bullet appearance after lapping lee mold

[David2011]

I have several aluminum Lee molds and find them to be more difficult to use well than steel or cast iron molds. As others have said, you have to keep the mold hot. That is not the same thing as keeping the melted alloy hot. If you don't flow into the mold fast enough and if you don't fill/cut/dump fast enough the mold will run too cold and will cause the lines shown in the first photos. When the boolits just start looking frosted the mold temp is at the top of the perfect range.

[Huvius]

I've had similar experiences with Lee and multi-cavity molds.
Of course the sprue plate needs more whacking to cut the sprues - there are a lot of them to cut and they are progressively cooling as you get around to cutting them.
In my experience, any aluminum mold fills better when casting hot and fast. Aluminum is a higher conductor so heats faster and cools faster than a steel mold. The only way I've found to get really good fill is to heat the pot higher than is really needed and then gradually dial it back as your session progresses until you find the sweet spot - a balance between pot temp and mold temp regulation according to the speed you are pouring, resting and dropping.
I used to smoke molds too but now don't bother figuring it may get you a few decent looking boolits ahead but doesn't really make a noticeable difference throughout a casting session.

Other than that, I must ask, have you loaded and shot any of your questionable boolits?
My opinion is... if you can lube and size them as you would a perfectly cast example, you probably would be hard pressed to notice a difference between those and your "better" cast projectiles at normal handgun ranges.

[gwpercle]

I looked at Comet when I was going to lap a Lee mould....that has to be one of the worst things to use on a soft aluminum mould. It is rough and coarse ...may be OK for steel but not aluminum.
I used Turtle Wax automotive car rubbing compound first....very lightly and then the finer polishing compound. I would advise you to do it again with the polishing compound to remove the scratches that God Awful Comet made...
6 cavity Lee moulds really need a hot plate to get them hot and keep them hot....they loose heat very quickly , your boolits are showing symptoms of too cold...jack the pot heat up also...I start at 750 and back down as everything heats up .
Good luck
Gary

[weeple2000]

...

Other than that, I must ask, have you loaded and shot any of your questionable boolits?
My opinion is... if you can lube and size them as you would a perfectly cast example, you probably would be hard pressed to notice a difference between those and your "better" cast projectiles at normal handgun ranges.

I debated a bit about this. I am not culling them 100% now. If they look reasonable but a little soft I am keeping some of them. I want the 45's for shooting bullseye. So the distances we're shooting indoors is 50', outdoors it is 25 and 50 yards. The high masters would be shooting a 2" group at 50 yards. I am probably shooting closer to 70-80% right now. So the consistency of the bullet probably isn't going to be affecting my score that much. I picked up some sizers off of Midsouth. It was the best deal even though shipping is sort of expensive. Well, everything was so cheap, that I bought an extra sizer and mold for my 38 special. Of course that additional sizer was back ordered. So this is an exercise in patience.

I picked up a pid, heatsink and ssr off of eBay. I also bought a thermocouple and a screw terminal. I hadn't heard back from Hatch (granted it hasn't been long but I was wondering what the parts would cost) so I started pricing things. I think it will be pretty cheap to build a pid. The pain point will be waiting for the parts to ship on the slow boat. I have bought a lot of items from over seas before. These are from Hong Kong. In my experience things ship quicker from there.

[44MAG#1]

Weeple2000 said. "The high masters would be shooting a 2" group at 50 yards. I am probably shooting closer to 70-80% right now. So the consistency of the bullet probably isn't going to be affecting my score that

If you are talking about offhand with one hand, then the High Masters will be shooting perfect scores all the time at 50 Yards.
The 10 ring is 3.375" diameter. Now that is some shooting.


Again I mean no hurt, harm, anguish or turmoil by my post I have posted on this posted subject. I am not baiting, trolling or calling out anyone. I am making a post based on my experience, knowledge and/or belief or opinion. That is all.

[weeple2000]

Weeple2000 said. "The high masters would be shooting a 2" group at 50 yards. I am probably shooting closer to 70-80% right now. So the consistency of the bullet probably isn't going to be affecting my score that

If you are talking about offhand with one hand, then the High Masters will be shooting perfect scores all the time at 50 Yards.
The 10 ring is 3.375" diameter. Now that is some shooting.


Again I mean no hurt, harm, anguish or turmoil by my post I have posted on this posted subject. I am not baiting, trolling or calling out anyone. I am making a post based on my experience, knowledge and/or belief or opinion. That is all.

I am probably misunderstanding something a bit. I think that 2" groups at 50 yards was supposed to be somewhat of a gold standard for what a good bullseye gun should be able to do. I do know that no one has ever shot a perfect 2700 though. So I think my previous statement is probably not phrased correctly.

[44MAG#1]

I am probably misunderstanding something a bit. I think that 2" groups at 50 yards was supposed to be somewhat of a gold standard for what a good bullseye gun should be able to do. I do know that no one has ever shot a perfect 2700 though. So I think my previous statement is probably not phrased correctly.

Two inches at fifty yards may be true from a ransom rest. But not offhand. Accuracy in what one is talking about is as important as the accuracy of the firearm.
Now, there will be someone who will post they saw someone shoot a two inch 10 shot 50 yard group offhand here in a few minutes to refute what I say. My question will be "was it luck or can they do that on a regular basis"?
There is much talk about a lot of things. Shooting is one of them.


Again I mean no hurt, harm, anguish or turmoil by my post I have posted on this posted subject. I am not baiting, trolling or calling out anyone. I am making a post based on my experience, knowledge and/or belief or opinion. That is all.