few more pictures of my mold

[Jim P.]

I did a little more to the mold this evening. I have to cast the one new cavity and see how it does.
https://ibb.co/HP0rRKr

https://ibb.co/6JrjXBv

[Jim P.]

the new cavity I machined is making bullets like this. They measure .355

https://ibb.co/c3nZ1d8

[sigep1764]

Looking good! What size are you going for? What do they come out for weight?

[P Flados]

The overall machining work looks down right excellent so far. The new profile looks entirely functional.

With using a single cavity (or even two), I am not sure how you are getting/keeping the mold hot enough. However the actual bullets look pretty good.

I seem to recall you plan to powder coat. If so, the 0.355" has a decent chance of working. I would cast up a couple of hundred and get working on the coating process. For initial testing, you probably do not need to be real picky and with 0.355" there is no need for sizing. Your biggest concern will be to confirm no bad behavior such as gross inaccuracy, bullets impacting the target sideways, or barrel leading. With any of these, the most likely solution will be a larger bullet. It would probably be better to find this out now before you cut any more cavities.

FYI to the curious. The Op started out discussing this effort over at:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?416312-home-made-bullet-mold

[Jim P.]

The overall machining work looks down right excellent so far. The new profile looks entirely functional.

With using a single cavity (or even two), I am not sure how you are getting/keeping the mold hot enough. However the actual bullets look pretty good.

I seem to recall you plan to powder coat. If so, the 0.355" has a decent chance of working. I would cast up a couple of hundred and get working on the coating process. For initial testing, you probably do not need to be real picky and with 0.355" there is no need for sizing. Your biggest concern will be to confirm no bad behavior such as gross inaccuracy, bullets impacting the target sideways, or barrel leading. With any of these, the most likely solution will be a larger bullet. It would probably be better to find this out now before you cut any more cavities.

FYI to the curious. The Op started out discussing this effort over at:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?416312-home-made-bullet-mold

I heated the mold on a hot plate and I only cast about a dozen bullets. They do have some wrinkles every once in a while. I was just using the one new cavity. I do worry about the lead that I have. I bought this from an old racer. The lead was molded in an engine valve cover. They used it as weight in a race car. He didnt know the exact alloy of the lead. It almost seems more like solder to me than lead. The camera dont pick it up very well but they are extremely shiny almost look like they chromed. I just wonder if its real high in tin. I did find a used car lot that does some tire changing and has a lot of wheel weights that he will sell. What would be a good price for them? I got some powder coat powder from summit racing and i powder coated a couple bullets but it seems hard to get the powder to stick to the bullets. I am going to have to read up on this.

[Jim P.]

Looking good! What size are you going for? What do they come out for weight?

they weigh 126 grains. My plan is to make these hollow points but then they will be lighter. Can you add a little length and then seat them deeper or is this a big no no

[Wayne Smith]

Making your own mold you can do anything you want. However, making the boolit longer and seating deeper reduces the powder expansion capacity of the cartridge and increases pressure. In a .357 Mag maybe not a big issue, in a 9mm and smaller a big issue. So, bigger boolit increases weight = higher pressure to get it moving, and reduces expansion capacity = higher pressure. Think about this carefully.

[Jim P.]

I know they make 145 grain 9mm bullets. mine only weigh 126 grain so I dont know where they could add material other than on the length

[Jim P.]

I cast some bullets but 1 thing I dont like is the top edge comes out real sharp. I wish I would have made the mold to put a little chamfer on the end of the bullet. these bullets will fall out of the mold just by turning it over, you dont even have to open the mold.

https://i.ibb.co/Cswm5hW/20210116-124850.jpg

[P Flados]

For clean lead wheel weights up to $1.20 per lb would be in the ball park. Unfortunately most sources of wheel weights now have more steel and zinc than lead. If this is a typical source do not be surprised if there is also trash, greasy grimy mess and other yucky stuff mixed in. A seller should expect a lot less for a messy mix of steel, zinc and lead. I think some are getting lead yiels as low as 30% or so.

If your existing chunk is "very high tin" someone used a costly alloy for a simple weight. You could take your mold put it on on hot plate and heat it good and hot. Then melt just enough of your solder to make one bullet. Compare the weight of this bullet to the ones from your chunk. If the solder bullet is close, your chunk may be very high tin. If you bullet from the chunk is a lot heavier, you 9.8 bhn is typical of a good bullet alloy. Your 126 gr result and the general appearance of you bullet suggest that you are not "real high tin" and that you have a pretty good bullet mold for the 9mm.

