New Lee Mold 1st casting session

[philthephlier]

I have been casting bullets on and off for about 30 years and I had never enjoyed success before with Lee Molds. I started reading threads on this forum about a month ago and decided it was time I tried again armed with all the tricks so many of you have discovered over the years. First I spent about 20 minutes with a fine needle file and strong magnification and removed all the burrs on the mold and there were quite a few. Then I boiled the mold in dishwashing detergent and water for about 20 minutes, using an old toothbrush every few minutes while it was in the boiling solution. Then I dried it well and let it cool. It went back in the box for about 2 weeks and today it saw it's first bullet metal after being lightly lubed with Lyman Moly bullet lube and smoking with a butane lighter. 20 lbs. of 20-1 casting alloy quite hot, I don;t have a lead thermometer. I cast 81 bullets and rejected 28 probably being overly critical. I weighed all the bullets that looked good and rejected about 10 for what I felt were low weights. I was casting a 165 grain bullet
for my Lee Enfield and the bullets I kept weighed between 165.8 and 166.7 grains.
I was quite pleased with those results. Should I be with a new mold? Any comments greatly appreciated in advance.

[docone31]

I have had some sweet castings from new Lee Molds. I have had some molds that were nightmares.
It sounds like it all came together for you.
I tried casting for my Enfield .303, .312 is not enough for me. I had to go out to .314. I got garbage for results at .312, .3135. .314 is my sweet spot.
I ended up paper patching my .303. I love the results that way. I use the same mold, just size it down, and patch it up.
My .30cal Lee mold, I had to cast a boolitt with a nut on top of the sprue. I had to rub lapping compound on it, and turned it slowly, slowly closing the mold. I cleaned it by casting in it, and I got those dynamic castings I want to get.
It sounds like you had a good casting day.
That is what it is about.

[philthephlier]

Does lapping a mold increase the diameter of the bullet it casts?

[docone31]

I am not sure it is lapping, rather agressive cleaning. I do not let it act that much.
I have not noticed any extra sizing, nor did my measurement increase.

[compass will]

I have read everyone's suguestions on lee molds, and came up with my own

spray it out with contact cleaner, brush it with a tooth brush, then spray it out again.

Let it dry (couple seconds). Spray a light coat of mold release on it. Cast maybe 10 bollits from each channel. the last 2 make sure you know which one came out of which hole.

Let everything cool. Spray the mold again and the mold release comes right out.
Now drill a hole in the center of the 2 boolits you cast, and put a screw in the hole.

Chuck the boolit into a drill, put a little polishing compound on the boolit, stick it into the mold and have at it for a couple seconds.

Clean everything out again with contact cleaner and a tooth brush. Lube the sprue pivot point and start casting. I find I don't even need to smoke them after the lapping.

Don't know if this is the correct way, but what I cast drops right out, and sure shoots real well now that I am learning some of the loading tricks.

Of course I still have 2 or 3 more years of practice before I get out of the beginner stage :)
I figure this is a life time hobby. Currently I am learning how to slow down so they are shinny and not frosty. Using 2 molds and alternating has helped, as well as a wet sponge.

[docone31]

Will, I tried to do it that way.
I could not get the screw centered. I got wobble, and went to casting through a nut.
I had originally set out to do just that.
I made a mess of it.

[compass will]

Your not going to get the hole that well centered. If you use a hand drill in one hand, and hold the mold in the other hand, yes it's going to jump around but both your hands flex with the vibration and it gets the job done.