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Thread: Well I discovered a lil problem...

  1. #1
    Boolit Master


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    Well I discovered a lil problem...





    I didn't discover it till culling after stowing everything so I did not go back and look at the mold or handles... Its a Lyman 2 cav 357446 mold I quick cast up 5-6# last night for a friend. I threw the blocks on a new set of LEE handles.

    I KNOW the first group of castings is/was fine normal. These must have been later in the casting time. Appears that its was getting progressively worse. I could JUST feel the seam on more than a few and about 20-15 are real bad and culled.

    I did have some resistance on one side of the handles. I took a file to the handles to relive things. But the blocks seemed free floating on the handles. I'll look closer this weekend and maybe something will come to light. But figured I would ask you experts first.

    What's happening here?? How can I fix it??

    Thank you,
    CW
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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    I am no expert but I would suggest taking a look at your alignment pins. Sometimes the move around on some molds and need to be reset.

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  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I agree, those alignment pins can move back into the body of the mold, the taper shape will allow the two halves to slide apart and cause the boolits to be offset. Or one may have fallen out.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

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    OOPS! I agree with the fellers above. I have a "new"Lee mold that had that problem until I drilled and tapped the side of the mold for set screws to keep the pins in place...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  5. #5
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    If the mold is not lubed properly, that can also cause problems.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    +1 to alignment pins if the two halves were closing tightly together. Take the blocks off of he handles and then put the two halves together and see how tight the two halves are together - i.e. - with the two halves tightly together, try and slide them- one half one way and the other half the other way. That should tell you quickly.

    I'm surprised that you didn't notice the misalignment when you cut the sprues and before you opened the mold to drop them. Not being critical by saying that, but that much misalignment should have shown up. A good reminder to check things as you cast. Sometimes you get a cadence going and forget to check things along the way - I've done it more than once - not so much with misaligned blocks but with slight piece of lead between the halves that doesn't allow them to close tightly - just enough that they are out of round but with no flash at the parting line.

    I have had good luck with the Lee handles, knock on wood. I have accumulated probably close to twenty Lyman handles though over the last fifty years - large and small combined - and one thing I learned many years ago with them is that not all Lyman handles are created equal even when using Ideal/Lyman mold blocks.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Those are for the new offset counter rotating inverted rifling.

    Seriously, check the handles to see that they are not binding pushing the mold one direction or the other. This could have caused the pins to be misaligned when closing the mold and in doing so, pushed the pins back into the mold, thus no alignment when closed. It certainly looks like something has gone wrong with the alignment pins.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

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    That looks bad! Hopefully it will be an easy fix.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by bedbugbilly View Post
    +1 to alignment pins if the two halves were closing tightly together. Take the blocks off of he handles and then put the two halves together and see how tight the two halves are together - i.e. - with the two halves tightly together, try and slide them- one half one way and the other half the other way. That should tell you quickly.

    I'm surprised that you didn't notice the misalignment when you cut the sprues and before you opened the mold to drop them. Not being critical by saying that, but that much misalignment should have shown up. A good reminder to check things as you cast. Sometimes you get a cadence going and forget to check things along the way - I've done it more than once - not so much with misaligned blocks but with slight piece of lead between the halves that doesn't allow them to close tightly - just enough that they are out of round but with no flash at the parting line.

    I have had good luck with the Lee handles, knock on wood. I have accumulated probably close to twenty Lyman handles though over the last fifty years - large and small combined - and one thing I learned many years ago with them is that not all Lyman handles are created equal even when using Ideal/Lyman mold blocks.
    Haha, I agree... If I had my readers on when I was castin.

    I don't put them on, till I'm cullin.

    CW
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by fast ronnie View Post
    Those are for the new offset counter rotating inverted rifling.

    Seriously, check the handles to see that they are not binding pushing the mold one direction or the other. This could have caused the pins to be misaligned when closing the mold and in doing so, pushed the pins back into the mold, thus no alignment when closed. It certainly looks like something has gone wrong with the alignment pins.
    This was my first thoughts as well! Thanks FR!!

    Reading the posts, I'm now leaning to the pins myself.

    I do "look" at what I am doing... I just don't always "see" what's going on.

    CW
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  11. #11
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    I've got an old Blackhawk that will shoot them just fine
    Seriously I have an old Lee mould that needs a tap on the bottom before pouring to square things up. I use a wood dowel to cut sprues so an extra lick is easy. The boolits are fine if I do this. You have some slack somewhere.

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  12. #12
    Boolit Master


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    OK guys....

    PINS IT WAS!!

    They had recessed in far enough to allow missalighnment.

    I removed them alighned them and gently tapped the pins deeper.... and locked the mold together.

    I was able to tap lighter thru holes to release the halfs.

    Now its pretty good needs a bit of finnesse. But should be good now that i know to watch this.

    Guess I have been lucky never saw this before. I own about 17-18 molds and have used about a dozen more than that from my frend as loaners.

    CW
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  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Chainsaw boolits chew their way through the target .

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    Step #1 with any new mold: Hold the handles, close the mold halves and hold to a strong light. If you can see light between the halves ... start determining what the issue is ... which can be several
    Regards
    John

  15. #15
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    Good thing to look for when you start before you do like 1k

  16. #16
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    Unusual for the alinement pins on Lyman molds to push in during use.Check to make sure your handles aren't causing the problem when you're closing the molds.I've been using Lyman molds for at least 55 years and haven't had the alinement pins move during use.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by KenT7021 View Post
    Unusual for the alinement pins on Lyman molds to push in during use.Check to make sure your handles aren't causing the problem when you're closing the molds.I've been using Lyman molds for at least 55 years and haven't had the alinement pins move during use.
    I was surprised myself!!

    Unsure if it was this way outta the box. (NEW OLD STOCK mold) as it cast some nice bullets at first.

    But I know to watch this one now and its ready for the next casting session.

    CW
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  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by cwlongshot View Post
    Haha, I agree... If I had my readers on when I was castin.

    I don't put them on, till I'm cullin.

    CW
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  19. #19
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    Not to be rude but how was such terrible alignment not easily noticed?!?! That’s pretty badly off to go unnoticed.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master


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    Revist this posting in about 15 or so years and you will likely answer your own question.

    Thank you for your service.

    CW
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check