Master Caster Questions

[Mr. Woodchuck]

I'm considering the Magna Master Caster and am curious about how current owners use their machines.
How many molds do you own and use for the M.C.?

Do you still use hand molds that you might already have owned?

Do you ever use your Master Caster pot for hand casting molds?

If you needed to cast 1000 to 1500 bullets today and you had identical molds for your Master Caster and a 5 or 6 cavity hand casting mold , which method would you chose to do the casting?

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

[Plate plinker]

I like my master caster but it gets monotonous and that is why they get automated.

[wlkjr]

I never hand casted, just went straight to the Master Caster. I have 4 molds for it, 2 in .45acp, and one each for 9mm and 380. I really like mine. That's about all I got.

[jdfoxinc]

I can out produce a 4 or 6 cavity hand mold on my M.C. I have an idea for mounting lyman 4 cavity on M.C. and using a mallet to cut sprue.

[bstone5]

I have a Master Caster that was used at the time of purchase. Did a cleanup and rebuilt portions of the machine. Purchased three new molds and started casting in the manual method. Got a few more molds off of this site. After two years the machine was automated with a PLC and some air cylinders. Got the information with regard to automation from this site also.
I now have 18 molds for the machine most are Magnum molds but some are converted RCBS molds. I have had the machine for about six years. Cast four times each year over a week and cast around 8,000 bullets each time the machine is operated.

When I run the machine several thousand of the same bullet are cast. The bullets are powder coated and a home made gas check is installed on the plan base bullets.

The 180 grain flat noise bullet for the 40 S&W is shot by myself and a few friends, the total for this single bullet is over 20,000. A lot of bullets for the 9mm Luger and the 45 ACP are also cast each year.

The automated machine still requires attention as it operates but the air cylinders do all the work.
I purchase the lead from Lead Products here in Houston in a lot of 300 pounds.

i do do not sell the bullets, all are used by myself, my family and a few friends who help with the casting and powder coating of the freshly cast bullets.

I still cast with hand molds for some rifles that are not shot a lot. Some of the cast rifle bullets are also paper patched. Shot gun slugs and buck shot are also cast by hand. I have never tried to use the pot on the casting machine for manual casting, use a Lee bottom pour pot for manual casting.

For the hand guns all bullets are cast on the Master Caster.

At 71 years of age it is still fun to shoot at the gun club, hope my health remains good for a few more years, go to a gym and walk a lot early in the morning.

[runfiverun]

well I can answer yes to your questions.
and about 20 sum molds for the master caster.
a couple of them overlap between hand and machine.

if I needed 1500 boolits today.
the master caster on the stand would get plugged in and a 4 cavity mold would come out.

if I wanted them tomorrow night I'd tell the wife I needed her to get out there and fire up her master caster.

now that you mention it I did need 1500 boolits today, however I also needed 1200 yesterday
which means I have about a half a 5 gallon bucket of 200gr swc's I need to cast at some point in the future.

[ReloaderFred]

Since purchasing my Master Caster used several years ago, I haven't fired up my handcasting pot one time. I've got over 200 molds for the Master Caster, plus I also own a Magma Bullet Master Mark 6 casting machine, so those molds can also be used on it.

I don't mind at all sitting at the Master Caster for a few hours to cast several thousand bullets. It's "free mind time", which means I can forget about the world's problems and just concentrate on making good bullets, and when I'm done, I've got something to show for it.

I've never considered automating my Master Caster, since I've got the Bullet Master. I have enough headaches keeping it running without taking on an automated Master Caster.

I normally buy my lead by the ton, but if a good deal comes up on smaller batches of a few hundred pounds, I'll buy it, or sometimes trade for it.

The great majority of my molds are Magma molds, but I've also got Lyman, RCBS and Saeco molds that have been converted to mount on the Master Caster. I'll probably be selling most of my hand casting molds, since they don't get used anymore.......

Hope this helps.

Fred

[dverna]

Great info gentlemen.

I am forced to buy a Master Caster due to issues with my left arm and neck that make manual casting problematic. I looked at an automated unit that was offered here but could not justify $3000 for a used one.

Fortunately, I have about 30,000 bullets in inventory so no panic. I have some questions about molds but will start another thread so this one stays on point.

Don Verna

[Mr. Woodchuck]

Thanks for the quick replies. Learning how folks actually use their master caster gives me a better idea about how "useful and enjoyable to use" they are. Please continue to share your experiences using your machines when you have time to post. Thus far, it seems like a worthwhile investment for an avid caster and reloader.

