novalty
06-12-2013, 03:08 PM
Finally got some time to try my hand at casting a couple weeks ago. Figured I wouldn't end up with a lot of good bullets, since it was my first time on my own and getting used to new equipment. Loaded up my RCBS Promelt for the first time, and set up the hotplate to heat up my molds. Overall it was a good learning experience, figured out my Lyman 452374 mold and my Lachmiller 162gr. SWC mold pretty well, but had a lot of wrinkle issues with my RCBS 158gr. RN, and my new MP 9mm mold, had issues with the pins for the hollow-points sticking in the mold. But did get it to drop just a couple molds full of bullets that didn't look horrible-still not useable, but impressed since they were from the first drop or two. Sorry in advance for the photos, can't seem to get my camera figured out for smaller items.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Firstcast_zps5462c59b.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Firstcast_zps5462c59b.jpg.html)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC3_zps252c7ee3.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC3_zps252c7ee3.jpg.html)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC5_zps5e027cb2.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC5_zps5e027cb2.jpg.html)
While the 452374 bullets looked nice they were dropping small, so still need some more practice. Got a good amount of the keepers from the Lachmiller 162gr SWC mold.
Figured I'd try getting my Mihec 9mm mold adjusted so the pins were working better and focus on that for my second session. Loosing the pins did help considerably, and I heated the mold on my hotplate, and applied a slight amount of the supplied lubricant using a q-tip, and worked the pins in & out of the block. Found I had to remove a couple of the e-clips as they were contacting the mold handles attach to the block. Got a lot more keepers, found my RCBS Pro-melt needs to be set somewhere near 725-750 on the dial. Experienced some sticking on the solid flat nose cavities, so haven't gotten it completely figured out. The HP cavities were dropping the bullets nicely, just by gently tapping the pins in. Overall, it was good to see I got some keepers, even though some are frosted.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6748_zps6c6753ea.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6748_zps6c6753ea.jpg.html)
For the life of me, I can't get my camera to take good close up pictures of small objects like boolits, so I think they look more frosted then they actually are.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6751_zpsc7d02cc7.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6751_zpsc7d02cc7.jpg.html)
Here is my work around for the mold guide to clear the penta pins that stick out the bottom of the mold.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6749_zps7c7061ee.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6749_zps7c7061ee.jpg.html)
A pic of my impromptu set up in my garage.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6747_zpsc01da83a.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6747_zpsc01da83a.jpg.html)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Firstcast_zps5462c59b.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Firstcast_zps5462c59b.jpg.html)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC3_zps252c7ee3.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC3_zps252c7ee3.jpg.html)
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC5_zps5e027cb2.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/225grRNamp162grSWC5_zps5e027cb2.jpg.html)
While the 452374 bullets looked nice they were dropping small, so still need some more practice. Got a good amount of the keepers from the Lachmiller 162gr SWC mold.
Figured I'd try getting my Mihec 9mm mold adjusted so the pins were working better and focus on that for my second session. Loosing the pins did help considerably, and I heated the mold on my hotplate, and applied a slight amount of the supplied lubricant using a q-tip, and worked the pins in & out of the block. Found I had to remove a couple of the e-clips as they were contacting the mold handles attach to the block. Got a lot more keepers, found my RCBS Pro-melt needs to be set somewhere near 725-750 on the dial. Experienced some sticking on the solid flat nose cavities, so haven't gotten it completely figured out. The HP cavities were dropping the bullets nicely, just by gently tapping the pins in. Overall, it was good to see I got some keepers, even though some are frosted.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6748_zps6c6753ea.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6748_zps6c6753ea.jpg.html)
For the life of me, I can't get my camera to take good close up pictures of small objects like boolits, so I think they look more frosted then they actually are.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6751_zpsc7d02cc7.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6751_zpsc7d02cc7.jpg.html)
Here is my work around for the mold guide to clear the penta pins that stick out the bottom of the mold.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6749_zps7c7061ee.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6749_zps7c7061ee.jpg.html)
A pic of my impromptu set up in my garage.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6747_zpsc01da83a.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6747_zpsc01da83a.jpg.html)