It took 6,000 bullets for me to...

[HP9MM]

figure out the pot temperature thing. I decided to lower my pot temperature to see how low I could go and still cast good bullets. I went down to a surface temp of the lead to 550 degrees according to my temp gun. The bullets drop better than ever and they are nice and shiny.

[Winger Ed.]

It's not an exact science, but there is a pretty tough learning curve.

Hopefully, no one will ask ya, "How did those Lead splatters get on the ceiling"?

[megasupermagnum]

That temp gun is not correct, as just about any alloy should be solid at 550. Most melt closer to 600. Some molds and bullet designs require significantly more heat, a few less. For your run of the mill handgun bullets, the sweet spot is going to be 700-725 degrees most of the time. Maybe a touch less if you are a speed caster. You can get by with more or less alloy heat by compensating with your casting cadence, however, quality usually suffers.

If you are casting with an antimony alloy like clip on wheel weights, shiny bullets are bad bullets. If you look close the corners will be slightly rounded, diameter may or may not be undersize. The ideal heat leaves a slightly frosted appearance.

[dimaprok]

Infrared temp. gun will not measure shiny surface correctly, you might be 100 degrees off. NOE sells good lead thermometer, good to have it even with PID i had my probe flake out on me and good ole' dial thermometer set me straight.

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[tankgunner59]

I've always gotten better results with the higher temps myself. I too keep mine up around 700.

[bmortell]

well if the temp gun gives the same false temp everytime that's just as good, numbers are arbitrary by nature anyway

[Mike W1]

well if the temp gun gives the same false temp everytime that's just as good, numbers are arbitrary by nature anyway

The problem is they don't! Add that to the equation that there's generally a fairly large swing in the temperature of a stock pot anyway and you're not eliminating much of the guess. Probably why they make thermometers.

[Peregrine]

Someone mentioned painting a washer black and floating it on the alloy so they could use a temp gun at one point.

[Phlier]

That temp gun is not correct, as just about any alloy should be solid at 550. Most melt closer to 600. Some molds and bullet designs require significantly more heat, a few less. For your run of the mill handgun bullets, the sweet spot is going to be 700-725 degrees most of the time. Maybe a touch less if you are a speed caster. You can get by with more or less alloy heat by compensating with your casting cadence, however, quality usually suffers.

If you are casting with an antimony alloy like clip on wheel weights, shiny bullets are bad bullets. If you look close the corners will be slightly rounded, diameter may or may not be undersize. The ideal heat leaves a slightly frosted appearance.

The important parts of that post are in bold. ;)

[Mitch]

Bet you cast 6000 more useing the temp gun.Get a thermometer or pid.The thermometer work good.but you have to watch it and ajust as the pot empties.the pid keeps the temp even all the time this leaves you one less thing watch and do.I cast most of my molds from 700 to 750.as mentioned about with antimony alloys i cast a gray looking bullet just on the edge of frosty.One thing that works for me a with e new to me mold that is broke in.Try to make some frosty bullets.Once you get them frosty is real easy to back off the temp a bit and slow down cadence a bit.

[popper]

^^^+1

[hollywood63]

If you are casting with an antimony alloy like clip on wheel weights, shiny bullets are bad bullets. If you look close the corners will be slightly rounded, diameter may or may not be undersize. The ideal heat leaves a slightly frosted appearance.


Well that explains that. Thanks I've been wondering why
Gotta love this place

[jsizemore]

If you are casting with an antimony alloy like clip on wheel weights, shiny bullets are bad bullets. If you look close the corners will be slightly rounded, diameter may or may not be undersize. The ideal heat leaves a slightly frosted appearance.


Well that explains that. Thanks I've been wondering why
Gotta love this place

There are 4 pics of bullets on this page. One could argue that 1 is frosty. The other 3 are not and are filled out without an frosty appearance. Some folks might think frosty is the way but obviously not everybody.

http://lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

[Traffer]

I have no idea what temp I am running. I just get it to where they are coming out frosty then turn it down a little and I'm good. Knowing the temp just complicates things for me.

[John Boy]

I went down to a surface temp of the lead to 550 degrees according to my temp gun. The bullets drop better than ever and they are nice and shiny. The be nice and shiny but are the bullets completely filled out? Pure lead melts at 620F And alloyed melt in the pot, depending on the mold, needs 710 to 730 F with a 5 second pour to have nice & shiny ... completely filled out bullets

[Mike W1]

The be nice and shiny but are the bullets completely filled out? Pure lead melts at 620F And alloyed melt in the pot, depending on the mold, needs 710 to 730 F with a 5 second pour to have nice & shiny ... completely filled out bullets

Curious to know what you mean by a 5 second pour???