Filling Trough on Bullet Molds?

[Clovis]

I have noticed some manufacturers offer the option of a filling trough between the cavities on the molds they sell. Can anyone tell me what the pro and cons of such an option are?

[mozeppa]

it's easier to pour lead in a trough than to hunt for the hole.

the sprue usually stay in one clump of 4 -5 or 6 boolit sprue's ....easier to keep an eye on.

sprue plate cools quicker.
other than that...can't think of any other reasons.

i like em! ....all 16 of my molds have it.

[country gent]

I have modified all my moulds to a trough on the sprue plate wether single or multiple cavity blocks. I don't pour a sprue per say when casting but pour a full ladle thru the ladle into the mould letting the excess run off the trough and over the edges back into pot. This makes for very sharp square bases on my big rifle bullets and a very close weight range from start to finish for me. I have run 400-500 in a few hours at 500 grns with .7 variance after visibles were culled. The Over pour method allows for better fill and off gassing of the mould the trough makes this easier to do. I also make my own sprue plates from .250 starrett gage stock. A little heavier and a bigger sprue puddle to work witrh after the trough is cut.

[Clovis]

thank you

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Those advantages seem real enough, but I don't think you can let lead flow along the trough without excessive cooling, and that isn't what it is meant for.

[OS OK]

Those troughs might have made it easier to keep the ladle engaged with the sprue plate on the mold when ladling multi cavity moulds.
With a bottom pour pot you have to tilt the mold a bit more to keep Pb out of the next cavity until your ready to pour that cavity or you are going to have wrinkled boolits.

[toallmy]

I try to pour a continuous sprue on all my molds even the 2 cavity ones with or without a troughs , I aim for the cavity but with a continuous pore , it seems to help keep the plate hot so it helps cutting the sprue by hand . I only have a couple molds with a troughs and I like them . I just received a project mold back from Eric Ohlen with a through plate that he cleaned up the blocks and bored out the beveled base for me , and I am looking forward to trying it out .

[StratsMan]

I haven't heard of a trough in a mould, just in the sprue plate... Can someone provide a link to a picture???

[country gent]

I cut the troughs in my sprue plates on the ones thick enough or make thicker ones for those that arnt. I do this with simple hand tools. I lay out the trough with a square and scribe and then cut it in with a dremil tool and grinding wheels. I find the "cool" time is longer on the continuous or over pour for the sprues to solidify For me the trough gives a controlled run off and also a controlled sprue size as once up to temp the lead runs off to the same level every pour. I use an rcbs ladle and it holds around 1/4-3/8 lb of alloy I would guess, this extra holds and heats the base longer.

[OS OK]

I haven't heard of a trough in a mould, just in the sprue plate... Can someone provide a link to a picture???

I think we are talking about just the sprue plates here Dave.

[lightman]

I have only recently cast with molds that have a trough in the sprue plate, and I liked it after I got used to it. I did learn to tilt the mold like OS said. I have considered taking a hand full of my sprue plates over to a buddies shop and using his mill to cut a trough.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Pouring a large sprue puddle makes for casting a better boolit.
When I ordered my first sprue plate with Trough, I thought it would help pour a larger sprue puddle, but it was more problematic with alloy flowing into the next cavity, and I couldn't overcome that with my technique...so the first one I ordered was the last one I will ever order. YMMV.

[Clovis]

I'm currently using a bottom pour as I find it works much better than the ladle method for me.

[Clovis]

Thanks I will keep that in mind

[Clovis]

Sorry for the confusion I was talking about the sprue plate

[Moonie]

I have some with and some without, my preference is with as they can be used the same as one without.

[Love Life]

I prefer a mould without a trough.

[flyingrhino]

I have both. See no benefit to the trough.

[dragon813gt]

I prefer a mould without a trough.

Same here. I get more weight variation w/ a trough.

[Walter Laich]

I have some and like them because the sprue is one long piece of lead

All my sprues (talking about the lead now) and poured so I get this long chunk--goes into the pot easier

I got mine from Rick: http://www.kal.castpics.net/Molds3.html