300 BLK mold advice and help! What NOE mold should I get?

[tayous1]

I bought two Lee molds and have had nothing put problems with them a 170 gr and 230 gr both in 30 caliber. I cleaned the mold with white gas making sure it was clean then smoked the mold with a wooden match. After I casted my first two boolits all the black came off the mold and the boolits came out with wrinkles and no matter what I did I keep getting the wrinkles It could not be because the mold was not warm enough as I always place them on a hot plate at the lead is melting. So I take the two molds and clean them out again with white gas clear all the black off the rest of the mold now there looks to be spots in the mold that are staying black I tried to get it out with soft scrub and a green pad and had no luck and advice? Maybe I should have not used the soft scrub on them but they were only $15 for each mold.

What I should have done is taken my $30 and put it toward a good mold like a NOE (MiHec 155 gr coming in soon I hope) Like I said I have 155 gr that will make a good all round load but I'm thinking of buying another mold from NOE not sure if I should go with the 129 gr or go with a 170 gr+. I don't have a SBR or a can for this 300 BLK yet I'm thinking of getting both but it will not be for a year or so. Right now I'm shooting a 16" 300 BLK 1x8 Twist on an AR-15

I'd like to hear what you guys have to say abut the molds and I know I'm going to be ask what I'm I going to use the boolits for? I'm looking for a boolit I'm not sure right now just playing with the boolits seeing what I like in all if it can take down a deer or man and is accurate I'll be happy.

[1johnlb]

tayous1 I shoot a 8.5 inch 300blk and couldn't get the action to cycle with the 230 mold went to my trusty old lee .312 155 GC and never turned back. extremly accurate! Lee molds are great as far as Iam concerned. there is a learning curve when you get started. don't give up. make sure theres no oil on the mold. smoke only helps the break-in and works as a release agent. as far as the wrinkles make sure your lead and mold is hot enough and not to hot, and make sure your pour speed is fast enough.

[runfiverun]

if you have wrinkles and shiney boolits you don't have enough heat.

[Blammer]

I'd recommend the NOE 311041, it shoots great with my friends 300 BO. It's about 180 gr or so.

[tayous1]

if you have wrinkles and shiney boolits you don't have enough heat.

That's what I thought also but you would think that after about the 10th time of filling the mold it would be warm enough also before I filled the mold was put on a hot plate for a good 10 min as the lead melted and my Lee pot is on highest setting so I know my lead is hot enough. I'll try heating the molds again and see what happens.

[wordsmith]

I have the following NOE mold (throws 235 gr HP's, 240 gr FN):

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product...4ar276fmn7mfi3

It works great, but it has to be thoroughly pre-heated, and I have to run my Lee Bottom Pour at 750-800F to get rid of wrinkles. Based on my limited experience, the really long 230's are one of the harder bullets to cast. By comparison, pistol bullets are much more forgiving.

BTW, I've had great luck using this bullet with Hi-Tek Gold coating. I'm currently experimenting with the lowest BHN I can run while maintaining accuracy and getting expansion in water testing. Reliable subsonic hunting bullets are the goal. I've already got cast softnose working, but those are even more difficult and result in a fairly high reject rate.

[Fishman]

Unless you know what temp your alloy is, you can't eliminate that as the issue. Run it at 700+, preheat with hot plate, and cast until you get good boolits. An expensive mould won't make up for problems with your alloy. Don't spend money on them until you get the inexpensive lees working.

[Elkins45]

I agree with the others: the molds aren't the problem. They either aren't degreased, your alloy is too cold, or both.

My favorite NOE mold for 300 blackout is the 311365. It's been the best target performer, but its too pointy to be a preferred game bullet.

[tayous1]

Thanks to you all found out the problem. I have been using range scrap that I have collected of the past few years to do my casting with and have had no problems with using this lead with my pistol boolits. So today I set the mold up cleaned it out again and let it set on the hot plate for 20 mins, First pour I know my mold was hot enough as I had to wait for the lead to get hard on the sprue plate opened it up real quick knocked the two boolits out back into the lead and did pour #2 same thing had to wait a few for the lead to get hard open the mold up and wrinkles so I did 8 more pours each one wrinkles. So I thought maybe it's the scrap lead? It was casting my 170 gr mold at 175 gr but the 230 gr mold at 230 gr so I added 1 pound of pure lead to the pot mixed it in and went back for pour #11.

