So I was casting these 200gr. SWC .452 boolits after church today. This was the first time I had used this Lee 6 cavity (already 'leemented'). I really have to run the mold and the melt hot to keep things rolling, but I'm wondering if one or both are too hot now. Notice the fracture off the driving band of the bullet.
Looks like the boolit is still to hot when you drop it.
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What's your mixture?
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Do you have a thermometer or are you guessing at the right temperature? I bought a grill thermometer from the local Yazoo hardware store that goes to 750degrees and use it in my pot. It was like $12 and works like a champ. Mine seem to cast best between 650 and 700deg.
+1 What fishhawk said. Slow down your casting rhythm.Originally Posted by fishhawk
I've had the problem with Keith semi-wadcutters. The boolit was too hot when it left the mold. It looks weird because the alloy is in transition to solid. fishhawk had it.
Mal
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You didn't give it enough time to cool. My ingots fracture the same way when I dump them too soon.
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Agree with all...........slow down..........let the lead cool a bit more B4 opening the mold.
All should be fine then!
I always drop into a pan of water with a towel on the bottom. Not to gain any hardness (I PC all my slugs so the get baked for 10 min @ 400F) but to cool them off fast so they will not bang together and/or crack if a bit too hot.
bangerjim
As said before, slow down.
I like to count
Mold hot, melt hot
Pour count to 3 or 4 and drop.
Depends on how fast you count, it helps me a lot.
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Yep I was moving fairly quick. I dont have a thermometer on the RCBS, but the thermostat was set at 750+. The mixture was 1 lb. COWW ingot to 1 lb. X-ray ingot circa 1983.
I am also water dropping them, but I'm intending to Hi-Tek coat them, so they will be baked at 400.
Thanks guys for the guidance.
The alloy temp was immaterial, the alloy hadn't fully "frozen" yet. You need to give it time to fully freeze, perhaps 10-15 seconds after it solidifies completely, before opening the mould. The hotter the mould, the longer it will be before you can drop the bullets.
A burr in the mold can make the problem worse. If slowing down doesn't cure your problem, then consider a light lapping of your mold. A sharp edge can give you grief forever. Have fun.
Yup, mold too hot, casting too fast. I have a Lee HP .357 mold and have the same problem. Want more boolits, cast faster, and part of the HP breaks off.
Wayne the Shrink
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I bet lowering that temperature will help also, won't have to cool as much.
I was wondering the same thing. No indication as to temp.
Yep, speed is killing your proficiency!
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This always happens to me when the mold is not up to temperature. Speed up your cadence a little. I use range lead and I have to run at least 675°, according to my thermometer, and keep the mold spotlessly clean.So I was casting these 200gr. SWC .452 boolits after church today. This was the first time I had used this Lee 6 cavity (already 'leemented'). I really have to run the mold and the melt hot to keep things rolling, but I'm wondering if one or both are too hot now. Notice the fracture off the driving band of the bullet.
Agree that the alloy had not cooled enough and that a tiny burr can make this problem worse. So after letting the mold cool a little more if the problem is not quite gone use a popsicle stick to check the mold for burrs. I set the mold on a piece of steel to cool the bottom and suck in more lead if needed thru the sprue hole. Same piece of steel also is used to align the mold halves before closing to prevent damage.
If the mold still gives you problems add 1/2 to 1 percent tin as I have found this does help.
If you like the bullet and since Lee molds are inexpensive, buy a second mold alternating the pour. This will up your production rate considerably and give the last poured mold more time to cool.
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