I did it!

[Az Rick]

First casting session, .44cal , RCBS 245gr. KT. I think they turned out pretty good. I'm not fast but since I do it for enjoyment, it's O.K. I had a little frosting, let the alloy get a little warm. I'll learn. They actually cast a little over 250grs, which I'm happy about.

Thanks for all the help guys, couldn't have done it without you all!

Rick

[Larry Gibson]

Them are looking good, wait till you shoot them....that's where the smile really gets big

Larry Gibson

[captain-03]

Nice job!! Welcome to a new world!! .... and enjoy ..

[Boondocker]

Nice job, I have been casting a long time and it still puts a smile on my face when I make a new batch.

[stubert]

Now, throw them in a tumbler for 15 min. and all the frosting will go away.

[qajaq59]

Welcome to a great hobby. And don't worry about how fast you cast them. It's only how well you cast them that counts.

[geargnasher]

Now, throw them in a tumbler for 15 min. and all the frosting will go away.

NO! Don't do that, it'll beat those pretty bases all up and they won't shoot worth a darn.

Frosting is caused by MOULD temperature, NOT pot temperature directly. Mould temperature is controlled by casting speed, how long you leave the boolit in the blocks after cutting the sprue, the size of the blocks, and to a certain extent how much heat you're putting in there each pour (the effect of alloy temp). Frosting isn't a bad thing at all unless it gets so bad that the boolits look sandblasted and have poor fillout and undersized driving bands. Light frosting is considered GOOD at my house!

Anyway, those boolits look pretty good to me, welcome to the addiction! Just wait 'till you send them downrange and then hurry home to cast some more!

Gear

[runfiverun]

i shoot for the flat grey look.
it's not frosted, and not shiney.
just a galvanized grey look.
i know i am keeping a constant mold temp this way, and adjust the pot temp down about 15* once i get it, then just cruise at a consistent pace.
i have a couple of molds that demand i loaf along at thier pace watching the sprue set up and suck in.

nice looking boolits b.t.w.

[MtGun44]

Frosty is not a problem. Don't worry about it. If the mold fill out is good and bases
look sharp cornered, and you fit the boolit to the throats, they will shoot just fine.

Have you slugged the barrel and throats? this is critical info, you want to start
at least at throat diameter, .001 or .002 over us usually a bit better. Use a
micrometer, not a caliper, for this kind of measurement.

Bill

[94Doug]

I wish my first attempt looked that good. You are on the right track.

Doug

[Crash_Corrigan]

Just think of the satisfaction you will have when you have assembled 50 of those nice new .44 Mag or .44 Spcl rounds and put them in a recycled ammo box.

If you had bought them in a store they would have cost at least $30 and you made the whole box for less than $4. If you do the math you will quickly realize that each time you fire off one of your rounds you are saving a buncha money.

Also realize that by using lead alloy boolits instead of copper bullets your barrel will last pretty much forever. At the speed which we shoot lead boolits you will not be cooking the barrel of your firearm.

When firing my M-1 Garand and using surplus copper FMJ rounds at the normal 2700 FPS velocity my barrel is warm after one clip. Hot by 2 and Very Hot by the time I finish off 24 rounds at the end of the 3rd clip.

However if using my handloaded lead alloy boolits, PP'd and using filler I am cruzin' over the hard packed sand at only 1750 FPS and the barrel hardly gets warm until after the 4th clip of ammo.

Even buying CMP cheapo Greek Surplus ammo by the spam can I am paying more than .25 cents a round. Did I buy some? Yup....4 spam cans. I fired off one can to learn how to shoot the Garand and I saved the ammo for reloads. The remaining 3 spam cans are my go to WTSHTF auxiliary ammo supply.

When I make ammo for the Garand I figure that my cost per round is much higher than with pistol ammo as they use much more powder and the brass life is shorter. Even with all that I believe that I am saving at least 75% on each round fired if I make them myself.

On the other hand if I ever could figure out how much money I have spend on reloading, casting and expendible supplies over the years I may have not saved so much after all. I must have $10,000 worth of STUFF which I have bought over the last 16 years. I confess to having bought molds for which I have not a weapon. Saving cases again for a caliber which I do not load. Now it is to the point of having a back up mold for a favorite etc.

It is a lifetime addiction..enjoy it!

[jdgabbard]

Looks good!!! I'll bet the groups will too!

[Fly-guy]

They look pretty good to me, I'll PM my mailing address if you want me to test about 50 pounds of them for you.

[a.squibload]

...I had a little frosting,...Rick

Until you said that I thought they were shiny. I've had worse.
They look so good you should shoot them into a pile of fluffy soft pillows.
Hate to see 'em get scratched.
OK, it's just me being jealous...

[Beau Cassidy]

That was the first bullet I cast and so far has been the most accurate in more than a few .44's. My alloy was with 75% ww and 25% lino water dropped. I still have some loaded for my Super Redhawk which I rarely shoot.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Purty Boolits. I don't sweat frost, usually means things are working out well.

[stubert]

I meant to say vibrator, not tumbler. Sorry

[dragonrider]

Frost is ok means you got the heat you need, if you slow down just a bit, the mold will cool a little and the frosting will go away if you want that.

[Az Rick]

Thanks for the kind words Guys. It's pretty hot here for casting, probably over 100 in the garage. I'm hooked big time, can't keep from going out to look at them. I'll do a range report when I actually load some and get to shoot.

Best, Rick