Any Magma Master Casters?

[Rockindaddy]

Was wondering if there were any boolit casters out there using the Magma Master Caster? I had an old diesel engine that I refurbished and ended up with a pile of Magma casting and sizing equipment along with an old Dillon press that I traded for. I looked at the Magma Mark 8 and pneumatic sizer and decided that I did not need a machine that would cast 4000 bullets an hour. Promptly sold the machine and the automated sizer. The Magma Master caster perked my interest because I could convert my Lyman two cavity molds. I did order some replacement parts for the Magma Master Caster. Magma is a very good company! They were great helping me get this ole machine up and working. Magma also owns STAR. I love STAR lube/sizers! One of my big" boolit eaters" is a Colt 45-70 Gatling Gun. At crank speed of 200~300 rounds per minute the 45-70 bullets get used up fast! Magma set me up with a 350gr bevel base 2-cavity 45 caliber mold. This mold runs great! A friend gave me a can of ZEP Products spray graphite! I few light shots of this stuff and the bullets roll out of the mold. This ZEP Graphite allows the sprue plate to glide over the top of the mold. Also I used a 1/4' ball end mill in my Bridgeport to machine a small slot between the pour ports in the sprue plate. This allowed both cone shaped sprues to be connected and cut off in one piece. Had to make some kind of a floor mount for this unusual casting machine and a set of 12" risers so the old guy could sit in a chair and have the pour spouts at eye level to get a good look at the top of the mold and pour spouts. So far so good! Have to devise some kind of sheet metal arrangement to maybe divert the cut-off sprues into one downspout and into a collector can and another to funnel the newly cast boolits into another box or old paint can? Still trying to engineer that. Was wondering if there were any other Magma Master Caster operators that have solved this problem. I am turning out about 600~700 boolits an hour! Adding and fluxing the lead pot take up a bit of time. Going to up load a photo or too! Need to invest in an old lead mine!253048253049

[jdfoxinc]

I used a piece of round aluminum duct to channel the sprues into a #10 can and a piece os sheet aluminum to guide the projectiles into a bucket of water. Now I just let both fall into a bread pan. I pour the pan out into a cooling pile and separate them as I cast dropping 1 ro 2 onto the pot with each crank of the handle. I move this pile over to the cold pile spot which I visually inspect 2 for each crank of the handle. This way I allow enough time for the sprue to harden.

[ReloaderFred]

The Master Caster comes from Magma with a chute for the bullets which directs them forward. I build a wooden box that the bullets fall into. The sprues fall out the back side of the divider inside the machine, and I built another wooden box to collect the sprues. I also built a Lexan shield that's about 2" tall that fits across the front of the machine to direct the wayward sprues back in where they fall into the sprue box. I don't care for the expanded metal shield Magma provided for that task, so I made the Lexan shield, which allows me a clear view of what's going on inside the machine.

https://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m606/ReloaderFred/Master%20Caster%20001.jpg (http://s1134.photobucket.com/user/ReloaderFred/media/Master%20Caster%20001.jpg.html)

I also made my own tool for cleaning the orifices when they get plugged up:

https://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m606/ReloaderFred/Master%20Caster%20002.jpg (http://s1134.photobucket.com/user/ReloaderFred/media/Master%20Caster%20002.jpg.html)

Hope this helps.

Fred

[JimB..]

Back it up, did you say Colt Gatling Gun in 45-70? For this we must have pictures, or video. I don’t get excited about shooting too many things, but that’d be on my list.

[jmorris]

I built a homemade version of one.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2U1ujg_nzo

[jdfoxinc]

When you find that lead mine let me know. I'll invest some. As long as it's a hobby and not sold to others I don't think the EPA can interfere.

[shootinfox2]

Check put the threads on automating the master caster on this forum.

[djryan13]

Backordered my master caster this morning and I have an automation kit ordered from Hatch too. My shoulders are going to love me for it!

Lady at master caster is so nice on the phone. I have called her 3x in a few days with stupid questions. Still so nice.