2nd try at casting worked!

[Manchu9inf]

Folks, just jointed up to this site after reading some of the great info and sharing. Excellent site! New to making my own bullets and reloading.Thanks to all who've posted on the subject for beginners casting their first bullets. I was able to cast my first set of good bullets (about 60, 160 gr .308) on the 2nd try... It was the mold temp! Now I use my wife's small butane cooking stove (available at any Asian market) to preheat the mold, also if I need to slowdown or break, keep the mold heated. Found this much easier to keep things moving rather than dipping the mold in the melt...I ladle the lead since I don't have a bottom pour pot yet and the main burner I use to melt the lead is not very friendly, actually I think it hates me.

Thanks again for the great info!

[USAFrox]

Welcome to the site! Glad to have you. You've got some nice-looking bullets there!

[Bzcraig]

Second date is always better than the first and pretty boolits to boot!

[Ford SD]

Folks, just jointed up to this site after reading some of the great info and sharing. Excellent site! New to making my own bullets and reloading.Thanks to all who've posted on the subject for beginners casting their first bullets. I was able to cast my first set of good bullets (about 60, 160 gr .308) on the 2nd try... It was the mold temp! Now I use my wife's small butane cooking stove (available at any Asian market) to preheat the mold, also if I need to slowdown or break, keep the mold heated. Found this much easier to keep things moving rather than dipping the mold in the melt...I ladle the lead since I don't have a bottom pour pot yet and the main burner I use to melt the lead is not very friendly, actually I think it hates me.

Thanks again for the great info!

Not bad-- Not bad at all

good 2nd attempt

If you mix it with a spoon more often and skim off more of the junk you will get better (cleaner boolits)

or using a ladle do not pour the very last of the lead into the mould -- I found the very last of the ladle has the most junk in it
pour it back in to the pot and grab a full ladle

You can also push the top layer in the pot to the side and grab a full ladle of clean lead

Any thing I skim off goes in to can to remelt later (or try to)

[Manchu9inf]

Many thanks all. Ford SD- Good idea on not dumping the last..It seemed to be a little junky. Yep Got one of Momma's spoons...she doesn't know...but's it's maker up real ugly so not to get mixed up later...

[Three44s]

Here's to "second chances"!!

Welcome to the fold!!

Best regards

Three 44s

[Manchu9inf]

Thanks Three 44s good to be here (think it's gonna make life a little easier on me and my wallet).

[462]

"It was the mold temp!"

Excellent.

The correct mould temperature is so very important, but it is something that new casters seem to overlook. Then, they'll post pictures of wrinkled boolits, asking why.

[quilbilly]

My 30/30 loves that boolit with the gas check. The RCBS cowboy seater die actually flattens the nose slightly for the tube magazine.

[MtGun44]

Congratulations, they look really good.

Mold temp and mold cleanliness are the most common newbie problems.

Bill

[Manchu9inf]

Thanks folks. Couldn't have done it without folks here giving me the tips to be successful.