.300 Blackout Lee mold

[Angler20]

Hello all,

I'm relatively new to casting and just started with a Lee .30 cal, aluminum, 230gr two-cavity mold.

Pot is an RCBS 10lb bottom pour

The picture above shows generally what's been happening with all my cast bullets, some better than others. They keep having these areas that don't seem to be getting fully filled out or large creases.

I've tried temps from 700 to 900 degrees (as measured with an in pot thermometer). I've varied my casting rate and gotten the bullets to frost, but still does not totally fill out to a solid bullet with no creases.

Cleaned the mold, tried smoking and no smoking, totally changed the alloy, still having it happen.

I'm either a dummy, missing something, or need a new (new) mold. . .

Ideas?

193128

[Dusty Bannister]

Are you sure the mold is clean and free of any oil? Did you pre heat the mold by bringing it to casting temp several times and letting it cool down before the next cycle? Did you pour the full stream of alloy directly into the center of the hole in the sprue plate, or did you just dribble it in thinking that would help the air escape the mold. Aluminum molds like to be kept hot by casting at a rapid pace so if you stop to look, it will cool down and leave creases on the bullets. Give it a try and get back if further suggestions are needed.

[bigolsmokebomb]

Needs more heat in the mold. Cast at a faster pace and sort later. If you start to get frosty boolits slow down a step but don't let your mold get cold. I usually cast between 750 and 800 depending on the alloy.

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[DrewSeeg]

Try pressure filling the mold ... I had the same problem... I keep my pot around 750 (PID controlled) ... Warm the mold on a hot plate and hold the mold against the bottom pour spout. As you release the handle let the mould come off the spout so that you get a small drop on the sprue plate. I tried everything and a and pressure filling was the only way to get a good fill out on that mold.

[jcren]

Wrinkles are caused by a cold mold freezing the lead in sections as it pours. The mold must be hotter, but not necessarily the lead. Those small caliber molds have a small surface area of lead touching a huge aluminum heat sink. Preheat the mold longer either with a hot plate or by dipping into the melt until the lead you dip it in doesnt set around it.

[Angler20]

Thanks all, sounds like I don't have the mold getting hot enough. I did try pressure filling as described above, but still had the same problem. Mold was degreased and alcohol cleaned prior to use. After about 10-15 casts, I would check out how the bullets were coming out, sounds like I don't need to do that and just keep pumping them out. Give it another shot this afternoon, hopefully.

[xdmalder]

I like to boil my molds in water with dawn dish soap. Even cleaning with alcohol did not always get that last little bit of oil out.

[popper]

Practice with that mould, then get one that works. Virtually no reports of that mould working unless the BT is removed. Yes, mould is not to temp yet and you have to pour pretty fast with the longer boolits, then slower as it fills to get the base to fill correctly.

[runfiverun]

I have that mold.
many have trouble with it but I shoot it about as slow as you can go.
you just need more heat in the mold [mold temperature is the key to success with all molds and alloys]
they will shoot in a 7 twist rifle but need a little pepper behind them in the 8 twist barrels.

anyway I cast mine then tumble lube them, push them through a .310 size die, and lube again.
the size die just scuffs up the band at the bottom of the micro bands, but occasionally I get one that gets a pretty good bit of shiny right there.

[mto7464]

I have that mold.
many have trouble with it but I shoot it about as slow as you can go.
you just need more heat in the mold [mold temperature is the key to success with all molds and alloys]
they will shoot in a 7 twist rifle but need a little pepper behind them in the 8 twist barrels.

anyway I cast mine then tumble lube them, push them through a .310 size die, and lube again.
the size die just scuffs up the band at the bottom of the micro bands, but occasionally I get one that gets a pretty good bit of shiny right there.

you must have an "oversized" mold or are using Lino. I have two of these molds, bought a year apart, and they run undersized. PC'ing them is the only way they will work, I can just get they to .309 when sizing and they size with little effort.

