Help Needed

[alfloyd]

"If it is new you may have to heat cycle it 3 or 4 times too."

I agree with this statement. I have found that new Lee molds work better after 2 or 3 casting sessions.

Lafaun

[C130CrewChief]

Wow what a difference, I cleaned the mold as suggested with dish soap and a toothbrush, checked and cleaned all the air passages, turned the pot up to 800 degrees and really moved. Got a little lead smearing on sprue plate so I stopped and cleaned mold w/brake clean, reheated mold and lubed w/frog lube? after about 15 minutes it really started working as long as I kept moving. I held the temp. at 800 with a thermometer the whole session. Boolits were within .3 grains of 55 and filled out very nicely if I did my part.
This is the best forum I have had the pleasure of visiting. Thank You all for your help.

[LenH]

I have never tried to cast anything that small but when I cast .30 cal. bullets I have to run the melt at about 750° and get the mold a bit hotter than normal and cast
a bit faster. This is from a guy that normally cast big .45 bullets.

[lightman]

Glad you got things working. Every mold has its quirks. About the time you think you know some stuff you seem to get ahold of a mold that humbles you!

[John Van Gelder]

Not sure how accurate this assessment is: The last few new Lee molds I got, I sprayed them with "Sail Kote" a dry lubricant I bought for motorcycle chains. One application on a new mold seems to work well, the bullets are all properly formed and fall out of the mold. Now I spray the molds down after each session.

[country gent]

Glad to hear of your success. A new mould can be a trial and tribulation. both ends of the casting sizes have special issues to deal with. Small light bullets can be hard to maintain temps and long big heavy bullets will over heat the blocks at times.