lyman 577611 minie is hatefull

[charger 1]

I've probably poured 300 and have 15. Once I got them to stop making air voids inside(Thanks go to our Buckshot for that) I thought fine, lets go. I cast until I noticed a sucked in elongated void on the side of the ogive. Then I started looking at my pile and they virtually all have it. Been all over the heat map. Been doin everything imagineable....Thoughts?

[R.M.]

The first thing that came to mind was too slow of a fill. You have to fill those big boolits fast. Let's see what others think.

R.M.

[dubber123]

I too have a hard time with Minies. The only thing that worked for me was a fast pour, and all the heat I could get out of my pot.

[charger 1]

The first thing that came to mind was too slow of a fill. You have to fill those big boolits fast. Let's see what others think.

R.M.

I'd say were gettin bout a 2 second fill at most

[shooter575]

Been casting minnes for 30 years skirmishing with N-SSA.I gave up on doing minnes in a bottom pour.I use a RCBS dipper,Lee pot.Dead soft lead.heat wide open.[about 875 in a full pot]
I do not flux with anything in the casting pot.I just skim when needed.About 10-15 rounds.
The dross is reclamed so dont worry about wasting it.I also let the metal "soak" for 1/2 hour after it is melted.Make sure mould is clean.Preheat mould.I usualy use spray graphite as a mould release at the start of a session.
How you fill the mould makes a big diffrence in # of rejects. I hold mould over the pot,at about 15 deg angle.As I pour I rotate mould to level.Then keep pouring for another second or two letting exess metal fall back into pot.This seems to keep the spru reservoir molten for a extra second for that last draw.
The RCBS hodgen is the hardest bar none minne to cast with IMHO.By changing to this method I have cut rejects from 70-80% to 10-15%
It works for me as I need 400 or so good ones a month during the summer shooting season.

[charger 1]

Ya I'm pickin up a ladle in town on wednesday. qwipes like I said to another fella here. I think I've been dinkin and foolin taken on a worse dose of lead poisining to make a dozen of these things than I'd get if I were shot by one. We gotta get a smilie that shows pi$$in into the wind [smilie=b:

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I always open up the sprue plate hole to start with on these darn %^&** Lyman minies. Then dipper pour and a tiny bit of tin is added to the lead to help fill out better. The 575611 I had then cast well, but wouldn't shoot in either of my guns at the time. Switched to RCBS standard minie later. Then shot happily ever after with a better, easier casting mould in several rifles that the bullet could be fitted too. BvT.

[charger 1]

Oh these ones will shoot when I'm graced with some that arent hollow sponges or dont have a vagina on the side of em

[leftiye]

Minies are probly the best argument for a mold heater, you don't need 10000 of them and you can cast slow. Get a hot plate with a temp control. Put a piece of 1/8 or 1/4" plate (trivet) on it. Put a large shallow (1/2 gallon or stew can) can with apart of one side cut out ("door") over it upside down and heat that mold up until the boolits come out frosted. Reduce the mold temp by casting, or just let it sit and cool) until they cast "satin" in appearance. Cast, let the sprue harden, drop, put the mold in the mold heater, inspect, repeat, adjust temp as necessary- both alloy & mold.

Oh, forgot- You'll have to take the wooden knob off of the base pin so you can heat it in place (in the mold) with the rest of the mold (and make a hole in the trivet for the base pin to stick through).

[vh2q]

I could use a 577611 to convert to a 585 (577BPE) if anyone has one they want to get rid of! Or a 585 circa 520 grainer would work. Email me if you have one thanks! russ@canby.com

[JeffinNZ]

Try running the pot as hot as it will go and add a smidgeon of tin. My .40cal "Minies" are cast n 40-1 and shot GREAT paper patched in my Colerain barrel.

[longbow]

+1 for what shooter575 said.

I used to cast lots of these and always used a ladle with no problems.

Longbow

[John in PA]

I have a 577611 I used to cast with in the late 70's. I don't know if Lyman has changed the design at all, but the thing wrong with that mold is that the nose of the bullet is too tiny to allow good fast flow into the mold. The nose of the bullet is actually smaller than the hole in the sprue plate. that slows lead flow and parts of the bullet start to solidify before you finish filling it out. If you overheat the metal, you'll get frosting and also fins along vent lines. I've thought of opening mine up in the nose, I think it would really improve casting. Otherwise, I doubt you'll ever get it to improve.

It's really a hunting bullet anyhow. If you're shooting for accuracy, drop powder charge somewhere between 45-55 grains and use either the Lyman 575213 or the 575213-OS (old style). Most CW muskets with good barrels will shoot one of the other quite respectably. Some guns like the RCBS Hodgdon minie, but I think it's too light in the nose for good consistent obturation.

[Bagdadjoe]

I just use a Lee mold "original style" 500 grain, pour it slow, like just above a dribble, from a bottom pour RCBS with the mold tilted slightly. After it heats up, about 8-10 tries it's good to go. I'm casting them within a grain and usually less. Using Drop Out and it's a wonderful world. Wish I could say the same about the 45 cal. 510gr "money bullet" cast iron mold I have....it's a b*tchy witch. The Lee definitely has hunting accuracy with an 1853 Enfield, but not up to target yet...I haven't shot that many with it and probably don't have the gun tuned in 100% yet.

[raymo7521]

Charger,
I was in the same boat until I preheated my mould, used a dipper Lee pot, pure lead, and put the dipper spout on top of the sprue plate. My last batch was pretty darn good. I cast the RCBS Hogdon in 578, and 576. I cast the RCBS M500-58 or whatever they call it. All bullets actually cast over sized, and over weight listed. No problem as I size and lube on a lyman 4500. I am still experimenting with my rifle with the correct bullet diameter and lube mix.