First batch of Lee RN 200gr 452

[ForneyRider]

I poured about 30 yesterday.

These are WW mixture.

I had the Lead smelter on highest setting. I waited about 30mins, and kept the temperature on high while pouring. I sat the mold on top of the smelter while the lead melted. I also dipped the mold into the smelter and cleaned off, before pouring bullets.

This is the same mix my dad used. After melting the ingot, he turned down the heat. But he used a torch to heat the mold. His were more wrinkled than mine.

They are still a bit wrinkled.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbinnig/sets/72157605505293317/

[HeavyMetal]

How are you pouring?

I suspect your using a ladle similar to the one lee sells. I have never gotten good results with that style ladle in anything but clearing dross of the melt.

Get an RCBS or Lyman ladle. These hold a lot more lead and pour from the bottom of the ladle allowing clean lead into the mold.

When you pour turn your mold 90 degree ( so the sprue plate is straight up and down) and then put the clean ladle spout into the countersunk hole in the sprue plate and the rotate both back 90 degrees to level. wait a ( fast) 5 count and then pull the ladle off and try to leave a small puddle of lead on top of the sprue plate.

If the mold is hot, the alloy is hot and the ladle is hot this should pour you some good boolits!

Having the ladle in contact with the sprue plate is the way to go here!

[ForneyRider]

How are you pouring?

I suspect your using a ladle similar to the one lee sells. I have never gotten good results with that style ladle in anything but clearing dross of the melt.

Get an RCBS or Lyman ladle. These hold a lot more lead and pour from the bottom of the ladle allowing clean lead into the mold.

When you pour turn your mold 90 degree ( so the sprue plate is straight up and down) and then put the clean ladle spout into the countersunk hole in the sprue plate and the rotate both back 90 degrees to level. wait a ( fast) 5 count and then pull the ladle off and try to leave a small puddle of lead on top of the sprue plate.

If the mold is hot, the alloy is hot and the ladle is hot this should pour you some good boolits!

Having the ladle in contact with the sprue plate is the way to go here!

The Lee smelter has a handle that releases from a nipple underneath.

I think if I leave more lead in the top of the sprue, then it may shear more smoothly.

I added pictures of the bottoms as well.

[DLCTEX]

Looks to me like you are pressure pouring, holding the mold against the spout. Leave an air gap to improve venting and allow a puddle to build up on the sprue plate. As the lead cools and shrinks it will draw from the puddle and eliminate the pit in the sprue cut. It will also lessen the fins on the boolit base. Run the mold hot enough to frost lightly and you will get good fillout even with plain WW. Try cutting the sprue about 1 or 2 seconds after the sprue puddle hardens ( indicated by a change from shiny to dull), if you still get sprue tear out give it another second or two, etc. If the sprue is hard to cut after getting the mold up to temp, you are waiting too long to cut. DALE

[Maximilian225]

Scrub that mold again,

Looks like some kind of lube contamination.

Did you clean it thoroughly before your first cast?

[DLCTEX]

New Lee molds seem to all require extra effort to get it clean and stop wrinkling. Maybe the machining process embeds it in the metal. But get it out and you are good to go from then on if you avoid getting lube in the cavaties. DALE

[ForneyRider]

I am in fact pressing the mold up on the nipple firmly.
I was worried about the sprue hardening and not filling the mold.
Wow.

Great info. I'll clean it up and try again.

Also, I didn't smoke the mold. But I guess that is just to help release the bullets. They fell out pretty easy.

Not sure if Dad cleaned it or how he it did it either. Not sure what prep he did to the mold other than heating it up with the torch.

[docone31]

It looks like you are making it harder than it has to be.
I have that mold.
Fire up the pot. I have the Lee 20lb bottom pour pot. I set mine on 8 and it gives a good pour.
I made a rest, and hold the mold just under the bottom pour spout.
Before I do any casting, on that mold, I cleaned it with brake cleaner and smoked the dickens out of it.
I then rested the mold in the melt. The sprue plate supported the mold so only the end corners were in the melt. I left it in the melt untill the lead fell off the mold.
From there I proceeded to cast. The first three bullets were a mess. From that point on, they came out great. With each cavity fill, I let a little lead get onto the sprue plate above the sprue.
From there, I watch the metal. It will go from shiney to dull. At that point, I can push the sprue plate and cut the sprues with just the end of a dowel. There is a point where it is an easy push. Once the buttons are cut off, I tip the buttons back into the melt and open the mold and drop the bullets into cold water.
Mine are a little frosty. I like that, it seems to keep the lube I make on the lands during sizing.
You will like that mold. My 1911s like that casting. Simple to load, easy to chamber and shoot. I size them to .452, and smile a lot.
Do not crimp them.
Once you get the hang of casting them, you can cast quite a few. Of all the Lee Molds I have, this one is perhaps the best casting one. Just plain for me, sweet.
Keep pluggin away, you will get the hang of it. Keep the mold hot. I cast 500, and did not have to cool the mold during the molding. I also added six inches of 95/5 solder. I found out later, too much. I now only use three inches per two pots. Seems to work better.
Hang in there.

[454PB]

Most newbies are afraid to crank up the heat. Not to worry, you'll know when you've gone too far. The mould and metal need to be clean.....flux well and leave the dross on the surface to provide an oxygen barrier. Thoroughly clean your mould with brake cleaner or Gun Scrubber. You need to use a cleaner that leaves not residue. I know Lee recommends both lubing the mould and smoking it. Both of these actions cause problems and I don't do either. If you decide to smoke the mould, use a propane lighter, it won't leave an oily coating in the cavities. Keep the sprue plate about 1/2" below the pour spout.

