New Bator mold, help me get started right.

[trixter]

I have cast quite a few boolits, 45's and 309's, but never something this small. I just need to hear from some folks that have cast these little gems and what works for you.

Thanks

[farmerjim]

Preheat the mold, then start casting as fast as you can. Do not stop or slow down till you have a pile of Boolits.

[waco]

I cast them in pure Lino. Helps with the fill out of that tiny boolit. Mine drop at .226" and after GC and lube weigh about 49.5gr
I have the 6 cavity. Preheat the mold on a hot plate while your lead is getting up to temp.

As always, make sure the mold is free of any oil and grease.

Hot water and Dawn dish soap. Scrub the mold with an old toothbrush, then boil it in clean water for 10 minutes.

Cast at a good pace. You should have keepers in no time.

I visually inspect all my boolits and weed out any visible defects, then sort them by weight, one tenth increments.

Seating the GC on these little guys can be a bit tricky. Make sure they are on square. I run mine through a Lee sizer to seat the checks.

Then it's an easy pass through the 450 to lube them.

Hope this helps you.

Waco

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I know other's are happy with the 6 cav. mold, But I prefer the 2 cav mold for the tiny boolits. So I won't go into detail about my 2 cav. bator mold.
BUT, I have a Ranch Dog 225-50 RF PB 6 cav. mold. It's a bear to cast with. Basically, I replaced the sprue plate with a steel one because I had issues with the original alum one warping. I preheat it on a Hotplate, I cast as fast as I can...which isn't enough for it to remain hot enough. After about 5 pours (30 boolits), I put the Mold back on the hotplate to warm back up. Other than that, it just like any other Lee 6 cav mold.

[trixter]

OK, so I have a pile of them lying on the table now what? I mean I know what to do but how do you do it (what is your favorite method) of lubing and sizing?

[farmerjim]

I use Hi-Tek coating, insted of lube. ( see the Coatings and Alternatives forum) I size them in a lee push through die, I put the gas check on the ones that will be shot above about 1200 fps. You could leave it off and go faster, depends on your gun and load, You could use lube instead of the Hi-Tek, Somebody here will tell you how to pan lube if you don't have a lubesizer .

[waco]

Seat gas checks and run through Lee sizer die first, dry.
Then lube in Lyman 450 with carnauba red.

[waco]

96724

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I like using the extremely old Ideal #1 lubesizer, as there is more finger room to handle the tiny boolits. I use randyrat's Tak#1 lube or Bullshop's Lotak Lube and a Custom Made .226 size die made by Buckshot. The Gas checks fit real loose, so as you can see in the photo essay, in this application, I put the GC into the size die, then seat the boolit on that, then size it. Lastly, I like the Large Rifle primer trays to hold the finished product.

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/idealempty_zps34ee8851.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/idealempty_zps34ee8851.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/idealwGC_zpsf93cf89c.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/idealwGC_zpsf93cf89c.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/idealwunsizedbator_zps2c0e78af.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/idealwunsizedbator_zps2c0e78af.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/idealwsizedlubedbator_zps88d0b680.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/idealwsizedlubedbator_zps88d0b680.jpg.html)

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/Batorslubedintrays400_zps0afaef23.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/Batorslubedintrays400_zps0afaef23.jpg.html)

[waco]

+1 on the LRP tray for holding those little guys!
That was a great idea.

[bangerjim]

I pressure cast my .224's using a 4-20 pot bottom pour and a Lee 6 banger mold. Perfect boolits every time using pressure casting.

I powder coat them using the ES gun method. Stick them in fender washers of the correct size on the tray covered with non-stik foil over the washers. GS area sticks in washer and holds it in place.

Then put GC's on the sonic ones with the Lee standard die. Tap them on with a hammer to get them seated all the way then into the press. I do not GC the subsonics I load for replacements for 22LR shooting.

banger

[leadman]

I use an old black & Decker toaster oven that the lid rolls back to open. This allows me to heat the entrie mold up. You can turn the mold over on the hotplate to heat it also.
I cast with Linotype, install GCs in an RCBS luber/sizer then coat with Hi-Tek Red Copper with extreme catalyst. Out of my Contender 23" bull barrel I have hit 3,619 fps with no leading and groups of 2.9" at 100 yards. Still experimenting on ways to improve the accuracy.

Lyman top punch #438 works great for this boolit.

[deh223]

Did you have to modify the #438 top punch any at all to fit the 55 gr Bator , im curently useing a 646 with a gas check seated into the top punch, works but I go slow and line everything up very well before any presure is placed on the bullet,

[trixter]

Just one more question, I am going to run them through a Lee Push through sizer to seat an seat the gas checks Which is better .225, or .225?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Just one more question, I am going to run them through a Lee Push through sizer to seat an seat the gas checks Which is better .225, or .225?
I think .225 is good. LOL

but seriously, depends on what your gun wants

[Walter Laich]

Didn't realize how small they are until I thought about the size of the primer tray you are using.
.
Don't sneeze :)

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Didn't realize how small they are until I thought about the size of the primer tray you are using.
.
Don't sneeze :)

the bators are short enough...they sit fairly securely in the Winchester Large Primer trays.

[trixter]

I bought the Bator mold that casts very round (round) nose boolits. Now I see that the design has been changed to a 'round flat nose' Can any one tell me why? Is it better, do I need to change??? Sup??