Frosted C358-158-SWC...too hot?

[Tedly]

New to pistol boolits and cast some C358-158-SWC from some alloy that I got from a neighbor.Supposed to be #2 or WW...???...I got some casted and then after afew cycles, the boolits are frosted , the bases seem molten when I smack over the sprue plate and it seems like the boolits are not hard when they fall out of the mold. As this happened, I tried some Lyman rifle molds and they ran fine.I am thinking that the aluminum mold is staying too hot too long and not cooling down enough to impart a good finish. What doyou think ? Also, magnum or standard primers in light .357 magnum or .38 Special Red Dot loads ? What are the consequences?

[454PB]

A light frosted appearance indicates the boolits are a bit hotter than required, but does no harm. Personally, I strive for a light frosted appearance.

From your description, it sounds like you are opening the sprue plate too early. Slow down some and let it solidify.

A Lyman mould will display the same tendencies if the alloy or mould is too hot, it just takes longer. Aluminum heats and cools more quickly than steel.

If the frosting bothers you, or is extreme, lower the alloy heat and cast more slowly.

Light frosting will wipe off of the loaded round.

[mran1126]

Yes. Sounds like the mold is too hot...just slow your cycle down a little. I"ve never had to use a magnum primer. But I'm sure some have reasons to use them. But no real noticable difference for me.

[462]

Yep, the mould is too hot.

Open the sprue with a gloved thumb, it's much easier on the handles and mould. The handle hinge bolt can be tapped, if necessary, to release the boolits.

With less than full-house magnum loads, either primer will work.

That's a gas check designed boolit...installing one will greatly reduce the chances of leading. That has been my experience, others have different experiences.

[MtGun44]

Don't sweat frosted, if that is what the mold takes to get good fill out. Yep, it is a bit hot.
Might try a bit cooler and if fill out is poorer, add a bit of tin.

OTOH, frosted boolit shoot just fine.

Bill

[geargnasher]

Mould temperature combined with alloys that contain some antimony (like WW and Lyman #2) causes a frosty appearance to the boolits. If your alloy is too hot and/or your casting pace is a bit too fast, the mould will get hot enough to start dropping frosty boolits. It takes a few minutes for the frost to occur if it's mild, but if it's severe, the boolits will look like sand-cast aluminum.

Slow down the casting pace until the boolit bases are no longer "wet" when you open the sprue plate, but still soft enough to open the plate with a gloved thumb rather than waiting until the sprue is rock-hard and has to be cut by whacking the sprue plate with a mallet. If your boolits have little puckered craters in the center of the bases where the pour hole was, you're fine. Some people don't like them, and some people like to cast with a cooler mould that yields shiny boolits, but I like a light satin frost and cutting the sprues by hand.

The cooler the alloy in the pot, the easier it is to cast without overheating the aluminum mould. It's also better for the alloy, as excessive pot heat will accelerate the rate of oxidation on the surface and "cook out" a certain amount of valuble tin. Also, at temps over 750 degrees, tin becomes ineffective at it's job of being an oxide barrier to the lead, and the alloy doesn't want to fill out and make sharp edges as well.

Gear

[TCLouis]

+1 or more on all of the above comments.

DON'T make casting boolits too complicated.

[454PB]

Another method I use......keep a cake pan with a half inch of water and a sponge or rag floating in it nearby (NOT where any water can splash into the lead pot). When it's obvious that the mould is getting too hot, touch the bottom of the filled mould to the wet sponge for about 1 second. It's an easy way to control mould temperature and won't hurt a thing.

I usually cast with two moulds at a time, which slows me down enough to prevent overheating the moulds, but sometimes with larger cavities, I still have to use the water pan to control temperature.

[ColColt]

As for the magnum primers in fairly light loads, I use HS-6 quite a bit in .357 and don't use magnum primers. Some manuals indicate them but others don't. I see no need for them as I've tried it both ways and saw no difference in powder residue left in the barrel, cylinders or in the cases. It's a good powder for 357 or 44 Magnum and I've gotten some excellent groups with it.

The only powders that come to mind needing magnum primers are H110 and 296 but they're not mild loads. With Unique, AA#5 or 231 you certainly won't need magnum primers...or Red Dot for that matter.