Frosty bullets but good fillout

[moorvogi]

i struggled to get a good fillout on some of the bullets i cast. they have a wrinkle in the head. i wouldn't call it a "crack" just a wrinkle. They are nice and mirror finish though. I turned up the heat a bit and got an amazing fill out of the mold but... they are "frosted".

Does a frosted bullet make a diffrence in saftey while shooting them? Because.. if i can get good fill out but have frosted bullets instead of mirror tip finish ones... fine. i'll take it.

Also; i'll take tips on how to get a good fillout WITHOUT having frosted tips. I've tried smoking the molds again, lower heat, higher heat, fluxing the lead (seems to have cloged my bottom pour pot though).

[Tatume]

Frosty bullets are good bullets. Shiny bullets might or might not be good. I reject all shiny bullets and don't start keeping bullets until they start dropping frosted. If I want a bullet to look at, I might keep a shiny bullet, but for shooting, frosty bullets are superior.

[Toymaker]

How big a bullet are you casting? With my bottom pour pot I had to drill out the spout a bit to get a faster flow. Ultimately I discovered the joys of ladle casting and haven't looked back.

[moorvogi]

How big a bullet are you casting? With my bottom pour pot I had to drill out the spout a bit to get a faster flow. Ultimately I discovered the joys of ladle casting and haven't looked back.

the bullets i'm casting are 45acp, 40 s&w, 357 and 9mm. I noticed this with the 45acp from heat even down to a 3 (1-10?). all the other calibers are shiny and filling out.

The drilling part is kinda what i was thinking too, but i wanted a "known good" pot so i can get an idea what it should look like. i suspect this thing hasn't been cleaned or opened up for years...

[engineer401]

This a question that comes up periodically. I cast frosted bullets. The overall consensus is frosted bullets are ok with o shoot.

[Mal Paso]

the bullets i'm casting are 45acp, 40 s&w, 357 and 9mm. I noticed this with the 45acp from heat even down to a 3 (1-10?). all the other calibers are shiny and filling out.

The drilling part is kinda what i was thinking too, but i wanted a "known good" pot so i can get an idea what it should look like. i suspect this thing hasn't been cleaned or opened up for years...

Run a paper clip up the spout held with pliers to keep fingers clear before drilling. The factory hole is big enough.

The Lee temperature adjustment is just like a hotplate. It is Not a thermostat and is different pot to pot and whether the pot is full or low. It will get hotter as the pot empties.

Frosty is good.

[mattw]

Interesting question... I tend to go for the temp that just gets me to the edge of frosty. If the bottom driving band frosts up then I give the mould a short cool down. I do have some Lee's that have to be frosty to make a good boolit.

I cast anything center fire with 94/3/3, more or less. I know it is alloy overkill, but I have tons of base metal and alloys to work with. This seems to provide very good bullets that air harden well and can be water quenched if more hardness is wanted. Mind you, I do not shoot any 45-70's or older rounds that would benefit from softer alloys. I make a few pure lead balls and bullets for ML rifles and bore slugs as well. Every once in a while I will cast some out of other 1 pot alloy for very high speed rifle work or maybe stuff for 32acp or 38 special that is either harder or softer. But again, this is a 1 or 2 pot alloy run. The tin provides great fill out and the extra antimony allows me to play with hardness to quite an extent.

[Jniedbalski]

I keep a paper clip or a l shaped Allen wrench close by when casting.if it cloges or slowed down I can clean the spout out fast. If it is been sitting for a long time rusting I take a empty pot and take a slightly smaller drill bit and clean out the hole in the spout. Frosted bullets usally fill out better for me than shiney ones. The shiney ones look better but the frosted ones shoot the same. I have seen less wrinkles ,voids and defects in frosted bullets. It seems if I get a perfect shiney bullet I always have a lot more wrinkles or voids in them and the bases are usally rounded not sharp.

[jcren]

Wrinkles are due to a cold mold freezing the lead as it runs in. Frost occurs when the lead is hotter than needed, but hotter lead will "crutch" a cool mold by not freezing as fast. Get your mold hotter to start with, lower your lead temp and cast with a faster tempo to keep that mold hot. However, frost doesn't hurt a bit and powder coat sticks better to frosty bullets.

[moorvogi]

that makes sense w/ it heating up more as the pot got lower. rgr on frosty. whats the deal w/ the paperclip though? i mean, if i'm drilling a hole thru to clear/expand it or whatever.. whats the intent of the paperclip?

