First time castings from a newbie!!

[wwboolitmaker]

Hey guys, just wanted to introduce myself to the forum. I am a newly registered member but I have been searching the forum for some time now!! I have a few pics below of my first attempt at molding a few .44 mag boolits. Please let me know what yall think. Be easy on me because like I said, Im a newbie!!!

http://s11.postimage.org/9hvceszdr/2012_11_09_10_52_49_616.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/9hvceszdr/)

http://s11.postimage.org/5e40x5z4v/2012_11_09_07_37_35_707.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/5e40x5z4v/)

[tward]

They look a lot better than my first try, nice job! Now read up on tumble lubing and load them up. Great feeling shooting your own cast Boolits! You'll save Lot of money(not) it's a slippery slope but a great ride. Cast on! :bigsmyl2: and welcome.
Tim

[digger44]

looking good.
I use the same mold.
Pic on the top shows a line on the tip of the boolit, mold wasn't fully closed.
have fun casting AND SHOOTING.

[williamwaco]

I use that same bullet in my Ruger BH.
It is a good shooter.


.

[wwboolitmaker]

Thanks guys....im actually gonna try to powder coat them. I have read a little about it but there isnt much info out there about it. I know similar coatings have been used in Australia for a while now. I have a powder coat gun and powder on its way. What do yall know about this or have to say about it??

[runfiverun]

there's a thread in the lube section about it.
i'd just tumble lube the good ones and shoot them..
you'll never know the difference,except for all the time it is gonna take to coat and cook them.

[Cherokee]

Welcome to casting. The one boolit on the right in your hand looks like it has some imperfections from impurities in the metal. Be sure to flux good. You'll have fun shooting them. I'ed forget the powder coat, seems more trouble than its worth - but experimenting is part of the fun......

[Bullet Caster]

Welcome, WWboolitmaker. You've definitely come to the right place. Like was stated above, just make you some of Recluse's 45/45/10 lube and tumble lube 'em and load 'em up. Stay safe and have fun. BC

[wwboolitmaker]

Thanks Cherokee for the info on the impurities....I wasnt sure what was causing that. I plan on tumble lubing some but I love to try new things and push things to the edge. I should be able to coat 40 or so bullets at a time and about 20 min bake time. I have read through the post over in the lube section but nobody had any test results on the powder coated bullets.

[jecjec13]

I use the same type in my 44 RH. just tumble lube, let dry and load. works great, no leading problems.
Dan

[wwboolitmaker]

Ok guys....I powder coated my first batch of boolits last night. These are the the lee 230 grain 300 aac blackout boolits. Tell me your thoughts fellas!

http://s8.postimage.org/s3vfdo741/2012_11_22_10_17_56_995.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/s3vfdo741/)

[John Guedry]

Look good to me. A whole lot better than my first effort!

[Ido356]

Whats the advantage of poder coating over lubing? How much, as in thickness, do you apply and do you need custom made under sized molds?

[wwboolitmaker]

I'm not sure yet, I'm hoping to cast, clean, load and then shoot. It should rule out any chance of leading, since there is no lead to bore contact. It's cheap and very easy, it doesn't add much thickness. When I get a chance I will measure and see how many mils it's adds.

[montana_charlie]

Please let me know what yall think. Be easy on me because like I said, Im a newbie!!!

Which do you want ... an honest opinion, or to go easy on you?

Here's an honest opinion.

In the shot that doesn't include your hand, there is evidence that the two mould halves are not aligned.
One block is 'higher' than the other, which causes a 'jog' in the alignment of the lube grooves at the seam (visible in the horisontal bullet) and the noses of the standing bullets all have a 'high side'.

Beyond that, I would say that (in addition to being misaligned) the mould wasn't hot enough.
That's why the grooves don't appear to be uniformly filled out and there is a 'divot' in the side of one.

Too harsh?

CM

[wwboolitmaker]

Which do you want ... an honest opinion, or to go easy on you?

Here's an honest opinion.

In the shot that doesn't include your hand, there is evidence that the two mould halves are not aligned.
One block is 'higher' than the other, which causes a 'jog' in the alignment of the lube grooves at the seam (visible in the horisontal bullet) and the noses of the standing bullets all have a 'high side'.

Beyond that, I would say that (in addition to being misaligned) the mould wasn't hot enough.
That's why the grooves don't appear to be uniformly filled out and there is a 'divot' in the side of one.

Too harsh?

CM

Of course it isn't too harsh as long as it was constructive criticism instead of just criticism. I molded a bunch more last night and the boolits turned out so much better. I have really learned a lot from you guys already. Thanks for the comments and the help!!

[bearstopper]

I am fairly new to casting also and had to work the bugs out on virtually every phase including learning how to use my sizer luber properly. What I have found, is that casting along with reloading, is almost as fun as shooting itself. I have mixed feeling on my tumble lube bullets and moulds as the ones I have, cast quite a bit oversize but when you attempt to size them down it almost destroys the meager lube grooves. I guess I will attempt to chamber them full size and see what happens.

[I'll Make Mine]

I wouldn't worry about the tumble lube grooves getting mostly sized away -- just lube again after sizing, load 'em up, and shoot 'em. I used to buy Hornady swaged bullets made of soft lead and factory lubed with something very like Lee Liquid Alox; they had a lightly knurled cylindrical bearing surface, and not only did they shoot well, they didn't lead my bore (at reasonable handgun velocity) despite being soft lead.

[montana_charlie]

Of course it isn't too harsh as long as it was constructive criticism instead of just criticism.
I'm glad to see you take that attitude.
What surprises me is the number of experienced casters replying to your query who saw no problems.

It makes me wonder what they think a good bullet should look like ...

CM

[2wheelDuke]

My first cast boolits were from the .358 version of that mold. Most of mine went into the pot.

Try using a flat surface to guide the mold blocks as you close them. Before I went to the gloved hand method to cut sprues, I used to use a piece of 2x2 to cut sprues. I would close the blocks with the bottoms against the wood to make sure they were aligned evenly and snapped together. Now I kinda use the bench or my glove to do the same now.

[lesharris]

Lube with Lee Liquid Alox, load and shoot them up. My Ruger Blackhawk eats this bullet up. Even the rejects are used as foulers or practice rounds.

[Boyscout]

Lee moulds do not line up properly if you do not lube the guide pins and grooves. Do not use liquid Alox to lube them. I usually pre-heat the molds and then lube them with stick Alox.

[wwboolitmaker]

My first cast boolits were from the .358 version of that mold. Most of mine went into the pot.

Try using a flat surface to guide the mold blocks as you close them. Before I went to the gloved hand method to cut sprues, I used to use a piece of 2x2 to cut sprues. I would close the blocks with the bottoms against the wood to make sure they were aligned evenly and snapped together. Now I kinda use the bench or my glove to do the same now.

It's funny you said that! I use a 2x2 pine stick to whack the sprue plate and align my mold before casting each time. I now have a Lyman smelting pot and ladle. With the help of you guys and the new equipment my castings have improved greatly. Thanks a lot guys!!! Gonna attach a few photos of my recent castings. I have already added another mold to the batch. It is a 45 acp mold and boy do they make some gorgeous boolits!! Please have a look and tell me what you think of my "improved" casting skills

http://s11.postimage.org/3no9avue7/Resized_Image_1354228046422.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/3no9avue7/)

[zuke]

They look a lot better then my first try.
Well done!