A Noob's first cast. (pic) Long winded!

[AKsoldier]

So I got my casting equipment finally from Midway yesterday. I've gained some edumacation in the last 24 hours.

I figured I had read enough here, and in books that I was ready to begin casting perfect boolits from the beginning. Yeah - RIGHT!

The learning process has been fun though, and I'm happy with the results.

I have two molds that I've used so far (and third that I can't use - made a mistake in my order.)

The first I'll talk about is a Lee mold - #452-228-1R. This one was very tricky to cast well. I selected it for my .45 ACP. My first attempts were met with about a 90% attrition rate. Back in the pot with the boolits riddled with crevasses! I was discouraged, but I wasn't giving up.

Tonight I decided to try a different mold. I picked out the Lee #452-300-RF. This one I had picked out for my S&W 460V, which I just picked up today. (Hooray!!!) I guess this would be a good place to mention the alloy I've been using. John Z Sr was kind enough to send me several ingots of lead. I don't know what kind of alloy they are, but I am guessing wheel wieghts. I used those ingots alone for the first mold with little success. I learned that heat range is very important! For this mold, I decided a hardening agent was in order considering these boolits will be used in a high-pressure cartridge, so I threw in some linotype I got from Midway. (about 50-50 ingot from John Z and linotype.) Maybe it was the mold, maybe the alloy, but these boolits came out MUCH better than the first ones. I did use more heat, thinking the harder alloy would require it. I have the cheapest, smallest Lee melting pot and I had the heat set at 7 of 10. My attrition rate for these boolits was very low at about 10%.

After this, I decided to play around with the heat level a bit to see if the .45 ACP boolits might come out better. I discovered that the trick is to cool them only minimally in the mold before cutting the sprue and dropping them. With the heat set at 6.5, and cooling only about 30 seconds in the mold, my boolits were looking much better. The pic below is indicative of the majority. The one on the left is one of 73 for the pot of the 300 grain boolits for my S&W 460, and the one on the right is one of 92 for the pot of the 228 grain boolits for the .45 ACP.

I am learning fast and having fun. I already have a sizing die on order for the .45 ACP (The cheap Lee dies come with a solvent that is considered "hazmat" and can't be ordered through Midway.) and since my S&W 460 came today I'll be able to mic the cylinder and bore to determine which sizing die to order for it.

I think it's safe to say I'm hooked, and ya'll aint getting rid of me anytime soon. May all your boolits hit true!

[stubshaft]

Great looking booits. The 300gr. boolit is one of my favorites for the 460 Smith I shoot this one in conjunction with a 300gr LBT/LFN and a 375gr behemoth Mountain mold (Keith style) all loobed with BAC.

The addition of a little lino make a big difference in the boolits appearance BUT WW's may not look as pretty but they sure shoot good.

Welcome to the insanity!

[AKsoldier]

Thanks Stubshaft! I am desperately trying to find a reason that I HAVE to spend more time in my loading/casting area.

[chris in va]

You let the mold sit for 30 seconds? I usually let it sit for 2-3 seconds before whacking it open.

[sojerguy]

AK,

Those little lead pills are dangerous to you!!!

I'm willing to take them off your hands and properly dispose of them so as to keep you safe from harm!!!! Just mail them to me.

How would I dispose of them? Well by propelling them down range of course!

All in the name of 'your' safety of course.

Not buying it??? Oh well I tried.

Congrats on infecting yourself with one of the best aspects of the shooting hobby!!

Good looking bullets by the way.

[stubshaft]

Thanks Stubshaft! I am desperately trying to find a reason that I HAVE to spend more time in my loading/casting area.

Buy more guns!

Look at the Group Buy thread and soon you will be hooked...

[AKsoldier]

You let the mold sit for 30 seconds? I usually let it sit for 2-3 seconds before whacking it open.

Well, I guess that explains why I was having problems at first.

[AKsoldier]

AK,

Those little lead pills are dangerous to you!!!

I'm willing to take them off your hands and properly dispose of them so as to keep you safe from harm!!!! Just mail them to me.

How would I dispose of them? Well by propelling them down range of course!

All in the name of 'your' safety of course.

Not buying it??? Oh well I tried.

Congrats on infecting yourself with one of the best aspects of the shooting hobby!!

Good looking bullets by the way.

While I am monumentally grateful for your concern over my safety, I unfortunately have run out of postage stamps required to send the offending pills in your direction. Therefore, I'm afraid you must grit your teeth and watch while I submit myself to the danger, in your stead.

[kbstenberg]

Watch the puddle of lead on the top of the mold. You can see it first solidify then change to a darker Grey. For my that is the correct time to cut the sprue. Each mold is different. experiment with different ways of using it an keep track in a little note book for what works an what doesn't.
I also have a loose leaf notebook to record thing i have learned on this website for future reference. I put markers on the outer edges of the pages for subject matter. Subjects like Alloy, Mold Maintenance, Bullet Lube, Flux.
Just my 2 cents Kevin

[mdi]

Excellent looking boolits! You seem to be doing it right. BTW, what hazardous solvent is shipped with Lee Dies?

[captain-03]

WTG -- My first ones did not come close to looking that good!!

