First time boolit caster

[45coltnut]

We'll, I bit the boolit today (punn intended). After reading, thinking and contemplating about casting my own boolits for several months now, I've finally done it.

I got my new Lee pro 4-20 pot and the Lee 44 mag 310 grain gc mold all cleaned up and ready to go. I am using WW lead. After finally getting the lead up to 700 degrees and the mold warm, I began. I must say, it wasn't as hard as I had thought it would be. After about ten pours or so I was getting decent boolits.

I learned many things today. First is that I need to hold my mold closer to the spout. Second is the boolits come out better if ran at 725-750 on temp. Most of the better ones are a frosty color, but I hear this is ok.

All in all, m very pleased. Now to buy some gas checks (although I'm not sure I need them) make up some lube for pan lubing and then size them.

I did measure 15 or so and they are all at .430". But, the mold drops them at 300-301 grain instead of the designed 310 grains.

Here's a pic of the setup, pic of some good and bad boolits and a comparison of my cast boolit vs. a 310 True Shot that I bought.

I'm open to all comments and or criticism.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/12/e2y7a3ej.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/12/mene7uve.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/12/u6a3enyz.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/12/ujypyvab.jpg

[deadarrow]

Nicely done... I lost my casting cherry a couple of months ago. Loving it so far. So much to learn and it keeps me busy and out of trouble. Well not completely out of trouble cuz what fun would that be now. Nothing better than making loaded ammo for pennies. Then spending all that money you saved on casting equipment.... there's the trouble I was talking about.

[454PB]

Good job, and that frosty appearance is exactly what I look for.......meaning the mould is at proper temperature.

I'm surprised at your cast weight, my mould drops those at 315 grs. in WW alloy.

[Cherokee]

Looks to me like you did fine. Practice by casting more. Try w/o the gas checks, might work fine for less than top loads.

[MtGun44]

Great start.

IME GCs are entirely unnecessary for ordinary magnum pistol loads like .44 and
.357 Mag, even at top pressures with soft alloys if the design, lube and fit are
correct.

Bill

[Riverrider2]

I've been lurking and studying this site for about a year now. It is invaluable! My first two (and only) attempts at casting boolits were using a two cavity Lee mould for 100 grain .314 round nose to go into 32 H&R magnum cartridges. I had similar results in that the majority of them cast light.

I weighed each one and separated them all my weight. Some were as low as 88 grain, most were 93 or 94 grain. I was using an uncontrolled mix of Linotype and wheel weights. IDK if it was the alloy or my casting technique that caused the variation. I ran them all through a sizing die, although that was completely unnecessary. The diameters were all spot on.

I loaded them up anyway, and just adjusted the charge according to the manual and some extrapolation. My wife and I are both happy that our trip to the range yesterday yielded no squibs or exploded guns. I was very pleased with the performance of the ammo. I'm completely hooked now.

[45coltnut]

Thanks for the complements guys! Yep, I'm pretty stoked now. I've also got a new 2 cavity Lee 358 SWC mold. I'll probably try it out today as well. I'll have to wait on the 44's as I'm waiting for my size die to come in. I want to size the 44's as from my measurements the driving bands are all .430 but the nose of the bullet is at .432. So, I'll size just to be sure and then I'll pan lube them.

I do believe I'll pan lube a batch of 25 without a gas check and try them out before ordering any gas checks. I'm just not sure if the loads will be "smokey" due to any lube on the area where the GC would be? Same thing with the .358 bullets that I intend to shoot from my 686.

Now, if I can just find some bees wax!!

[dubber123]

Thanks for the complements guys! Yep, I'm pretty stoked now. I've also got a new 2 cavity Lee 358 SWC mold. I'll probably try it out today as well. I'll have to wait on the 44's as I'm waiting for my size die to come in. I want to size the 44's as from my measurements the driving bands are all .430 but the nose of the bullet is at .432. So, I'll size just to be sure and then I'll pan lube them.

I do believe I'll pan lube a batch of 25 without a gas check and try them out before ordering any gas checks. I'm just not sure if the loads will be "smokey" due to any lube on the area where the GC would be? Same thing with the .358 bullets that I intend to shoot from my 686.

Now, if I can just find some bees wax!!

I'd suggest you check your mold when closed to make sure a spec of lead or a machining burr isn't holding it open, causing the fat noses. Looking into the cavities with the sprue plate open might show this. You did very well in your casting, sharp edges and good fill out. The frosting is how all mine look too. Look up Randyrat here on the forum, (might be in the vendor sponsor section), for your beeswax, great product at a great price. Have fun.

[45coltnut]

Thanks for the heads up on the bees wax. Looking now!

[454PB]

Overall, I don't have very good luck using a gas check design without the check, but this mould does fine. I load these without the check ahead of some BlueDot in my Herter .44 magnum. Chronographed velocity is just shy of 1200 fps. and they group under 2" at 25 yards.

Also, my mould also casts large at the nose, the sizer shows shiny indication to within 1/4" of the tip.

[**oneshot**]

Looks good to me!