358156 poor fill out

[singleshotbuff]

Gentlemen,

I have a Lyman 358156, 2 cavity mold that is giving me problems. Using straight wheelweight metal, it doesn't want to fill out good some of the time. Some of the lube grooves and the gas check recess are not as sharp as I think they should be. What am I doing wrong? More heat? Add tin?

The same metal from the same pot will fill out a Lee mold just fine, so is it possible that I just need to get the Lyman mold hotter? This is only the 2nd Lyman mold that I have used and the other was a single cavity, so maybe it's my technique and not the mold ot metal? Thanks for any help, if even to tell me that it's just the nut behind the handle.

SSB

[boogerred]

from one nut to another, i think your mould isnt hot enough. i started out with lee moulds and got good bullets real quick using straight WWs. i then got the same lyman mould and had heck till i started preheating on a hotplate. now,depending on how long i let it heat,i get good bullets pretty quick with few culls.i cast for 32mag/S&W long(3), 38/357(4),45ACP(3) and 30-30(2). i dont cast a marathon,year long supply of one bullet,rather i cast a little of each each time i cast.that hotplate has helped my method a bunch.

[Texasflyboy]

Try preheating the mold. I use my electric stove. I set the mold directly on the electric element and turn the knob to "2". And leave it there for about 20 minutes.

I then cast rather quickly until I get bullets that are evently frosted. I then cool the mold by blowing on it with my breath, taking longer and longer between pours until the frosting disappears. At that point I am usually getting near perfect fill out.

It's been my personal experience that *some* lyman molds need to be heated hot until they frost and then allowed to cool before they start making good bullets.

Don't know why, it's just been that way with my Lyman molds.

Your mileage may vary....

[carpetman]

Texasflyboy---"Set the knob to two and leave it there about 20 minutes". Heck the knobs stay on my stove all time.

[MT Gianni]

I have had incomplete fill out at the bases with a sprue plate that was too tight and did not allow proper venting. You might check that especially if it's the hole closest to the pivot point of the sprue plate. Gianni.