[AKsoldier]

Watch the puddle of lead on the top of the mold. You can see it first solidify then change to a darker Grey. For my that is the correct time to cut the sprue. Each mold is different. experiment with different ways of using it an keep track in a little note book for what works an what doesn't.
I also have a loose leaf notebook to record thing i have learned on this website for future reference. I put markers on the outer edges of the pages for subject matter. Subjects like Alloy, Mold Maintenance, Bullet Lube, Flux.
Just my 2 cents Kevin

Thanks for the tips Kevin - I already started keeping notes. I scribbled what works best for each mold on a 3X5 card and stuffed them in the box with the molds. I know what you're talking about with the lead solidifying too. I remember reading somewhere that you're supposed to wait 30 seconds or so before dropping them, but it's obvious now it can be done much sooner.

mdi - I have no idea. Maybe it's the lube? I tried to order everything online, and I had to call customer service to find out why I couldn't ship everything. They told me it was because of a "solvent" included with the sizing dies that classifies as hazmat.

These things can be shipped without issue in the lower 48, but coming up here FROM the lower 48 is a different story.

[lwknight]

I remember reading somewhere that you're supposed to wait 30 seconds or so before dropping them, but it's obvious now it can be done much sooner.

Its all about cadence. A large boolit mold would need to run slower than a small boolit mold to keep the mold temperature optimal. I only can sustain about 20 second cycles with my 240 grain 44 cal. Lee 6 banger but can run continuesly at 12-15 second with a 125 grain 9mm 6 banger mold. With some molds , you have to go as fast as you can just to keep the temperature up.

[AKsoldier]

Its all about cadence. A large boolit mold would need to run slower than a small boolit mold to keep the mold temperature optimal. I only can sustain about 20 second cycles with my 240 grain 44 cal. Lee 6 banger but can run continuesly at 12-15 second with a 125 grain 9mm 6 banger mold. With some molds , you have to go as fast as you can just to keep the temperature up.

This was my observation as well. I had to go much faster with the 228 grain mold than I did with the 300 grainer. Now I know for the future that with the lighter boolits I need to keep things hoppin.

[mroliver77]

Try the straight WW again and turn pot all the way up. If it starts taking over 8-10 sec for sprue to harden then back down 1/2 of a setting. Very few designs I cannot get to make good boolits with straight WW. If you can load either boolit in your 460 case and chamber them in the cyl easily you can hand lube them and shoot as is until you get your dies. I have some foot wax made to soften hard skin on your feet I bought at Wal Mart. It has beeswax, lanolin petrolium jelly and some other stuff in it. I hand lubed some 38-55 boolits with it for kicks and they worked just dandy. I brought this up just in case you are chompin at the bit to fire some.I just could not wait!
Jay

[AKsoldier]

Thanks for the tip! I haven't checked the 460 boolits yet for fit, but if they will work I just might take your advice. I have to fire up some of my other handloads with beartooth boolits first though to free up some brass. I only have 35 cases. They're still backordered at Midway.


Wait a minute - the boolits I cast for the 460 are gas check type. I wonder if I can just tap them on or if they have to be pressed on with the sizing die....

[Snyd]

Nice job there AKsoldier! Your hooked now! I cast my first boolits in this past fall. One of the boolits i cast are a 350gr .452 from a custom LBT mould. I ran them through a Lee sizer and seated the gas checks, then hand dipped a few in the Lee liquid Alox. The shot great with no leading. I have also tumble lubed some 200gr .452 swc acp boolits, sized them in the Lee sizer and loaded them in 45 Colt brass with 8 gr Unique. Same with some 150gr 38's. They shoot great with no leading either. I ordered my Lee sizers with the Alox from Factory Sales. http://www.factorysales.com/
They shipped it no prob along with my pot and other stuff.

[AKsoldier]

Thanks Snyd! I bookmarked the site for future use. I thought it was kinda strange that Midway wouldn't ship the sizing dies. I ordered a couple from a shop here in town. And yes, I'm hooked now. I just went into town and picked up a 5 gallon bucket full of wheel weights from a tire shop. 145 LBS. of lead for $25.00.

Now I need to find that thread where the guys were discussing how to determine which weights contain zinc...

[lylejb]

Congrats on the good looking boolits, AK

BTW, what hazardous solvent is shipped with Lee Dies?

Read a thread about this, it's...... Lee liquid alox. I Don't think it's truly HAZMAT, like powder or primers, but the post office changed their rules and won't allow it to go by air freight (like priority mail) due to flammibility of some solvent in it.

I think it can still go ground, but that would be a tough road to Alaska or Hawai.....

[mmorris]

You live in the Land of the Bull Plate Lube. Get some and you can open the sprue plate while the lead is still soft with no lead smears. Makes the sprue plate opening a light tap... very nice.

From their website:

www.bullshop.gunloads.com/tbs_lube.htm

Bullplate Sprue Lube
This is a mold prep lube
2oz Bottle
$4.00
A small amount of this lube applied sparingly to the top of your mold and bottom of the sprue plate will prevent lead smearing across the mold and lead buildup on the underside of the sprue plate. Production rates will increase not having to wait for the mold to cool between bullet casts. Bullplate lube also prevents galling on aluminum molds. We also use this lube for all our swaging operations.

Mike