Skies unlimited #00 buck molds v/s Lee's

[moses]

Hey guys I want to start casting my own buckshot and was wondering what you guys thought about these.

Also I am open to #0 buckshot too!

I did a search but couldn't find anything.

I get dealer pricing from Grafs so price is basically the same for me for either the Lee's or the Skies unlimited molds.

Thanks for all the help!

[Ravenelitex]

ive used the skies unlimited #00 buck mold so far and haven't used the lee mold just yet, but i can tell you the skies unlimited molds work great. you just have to get them nice and hot first. the best way to do that is to pour a few ingots onto the sides of the mold after leaving it on top of your melt pot to warm it up. after 2-4 pours on the sides it gets nice and hot, i cast with about 90% efficiency that way. only problem is that you might want to try to replace the handles because they get pretty hot.

hope that helps you out.

[fallout4x4]

Havent used Lee's 00 mold but have skies mold and Raventelitex is right, you need to get it hot. Thats a lot of aluminum and you have to keep it real warm or your lead starts hardening before it gets into the cavities. I use gloves when casting with it but replacing the handles is an option if you have some woodworking tools.

[perimedik]

I have only used the Lee and it took a lot of tinkering for me to get the first solid batch.
The pot needs to be hotter than usual, the mold/sprue plate needs to hot as hell as well.

member in5sane gave me these tips and worked after that.
"
- When warming up the mold, try dipping the sprue plate side in the melt.
- Try "pressure casting"; pressing the little sprue plate "funnels" against the spout while filling.
- Try "flood casting"; drag the mold slowly across a continuous stream of lead. It's a bit messy and does empty the pot faster but it sometimes works.
- Try dropping the stream directly into the hole; I've found this is the most reliable method. It'll take some practice but you will get 100% fillout every time.
- Try heavily smoking each of the the divots on the top of the sprue plate. I've found this works on some molds. The carbon will slightly insulate the lead from the sprue plate"

[Four-Sixty]

I have to echo perimedik on a couple of his points.

I broke in my new 00 Lee buck mold last night. I had about a %10 rejection rate.

I smoked the mold heavily with wooden kitchen matches. I believe the one spot where I did not get a good layer of carbon is where I consistently had bad fill. IT WAS THE MIDDLE BALL OF ONE OF THE STRANDS. The top and bottom ball filled fine???

I also flooded the mold. I use the Lyman dipper and would have to fill that bad boy three times to fill all 6 holes, but I got good results.

[DLCTEX]

Geargnasher made a preheater for moulds using a hotplate and cutting a door in the end of an electric connection box. That may be a help with these large moulds.

[VRMN8R]

ive used the skies unlimited #00 buck mold so far and haven't used the lee mold just yet, but i can tell you the skies unlimited molds work great. you just have to get them nice and hot first. the best way to do that is to pour a few ingots onto the sides of the mold after leaving it on top of your melt pot to warm it up. after 2-4 pours on the sides it gets nice and hot, i cast with about 90% efficiency that way. only problem is that you might want to try to replace the handles because they get pretty hot.

hope that helps you out.

I just got one of these molds and I really do like it.
I can usually get 100% success rate as long as I concentrate on doing it correctly.
I have made about 3-4 pounds of buckshot in a matter of a few hours.

The handles are kind of bulky with gloves on but, you can overcome that. Mind over matter.

Bubbaroundtree has a video on youtube using one of skies 00 buck molds. Its a pretty good video. (Hope I can post it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCPXyxysu4o

VRMN

[odfairfaxsub]

take a philips screwdriver and use it to round out the spots the lead will pour into the buckshot cavities. keep the mold closed when yo do it lol and then only turn it no more than 3-4 times

[cheese1566]

Good to see he has a website up for his buckshot molds rather than eBay.
http://buckshotmold.com/
Although, he has always treated me right here on the forum and by email!

[shotman]

If you can find old wood mop handle.{the ones that are 1in] . rip it into in center . You can do one with a hand saw . cut it to 8in long and remove the handles and replace with the mop handles. It makes it easy and they stay cool.
reuse his screws they will self tap into the mop handle

[Dannix]

I have the sharpshooter .32 #0 mould. I do wish it had a sprue plate, but it's the only #0 offering I know, and #0 is nice because I can fit 9 pellets in cheap claybusters windjammer-style wads. (12ga).

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/4317/defenderresized.jpg

[pls1911]

I bought two"00" molds from Lee factory sales direct at about half price, treated them with Kroil after an initial cleaning, and set aside for a week.
As was stated earlier my alloy was run much hotter than normal.
My alloy is 75% lead : 25% WW which casts about 10 bhn but will heat treat to 25+bhn.
Running two molds is slower to start up, but at least triples your rate once up and running. In the first stiing, I cast a lifetime supply for myself, brother aand brother in law.
Unlike commercial loads, my nibbed buck was true to size,so only two fit abreast in a shot cup, and eight pellets (4 stacks x 2 abreast) fit perfectly in a win12AA wad in a Win AA12 hull...and sure enough weigh right at 1 oz., and crmps like a skeet load.
Charge your favorite powder by the book and your in business for serious, though non magnum buckshot loads.
This load at 25 yards easily remains on a 6" paper plate and RIPS whatever it hits... and like 1 oz skeet loads, you can shoot 'em all day without hurting. (good round for small ladies and practice)
I've loaded them hotter, but I don't believe there's any merit to it, as any intruder at 20 feet is gonna hurt pretty bad.
I

[shotman]

now PLS you will be on the s---- list for useing Kroil many here think its a BAD thing
But I tried to teach a dead dog to run. It didnt work

[Newtire]

Next time I get out that mould, I will try the pouring of the ingots into the sides and make myself some handles so it will be possible to hold on to.

You get lots of good ideas here. Sounds like that might work!