[wlkjr]

How far are you from Griffin?

[Nick Quick]

The MC is great either way, manual or automated. The automation is for long sessions when lots of bullets are needed. The manual option is for tests, working with other molds than Magma with more than two cavities or short sessions of casting.
I love the easiness of the casting session with the machine. Magma sells great molds and now they sell grooveless ones too.
I have like 7-8 molds and more to come yet as I'm eyeing few really sexy.
Even tho I casted more than 40 000 bullets with the machine I'm still learning new things, tricks and adjustments to make my casting experience more pleasant and with better results.
Great, great machine. Expensive, but a great piece of hardware to have and work with.

[Mr. Woodchuck]

Wlkjr, I live in Douglasville. About 30 miles west of Atlanta.

Nick Quick, I'm thinking that your post pretty well sums up the feelings of most MC owners. One of those tools that isn't really "necessary", but sure is nice to have and use. What I don't hear is a lot of buyer's remorse. Seem's to me that folks that have been casting for a number of years by hand, also enjoy the MC once they buy one. I've been hand casting off and on for about 20 years and look forward to my casting sessions. I enjoy casting about as much as shooting.

[runfiverun]

a lot of us guy's that cast and shoot a lot but are not into the machine will still buy the pot.
because it is quality equipment.

even when hand casting or ladle casting the size and the quality makes it a very worthwhile investment to make.
having the single, dual, or blank spout option makes it versatile.
and I can move the pot back to the machines stand and have 2 master casters running at the same time if I wish.
casting by hand with the magma pot and a 4 cavity mold will net me about 600 boolits an hour at cruising speed.
a 3-4 hour session then a clean up and I still have half a day to do other stuff.
I could lube what I cast or go fishing or whatever.

[jmorris]

I built my master caster copy before I had cast my first bullet. Since then I have cast a number of low volume rounds by hand. If I wanted 1000-1500 bullets today I would let the machine cast them.

[Mr. Woodchuck]

Do you have problems with boolits sticking in the Master Caster molds?

[runfiverun]

they generally pop free when you bring the handle down smartly.
if they hang up you need to look the mold over for burrs or the bevel base especially.
Magma makes high quality stuff, they are like dealing with Dillon's equipment.

[Tazza]

I get sticking between the sprue plate and top of the mould. Some times i get projectiles sticking in the cavities, but hit it again and it drops out. Some of my moulds drop great, others hang up from time to time.

Jmorris has given advise to use an acetylene torch and blacken the moulds with soot to get them to release. It works well, just don't use any oxygen and you get a yellow sotty flame.

[bjordan]

I am a new owner of a MC. I have done three casting runs, but only one of them was more than an hour. It works well and is built like a tank. It will crank out the bullets, but it monotonous. But, I like it. As mentioned, you can turn the world off and make nice bullets. I already have 4 molds from Magma for cowboy action shooting, so I am sure a .45 ACP and 9mm mold or two will be added eventually. I am still getting the hang of the machine. So far, on 130 grain RNFP BV bullets, the mold seems to really like a large, hot puddle on top of the sprue plate for full fill out at the base. But, I am learning.

I have at least 100 other molds for hand casting, and I am sure I will continue to use my ancient bottom pour Lyman pot for those.

[jmorris]

Jmorris has given advise to use an acetylene torch and blacken the moulds with soot to get them to release.

Yep, they fall out after a smoking.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2U1ujg_nzo

You can also use a candle but acetylene works better.

[Nick Quick]

jmorris, awesome job. One question tho: I see there is no waiting time for the alloy to cool inside the mold. Judging by the size of the the sprue, don't you have lead smear between the sprue plate and the top of the mold? Just curious as once I've got a beet speedy and din't let the alloy cool enough and I had above mentioned issue.

[runfiverun]

look at the top of his mold Nick.
even with the master caster you have to operate it similar to hand casting.
the mold has to be up to temp.
you have to let the sprue suck into the cavity.
and you have to cut it on time.
keeping a consistent time is easy with the machine it just needs to be set properly.

[Mr. Woodchuck]

jmorris,
Now that looks cool as grits! Nice set up.
I don't have an acetylene torch. Would propane torch work? If not, how about the Hi-Tek mold release I've heard some folks use?

[Nick Quick]

R5R, the mold sucking from the sprue is visible and telling but not enough to cut the sprue yet. After the sucking, the sprue appearance is not changed yet. As soon I move the handle down a bit (with the fan ON) the appearance change and tells it right away it is ready for the sprue to be cut.
When I was not waiting for the sprue to change I've got lead smears, even tho the sucking was obvious.

