Cast Bullet weight

[ga_red_rider]

I've been shooting for 35 years, And at 51 I have decided I am way over due casting my own bullets. Thought about it for years but today is the day. I have a Lee melting pot (bottom pour) Lee aluminum 2 - 45 cal 230 grain mold and casted 100 bullets today from some ingot that I got. My son and I had a great time doing it. I don't own a hardness tester but did the rudimentary lee method of putting a bullet of known hardness base to base with one I cast and crushing it in my Vise. My cast bullets were softer. I am willing to entertain that these will work ok after lubing them and loading them for target shooting.
My question is the bullets I cast are supposed to be 230 grain but weight in at almost 240. Too much lead? Not enough tin? I trust a lot of you are throughly experienced and I seek knowledge in the newly discovered extension of my favorite hobby.

RS

[Edubya]

Ten grains on a 230 gr mould is not all that unusual. If they fit the gun, shoot and enjoy. You're liable to find them to be the favorite boolit for you and your gun. About 5gr of Bullseye ought to be real nice with them.
EW

[sagacious]

I agree with EW. A few grains either way is nothing to worry about. The mold may have been cut to drop 230grs +or- with Lyman #2 or similar alloy. So if your lead alloy has less than the nominal 5% tin and 5% antimony that Lyman #2 has, you're castings will be heavier than 230grs. Not a problem.

You may also find that your softer bullets shoot just fine. Hard lead is certainly not always necessary for the 45ACP. Keep in mind that 5grs Bullseye is about max for the 230gr, so you may wish to start a little lower-- consult your reloading handbook.

Hope this helps, good luck!

[bigboredad]

sounds like the lee truncated cone. That's what i have and it drops at 240 also but my xd eats them up no problem I like 4.5 grains of trailboss and 5.1 of red dot