Bator bullet pictures

[Dancing Bear]

Thanks to the heads up by leadman on the Bator mold being back in stock I purchased it along with the lee .224 sizer kit. Just by luck it arrived the following week on the first of only two days of unseasonal warm temperatures. Note the snow in the background.
After following the cleaning and smoking procedures I cast about 600 bullets total. I did cull roughly 100 rejects. Some didn't fill in and some were due to my not closing the mold correctly. I found that unless I firmly closed the handles the mold tended to not completely close, resulting in finning. Been casting for years but this was my first 6 cavity mold experience. Very happy with the mold overall. And finally uploaded the pictures for "proof".
Happy New Years everyone.
92237
9223892239

PS disregard the time stamps of 2008. These were taken December 5th 2013.

[AlaskanGuy]

I love mine... Been casting up a storm with them....

92244

Opps, these are not bators, but lee tl 9mm for Alaskangurl....
92245

Ag

[bangerjim]

Good results! I acquired one also and have cast about 400 so far.

I cast about 100 hot melt glue ones earlier, rubbed them with moly, & loaded them over 1.5gn Titegroup with Dacron fluff wadding and the pattern was not bad for a 12gn plastic boolit! I shoot them in the garage at about 30 feet. (just watch the fumes inside!) Relatively quiet load. I think next batch I will use a slow rifle powder to make them even quieter.

Am building a jig to hold them upright by the GC neck so I can powder coat spray them this afternoon. I despise football games! Size after PC and put the CU GC's on at the same time.

Thanks for sharing.

bangerjim

[BK7saum]

What is the weight on your 22 bator boolits and what alloy. I'm looking for a 55 grain boolit. I've seen lighter weights reported with lino. Got one 6 cavity on the way but doing a li ttle more research. Hope I can use this one like I want. Already have the 45 grain mold from NOE.

Thanks, Brad

[Dancing Bear]

What is the weight on your 22 bator boolits and what alloy. I'm looking for a 55 grain boolit. I've seen lighter weights reported with lino. Got one 6 cavity on the way but doing a li ttle more research. Hope I can use this one like I want. Already have the 45 grain mold from NOE.

Thanks, Brad

From my one and only casting session with this mold I got 52.1 grains, .225" bullets using #2 Alloy. I may be wrong but I use my weight and diameter results on my Lyman #29421 .44 cal. bullets to determine alloy mix. According to the Lyman manual I get 245 grain on my alloy mix.
So maybe a wheelweight alloy would produce a heavier bullet?
Also, I water quench directly into a 5 gallon bucket.
In another thread a member stated how his mold tended to drop the bullets w/o tapping it. I found that to be the case with mine as well. Light taps were needed on some drops but most of the time the bullets just dropped out on their own.

[MtGun44]

How are the dimensions on the current molds? There have been some complaints about
past batches of molds being off diameter and not fitting GCs, etc.

Bill

[rintinglen]

What is that white stuff all over the ground?:kidding:

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

How are the dimensions on the current molds? There have been some complaints about
past batches of molds being off diameter and not fitting GCs, etc.
Bill
there is another thread on the current issue Bators
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?221420-Midsouth-Shooters-Supply-has-Bator-amp-Soup-Can-Molds-in-stock/page5

the consensus is similar to my results. I haven't mentioned it before, but the GC is a little loose, not nearly as sloppy loose as the other (two) older Lee bator molds I have, but a Copper Hornady check does crimp on nice and tight.


Using 94-3-3 alloy. I was also trying out the "prime the spout" technique that goodsteel was talking about on another thread. I had a pretty high 'fillout' rejection rate for the first couple hundred pours...probably 50%, but a new mold probably needs some breakin, as well as it's was a challenge keeping the 2 cav mold hot enough. This mold wasn't raining boolits by any means either, that wasn't helping any. They measure .226-.227 out of round, same with the nose .220-.221 and weigh right at 50.0 gr. on average. After I picked out the culls, I did some measuring of random samples, 49.8 to 50.2 Not too bad, but surely could be better, it looks like I need more practice withmy technique with this mold.

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/Batorslubedintrayscloseup_zps91757244.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/Batorslubedintrayscloseup_zps91757244.jpg.html)

[waco]

92690

[armoredman]

I realize this is awakening a zombie thread, but if the OP is around, what rifles/calibers did you use these in, if you don't mind me asking and are still living....

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'm not the OP, but I use it in a Ruger #3 22 Hornet (1:16)

[bruce drake]

curious why the sizing to .224". I size my Bator to .225" for use in my 223Rem and 22-250 rifles. My BATOR mold is one that drops them at .226" with my pot-luck alloy.

[GhostHawk]

I use mine in a Single shot .223 handi rifle.

Light load of Red Dot and no GC around 1350 or heavier load and GC for maybe 1600.

Both work, both are little if any louder than a .22lr.

[Dancing Bear]

I realize this is awakening a zombie thread, but if the OP is around, what rifles/calibers did you use these in, if you don't mind me asking and are still living....
Still living!
I'm shooting these in AR-15's. Just wanted to be able to know what works just in case...
Sizing to .224 because store bought ones are .224 and I had to use the Lee Expander die to eliminate shaving lead. Still playing with powder loads.