[moorvogi]

the 94/3/3 is an alloy mix from the looks of it.. guessing lead... lanotype annnd... pixie dust? no seriously, whats the 3rd (or 2nd if i'm wrong there too). The ingots i have are old and god only knows whats in them. They came from my uncle in law and father in law. They have both since past and these were cast a good 5-20 years ago. I think this is where the problem came from as well.. dirty lead.. clogged hole.. etc etc.

[tazman]

My best and most consistent boolits are cast so they come out a light grey. They are not "frosty" but neither are they mirror finish shiny.
I always start casting with the mold warm and the lead as hot as the control allows. As the mold reaches full casting temp, I turn the temp on the pot down and continue to cast. I keep a damp rag/towel on the table to cool the mold occasionally since it will get too hot to cast quickly(I don't like to wait on it).
I can usually go through nearly a full pot(20lb) this way before needing to stop and all the boolits will be good quality.
I cast for the same calibers that the OP does and use range scrap for my alloy. This has been working well for me for a long time.
Flux the pot when you add lead ingots and use the paper clip trick. This will help keep the flow problems to a minimum.

[Tatume]

the 94/3/3 is an alloy mix from the looks of it.. guessing lead... lanotype annnd... pixie dust? no seriously, whats the 3rd (or 2nd if i'm wrong there too). The ingots i have are old and god only knows whats in them. They came from my uncle in law and father in law. They have both since past and these were cast a good 5-20 years ago. I think this is where the problem came from as well.. dirty lead.. clogged hole.. etc etc.

I'm sorry your relatives in law passed. The alloy numbers are lead/tin/antimony.

[moorvogi]

My best and most consistent boolits are cast so they come out a light grey. They are not "frosty" but neither are they mirror finish shiny.
I always start casting with the mold warm and the lead as hot as the control allows. As the mold reaches full casting temp, I turn the temp on the pot down and continue to cast. I keep a damp rag/towel on the table to cool the mold occasionally since it will get too hot to cast quickly(I don't like to wait on it).
I can usually go through nearly a full pot(20lb) this way before needing to stop and all the boolits will be good quality.
I cast for the same calibers that the OP does and use range scrap for my alloy. This has been working well for me for a long time.
Flux the pot when you add lead ingots and use the paper clip trick. This will help keep the flow problems to a minimum.

awesome. whats the paperclip trick? i must be confusing threads or something. Does this help keep the hole clear while fluxing or something?? if so.. how do you know how far in it needs to go etc etc. I'm missing something here....

[Tatume]

Just stick the wire in and wiggle it around to clear any partial blockages. Partial blockages happen even with good clean alloy. A little bit cools here or there, then insulates itself with a little bit more cool lead. The wire will remove it.

This happens with ladles too, but one only needs to tap the ladle on the side of the pot to clear it.

[cwlongshot]

I like Frosty too.

A lil tin or pewter can help with fill out too! (if ya have some).

CW

[moorvogi]

Just stick the wire in and wiggle it around to clear any partial blockages. Partial blockages happen even with good clean alloy. A little bit cools here or there, then insulates itself with a little bit more cool lead. The wire will remove it.

This happens with ladles too, but one only needs to tap the ladle on the side of the pot to clear it.

GOTCHA! I was lucky enough to cast several hundred (thousand?) bullets and had no issues, till now. THANKS SOO MUCH for the "why this works".

[WHITETAIL]

+1 on the frosted boolets.
I find nothing wrong with frosted
And they work for me!!!:Fire:

[Tom W.]

It helps if you get a big paperclip.I keep one on a magnet so I don't lose it, and always put on gloves and still hold it with pliers.....

I'll generally turn my Lee pot wide open until the lead gets hot, and dip the corner of the mold into the molten metal as per the recommendations that come w/ the mold. If the lead sticks it ain't warm enough.
Frosty boolits are good. Have you ever noticed that after they are run though a sizer that the bands are shiny?

[Jniedbalski]

I only use the paper clip if my flow on the bottom spout slows down or gets clogged. You can tell sometimes the lead coming out starts to swirl coming out or gets to be a thin stream or none coming out at all. In stead of draining the hole pot you can take your paper clip with pliers and poke the nozzle hole. Push the l shaped clip up into the hole up and down while lifting the pot Handel

[Jniedbalski]

The 94 3 3 the 94 is lead the 3 is antimony and the next 3 is tin. Just two numbers the bigger first number is lead and the second can be either tin or antimony.

