October Handloader Lyman Sixgun Moulds and Load article

[AnthonyB]

Fellas:
The opening picture for this article leads me to a question. Take a look at the mould on page 35 - are the lead smears on the blocks normal? How many of you would continue casting with blocks in that condition?
Tony

[Heavy lead]

Just looked at it again, looks a little rough doesn't it? BP must have been slingin' some lead.

[redneckdan]

That comes from not letting the boolit cool enough. Easiest way to remove it is too get the mould hot and scrub it with steel wool.

[Catshooter]

No I wouldn't continue to cast with a mould that looked like that. Jeez.


Cat

[Buckshot]

.....................Holy Smoke!!! Doesn't he know about Bullplate lube! Jeez Louise, some people! :-)

...............Buckshot

[Shepherd2]

That mould caught my eye as soon as I turned the page. At first I thought it was one of those "don't let this happen to you" things. Hard to believe he would use a picture like that.

[chewie]

ed that you thought that he did not let the boolit cool long enough. how long should a bullet cool? i will be casting my fisrt .457 round balls this weekend. same amount of time? thanks chewie

[chewie]

you mentioned bullplate lubel. what is that? how is it used? whre do you get it?

thanks chewie:-D

[DLCTEX]

Chewie: Bullplate is available from The Bullshop, found at the bottom of the page. Ask for instructions when you order. It takes an extremely small amount on a Q-tip and is applied to a hot mold on the top of the mold,its mating faces, the hinge and mounting pins, alignment pins, the sprue plate ( top, bottom, pour hole, and pivot screw. Avoid getting it in the cavities. Reapply as needed, but after a few applications it seems to last longer. Maybe Bullshop will weigh in if I've overlooked anything. DALE

[mooman76]

I put some in my laddle because you always seem to get that gunk that wants to stick to the spout and prevents the lead from pouring smoothly. It helps keep it from building up and comes off easier when I tap the laddle on the pot.

[Buckshot]

...........I'd had some Bullplate lube a short time and was going to cast up some forgotten now slugs with a Lee 6 cav. The thing was kind of groty and disreputable looking. Had those nasty brown stains around the 2 alignment pins from boolit lube. Then soot and scribbled on pencil lead on top of the blocks and sprueplate. Add in the usual small scrapes across the top of the blocks.

I put on the Bullplate lube per instructions as I had before. Stuck it back in the hot alloy for a 10 count and began casting. When I finished the mould even LOOKED miles better then before. Add in how nice amd smooth it operated during the session and I was amazed. Lube and liquid re-build in a bottle :-)

..................Buckshot

[Cherokee]

Ya only need a little, and it works good.

[legend]

BULLPLATE=the greatest thing since sliced bread......

[georgewxxx]

If you guys are avid Handloader readers, and read most of Brian's stuff, you'll recall he's mentioned his boy or boys make extra spending money helping in his casting and reloading chores so he can keep up with the publishers demands plus trying to run a ranch at the same time. I'd suspect it's a lot like some commercial casters that get paid to produce quantity and not quality, and the equipment & product suffers some in the process. Would have thought the editor would have caught that picture gaffe, with most all of them usually saying their casters, but then maybe not.......Geo

[redneckdan]

ed that you thought that he did not let the boolit cool long enough. how long should a bullet cool? i will be casting my fisrt .457 round balls this weekend. same amount of time? thanks chewie


I haven't had the chance to use bull plate lube yet. Running bare steel I wait until the tint of the sprue changes and then cut it. The sprue should cut clean, other wise you are probably smearing. As you watch the sprue harden you will notice the lead solidify, then the tint will change. This is the alloy passing the eutechtic point and becoming completely solid.

[mike in co]

That comes from not letting the boolit cool enough. Easiest way to remove it is too get the mould hot and scrub it with steel wool.

if i get this, i take a box cutter blade/stanley utility knife, and at a low angle, shave the lead off.

mike in co

[Slow Elk 45/70]

One of several approaches, a lot to be said about the casting approach also, there are as many causes as cures. Trial and Error, Good Luck

[NVcurmudgeon]

I put on the Bullplate lube per instructions as I had before. Stuck it back in the hot alloy for a 10 count and began casting. When I finished the mould even LOOKED miles better then before. Add in how nice amd smooth it operated during the session and I was amazed. Lube and liquid re-build in a bottle :-)

..................Buckshot[/QUOTE]

I use Bullplate Lube as sparingly as I can manage. For best results the Q Tip should be submerged so that no more than 1/4 to 1/3 of the cotton is in the BPL. (For two cavity moulds.)After two or three hours, if a lead smear appears on the top of the blocks, a reapplication will remove the smear in short order. No scraping needed, BPL is magic!

[georgewxxx]

Actually most any good boolit lube will do the same thing as bullplate. When the lead starts to smear, I take a pen knife and put about as much as you do when resizing brass cases, then wipe it all around on the bottom of the spure plate with a hot boolit still in place and open and close it a few times and just about all the lead smear disappears. Then continue casting until all of the lead is gone. After 5 or so both the mould and the plate should be slightly wet....Geo

[DLCTEX]

George:One major difference in using BPL Vs. Bulle lube is no carbon buildup with BPL.

[MtGun44]

Like they have said. Bullplate actually removes the lead smears that may be
already there.

Every caster needs to have it and use it, but sparingly.

Bill