lead set for a while to jell, then just let it cool a bit . But too cool of a mold can confound people. When I tend to have problems ....increasing the heat of the mold is the first thing I try. It usually solves the problem.

I need to remember this ^^^

Thanks!

[DaveTNC]

A bottom pour Lee 20 pound pot is the way to go, especially with 6 cavity molds, Ladle stinks. Too slow and you get all the **** from the top.

I thought about getting a bottom pour pot, then when I got a decent ladle I found that it works pretty good. I may get a bottom pour next time and have the option of doing it either way.

[tazman]

I actually ran into that, toward the end of my casting session. It took a while for the sprue to solidify so I figured the mold was heating up. I had to wait a few more seconds after it solidified to be able to get a clean cut.

So it sounds like I can't really get the mold too hot? Why do some people cool their molds on a damp towel or in front of a fan, just so they are shiny instead of frosted?

Not so much getting shiny boolits as not wanting to wait so long for the sprue to harden.
Going at a fast rate will cause the hardening process to take longer and longer to where you are spending too much time waiting for the sprue to harden. Using a damp towel to cool the mold or a fan helps keep the mold cool enough that you don't have to wait too long.
There is a balance there that only experience will teach you.
You can actually, get the mold too hot. The boolits will come out extremely frosted and undersize. Possibly even misshaped. You haven't gotten to that point yet. When it happens, you have to wait a long time(15-30 seconds) for the sprue to harden enough to cut well.
At a point early on in my learning curve, I used to heat my mold up on top of a stove. Sometimes it would get hot enough that the lead would take a very long time to set up. Invariably, the boolits from that first cast were unusable. Extremely frosted and undersize. I would then need to wait for a bit to let the mold cool to proper casting temperature.
Now I simply put the mold on the top of the casting pot and run the first three or four sets into the scrap to get the mold heat where it needs to be. It doesn't take long and avoids the over heating at the beginning.
That's the best part of casting. When you make mistakes, you just put them back in the pot and start over.

[DaveTNC]

OK, thanks tazman. Lots of good tips. I have heard of people using a hotplate to preheat their molds but I just dipped the corner of the mold in the melted lead until the lead didn't stick to it when I pulled it out. I still had to run three or four sets until they started coming out decent, and threw them back in the pot with the sprues. It is nice that my mistakes don't get wasted. Makes it easy to experiment as I get more experience.

[afish4570]

I find casting large amts. of pistol boolits with a ladle causes my elbow and wrist some discomfort for several days after the session. With a 6 cav. mold and a bottom pour I can do 2 or 3K and feel ok. Seems less wear on the old body. I action pistol shoot and decent quality and lots of quantity
is what it is about. My quality is pretty good and culls are low for the amount of the batch....happier with my system. I find cool weather is better because of the clothing worn for safety is more comfortable and less chance of omitting safe clothes for more creature comfort. afish4580

[Wag]

When I get a rhythm going, I find that if I set the mold down on a block of old scrap lead, it acts as a heat sink and cools the mold fairly quickly. More than a damp towel. Makes for some dang fast casting. The sprue dimple pops in there right away. If the heat sink warms up overly much, I have a couple of lead blocks that go into the rotation.

--Wag--