Sticky mold

[mdi]

I cast up about 200 .44 240 Tumble Lube bullets this morning. I found a "problem" I can't explain. The mold is a double cavity from Lee. When I fill the both cavities, wait, cut the spru, open over a padded pan, the bullet in the front cavity sticks. I have to tap the handle bolt to loosen up the front bullet. The rear cavity (nearest the handle) drops out, while the front cavity sticks. When I fill the front cavity only, the bullet drops out. When I fill the rear cavity only, the bullet drops out. When I fill the rear first, then the front, the bullet sticks. When I fill the front cavity first, then the front bullet sticks.

I pre-warm the mold, but it happens with a hot mold too. I smoke the mold. I've tried Catapillar spray on dry graphite lube (which works great). I'm getting 95% good slugs. I've tried bottom pour and ladle pour. Not a great problem, just wondering!:???:

[docone31]

Sometimes it takes a while.
I have a Lee mold that I have to push the bases out to drop them.
Some are like that.

[mooman76]

Some stick and some don't. Just allot of things that go into play. A small bur or rough spot plus temperature go into play. I had one that stuck really bad. Not all the time but sometimes worse and sometimes real bad. The smaller ones tend to stick worse I think because of the less weight to help the bullets fall. But anyway it stuck so bad I would have to rap on it a few times and some times real hard. I got kind of mad and took a hammer to it. Later I had a change of heard and staightened it back out and it worked pretty much the same. I really liked the bullet though and bought another mould latter one and it works fine but I got used to giving them (Lee)a rap because it slows down your operation when you have to stop and pick something up to rap the mould and you need something to knock the sprue open and closed anyway. I also give it a rap when closing becaue it helps ensure the mouls is closed all the way and not have a hair line gap.
You could try lementing to help smoothe the mould so they drop better, it it really bothers you.

[runfiverun]

sometimes the rap to open the mold will help.
hold one handle and give the bolt a rap it will open once you get the hang of it.
some of my steel molds i can just give a push to the back corner of the mold and it will open it and drop the boolits.

[mdi]

No trouble opening the mold blocks. No trouble when single poured, whichever cavity is used. Only happens when both cavities are filled, and only happens to the front cavity. No burrs. :killingpc

[mtgrs737]

Leement that sucker and you will eliminate the sticking, the boolits will just fall out. Do a search on lapping or leementing, seek and you shall find.

[calaloo]

I don't know if this will work with a Lee two cavity mold, but give it a try. After you cut the sprue take the "mallet" ( I use a piece of sledge hammer handle about 8 inches long) and push fairly hard against the lower back corner of the right hand mould block as you open the mould. This, of course assumes that you are right handed. Push on the left hand block if you are left handed. This technique works very well with a lot of sticky moulds.

Bill