Perhaps some rifle bullets should not be water dropped

[NuJudge]

I had the day off from work yesterday, and spent about 5 hours casting bullets. One of the bullets I cast was the Lee 160gr bullet for the SKS, using a 6-cavity mold. The lube groove near the base is very deep, and on half a dozen bullets the bottom of the bullet fractured all the way through. I found a few others where there was a fracture in the same area, but not all the way through. Has anyone else seen this on bullets with deep, square edged lube grooves?

Six bullets out of 1500 is not bad, but I wonder how many more have partial fractures that will break up on firing?

[garandsrus]

NuJudge,

I have seen this a couple times. I believe that the problem is that the mold is being emptied before the boolits are sufficiently hardened. I don't think it has to do with water dropping as I have seen mine while dropping onto a towel.

I think that the boolit is hanging up on the groove a little and the weight of the rest of the boolit simply pulls the semi solid boolit apart due to gravity or whacking the mold with a mallet.

John

[MT Gianni]

I stopped water dropping and water quenching in '03 and haven't missed it.

[Bret4207]

As usual MG and I agree. I don"t WQ unless I NEED to. But I've have the same problem you describe with AC boolits. Let them stay in the mould a couple seconds longer.

[Wayne Smith]

I definately water dropped one too early. It ended up in a U shape in the water!

[44man]

I definately water dropped one too early. It ended up in a U shape in the water!
Cutting a sprue that early, how do you keep from smearing the top of the blocks?
Bullplate can save you but you might eventually gall the mold.

[1Shirt]

I have had that problem with 2 cav. molds caused by opening to fast and water dropping. I have slowed down on the speed of casting larger cals with big heavy blts, and also on occaision have had a wet towel in front of the furnace that I set the base of the mold on for more rapid cooling of the nose (but that is a pain, and I stopped doing it long ago). Bullplate helps much. With small blts of the 22 and 6 mm persuasion, I cast as fast as possible just to keep the mold hot enough for good fill out. I water drop everything, mostly because I find it convenient.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[GabbyM]

I oven heat treat most rifle bullets in an attempt at greater uniformity. I had a batch of 22 caliber bullets crack when I left them in to long. Melted some of the tin out too. Almost enough to make a grown man cry. But at least they were all uniform junk.

[Junior1942]

. . . . But at least they were all uniform junk.Yes!! Funniest thing I've read in awhile! :drinks:

[Wayne Smith]

Cutting a sprue that early, how do you keep from smearing the top of the blocks?
Bullplate can save you but you might eventually gall the mold.

I quickly figured out what I had done wrong. It was the most recently poured one of a 6 banger mold. Yeah, Bullplate saved me that time!

[Cap'n Morgan]

I definately water dropped one too early. It ended up in a U shape in the water!

At least you'll spot the really crooked ones. I wonder how often those inexplicable fliers are caused by a ever so slightly distorted bullet that was dropped while still not fully solidified.

[Shiloh]

NuJudge,

I have seen this a couple times. I believe that the problem is that the mold is being emptied before the boolits are sufficiently hardened. I don't think it has to do with water dropping as I have seen mine while dropping onto a towel.

I think that the boolit is hanging up on the groove a little and the weight of the rest of the boolit simply pulls the semi solid boolit apart due to gravity or whacking the mold with a mallet.

John

Thats my take on it.

Shiloh

[Lloyd Smale]

never had them fracture when i was dropping them but have had them fracture in penetration testing. I dont water drop bullets for that reason. You here people say that linotype bullets fracture but ive never seen it at handgun velocitys in any penetration test. I have seen water dropped bullets do it though. I like to get my hardness by alloying for this reason. Someday when the linotype is all gone i guess a guy may have to water drop again but until then i wont fool with it.

[armyrat1970]

Not sure if this is the proper step but this is what I do. When I pour a boolit I always fill the sprue a little over. I watch for a dimple to appear wait a couple of seconds and watch for a change in the color and texture of the sprue then cut and drop the boolit.