Sharp Shooter buckshot mold tip

[FullTang]

Just got through with a casting session, and made a whole bunch of #1 buckshot with my Sharp Shooter mold. I was a little worried about the recycled lead I was using, which is very hard and sticky (lots in there besides just lead), so I figured I'd try something as a release agent, other than the usual smoke. Didn't have anything specially made for it, but I tried some Liquid Wrench Dry Lubricant, which I got a while back at Walmart for about $3 for a big spray can. Sprayed it good, then let it dry to a thin, dusty white film. It worked much better than expected, and not only released the pellets and sprue much more easily, but everything filled in much better than ever before. I didn't even need to get the lead or the mold very hot (usually, these molds like it smoking hot!) I was very pleased, and tried it on my Lee slug molds, where it also worked well. I'd recommend giving this a try, since it's a lot cheaper than the specially-made stuff like this: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/763...e-6-oz-aerosol

[Ed1]

I got the same moulds but in #F and #4 buck. I'm going to have to try that, Thanks.

[FullTang]

Give it a try---those smaller ones are harder to get to fill out well. I have the #4 buck mold, and it needs to be really hot to work right (until now anyway!)
Good Luck!

[HiVelocity]

Why not just smoke the mold with a lit candle? I have 3 Sharpshooter molds, works great.

Sit your mold on top of your casting pot, go get a cup of coffee, come back in 30 minutes, ready to cast.

I cast a Qt Mayo jar full of #0 last week in under 30 minutes; clipping them off the sprue's took that long also.........lol!

HV

[FullTang]

That's exactly what I'm saying---I used to do it that way, and it does work, but this is even better. Give it a try!

It's true that most of your time is clipping sprue (that ought to be some kind of sexy euphemism), but this made things go a lot faster.

[ackleyman]

Thanks for the tip! I just bought the T, F, #4, and #1 buck molds...I have been putting off casting some for this very reason.

[HiVelocity]

Hey, anything to make more, lots more, for less work............I'm in! Lol!

HV

[mtgrs737]

I have a couple of sharpshooter molds and run the mold hot. It fills better and I found that if I am quick when I dump the castings onto several layers of towels most of the sprues will snap right off the buckshot, those that don't I press down on them with a gloved hand and the sprues will snap off. The towels will allow the "give" that allows the flexing and snapping of the sprues and I can lift the edge of the towels nearest me to move the casting and sprues to the back of the table so I can continue the process. The sprues snap off right at the pellet which is better than the nib left by the snips. I snip very few buckshot. You will have to learn when to drop the castings from the mold but the hotter you run the mold the more time you have to snap off the sprues. You will need to wear gloves but these molds have handles that you will need the gloves anyway. I cast #4 and 00 buckshot which are fairly large and I don't know how well this works with smaller sizes.