Cast my first boolits today,

[j20owner]

and I have more rejects than keepers.[smilie=l: I ended up with 25 rejects and 11 keepers, but being my very first time casting boolits, I'm happy with the 11 good ones I've got. I was also spooning the melt out of my smelting pot and into the mold, so that might have had something to do with it.

Using the Lee 452-200-RF 2 cavity mold, I cleaned it with hot, hot, soapy water. I applied some anti-seize(patiently waiting on some Bullshop lube:-D) to the mold ribs and sprueplate. I then smoked it with about 7 small matches(:-P) and stuck it into my melt.

Here's a pic of the carnage:
http://xaclan.com/Heinrich/heinrich/Casting/first%20boolits.JPG

I ended up rejecting these two because I cut the sprue too early and it is obvious when looking at them in real life. Hard to see in pictures, though.
http://xaclan.com/Heinrich/heinrich/Casting/bases%20in%20question.JPG

Can't wait to get my Lee pot going and make a bunch more.


BTW: The smoking seemed to really help with bullet release, as I only rarely had to tap the pivot bolt to get the bullets to fall out of the mold.

[docone31]

I like that mold. It is my favourite.
It looks like the melt needs a little stirring, and, the mold started a little cool.
I found, the size of the casting, the mold does heat up with casting.
If, after more casting, it is a little wrinkly, you might try my trick with casting through a nut over the cavity, using some fine lapping compound, and polishing the mold cavities.
Otherwise, I found that mold really produces some reliable easy shooting castings.
Way to go.
Oh yeah, I get good results smoking with a lighter. Better than with a candle.

[Wayne Smith]

"Spooning" the melt? Do you mean more than one spoonful to a bullet? That's a problem if so. Even a small ladle should give you enough lead to fill the cavity. It does need to be filled rather quickly, too.

[Railbuggy]

Keep on going.I get alot of bad ones until my Lee mold heats up.Ill do about 50,then take a short brake.I make about 200/500 at a time when my stock gets low.

[j20owner]

Those aren't in any particular order of casting. The frosty ones took a reaaaalllllyyy long time for the sprue to cool, so I know the melt/mold were too hot.

I've got a few of those 11 that are really good looking. I'm trying to get a good pic of one to show that I did do something right. :-D

As for the 'spooning', I was using the spoon that I stir the smelt with. It's a full size cooking spoon. I would fill it with melt, pour over one cavity until it was full. Then refill the spoon and repeat with the other cavity.

Here, a decent pic of one of the good ones. Now if I can get the rest to look this good.:-D
http://xaclan.com/Heinrich/heinrich/Casting/big%20good%20boolit.JPG

[454PB]

That's a good first try. From the pictures, it looks like you need to flux some more (it appears there is still some grit in the alloy), and either cast slower, or reduce the melt temperature. I strive for a light frosty appearance, but yours are too frosty.

[mag_01]

:cbpour: - Hay J20owner good job on your first try - Keep that Lee mould hot - will become easier in time _ Welcome to the world of casting _ Thumbs up

Mag_01 :cbpour:

[44man]

The spoon pours everything in too. Get a Lyman ladle, lead pours out from under the slag.
The mold is also changing temperatures on you, some frosted and some shiny. You need to cast at a more even pace and slow down. There is no hurry. Beginners rush like crazy! [smilie=l:
I would not worry about the divits in the base, they won't hurt anything. Also don't just whack the sprue open, make a bunch of light taps for small cuts.

[putteral]

Good try on your first cast. Like you I am new to casting. Have only casted 5 times so far. Getting better and faster each casting. The Lee double cavity 200gr RNFP is also my favorite. I have kept everything simple as I only have a cast iron dutch oven & coleman stove using wheel weights. My last cast I made 400 boolits and they were all keepers.

[jforwel]

Congrats on your first cast. I just made my first boolits yesterday with a Lee tumble lube design for .41 cal. I couldn't figure out why my mold wasn't heating up until I realized I was spending too much time checking out the boolits I just dropped. Once I started ignoring them and kept casting the mold stayed hot and the boolits started coming out well filled out. The best part is that they measured .412 after cooling which is the size my Blackhawk likes.

Next adventure is to try some used Lyman iron molds in .44 (429421) that I bought from ebay.

[kamikaze1a]

I think except for a couple from the group on the Left, that they all would shoot fine... Try scraping away some of the impuries before you scoop. One of the attractive qualities of using bottom pour pot is the dross floats on the top and the pour comes out of the bottom...

[targetshootr]

Nice going. I'm not picky how mine look as long as they're not rounded on the bottom. If I shot competition then it might matter.

[The Dove]

Sure is fun.... Ain't it!!!

The Dove

[mrbill2]

Well Mr. j20owner, looks to me like you got the cast bullet disease already. Your doing great for the first. It's like making love, the longer you do it the better you get, and the better you get the more you want to do it. Casting, there's no better way to spend time and later enjoy your efforts at the range !!
Mr. Bill

[kamikaze1a]

I don't know if I am the exception but I don't know if I could actually say I "enjoy" casting. I enjoy shooting but I don't enjoy reloading or casting... I think it's like fishing or off-roading, I enjoy fishing but I don't enjoy cleaning the fish or maintaining my boat. I enjoy off-roading but don't enjoy washing my truck after I get home... If I could afford to, I'd be happier paying someone to reload or cast for me. I feel like reloading/casting is more like a neccesity that allows me to shoot. Don't get me wrong because it brings me pleasure when my reloads, using my cast boo's shoot well but again, I enjoy the shooting part WAY more than the reloading/casting part...

Sorry...don't hate me for this, just how I feel...

[opentop]

You better be very careful, before you know it. you'll be addicted to casting boolits........:Fire:

[runfiverun]

curt,
you might have gotten some of the anti-sieze in the mold too....
get your pot and go you will do fine..

[Goatlips]

Well, since I shoot Cowboy Action, I'd lube and load them all. :Fire: At SASS distances, you won't be able to tell one from another. Great job! :drinks:

Goatlips

[AzShooter]

You did very well for your first casting session. Things will only get better from there.

How are you sizing and applying lubricant?

What are you shooting them in?

Keep us advised with group pics.

I love that mould. Cool looking bullet.

[j20owner]

Most of the boolits on the left have rounded bases, so I'm going to remelt them. I'm going to break-in the Lee Production Pot IV that I got when I get to my dad's this weekend. I'm also going to use the sawdust method to flux and keep the oxidation to a minimum. I've got a Lee .452 sizer kit and I'm going to give it a try. If I get fed-up with that, I know about a Lyman 450 sizer for $50.[smilie=1:

These will be loaded in my .45acp 1911 and my dad's(mine, all mine:twisted:) BH .45colt(getting it this weekend:-D). I just need to get some .45 Colt dies.

[copdills]

Good JOB man it gets easier , the more you cast the easier it gets LOL I know my first looked well we don't want to go there LOL

[bohokii]

dont melt those down save them

i have loads of problems

if i used the same standards i have for factory bullets i would have to reject 90% of my casting due to round butt, sprue cut skip,extra frosty,shoulder tear,layering,crater butt,random dents

but remember they are just boolits not little guided missiles out of a pistol if they hold together for 50 feet i'm happy run them through a sizing die and if they feel loose going through remelt them but just that little outside bearing surface is going to touch your barrel
and chances are you will never see them again

you took all that time and effort to make those little ingots using them in a sling shot is the least you can do