Help Needed

[C130CrewChief]

I spent the day trying to cast 22 cal 55 grainers, I have always used Steel molds for my pistols. I am using a Lee aluminum mold but getting a 30% cull rate with the Lee. Heat is at 750 out of a Lee bottom pour. Using # 2 alloy. Is this a normal loss rate for aluminum molds?

[M-Tecs]

You didn't state why you are rejecting them. If its for incomplete fillout the mold is too cold. Aluminum cools quicker than steel. Aluminum also has a narrow temperature range than steel. Speeding up your cadence or using a hot plates should help. If your issue is incomplete fillout increase your casting speed and or temp until you get frosted but filled out bullets. Once you get that you can start backing off if you want.

It been a long time since I have used aluminum in less than a six cavity but my reject rate is almost zero once I get everything to temp.

In the past I have had some issues with Lee pots holding temp. I find a lead thermometer to be very helpful.

You still active? AD, Guard, Reserve and what state?

[sigep1764]

No not at all. I would degrease the mold with Dawn and a toothbrush. Preheat and try again a little hotter

[Winger Ed.]

They do give up heat much quicker than a steel mold.

Ya need to dig around here a bit, but you'll see that its a common problem till you get used to them.
And folks have all sorts of tips & tricks to get them going.
Like dipping the mold in the pot, leaving it on a hot plate, running up the pot temp, speeding up your cast rate, etc.

[Stephen Cohen]

That certainly is not my experience with Lee moulds, I would try giving the mould a good scrub with hot water detergent and tooth brush. I is hard to tell what the problem is without knowing what sort of culls your getting but try a good clean first. I imagine you are getting the mould up to temp first. Regards Stephen

[C130CrewChief]

No, i am an old guy was in the C130 A model from 1966-1970--the funky thing about the 2 cavity mold is that the cavity farthest from the handle fills out much better than the other. Never had any problems with steel molds. Hoping a old dog can learn a new trick. Retired now on fixed income Lee price is much better that Lyman or RCBS

[C130CrewChief]

I degreased the mold with brake clean and preheated it and smoked the cavities with a carbide smoker I used to use shooting IMSHA

[M-Tecs]

Thanks for your service. I worked B's, E's, H's and a couple of J's. They have came a long way since the A's. I don't have any 2 cavity Lees and I don't remember how they vent. Since it's mostly one cavity it could be a venting issue.

[RED BEAR]

I use lee molds all the time and also on a fixed income. Check the vent lines i have seen some lee molds without them. If missing you can send it back or i just take a sharp pocket knife and make cuts with flat part of blade NOT THE TIP. Same may need to be done to top of mold. You may also need to lee ment the mold just search for this on this forum but in a nut shell its just polishing the cavity with a bullet and comit cleanser and or tooth paste. Lee molds can be a really good value but sometimes need a little work. All of this can be done in very little time so your not getting into something hard or long and drawn out.

[C130CrewChief]

Thank you M-Tecs for your service and thank you, everyone for the input. I will give it another try tomorrow after using your solutions. I appreciate the Help.

[John Van Gelder]

I have Lee molds that I have used for the last 30 years with good results, it sounds like your mold may be a bit too cold.

[waksupi]

I always needed to add a bit more tin to get good fill on the smaller diameters.

[country gent]

The smaller bullets can be harder to cast for several reasons.

1) the smaller weight and mass don't put as much heat back into the mould letting it cool to fast A 50 grn bullet and sprue may weigh 80 grns not a lot of material there
2) the smaller overall size ( dia and length) fills and cools quickly before complete fill out and venting may occur.
3) moulds blocks have much more mass in them making it harder to heat up blocks with the small bullets alone
4) sprue plates may have a smaller hole in them restricting flow for these bullets

To help alleviate these issues pre heat the mould to temp or even a little to hot to start out. Cast at a brisk pace moving quickly to keep mould hot and up to temp. Try running lead a little hotter than normal750-800* to start. Make sure vent lines are clear and deep enough. Fill as fast as possible and pour a large sprue, over filling to where a little runs off isn't a bad thing here. THis will help keep the mould and sprue plate up to temp.
These bullet can be cast and doe very well but it takes some experimenting testing and trial and error. Keep notes on what works and what doesn't so successes can be repeated and others not.

[John Van Gelder]

country gent

All good points, I cast for my .222 and the smaller diameters require a bit more attention to detail.

[John Van Gelder]

country gent

All good points, I cast for my .222 and the smaller diameters require a bit more attention to detail.

[lightman]

I'll guess that with a mold casting bullets that small that the mold is not getting hot enough. You may have to run it as fast as you can to keep the temps up. If it is new you may have to heat cycle it 3 or 4 times too.

[Land Owner]

I have a 2-cav aluminum 22 Bator mold. It is finicky if I do not pre-heat the spru plate very well. The lead has to pass a "cool spot" through the spru plate, so it is important to get that part hot. My reject rate has gone down as a result.

[Hossfly]

I got old hot plate and built a cover out of an old coffee can, works wonders heating aluminum molds. Put old saw blade to disperse heat.

[jonp]

No not at all. I would degrease the mold with Dawn and a toothbrush. Preheat and try again a little hotter

That should be hot enough but degreese the mold and slow down. Use a damp towel to cool the mold when it gets too hot

[M-Tecs]

Some good info here:

http://357shooter.blogspot.com/2011/02/extensive-mould-mould-temperature-test.html

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?251386-Bullet-casting-decision-tree-for-troubleshooting

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Chapter_2_Casting101.htm

[alfloyd]

"If it is new you may have to heat cycle it 3 or 4 times too."

I agree with this statement. I have found that new Lee molds work better after 2 or 3 casting sessions.

Lafaun

[C130CrewChief]

Wow what a difference, I cleaned the mold as suggested with dish soap and a toothbrush, checked and cleaned all the air passages, turned the pot up to 800 degrees and really moved. Got a little lead smearing on sprue plate so I stopped and cleaned mold w/brake clean, reheated mold and lubed w/frog lube? after about 15 minutes it really started working as long as I kept moving. I held the temp. at 800 with a thermometer the whole session. Boolits were within .3 grains of 55 and filled out very nicely if I did my part.
This is the best forum I have had the pleasure of visiting. Thank You all for your help.

[LenH]

I have never tried to cast anything that small but when I cast .30 cal. bullets I have to run the melt at about 750° and get the mold a bit hotter than normal and cast
a bit faster. This is from a guy that normally cast big .45 bullets.

[lightman]

Glad you got things working. Every mold has its quirks. About the time you think you know some stuff you seem to get ahold of a mold that humbles you!

[John Van Gelder]

Not sure how accurate this assessment is: The last few new Lee molds I got, I sprayed them with "Sail Kote" a dry lubricant I bought for motorcycle chains. One application on a new mold seems to work well, the bullets are all properly formed and fall out of the mold. Now I spray the molds down after each session.

[country gent]

Glad to hear of your success. A new mould can be a trial and tribulation. both ends of the casting sizes have special issues to deal with. Small light bullets can be hard to maintain temps and long big heavy bullets will over heat the blocks at times.