Laredo
03-23-2014, 12:07 PM
Sorry for the long winded intial post.
I am somewhat new to casting my own "boolits". Outside of roundballs for muzzle loaders, I have been playing with casting for about a year. Like many, I started with a Lee C309-150-F mold for a 30-30 AND a 308 Win. I have since bought Lee molds for other rifle calibers as well as "tumble lube" molds for the usual pistol calibers in the common jacketed bullet weights i.e. .452-230gr., 9mm-124gr., .358-158gr., etc.
I don't know if the Lee Alox Tumble lube is a good thing or not but I hope to hear more about it.
Now just so you know, I am interested in achieving velocities similiar to conventional jacketed bullets in both my rifles as well as my pistols. I have a friend who is a boolit caster and he told me about paper patching for higher velocities. (He also told me he didn't have much luck with it). I have been reloading conventional bullets for some time, but I can plainly see that I have alot to learn about casting and will be among some excellant company here on the Cast Boolits Forum.
For a little history, my first castings with the Lee C309 mold I was able to acquire some clip on wheel weights. I melted those down on my Coleman gas stove and fluxed with candle wax as I recall. I then sized, lubed/gas checked those and loaded and fired at low velocities. Accuracy was quite good in my Marlin 336 with open sights.
After some experimenting I starting playing with the paper thing. On my very first attempt, I started by using masking tape 1/2" wide wrapped one full circumference around the .309 bullet as I could get but no more. I then gas checked, lubed and sized those.
I used a recipe of crayons/lithium grease and bees wax for the lube that my bud gave me.
I then loaded those into .308 cases on top of 39 gr. of IMR 4895. Accuracy was phenominal I thought for a beginner. At 100 yards the first 2 shots were touching and second 2 shots being 1/2" CtoC. The total 4 shot group size was 2".
Later, I worked up to 43 grains of IMR 4320. The overall 4 shot group was roughly 1-1/2" total. My velocity was avg. 2630 fps. with the 4320.
Due to my job, I was unable to continue experimenting for several months. Well when I resumed my casting and experimenting, I somehow got my w-w batches mixed up and melted another un-proven batch with my "proven-good" batch. I am now getting wrinkled poorly casted bullets that don't shoot worth a hoot in rifle or pistol (45ACP/Unique and 9mm/unique). I have tried all different temps., fluxing, etc. with no success. I filed on the new bullets and can see what looks like porosity inside the bullet which would account for the in-accuracy. Obviously there is something bad in the mix.
My questions for the experts is this;
1. Can I add some Linotype or something else to clean up this alloy batch or should I just chunk it? Recommendations?
2. Does the Lee Liquid Alox have any adverse affects on boolit alloy when a previously lubed boolit/s are thrown into the melt? Will the melted down Lee lube affect my molds?
3.Are the tape-on wheel weights of the same alloy/BHN as clip on weights? (I am suspecting not from some of the comments made here on the forum)
I am aware of the Zinc weights but I doubt any are melted in this batch.
4.Does powdered graphite have any ill-affect on boolit casts or molds during casting? (I am using it to lube my sprue plates and line-up pins. Am also using pencil lead to do the same)
5. What are most thoughts on Lee molds and techniques in general? (I see mixed thoughts on this like everthing else, and I haven't yet figured out who to listen to yet)
Thanks in advance.
I am somewhat new to casting my own "boolits". Outside of roundballs for muzzle loaders, I have been playing with casting for about a year. Like many, I started with a Lee C309-150-F mold for a 30-30 AND a 308 Win. I have since bought Lee molds for other rifle calibers as well as "tumble lube" molds for the usual pistol calibers in the common jacketed bullet weights i.e. .452-230gr., 9mm-124gr., .358-158gr., etc.
I don't know if the Lee Alox Tumble lube is a good thing or not but I hope to hear more about it.
Now just so you know, I am interested in achieving velocities similiar to conventional jacketed bullets in both my rifles as well as my pistols. I have a friend who is a boolit caster and he told me about paper patching for higher velocities. (He also told me he didn't have much luck with it). I have been reloading conventional bullets for some time, but I can plainly see that I have alot to learn about casting and will be among some excellant company here on the Cast Boolits Forum.
For a little history, my first castings with the Lee C309 mold I was able to acquire some clip on wheel weights. I melted those down on my Coleman gas stove and fluxed with candle wax as I recall. I then sized, lubed/gas checked those and loaded and fired at low velocities. Accuracy was quite good in my Marlin 336 with open sights.
After some experimenting I starting playing with the paper thing. On my very first attempt, I started by using masking tape 1/2" wide wrapped one full circumference around the .309 bullet as I could get but no more. I then gas checked, lubed and sized those.
I used a recipe of crayons/lithium grease and bees wax for the lube that my bud gave me.
I then loaded those into .308 cases on top of 39 gr. of IMR 4895. Accuracy was phenominal I thought for a beginner. At 100 yards the first 2 shots were touching and second 2 shots being 1/2" CtoC. The total 4 shot group size was 2".
Later, I worked up to 43 grains of IMR 4320. The overall 4 shot group was roughly 1-1/2" total. My velocity was avg. 2630 fps. with the 4320.
Due to my job, I was unable to continue experimenting for several months. Well when I resumed my casting and experimenting, I somehow got my w-w batches mixed up and melted another un-proven batch with my "proven-good" batch. I am now getting wrinkled poorly casted bullets that don't shoot worth a hoot in rifle or pistol (45ACP/Unique and 9mm/unique). I have tried all different temps., fluxing, etc. with no success. I filed on the new bullets and can see what looks like porosity inside the bullet which would account for the in-accuracy. Obviously there is something bad in the mix.
My questions for the experts is this;
1. Can I add some Linotype or something else to clean up this alloy batch or should I just chunk it? Recommendations?
2. Does the Lee Liquid Alox have any adverse affects on boolit alloy when a previously lubed boolit/s are thrown into the melt? Will the melted down Lee lube affect my molds?
3.Are the tape-on wheel weights of the same alloy/BHN as clip on weights? (I am suspecting not from some of the comments made here on the forum)
I am aware of the Zinc weights but I doubt any are melted in this batch.
4.Does powdered graphite have any ill-affect on boolit casts or molds during casting? (I am using it to lube my sprue plates and line-up pins. Am also using pencil lead to do the same)
5. What are most thoughts on Lee molds and techniques in general? (I see mixed thoughts on this like everthing else, and I haven't yet figured out who to listen to yet)
Thanks in advance.