Griff
12-06-2016, 11:01 PM
I have been having a issue with casting lately. Last year my 35 year old Lyman Mag20 quit heating. So, the power unit in our house okayed me to buy a new pot. I got the new Lyman Mag25. Has a built in PID. At the same time I bought a Lee Pro IV with a PID that I got in trade for the old Lyman pot.
I really like the Mag 25, it's stable, and although I've cast a whole bunch of my 45-225-CAV bullets... without an issue. But, in casting some .30-30 GCFN I started having "folding" problems. They've started to lessen, as I've upped the meld temp, but... now I'm casting at 750ºF. Seems way too hot. And still getting folded bullets from both molds.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/sass93/DSCN0902.jpg
I haven't tested any to see of they're very hard... but I generally let the pot get low, then add the same mix of 6 parts WW to 1 part Linotype. I generally put the two molds I'm going to work with on top of the pot to warm as the meld is brought up to temp. Then I'll run one mold for about 6 - 10 fills dumping all the bullets back in the meld to get it hot, then start working the second mold into rotation to get it hot enough to run bullets...
The Saeco #316 has started to produce better bullets, but the new RCBS 40-300-CAV mold I got a few weeks ago is still producing "folded" noses and not quite filling out the lube grooves.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/sass93/DSCN0896.jpg
While these from the Saeco 316 are not the best, I'll probably go ahead and use 'em, in our short range target matches, at least until the meld in the pot is gone. Maybe I'll do hardness test on them tomorrow and see if I have gotten too much Lino in the pot. Then I'll put new lead in, and watch the addition of Linotype more carefully. With only 50 lbs of WWs left, I'll get scrounging soon! I've never had this problem before and am wondering if anyone else has, and what they found the cause was. Sure hope it's not something else.
I really like the Mag 25, it's stable, and although I've cast a whole bunch of my 45-225-CAV bullets... without an issue. But, in casting some .30-30 GCFN I started having "folding" problems. They've started to lessen, as I've upped the meld temp, but... now I'm casting at 750ºF. Seems way too hot. And still getting folded bullets from both molds.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/sass93/DSCN0902.jpg
I haven't tested any to see of they're very hard... but I generally let the pot get low, then add the same mix of 6 parts WW to 1 part Linotype. I generally put the two molds I'm going to work with on top of the pot to warm as the meld is brought up to temp. Then I'll run one mold for about 6 - 10 fills dumping all the bullets back in the meld to get it hot, then start working the second mold into rotation to get it hot enough to run bullets...
The Saeco #316 has started to produce better bullets, but the new RCBS 40-300-CAV mold I got a few weeks ago is still producing "folded" noses and not quite filling out the lube grooves.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/sass93/DSCN0896.jpg
While these from the Saeco 316 are not the best, I'll probably go ahead and use 'em, in our short range target matches, at least until the meld in the pot is gone. Maybe I'll do hardness test on them tomorrow and see if I have gotten too much Lino in the pot. Then I'll put new lead in, and watch the addition of Linotype more carefully. With only 50 lbs of WWs left, I'll get scrounging soon! I've never had this problem before and am wondering if anyone else has, and what they found the cause was. Sure hope it's not something else.