Lee Mold bullets

[45-70Govt]

Hello:
I have Lee Molds for the 45 -70 in three weights, 340,405,500.
The two lighter ones cast OK for me but getting that 500 gr mold to produce good bullets has been a PITA. I can live without that big pill however.

Looking at the meplat of all three of them they appear small to me. Has anybody used them for hunting deer/hogs? If so what sort of MV did you get and how did these bullets perform.

Thanks Fred

[Old Caster]

Fred,
Most of the time when I want to make big long bullets I go to ladle casting and my Waage pot. I like the Waage because it will keep the lead very consistant in temperature and will keep it as hot as I want it; 800 degrees (30-1 lead - tin). I also use a large homemade ladle. If you don't want to do ladle I would pressure cast (hold mould against pot nozzle) and keep my pot as full as possible so the column of lead is higher and makes more pressure. I don't like doing this with the lead pouring very fast because it is more likely to get dirt in your bullet however it might be necessary. With a ladle you can whack it to knock out dirt that accumulates every cast and with a bullet as big as you are working with that is a lot of lead passing through the nozzle and consequently a lot of dirt. Good luck

[XWrench3]

45-70, i have found that if you want a lee mold to work well, get the lead H O T! then cast, and cast, and cast some more until the mold "breaks in". something about exposing the surfaces to hot lead for a period of time. it is like it changes the surface somehow. cast until you get real frosty boolits. let the mold air cool for a bit, and cast some more. 3 or 4 cycles like that aught to get the job done. i have tried just about all the other tricks posted here. but nothing seems to work as good as getting the faces in contact with lead.

[44man]

Ladle casting is the answer. I like the Lyman ladle.
Get everything hot. Put the ladle in the plate and rotate the mold. Leave the ladle in place until the boolit pulls all the lead it needs FROM THE MOLTEN LEAD IN THE LADLE. Never depend on a big boolit to pull what it needs from the sprue because the sprue will set up faster then the lead in the mold.
I can't bottom pour ANY boolit without rejects but can empty a 20# pot without a single reject using a ladle from number one until I quit. Pre heat the mold and the first boolit will be perfect.
I make my own molds and when I finish cutting one, I wash with hot water and dish soap, put it in my little mold oven on a hot plate while the lead is melting. When all is good to go, my first boolit is perfect.
There is no need to cast a thousand boolits to get a good one.
There is no need to soak molds overnight or buy spray stuff to clean them.

[EDK]

You really have to use a ladle on the big boys. You don't hear many people telling how good the boolits are when they bottom pour the heavier rifle boolits.

My moulds for 50/90 Sharps start at 510 and go to 700 grains. They are really a PITA compared to 200-t0-270 grain 44 pistol boolits.

I have an aged ladle from Hensley & Gibbs that could stand replacing....got it in 1980 something. It works better for me than my Lyman or RCBS....about twice the capacity. There's a little metal left after pouring a six cavity mould and decent sized prues.

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[82nd airborne]

I bottom pour my 500gr 50 cal boolits with no ill effects. Works well for me.