Buckshot
11-01-2006, 04:39 AM
...............I finally decided the heck with everything else. I was going to cast some boolit's :-)! I was in desperate need of some 45 cal rifle slugs and it just so happened I had Catshooter's Lee 6 cavity GB and I decided to give it a try. I did the 2 obvious Lee-Menting things I do to Lee 6 cavs. I D&T'd for a setscrew for the sprueplate bolt and then the same for the sprueplate cam to bear against.
Flushed it with carb cleaner, smoked the cavities, and then applied Bullshop's Bull plate lube. Magic stuff, and ya orta get some if you haven't yet. Had the pot fired up before hand and when I was ready it was reading 750*. I had a pretty good idea what was going to be needed with six 45 caliber holes filled with hot lead. On my 3rd pour I got perfect boolits but on the 5th pour got frosty depressions.
So no big as the rag was already soaked in the saucer. Fill the mould, dump the slugs and then rather slowly drag the blocks across the folded up damp cloth. Hissing and lots of steam :-) After that I was getting good drops every time. In 3 hours I cast about 45 lbs of really good looking slugs. I didn't bother testing for hardness as I hated to stop! I did take a couple breaks and then a couple quick trips in to snitch some trick or treat candy, HA!
When I finished up I pawed through a goodly part of the output and culled 10-15 that had some little bit of frosting. It was always right across the parting line so it was happening between cavities. Lottsa hot lead and not so much aluminum in there. Heck, I can toss 10-15 slugs out of almost 50 lb's dropped. I'm sure I'll find a few more later. No big.
For the most part when I'd open the blocks 3-4 and sometimes 5 would drop right out, but a couple taps and it was empty and ready for a refill, regardless. I scaled a few of the slugs and they were all hovering right around 353 grs. In miking them they all appreared to have about a thousandth out of round, which was across the parting line, so the blocks are a half thou offset. Again, no big deal.
I'm happy now :-) I suspect I have about 900+ good useable 353gr 45 caliber plain based rifle slugs on hand. Should last me for a couple months, at least! Makes a BIG pile.
..................Buckshot
Flushed it with carb cleaner, smoked the cavities, and then applied Bullshop's Bull plate lube. Magic stuff, and ya orta get some if you haven't yet. Had the pot fired up before hand and when I was ready it was reading 750*. I had a pretty good idea what was going to be needed with six 45 caliber holes filled with hot lead. On my 3rd pour I got perfect boolits but on the 5th pour got frosty depressions.
So no big as the rag was already soaked in the saucer. Fill the mould, dump the slugs and then rather slowly drag the blocks across the folded up damp cloth. Hissing and lots of steam :-) After that I was getting good drops every time. In 3 hours I cast about 45 lbs of really good looking slugs. I didn't bother testing for hardness as I hated to stop! I did take a couple breaks and then a couple quick trips in to snitch some trick or treat candy, HA!
When I finished up I pawed through a goodly part of the output and culled 10-15 that had some little bit of frosting. It was always right across the parting line so it was happening between cavities. Lottsa hot lead and not so much aluminum in there. Heck, I can toss 10-15 slugs out of almost 50 lb's dropped. I'm sure I'll find a few more later. No big.
For the most part when I'd open the blocks 3-4 and sometimes 5 would drop right out, but a couple taps and it was empty and ready for a refill, regardless. I scaled a few of the slugs and they were all hovering right around 353 grs. In miking them they all appreared to have about a thousandth out of round, which was across the parting line, so the blocks are a half thou offset. Again, no big deal.
I'm happy now :-) I suspect I have about 900+ good useable 353gr 45 caliber plain based rifle slugs on hand. Should last me for a couple months, at least! Makes a BIG pile.
..................Buckshot