[redhawk0]

I have a 45* angled dental pick that I use to clear the spout instead of the paperclip...it has a nice handle on it...but...definitely wear gloves if using a paperclip.

redhawk

[pworley1]

Size, load, shoot, enjoy.

[Rcmaveric]

I have tried adding tin for mold fillout. Doesnt help me. Cranking up the alloy heat and running the mold hotter gets good bullets dropping out with no fuss no matter what is in my alloy. Only time i get good bullets that arent frosty is with iron molds. With the alluminum molds they are always slightly frosty. If not there are always defects. I have lot less cull rate with frosted bullets. Frosty bullets wont affect anything and will shoot just fine.

Pour technique and temp affect it alot. A wet sponge helps control the mold temp. But if it takes frosty bullets to get good bullets then i roll with that. I dont consider my mold too hot until the sprue doesnt cool quick enough for my tempo and creaters the bullet bases.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[tazman]

awesome. whats the paperclip trick? i must be confusing threads or something. Does this help keep the hole clear while fluxing or something?? if so.. how do you know how far in it needs to go etc etc. I'm missing something here....

Bend one end of the paper clip so it looks like this
226068

Grab it with the pliers where the arrow is
226069

When the lead is hot push it into the pot until it hits the valve rod and wiggle it around.
test the flow and if needed, repeat the process.
Make sure you use pliers or lead will splash on your fingers.

When the pot is empty and cold, there is usually enough lead left in the spout to harden and plug it up. Getting it out can be a bit of a pain.
If you are disassembling the pot and you have the valve rod out, you can heat the nozzle with a torch and then poke the plug out with a paper clip or wire.

[Chad5005]

I cast mostly with ww and range scrap,i like my boolits a light grey,my mold stays on a hot plate almost on high when not in use and my lead around 725,seams to work good at my pace of casting

[robg]

A bit of wire/rod works well frosty boolits good wrinkles bad .

[gwpercle]

I pressure cast with a ladle and keep the heat up until I get lightly frosted boolits, right at frosty I get excellent mould fill out. I like them completely filled out with sharp lines and frosty helps get perfect boolits.
They are fine to shoot and if you powder coat they help hold the coating on while baking.
Gary

[Bookworm]

I had a great deal of trouble with my Lee spout clogging repeatedly. I fought it for awhile, used a torch, paper clip, whatever.
I finally completely drained the pot, cleaned it out, and took the rod out of it. I then flipped it over, and found a drill bit the fit in the hole. I stuck the drill bit in, and reamed the hole out by hand. No drill, just the bit spun in my fingers. I reamed out a bunch of yellow, hard junk.

Since then I've had very little problems with the pot.

[Went2kck]

I just weigh them all and shiny or frosty dont matter. if the weight is good then their good to go down the bore under high pressure
.

[trapper9260]

I use a wire with pliers to hold the wire. Now I know about the use of a paper clip.I will go with that it will be better then the wire I use. As for frosty boolits .They are good to go. They take the lube easyer also.

[Tripplebeards]

Depends on your alloy your using as well. My pure lead boolits look like chrome no matter how hot or cold. Coww alloy comes out dusty silver no matter how hot or cold. I'd tell you to get your mold hotter not your alloy and try again. If they look powdery silver in color and are smooth those are good boolits.

My real "frost" and they get culled. You can tell a real frost boolit when they look grainy and almost feel textured.

[lightman]

I've run a drill bit through the down spout on my pot several times. I tried to choose a drill bit that was close to the original size. There is a certain amount of scale/slag/crust whatever that does build up over time. I also take the plunger out and spin it against some steel wool or 1200 grit emory cloth. The paper clip will usually clear most blockages but sometimes it needs the full roto-rooter treatment.

As far as frosted bullets go, they don't bother me very much. If it does bother you, you can try a few different things. Adjust the lead pot temperature or maybe leave the temp as is and lengthen the times between pours. Like a few of the others, I like my boolits right at the edge of being frosty.

[lightman]

Depends on your alloy your using as well. My pure lead boolits look like chrome no matter how hot or cold. Coww alloy comes out dusty silver no matter how hot or cold. I'd tell you to get your mold hotter not your alloy and try again. If they look powdery silver in color and are smooth those are good boolits.

My real "frost" and they get culled. You can tell a real frost boolit when they look grainy and almost feel textured.