The best results I have when using the automation. The bad part is that I really like to work on manual mode and being a human I make mistakes sometimes.

[Tazza]

A propane torch won't work, you need the soot to put on the mould. Candles work well, as do matches, but with that sort of flame, you really need to remove the mould to get the smoke in the cavities. I have never tried the release lube.

[dverna]

Any recommendations concerning getting one in 110v over 220 volt? I have 110V in the garage area I plan to use this in and 220V in the shop. I feel more comfortable casting in the garage in case of a problem plus it is well ventilated. I could run 220V to the garage but it will not be easy. The other option is to cast in the shop and install a fume hood.

Don Verna

[Tazza]

If you have the wattage available, there is no reason to go 220v. The pot has two elements, it will draw the same wattage no matter if it's wired for 110 or 220v. For 110v you wire them in parallel, 220v you wire in series.

[Nick Quick]

At 50F in the shop I had no problem at all with the pot(110V) heating up and perform as expected. I cut it quite short that day as I was not really comfy working at that room temperature. (The shop heater was defective that day)

I always thought the 220V version is for countries where 220V is the standard.

[Tazza]

The one i have is quite old, it has two cartridge heaters, both 110/120v. The newer ones that i have seen have a thin heating band have two sets of leads, both 110/120v elements.

They must do it so one pot works in all countries, smart way of doing it, but may cost them a little more.

[wlkjr]

Mine runs off 120v plugged into my pid.

[Mr. Woodchuck]

Well I pulled the trigger and ordered the Master Caster and a couple of molds. I ordered it with the digital temp controller.
I hope I enjoy using it as much as others here do.
Thanks for taking the time to answer questions. I'll probably have more when I start using the machine.

[Tazza]

Good choice, i'm sure you'll love it too. I found them to be great to deal with too. Ordered some moulds, they left the same day i ordered/paid for them, no messing about, packed as small as possible to save me freight.

[Nick Quick]

If you enjoyed casting before with using other casting devices then you will be elated once you start using the machine. There is no other manual casting machine out there like this one. And with that Magma PID installed....wow....you kinda make me jealous.

[LAH]

How many molds do you own and use for the M.C.?

A dozen or so.


Do you still use hand molds that you might already have owned?

Yes.


Do you ever use your Master Caster pot for hand casting molds?

No but a friend does.


If you needed to cast 1000 to 1500 bullets today and you had identical molds for your Master Caster and a 5 or 6 cavity hand casting mold , which method would you chose to do the casting?

Hand mould.

I have 2 Master Casters & 1 Master Pot. If you want & are able to use hand moulds they are by far the quickest. If you want to cast for you bulk shooter, sixgun or auto, simply purchase at least 2 if not 3 each 4 cavity moulds, I have run 4 of them on occasion. I did this for a living & if you're serious you can pretty much maintain 1000 bullets per hour which includes adding alloy, drinking water & expelling water.

On the other hand my quickest 2 cavity mould for the Master Caster can be dumped every 10 seconds. That works out to 720 bullets per hour if you don't need to do anything but cast.

[Mr. Woodchuck]

LAH,
Good info. I've never understood how running 2 or 3 molds at once works out. Do you fill each mold, set them aside, then go back after the last one is full and cut the sprue and empty bullets from the first mold then the second etc.?
I've read where some people keep the second mold on a hot plate and cast with the first one till it gets too hot then switch to the second.

[Tazza]

The way i did it was to keep one mould on the melting pot to keep it hot, i then cast madly with one, and when it gets too hot, i swap over to the pre-heated one and put the hot one on the pot to cool slightly. It seems odd to put something that is too hot on a heat source, but it did tend to cool down enough while sitting on there.

With that said, a buddy of mine has 3 moulds, he uses all three at once. Pour all three, cut the sprues and drop projectiles, then re-fill.

I guess you need to work out what works for you and your pace.

[LAH]

LAH,
Good info. I've never understood how running 2 or 3 molds at once works out. Do you fill each mold, set them aside, then go back after the last one is full and cut the sprue and empty bullets from the first mold then the second etc.?
I've read where some people keep the second mold on a hot plate and cast with the first one till it gets too hot then switch to the second.

I opened a new thread to show you how I do this.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?325394-Two-6-cavity-Lee-moulds&p=3917600#post3917600