Like the others have said, get the mold hotter. I let my first several sit in the mold longer to get it hotter quicker.

[sutherpride59]

If all else fails a little beagleing at the nose will help with venting, could make it better if a hotter mold doesn't work. Remember if you don't have a hot plate the kitchen stove will work just fine as long as you get it from the stove to the pot pretty quick, just do t go so fast you knock the pot over or anything crazy.

[GooseGestapo]

Also, don't forget to smoke the mold per Lee's instructions. I use a butane lighter. Don't over do the smoking. It will build up and also cause defects.

[Elkins45]

I would give the cavities a little toasting with a propane torch flame and then try again. I find that some molds just need a little encouragement to pour well. Also, using the torch and heating up the insides of the cavities helps encourage to formation of a good passivation layer--I often find that an aluminum mold that has been used 2-3 times casts better than a new one.

[Handloader109]

Numerous cycles will make Lee molds drop easy. If you haven't done so clean well, soap,water toothbrush. Heat hot, cast for a bit seehow it does. Let it cool, try again. Cycl hot again, after two three or 4 it will drop easy. But wrinkes need hot mold to go away.

[6622729]

Numerous cycles will make Lee molds drop easy. If you haven't done so clean well, soap,water toothbrush. Heat hot, cast for a bit see how it does. Let it cool, try again. Cycl hot again, after two three or 4 it will drop easy. But wrinkles need hot mold to go away.

^^^^^
This is excellent advise quoted above for a new Lee mold and it is accurate.

Some of the advice in this thread is getting ahead of itself and a little drastic. Let's walk before you run.

Wash the heck out of the mold. That means boil it in water with some Dawn dish detergent. Scrub it with a toothbrush. Smoke it, preheat the mold and not just by sitting it on the edge of the pot. A $20 hotplate will save a lot of time and wrinkled boolits and frustration. You'll never look back. Once seasoned you won't generally even have to smoke the mold. I've owned NOE and MP molds and there is no question they are high quality work but my favorite molds are Lee 2 cavity molds. C312-155-2R for supersonic 300AAC, TL356-124-2R, TL356-124-TC for 9mm, TL401-175-SWC for 40S&W and TL452-230-2R for 45ACP and they are all excellent and all act similarly.

[hornady308]

"A $20 hotplate will save a lot of time and wrinkled boolits and frustration."

I sure wish I had listened to this advice many years ago. I finally got a hotplate a few years ago and it has made casting much more fun and fruitful. I usually cast between 700-750 degrees, but it works for me.

[OS OK]

200931

These ole boys know what their talking about...when I finally listened, life got easier...casting got more enjoyable and the 'throw them back in the pot bunch'...got a lot smaller.

[Bookworm]

I use the same setup as OS OK. Even the same Wal-Mart hotplate. I just haven't yet put a thermometer in the top of the can-oven, probably because I hadn't thought of it....

[jimb16]

Exactly the same problem that I've been having with the same mold! Its frustrating! I'm an experienced caster with nearly 50 years of casting under my belt and my mold just doesn't want to cooperate either.

[Elkins45]

The propane torch is your friend.

[Grmps]

Welcome to the forum Angler20

You are not a dummy. You're probably just missing something simple. You look at a problem too long you can't see the forest for the trees.

Wrinkles can be caused by; oil/lube in the cavities, too cold a mold, not enough tin/pewter in your alloy.

What alloy are you using? Do you have at least 2% tin in your alloy?

I would start over with a good cleaning "clean well with (dish)soap, water toothbrush", dry the mold well. Dip the corner into the melted lead until the lead no longer sticks to the outside of the mold then proceed with casting, make sure you have a good pudle of lead above each hole. Afer 4 - 5 casts if the boolits are still wrinkled smoke the cavities with a lighter. This should fix the problem. If this doesn't work and you have at least 2% tin then get your propane torch and heat the cavities keeping the heat moving to evenly heat the mold