Your flat base profile is probably just fine. I use push though sizers and usually try to make up a ram that matches my nose profile good enough to allow base first sizing (it does not need to be a perfect match, but it helps if the bullet drops in and settles into a stable vertical position). Base first sizing gives nicer results when there is a little flashing on a flat base bullets.

And for making hollow point for the 9mm, I would recommend you re-consider. Use your bullets for just shooting. For self defense, most will recommend using factory ammo (first choice) or a jacketed bullet handload (second choice).

The original standard for powder coat was black airsoft BBs + bullets shaken inside a #5 (recycle code) tube. A vendor here, Smoke is a good source for the BB's and his threads have lots of good advice.

Look at the profile of 147 grn 9mm bullets and you will see that they are a lot longer. They do seat real deep and this does not leave much room for powder. Also, the case taper does result in a potential for a bulge at the base of the bullet that can affect fit in your chamber. People that want heavies in the 9mm are usually either going for sub-sonic or they are competition shooters that have to achieve a specific power level. A 130 gr or less is probably much better for typical use.

[jcren]

I heated the mold on a hot plate and I only cast about a dozen bullets. They do have some wrinkles every once in a while. I was just using the one new cavity. I do worry about the lead that I have. I bought this from an old racer. The lead was molded in an engine valve cover. They used it as weight in a race car. He didnt know the exact alloy of the lead. It almost seems more like solder to me than lead. The camera dont pick it up very well but they are extremely shiny almost look like they chromed. I just wonder if its real high in tin. I did find a used car lot that does some tire changing and has a lot of wheel weights that he will sell. What would be a good price for them? I got some powder coat powder from summit racing and i powder coated a couple bullets but it seems hard to get the powder to stick to the bullets. I am going to have to read up on this.

All you need to research is right here http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?252509-VS-Hi-Quality-Powdercoating-Powder-For-sale
Smoke sells excellent powders that are tested to work with shake-n-bake method and has bb's and sample packs (sample pack of 3 or 4 colors will do a LOT of boolits) for fair prices.
The clear is by far the easiest to learn with. Goes on white like powder sugar and cures glossy, looks just like shiny lead. Also very slick and flows well without pigment.

[Idz]

Curious as to how you're machining the mold. Did you make a special mill bit? or did you do like me and use ball end mill that's undersize for the nose and then bore out the rear to size?

[Jim P.]

I just used a normal 5/16 endmill and ground the shape. i used an endmill sharpener to grind the little relief to make the little step and then hard ground the end profile and honed it with a hone. then I drilled a hole in the mold with a 1/4" drill bit about .500 deep and then drop this custom endmill down .550 deep and use circular interpolation on a cnc mill to take it out size. cutting the cavity takes about 2 minutes.
https://ibb.co/M5k88qJ
https://ibb.co/R0YCYb4

[country gent]

Nice looking job on the cutter. The shoulder will give a nice place to crimp over possibly. Using an end mill saves a lot of work and a better steel than plain old high carbon steel hardened. What are you using for coolant to keep the cutter from loading up?

Something t consider would be a 2 piece cutter 1 for the nose and 1 for the base, This would allow the set to cut several bullet weights just by adjusting the depth of the cuts.Cut noses in to depth and then change cutters reset depth and program cut bodies. If your cnc has a tool changer it could be 1 program and run thru in 1 set up. Just a thought.

[Jim P.]

here is a few powder coated and loaded up.

https://i.ibb.co/sg3C64M/20210116-173400.jpg

[Jim P.]

Nice looking job on the cutter. The shoulder will give a nice place to crimp over possibly. Using an end mill saves a lot of work and a better steel than plain old high carbon steel hardened. What are you using for coolant to keep the cutter from loading up?

Something t consider would be a 2 piece cutter 1 for the nose and 1 for the base, This would allow the set to cut several bullet weights just by adjusting the depth of the cuts.Cut noses in to depth and then change cutters reset depth and program cut bodies. If your cnc has a tool changer it could be 1 program and run thru in 1 set up. Just a thought.
yes the machine has a tool changer. just using flood coolant.

[P Flados]

Purty

Now, load another 45 or so and shoot them.

[96wa6]

Jim: I'm new here and back to casting (after three decades or so).

I hope you don't mind a somewhat unrelated question: Where did that sprue cutter lever come from??? I NEED A COUPLE OF THOSE...

[Jim P.]

Jim: I'm new here and back to casting (after three decades or so).

I hope you don't mind a somewhat unrelated question: Where did that sprue cutter lever come from??? I NEED A COUPLE OF THOSE...
I bought the sprue plate and the mold handles from midway. I didnt realize that the lever and the handle for the sprue cutter did not come with it. so I made the sprue plate lever and the sprue plate handle. I would have bought them but just didnt want to wait until they came.