#11 came out nice no wrinkles had a nice shine to it what I was use to when doing the pistol so I did 10 of the 170 gr and 10 of the 230 gr. My 230 gr still weighing in a 230 gr but the 170 gr now weighing in at 179 gr to 180 gr. So after that I attempted and failing to powder lube added to much powder I had to toss all the boolits in the remelt bin! But I now know it works and what the problem was!

[Scout800a]

Hopefully Monday Ill be testing 311359's, 311365's, 311410's and 311414's in my blackout. Should be a great day as long as the range is open.

[tayous1]

Hopefully Monday Ill be testing 311359's, 311365's, 311410's and 311414's in my blackout. Should be a great day as long as the range is open.

Lucky man! I have to work 6 days for 12 hours+! I need a job that I can have time off!

[Scout800a]

I have a little gap in busy season, I intend to make the most of it.

[ProfGAB101]

excess650 - What were you sizing those at?

[Fishman]

I agree with excess650 regarding the 311414. My gun is a bit tight compared to others and so the lee 155 has always been touchy. Yesterday I finally loaded up some of the 311414's cast from an NOE mould over h110. No drama, cycled fine, and fired cases looked good. So I cast several hundred more. The nose on this design doesn't get larger in diameter as you go from the nose to the first driving band, unlike the Harris designed Lee. Time will tell if this affects accuracy. It certainly helps in that I don't have to seat the boolit deeper than designed to keep from jamming the nose into the rifling. I size to .310.

[Scout800a]

The Lee works well for me unless I powder coat it. Then its too fat to cycle reliably The 311414 seems to be the answer. No joy on loads better than 3 inches at 100 yet. But it cycles great. I really think it will be the mid weight blackout boolit

[Moonie]

The Lee works well for me unless I powder coat it. Then its too fat to cycle reliably The 311414 seems to be the answer. No joy on loads better than 3 inches at 100 yet. But it cycles great. I really think it will be the mid weight blackout boolit

I believe I've found a solution for this very problem. We have always been told here not to use the drop out sprays on our molds because it creates an undersized boolit. I believe this will solve the issue of PC and issues with chambering with semi-auto's.

[skizzums]

I feel for your problems with the lee mold, but I am having good luck with mine, its finicky with the temp, has to be kept really hot, but get too hot just as quick. just assume that your first 20 bullets are going to wrinkle and you have to pour pretty quickly. I load mine up with 9.6gr of H-110 and the cycle and shoot great out of an 8.5" barrel. I lso second the other guys suggestion of using the 155gr 7.62x39 mold. keep trying with the 230, turn your heat up to seven and move fast until they pour good, then slow down to about 5 seconds between pours. also don't eject your bullets from the mold until completely solidified our they come out warped. also a soft bristled toothbrush and gasoline or acetone goes a long way for removing any containments although your problems sounds like a general heat problem



powdercoated will fill any tiny insignificant wrinkles that wouldn't cause a problem anyway, also try adding a little extra tin

[Mntngoat]

Nice Ducati!

ML

[Scout800a]

I believe I've found a solution for this very problem. We have always been told here not to use the drop out sprays on our molds because it creates an undersized boolit. I believe this will solve the issue of PC and issues with chambering with semi-auto's.

Interesting idea, what sprays do you mean?

[1johnlb]

Skizzums, what, if I may ask, barrel manufacturer are you running, are you running a cann, short lightweight carrier ? I am not running H110 I only have a 1/4 lb by the time I found a load for that 230 I would be out. I worked up to about 9.5 gr of alliant 300mp and my primers were flat and crattering. With the action short stroking only extracting the case. I know h110 and 300mp are different but are on the same speed area of the burn rate chart [ SIDE BY SIDE THEY LOOK IDENTICAL ]. I'm running 16.2gr on my lee 312 155 with very good results. Maybe ,I should try powder coating them. Sure would look pretty anyway. THANKS