boolit removal

[Stick_man]

OK, I just picked up a new-to-me mould for my .357 and it has boolits still in it. Evidently, the last cast filled the mould and the previous owner let it cool down without cutting the sprue. Now, it has been at least a couple weeks since it was last used and the sprue still hasn't been cut. The two halves of the mould are separated and the mould was oiled up (to prevent rusting). It is a 2-cav mould.

My question is this: is there an easy way to dislodge the boolits and remove the sprue without banging on the sprue plate? Would heating the mould up a little help? It is an older Lyman mould and looks to be in pretty good shape. I don't want to ruin a good thing.

Any suggestions?

[frkelly74]

Heat it up and cut the sprue . It shouldn't hurt it. It was hot when it went in.

[shotman]

you cant get them out the mold is shot, but will offer $5 shipped

[runfiverun]

i have heard that lead softens when i's heated up.
some even say it melts...

[Sonnypie]

[smilie=b:

Lord have mercy!

[41 mag fan]

i have heard that lead softens when i's heated up.
some even say it melts...


Did you read that somewhere?? :bigsmyl2:

[largom]

No dumb questions! Only dumb answers! Tou can heat or melt the sprue by holding into a pot of melted alloy. Don't submerge the entire mold, just the sprue plate.

Larry

[Stick_man]

Thanks guys. Larry, you hit on what I was thinking of doing. The other thought I had was to hit it pretty quickly with a small torch, but didn't want to risk overheating the mould. The alloy is unknown, but it does look like there was pretty good fillout. It has that dull oxidized lead look. Nothing shiny about it.

[Stick_man]

you cant get them out the mold is shot, but will offer $5 shipped

That's what I said to the last owner of the mould. He practically gave it to me.

[runfiverun]

i might have seen it on t.v. or sumthin.

[btroj]

I would just give the sprue plate a good whack, cut the sprue and be done with it. I don't see what the problem is.

[Stick_man]

Well, I did as suggested and heated the mould up a little and then popped the sprue plate lightly with the fish-whacker. Not knowing what exactly the alloy was, I didn't want to risk it being super hard and damaging the mould. Boolits musta seen and felt that one, cuz they jumped right out of the mould too. I have never been a fan of beating on a good mould and won't do it unless absolutely necessary.

[Jon]

I just heat the sprue plate with a torch until the lead melts out. I've also broken the little lever off a Lee 6 cavity trying to break off cold sprue. Don't do it.