I got this void over my core pin

[milkman]

.... and it really hurts when I do like this !!

I told my son-in-law " no problem, be glad to cast up some minies for you using your new mould". I shudda knowed better.

Lee .58 cal traditional minie, pure lead, Lee pot cranked up as high as it will go and almost all had a void over the point of the core pin. As you would expect weights were all over the place from 502g to 521g, with several between 517-519. The ones with no exposed voids weighed lighter than most with exposed voids so they probably have hidden voids. Swirling the lead off of the sprue plate didn't seem to help and lowering the temp was no-go also. Seems like I remember a thread on this somewhere, but couldn't find it. Got any ideas?

Terrel

[NuJudge]

I encountered voids on top of the core pin casting from the bottom spout to make .58's. Adding Tin did nothing. When I used a ladle to fill the mold, the void disappeared. Perhaps lower temperature metal would solve the problem, but pure Lead has enough problems with not filling out. Perhaps using a torch to heat the sprue plate would help, but perhaps it would be hard on the mold.

Using soft lead to make the Lee bullet, I had to up the powder charge substantially to get it to shoot well. Apparently the bullet is not expanding to take the rifling until there is a lot more powder behind it. I believe the skirt is thicker than the RCBS mold I used to have.

CDD

[crazy mark]

I use a propane torch to heat the pin up to temp. It takes a lot of heat to keep good bullets produced. I also heat moulds using the propane torch sparingly. Haven't hurt a mould.

[versifier]

Did you get the core pin sooted up with a match or lighter first?

[45 2.1]

Dip the core pin metal holder into the melt and get it HOT. Your void is caused by the core pin being to cold.

[milkman]

Sounds like the consensus is that the core pin is too cool. I was dipping the bottom of the mould in the melt for about 20 sec. to heat it up, but will try dipping a corner and leaving it for a couple of minutes and see if that won't heat the entire assm. The pot isn't large enough to get the mould into far enough to contact the core pin mount.

Thanks for the great replys.

terrel