Yes, this is also true. Alloy does make a difference. The various types of type metal make beautiful bullets. They are too hard to be practical, but they sure are purdy. I use a lot of wheel weight alloy and they come out a little dull and on the verge of being frosted. Pure lead makes for a dull bullet.

[Tripplebeards]

It must be the pewter I add to my 16:1 mix that makes them shine then. They look like shiny chrome.

[glockfan]

Frosty bullets are good bullets. Shiny bullets might or might not be good. I reject all shiny bullets and don't start keeping bullets until they start dropping frosted. If I want a bullet to look at, I might keep a shiny bullet, but for shooting, frosty bullets are superior.

+1. i'm always trying to keep my production in that zone where boolits are slightly frosted. they're the best boolits.

[moorvogi]

I'll try cleaning the hole again, maybe taking a drill to it. i have another pot now and a ladle pot if i need.. so this one is "extra" for learning how to clean the good one.

Side note though, i shot some 45acp this weekend. it was a nice feeling. now to pick up the dirt and range scrap to recollect it... mmmm recycling the fun way.

[WRideout]

Depends on your alloy your using as well. My pure lead boolits look like chrome no matter how hot or cold. Coww alloy comes out dusty silver no matter how hot or cold. I'd tell you to get your mold hotter not your alloy and try again. If they look powdery silver in color and are smooth those are good boolits.

My real "frost" and they get culled. You can tell a real frost boolit when they look grainy and almost feel textured.
I have had odd pieces of lead given to me from time to time. Once I smelted down a large chunk of what I presumed to be pure lead, into muffin tin ingots, and then into 50 cal round balls. The RB's are so shiny they look plated. I thought I had acquired linotype or something with tin in it. Can it actually be pure lead?

Wayne

[maglvr]

Frosted bullets mean, the temp is finally right where I want it to be, and they're gonna be dropping like flies! Wrinkles usually mean not enough heat, assuming I know for a fact there is no oil in the cavity / cavities.

[Texas by God]

I like frosted root beer, frosted flakes(they're great), and frosted boolits. I tried a used Lee C 309170F that I got here last night. Smoked the cavities first turned the pot to Nuke and rained out frosted boolits. Not a cull in the bunch!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Soundguy]

i struggled to get a good fillout on some of the bullets i cast. they have a wrinkle in the head. i wouldn't call it a "crack" just a wrinkle. They are nice and mirror finish though. I turned up the heat a bit and got an amazing fill out of the mold but... they are "frosted".

Does a frosted bullet make a diffrence in saftey while shooting them? Because.. if i can get good fill out but have frosted bullets instead of mirror tip finish ones... fine. i'll take it.

Also; i'll take tips on how to get a good fillout WITHOUT having frosted tips. I've tried smoking the molds again, lower heat, higher heat, fluxing the lead (seems to have cloged my bottom pour pot though).

frosty and filled out will usually shoot just fine. if you are getting bad fill out and wrinkles at under frosty temps.. try sweetning with a little tin.

[marek313]

I can cast pretty shiny bullets which look sexy as hell but honestly if you powder coat frosted bullets work better. Its way easier to powder coat frosted bullets since they hold powder better. Smooth surface will only make it harder for powder coat to stick.

Also I dont smoke my molds i only did that once or twice and never saw any benefit. Instead when i get a new Lee mold i slightly polish the cavities and clean and degrease it well. I just did that with my new Lee 401-175-TC for my 10mm and my bullets were dropping so nice i thought I was casting with with an H&G or some other high quality mold.

These are Lee 452-230-TL and I normally shoot for slightly frosted bands but clean and shiny works too.
227021

[Shiloh]

Shoot 'em. They'll be fine.

shiloh

[facetious]

Also I have read that evenly frosted boolits are just the right temp. for water dropping.

[tazman]

I water drop all my pistol boolits directly from the mold.
I know this isn't as consistent as using the oven but it works well enough for me that I don't have issues with accuracy or leading.

[kevin c]

I mostly get really frosted casts from over heating the mold on a hot plate (element glowing red) or by casting too fast with hot alloy (still experimenting with cooling the sprue and/or the mold with a wet towel). The hot ones look undersized to me, though they go back into the pot before I ever measure them.

My impression is that my best looking and most consistent casts (and also with the lowest reject rate) come from a casting cadence that gives me boolits just past the shiney stage but not really that frosty. More a nice even light matte surface.

[RED BEAR]

anything that fills out good is good for me.