Inspecting cast bullets

[Acorn]

What flaws do you look for when inspecting your bullets? Informal handgun target/plinking. I’m a born again caster after a 30 year hiatus. I always used Lyman or Saeco moulds before but since I’ve moved twice I can’t find most of my stuff and have started using Lees. My only other experience with Lee was less than a resounding success.
I’m currently ladle casting Lee’s 452 255 rf and hit some bumps in the road. The sprue plate started to gall and I started getting fins on the base. I cold see light between the mould and the sprue plate.
I removed the plate and lightly sanded the blocks and plate and now they seem OK but I still get a small bump where the sprue hole meets the base. Will this affect accuracy much?
Sorry if this is a noob question. Like I said it’s been 30 years.

[popper]

sprue hole meets the base - nope. Sprue has not hardened yet, too hot. Pits in the base are more common - alloy in mould still not solid - usually called a divot and doesn't hurt plinking loads.

[Dan Cash]

Inside 25 yards, bump probably won't have much effect on accuracy if it is centered on the bullet base. Several things can be causing your problem; mould and/or melt temp too cold, sprue hole cutting edges not sharp, sprue plate not swinging parallel to the mould block face or sprue plate loose. Some things to look at but with a Lee mould, your guess is as good as mine. Good luck.

[John Boy]

No flaws , cavities filled out, bases sharp and flat and all casts in a tight Bell Curve

[kevin c]

I sometimes see that bump. For me it goes away if I tighten down the sprue plate a bit, though I still shoot them. I haven't accuracy tested them but my application doesn't require bullseye level consistency.

I cull out rounded heels and wrinkles mostly, though again I haven't tested to see if they make a difference.

[Bazoo]

I color the underneath side of the sprue plate and the top of the mould. If I have smears I do it while casting. Bumps on the bullet sprue cut is from cutting too cold. Cutting too hot leaves a hole where the cutter pulls material from the base of the bullet, and if it's real hot, smears lead. The raised sprue marks if they are bad I trim them flush with the base once cool using a utility knife. Neither is a bother for close range plinking.

I generally reject bullets if they have inclusions or rounded bands. If they have a slight wrinkle I reject depending on application. For example, revolver at 50 yards or more I reject. Blasting ammo for the 1911 at close range I'll let it go. Rifle bullets I am a little more picky.

I have found a large sprue puddle that stays on the sprue plate helps with fillout and base consistency. As opposed to a small sprue puddle or an excessive one that overflows the sprue cutter. Course each mould is somewhat different. I've one mould that no matter what I get perfect bullets and another that unless the sprue puddle is just so I don't get good fillout or bases.

[lightman]

I cull wrinkles, rounded bases and rounded or not completely filled out driving bands. And of course any visible voids. I don't really ever inspect them. I just cull them when I dump them, size and lube them and when I load them.

As far as your mold problems go, read the stickies about lubing molds.

[gwpercle]

With Lee or any aluminum block mould there can be NO galling . Look often and just as soon as you see smearing / galling ...STOP and remove it...it will only get worse and can damage the soft aluminum block .
The little bump...you need to wait a few seconds longer to open the mould .
The sprue has to solidify completely and the the sprue plate must be tight...sometimes when things heat up , the plate gets loose and you have to stop and screw it down.
Lee Aluminum moulds require much more TLC and attention to smearing, galling , sprue hardening and screw tightening than do steel moulds . But where else can you get a double cavity mould with the handles included for Twenty bucks and change ? Nowhere that I know of !
Gary

[JM7.7x58]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?57105-BruceB-s-Speed-Casting-Method

This article/sticky has been hugely influential on the way that I cast. One of the major things that BruceB advocated before he passed on was cooling his sprue plates with a wet towel.

Once I started to use his method my percentage of bullets with base defects was greatly reduced. Smearing and galling was reduced.

Also a hint of a layer of synthetic two stroke oil on my sprue plates has helped immensely.

Josh

[Conditor22]

OK but I still get a small bump where the sprue hole meets the base.

sometimes the countersunk part of the hole in the sprue plate doesn't go all the way to the bottom leaving an unbeveled area at the bottom of the sprue plate by the boolit

If you keep the back of the plate flat and sanded smooth (600 grit paper in the picture), the cutting hole will be sharp-edged and that helps to actually 'cut' the sprue...older molds that have been whacked open with a motion that pushes up and away from the mold block will bend the sprue plate at the swivel screw...you have to re-flatten the sprue plate itself. It's best to hit to cut with a little downward angle so the sprue tries to ride across the top of the mold as it cuts.
In a new Lyman, second picture...they didn't drill the fill holes all the way to the bottom, leaving about 3/32" of straight hole there...this sprue was 'shearing' the sprue, it was pulling lead from the base also from the sheer action, here I'm sharpening the plate fill hole with a cone diamond bit.
https://i.imgur.com/S3W4GAx.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/5qVvfIU.jpg

make sure to sand the bottom of the sprue plate smooth before closing the sprue plate or putting back on the mold

[ioon44]

I mainly look at the bases if they are not completely filled out I cull them.

[Hanzy4200]

In my opinion, with .45 you are never going to see a accuracy effect. I think a lot of guys stress over small details. I'm as guilty as the rest.

[fredj338]

Putting a super thin coating of 2 stroke oil on the bottom of the sprue plate helps the galling. Barely wet a Qtip & apply to a hot mold, wipe off any excess with the other end of the Qtip.

[Land Owner]

When in doubt, cull it out. You can always melt culls and cast them again.

[fcvan]

Putting a super thin coating of 2 stroke oil on the bottom of the sprue plate helps the galling. Barely wet a Qtip & apply to a hot mold, wipe off any excess with the other end of the Qtip.

I prefer wooden chopsticks for application of 2 cycle oil and light removal of any smeared lead. Of course, since using 2 cycle oil I don't get smeared lead. It works for me.

[robg]

if the bases are crisp and sharp they will shoot fine