Fired up my new NOE 330gr mold today. My background, 40+ years casting, 20+ years since I've used a "new mold", my first aluminum mold ever.
I've never cast anything over 250gr and always used iron molds, mostly pistol.
My mix, 1/2 CWWW, 1/2 Isotope, usually yields a 12-14 hardness, adequate for the 45-70 loads I have planned.
Scrubbed the molds with dish soap, dried on the old Lyman furnace ledge while I heated up my alloy. Applied the sprue lube per instructions.
My usual pistol/iron mold temp of 670 was reached and I started to fill the mold to see what I got. Yuck! I started to remember my last new mold. NO, I did not smoke the molds as recommended. Just never thought that worked.
I had a lot of wrinkles. Gradually increased the lead temp and the mold temp. Not much change, but stayed with it. After about 100 cast rejects and temps now around 700-710 on my thermometer I had a few that were good enough to size.
I added some to my melt, let the mold cool and the melt come up to 700+ and cast some more.
I'm still getting about 25% with some wrinkling. Grease grooves look good, bullets are not shiny. I've increased the flow a little. I thing the molds are breaking in.
After some adult beverages and a nights sleep, tomorrow I will fire up the mill and make new molds guides since my antique Lyman guides are too narrow for the NOE Molds. I'll do a hardness check with my absolute Lee Harness tester ant try again.
Aluminum molls with a cavity larger than I'm used to will require some practice.
I'm very happy with the NOE mold. They are casting about .4595-.460. My Marlin bbl slugged .4575-.458 so I should be good lube/sizing at .459.
I'm a happy caster!
PJ