Magma Bullet Master questions / issues

[andre3k]

I've done some searching on here and couldn't find a centralized thread on using and maintaining the magma bullet master. I was casting before I purchased my mk 8 but it's a whole different animal to keep 8 molds producing perfect bullets vs one mold.

Right now I'm using Magma 9mm 147 rn bb molds and 96/6/2 alloy. I'm running the melt and pre-melt sides at 710 degrees and casting for approximately 20 minutes to get the molds good and hot. Once I see that I'm getting a good stream of bullets I will let it run and pull a few bullets occasionally. I'm getting about a 30% reject rate on bullets. The issue I'm having is that half of a bullet base will be very sharp and defined and the other half will be rounded and undefined. What would cause this? Keep in mind that this is on a machine that has been casting for over an hour. The molds are well beyond hot at this point.

Can anyone chime in with tips on dealing with this?

[Labanaktis]

I have found sturring the pre melt and pour sides with a spoon helps.... Seems like it keeps the tin mixed in better. I have had a similar experience when running wheel weights and adding tin in.... The more I keep it stirred in, the better the boolits look....

also I have had a gold tint on the top surface of the pot.... Looks like tin to me. That's why I stir it in....

hope that helps.

Matt

[andre3k]

I will post up some pics later but it only seems to occur with smaller diameter bullets. My 45's never have this issue.

[hunter74]

I get the same problems with my hand casting moulds for small 38's. What works for me is running the moulds a bit hotter, but seems like you have ruled this out as the problem. In my case the flow rate also has something to with this problem. As I get near the bottom of my pot and the rate gets to slow I can get rejects as you describe. Bad fill out at the base and rounded details. Have you tried to increase the flow rate so the moulds gets filled faster with more preasure? When I'm up to temp with my moulds and the flow rate is correct I do not get the rejects as you describe.

I think you are right about the tin. If the percentage is to low this increases the probability of bad fillout.

[Labanaktis]

Here is mine running 9mm 135gn RN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbnsrmtxC10


You can see the temps and the video gives you an idea on pour velocity. Keep the Pour side float 1/2 to 3/4 high... this helps with the pour velocity.

Hope it helps.


Thanks, Matt

[woodbutcher]

It appears that your lead temps could stand to be a bit hotter.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[ioon44]

I used to have 3 of these machines and spent a lot of time on the phone with Magma they were always very helpful.

Pay attention to the way the lead pours in to the sprue plate and try to run a large sprue just short of making a mess.

[HATCH]

crank your temps up to at least 715 degrees.
add a little more tin to the mix.

I don't have a bullet master but I do have a master caster.
I cast at 750 degrees.

[fredj338]

I think it may be a venting issue. Try breaking the top edge of the mold, very, very slightly. I use a Magma caster & had this problem with a couple of molds. I never run my pot less than half full. Flow rate seems better with more than 1/2 full.

[Labanaktis]

It appears that your lead temps could stand to be a bit hotter.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

Boolits come out perfect as set

Matt

[andre3k]

Guess i will bump this up for another question. Im running 230gr rn now. The pot is dripping one to two large drops of lead between mould positions. I tried clearing out the two holes the lead flows through with a small drill bit but im still getting some leakage. Any suggestions before i call magma?

[ReloaderFred]

Probably a little debris in the valve seat. Try tapping the top of the valve rod very lightly with a small hammer a couple of times when the valve is closed. I use an 8 oz. brass hammer for this. The key is to tap lightly.

If this doesn't work to close the valve all the way, then cleaning the valve seat is next, but that is a royal pain in the posterior, believe me.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[andre3k]

Probably a little debris in the valve seat. Try tapping the top of the valve rod very lightly with a small hammer a couple of times when the valve is closed. I use an 8 oz. brass hammer for this. The key is to tap lightly.

If this doesn't work to close the valve all the way, then cleaning the valve seat is next, but that is a royal pain in the posterior, believe me.

Hope this helps.

Fred

I'm thinking its debris as well. Magma suggested I clean the melt side and see if that stops it. Sounds like a headache.

[runfiverun]

it is the stem I had the same problem with my master caster and I just needed to clean it out.

your not filled out bases is nothing more than a cold spot on the sprue plate.
the molds may be up to temp but the plate is hanging out there in the open air cooling down you just need to find the culprit.
a small draft or too small of a sprue puddle is most likely the reason.

[Labanaktis]

Thats a good point about the spru plate... I usually run a good over pour just so the spru's stay warm.

[andre3k]

it is the stem I had the same problem with my master caster and I just needed to clean it out.

your not filled out bases is nothing more than a cold spot on the sprue plate.
the molds may be up to temp but the plate is hanging out there in the open air cooling down you just need to find the culprit.
a small draft or too small of a sprue puddle is most likely the reason.

I haven't considered that. Once I get the drip issue fixed I will run larger sprues and see if that helps with fill out. I wish magma made a more convenient place for the bullets to drop into. Having to pull out that tray to keep an eye on you bullets is a headache. I want to see if I can fab up a funnel that catches the bullets and rolls them down into a large tray so that I can inspect the bullets as they come out of the moulds.

[runfiverun]

look at their master caster set-up it has a divider that does a pretty decent [75-80%] job of sorting the sprues from the boolits.
I have mine going into the front part of a drawer on top of a pile of towels, this allows me to pull the drawer out part way and see what's up, while everything still falls in the back half.

[angus6]

my Bullet Master has a chute added so the bullets come out the front

[HuskJ]

Can you post a picture of that chute that comes out the front?