Accurate 43-215C Casting questions.

[Remmy4477]

Just received my first brass mold. Accurate 43-215C.

Some say patina it before casting some say just start using it as is. No gun stuff in or on the stove, per Wife! Ok will start without the patina.

2 cycle oil, ok got that but where do you apply it? Just at the sprue plate pivot?

Heat? Using an older Lee bottom pour pot. With my iron molds I set the thermostat at the half way point and cast, My aluminum ones like the thermostat set at the 3/4 point. No idea as to the temps at those points. How do I tell if the molds too hot? Don't want to warp it.

How long do you wait to open the sprue plate so you don't smear lead on the top of the mold? And if you do then what?

Never used a brass mold before, so probably a bit worried I'll screw it up. Might be overthinking?

[Outpost75]

One drop only of 2- cycle oil on the sprue plate pivot screw. One drop only on a Q-tip to lightly lubricate the alignment pin bushings. With new mold boil blocks in tap water with a squirt of Dawn dishwashing detergent to degrease mold. Let blocks dry of their own heat before assembling blocks and lubricating as above.

Preheat blocks by dipping a corner of the mold blocks 1/4" into melt until lead does not adhere to blocks. You want a melt temperature of 720-750 degrees. If you don't have a PID or thermocouple thermometer use a 400- degree Tempilstik crayon on the mold blocks themselves to judge correct preheat temp and cast away. If top of melt remains shiny, not drossing and bullets are nicely filled out you have the sweet spot.

Pour a large sprue, overflowing mold. Wait until sprue puddle turns frosty before cutting off and opening blocks. A 50-50 mix of Wheelweights and soft plumbers lead, with 2% tin added is a good general-purpose alloy.

If loading black powder fill the case with 2Fg to provide 1/8" compression with seated bullet. No wad necessary. Lube with 50-50 olive oil and beeswax.

For smokeless loads in .44-40 load 6 grains of Bullseye, 7 grains of 231 or WST, 8 grains of Unique, 9 grains of Herco, 16 grains of Alliant #2400 or 18.5 grains of IMR4227. In rifles you can load a compressed case full, about 24 grains of RL7 in the same manner as if loading black powder.

[DaveM]

As always, Outpost75 provides excellent information.

I have the aluminum version of the 43-215C mold. I've loaded bullets from it on top of both black and smokeless powder, mostly BP, for use in several Uberti reproductions: An 1873 Sporting Rifle, an 1860 Henry rifle, a Model P, and a Bisley. The rifles have 24" barrels while the revolvers have 5.5" barrels. I also have an Interarms Model 65 carbine, which is a rebadged Rossi 92 lever action with a 20" barrel. (I may have a .44-40 addiction!)

I size my bullets to .430" and lube with a 50/50 mix of mutton tallow and beeswax. I have two different black powder loads:

--2.2cc or approximately 35 grains of 3Fg.
--1.9cc or approximately 28 grains of 3Fg + a 1/8" Circle Fly nitro card wad.

When using Swiss 3Fg, the 2.2cc load chronographed an average of 1329 FPS from the 1873 Sporting Rifle and grouped into about 2" at 50 yards, as good as I can do with irons.

The .19cc load is intended to approximate the original .44 Henry Flat rimfire load, primarily for use in the 1860 Henry. It should do about 1100 FPS from the Henry Rifle but I haven't chronographed it. This load is also more pleasant to shoot from the wheelguns due to noticeably less recoil.

The largest number of BP rounds I've fired in one session from a rifle is 100. Because the 43-215C carries a lot of lube the bore didn't foul out and cleanup required only about 10 patches before they came out clean. I find this combination cleans up quicker than smokeless loads with Unique, believe it or not.

[Remmy4477]

Outpost75, DaveM thanks for the info!

Did two casting sessions over the weekend. Started up the pot and set the mold on the rim to heat up. First two casts, not so great but after that the boolits dropped great. 230+ boolits for the weekend with no problems from the mold. Just a little area with some lead buildup but wiped them right off with a rag. That brass mold is heavy! About wore me out at the 100+ mark!

Started loading a batch last night. Once fired starline brass, 36grns (volume) Goex FFG, spg lube. The boolits are dropping at 429 so just ran them through the sizer for the lube.

My rifles an old rolling block with a redman liner, 20 inch barrel at .428. It does real well with smokeless rounds at the .429 size. So real curious as to how well it does with the BP.

Have a pistol cartridge shoot coming up this next weekend barring weather. Fun day and testing day all in one.