[docone31]

Yeah, with lubing, the only issue I ever had with Lee molds was the hinge on the handles.
As the mold got really hot, the hinge got not only really tight, but seemed to stick. Once the mold cooled down a bit, I just worked the hinge untill it softened up.
I only lubed once with beeswax on all the molds I use.
I had no luck whatsoever with silicone spray.
Not even worth trying.
Heat up the pot, dip the mold, and cast away. You will get your own rythym.

[TexasJeff]

New Lee molds seem to all require extra effort to get it clean and stop wrinkling. Maybe the machining process embeds it in the metal. But get it out and you are good to go from then on if you avoid getting lube in the cavaties. DALE

Agree. I've got five of 'em, and all but one took a lot of Lee-Menting and a moderate amount of mild swearing before the wrinkles stopped appearing.

I'd definitely scrub that mould out with some brake cleaner, but I'd also take two of the better boolits that you get out of it and do the lapping/polishing trick. I use Mother's Aluminum polish and it does a great job. But, you'll need a toothbrush and half a can of brake cleaner to get all the wax residue out.

Also, my experience with the Lee moulds is that they like hot lead--around 850F to 900F gives me some good boolits and with only the lightest hint of frosting.

Jeff

[ForneyRider]

I've got gunk on top of the alloy. It is dark rust colored and looks like powdered metal. Should I re-flux with bee's wax or scape and toss?

Gonna scrub the mold with brake cleaner and start over. Thanks Jeff.

I'll work on my technique and be more patient of the alloy getting up to frost temperature. Holding at angle and leaving space between sprue and nipple makes a lot of sense. The nipple drips when the handle is raised completely, so the wave may be caused by that. Not sure how to get more flow, except turn the heat even more.

I have a grill lighter, but haven't had any issues dropping bullets. They fall right out.

I want to hold off LeeMenting until I get better at this. I may also buy molds for 380 ACP, .41 Mag, 375H&H, and 7mm Mag.

[ForneyRider]

Most of these bullets are measuring .450" around the base.
Some are .4515".
Only a few are .452".
Should I add some solder to the alloy?
I am using a cheapo Frankford Arsenal digital caliper with nothing to zero.

[Maximilian225]

The nipple drips when the handle is raised completely, so the wave may be caused by that. Not sure how to get more flow, except turn the heat even more.

Sounds like the spout may be partially clogged, should be a steady stream. Try cleaning the spout out by using some pliers to poke the end of a paper clip up in the spout after the pot is up to operating temp, just make sure you wear gloves and your hands are out of the way so you don't get burnt.

[cohutt]

You will like that mold. My 1911s like that casting. Simple to load, easy to chamber and shoot. I size them to .452, and smile a lot.
Do not crimp them.


what OAL do you use for these in your 1911?

[cohutt]

For what it is worth:
Last week i received the two lee 6x molds i had ordered- the 230tc one and this one.

I hosed with brake cleaner to start, dried, hit the mold face a sprue with the frankfort mold release stuff and then put them on a wally world single eye burner to preheat.

Once the lead was melted and the molds were warm, i smoked one of the molds and poured a few. I cast hotter than some (mid to upper 700s) and get a modest frosting but well defined, totally filled out bullets. I repeated with the second after a while.
alloy was 50% ww and 50% pure.

i cast 80 of each after recycling the first drop. not a single bullet stuck and only couple of each were rejects (operator's brain farted).

the 200s cast to 211 grains, the 230s to 228. go figure.

The pot is a lyman bottom pour and the nip is at least 1/4" above the sprue.

[docone31]

My OAL is 1.1655. My Commander grips sooner than the Taurus PT1911. I had tin in my mix, and my 200s cast at 190. I let the pot down some, added pure wheel weight ingots and my weight got to 200 give or take one gn from time to time. I sized to 452, no case bulge visible.
I was running the mold lower than you did. I got some frozen sprues from time to time. I am working on finding a sweet spot that is easy to see and pour.
I really like this bullet. It is easy to cast, fills well, and for me, pan lubes great. They do not seem to fall over like the .30s do. They handle well.
I use wax paper to line the pan before setting the bases down for lubing. Pushed nose after base, I get very few missing lube grooves. If I find one, I fill it by hand then size it.
Seems to work for me.

[ForneyRider]

Sounds like the spout may be partially clogged, should be a steady stream. Try cleaning the spout out by using some pliers to poke the end of a paper clip up in the spout after the pot is up to operating temp, just make sure you wear gloves and your hands are out of the way so you don't get burnt.

I used the paper clip with gloves and pliers and rammed it up the nipple several times and am now getting a steady stream.

NO MORE WAVES!!!!!! :drinks:

I also added some wax, and cleaned out the sludge off top of the alloy. There is a blue-ish film on top of the lead.

The heat is up there. I am holding the mold in the sweet spot, and no closer. Leaving a gap to pour and letting a nice little puddle form on sprue. Get a nice shear now.

I think the biggest improvement was made by getting the stream going. I'm 39 tomorrow, guess I will need to pay attention to that from now on.

Makes sense to leave a gap between the mold and sprue. Like pouring beer from a tap, need to have a gap or else the crap builds up.

Thanks so much for helping me out.

[IcerUSA]

For a mould guide I put 2 peices of 1X4X6" pine boards under the spout and it works well for about any moulds I have , makes for a nice support to hold the weight off of your hand till you pull it out .
6 cavity moulds usually I start at the handle end and the 2 cavity moulds are kind of iffy as to which likes handle first or the end one first .

Keith

[TexasJeff]

I used the paper clip with gloves and pliers and rammed it up the nipple several times and am now getting a steady stream.

I think the biggest improvement was made by getting the stream going. I'm 39 tomorrow, guess I will need to pay attention to that from now on.

Just make you save the paperclip and pliers for your melting furnace stream and not your other stream . . . :takinWiz:

Jeff