Casting h p problem

[Trailboss]

Hi all. This is my second effort today at casting my own Bullets. I’m aware that casting with hp moulds is possibly pushing the boundaries for a beginner. I’m useing a 500 grain CBE brass mould for my 4570 ... useing new roof flashing which is probably pretty pure according to my research. I’m Adding 2 per cent tin. I have realised that sufficient mould temperature is critical , I’m getting good fill out. Clean cutting with the spruce plate. I like this lead mix for max expansion. I have another mould arriving in the mail soon it’s non hp 405 grain with near max big meplat. I will resort to useing this new mould if I have too because I think it will be toms easier. But ideally I would rather be pig hunting with my original h p design. The proB lem with my h p mould is that the bullets are falling out of the brass mould reliably and nicely but they are very much stuck to my pins. Wobbling them off with a set of pliers is distorting the front end way to much I worry that accuracy will suffer. What am I doin wrong ?

[mehavey]

https://www.artfulbullet.com/index.php?threads/noe-hollow-point-mold-help.3031/

Hot pins
Polished pins
Smoked pins
Fast casting pins

[OS OK]

Hit those pins with a torch for 10 seconds or so, don't concentrate the heat long on any one pin, just heat them up together as a whole. If the cast come from the mould without a problem then you have the mould heat right...now just get the pins a little hotter and you'll find success.
If the cast hang on hot pins then buff any machine marks from the pins & give them a coating of dry graphite...rub it in and re-heat and go again.
In no time you'll have it down pat. The cast will fall off the pins just as easy as they come from the mould.

[GregLaROCHE]

Starting with a simple boolit mold will definitely make things easier at first. Using mostly pure lead, you should get good and decent expansion, especially with a big meplat. You could also consider a heavier boolit too. I like Lee molds because they are inexpensive and it lets you experiment. I now have all of their 45/70 molds.

[Larry Gibson]

After opening the blocks turn them upside down and tap the handle hinge pin/nut with a plastic, leather or wood mallet. Bullets should fall right off.

[358429]

Polish the pins with 0000 steel wool soaked in oil to remove machining marks. Use the propane torch on high setting to preheat the mold assembly and to periodically add heat to the pins and blocks and sprue as needed. Lay down a clean cotton towel in the bullet dump box, so they don't bump each other and leave dents. Use a cut of section of old shovel handle to tap tap tap the hinge bolt if the bullets still stick, the vibrations set them free.

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[358429]

The brass will change color slightly as it comes to temperature. Keep nearby a small rag wetted with 2 cycle synthetic oil its for wiping tinned metal and smears from the mold and sprue.

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[AlHunt]

Did you heat cycle your new mold? JonB points out in another thread how 3 or 4 heat cycles starts to build patina in new molds and aids in bullet release.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

SNIP>>>
The proB lem with my h p mould is that the bullets are falling out of the brass mould reliably and nicely but they are very much stuck to my pins. Wobbling them off with a set of pliers is distorting the front end way to much I worry that accuracy will suffer. What am I doin wrong ?
Are you using sprue plate lube?
for a new mold, after I polish the pins, and smoke the pins, I apply sprue plate lube...the smallest amount possible applied while pins are at operating temperature, so you don't get any residue in the cavities.

...and yes, that Brass mold should be heatcycled 3 or 4 times.

[Trailboss]

Thank alot all of you For taking the time to reply. I have now got some graphite powder and I have dragged out my map gas torch for extra heat of my pins ...I have also removed the pins and given them a polish with fine steel wool. I’m haveing a bit more success ....I’ll chase up some spruce plate lube tomorrow when supply shops open up. There’s still room for improvement

[stubshaft]

With HP molds I find I have to cast FAST to keep the pins hot.

[bangerjim]

Use an electric hotplate to preheat your molds to FULL casting temp.......in other words.....not warm.....but HOT HOT HOT! I do that with ALL my molds - especially the multi-cavity brass HP molds. By preheating you will get perfect drops from #1. I do every time. I never did anything to the many brass HP molds I have, other than heat cycle them 3X to form the nice golden patina needed.

[Winger Ed.]

HPs are a little more tedious than plain, and as the new molds get seasoned like Grandma's cast iron frying pan-
it'll go smoother and faster.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I am confused on why you would want a HP boolit for your 45/70 when your only casting with soft alloy? In the attached pic, (LHS) is a 510gn Lyman 458123 (Postell) that was recovered from a large boar. My alloy is nominally 1:40 (2.5% Sn)

In the middle a 250gn boolit from a 45 Long Colt and a 405gn boolit from a 45/70. A HP boolit to be effective needs to be in the 2,000FPS and cast of a hard alloy to be affective. Soft alloys such as you describe do not perform any better when HP'd.

https://i.imgur.com/cArT9w1l.jpg

My 45/70 is a Pedersoli sporting rifle with a 26" barrel

https://i.imgur.com/chnKiwx.jpg

[mehavey]

Believe it or not, HP'ing moves the CG back, and improves in-flight ballistic stability.*

Extremely accurate for a "light" bullet
https://i.postimg.cc/XJWdvym6/Lyman-Gould-ALOX.jpg



* "accuracy" spelled sideways

[Trailboss]

Hi baw. I’m also gidgee69 on Ahn in bris , not far from you. Tomorrow morning I pick up my CBE 405 grainer. It’s not hp. It’s got a huge area of meplat I’m looking fed to casting my same mix in this Bullet and if your right about expansion at low speeds I’ll b sorted ....I’m looking fed to haveing them new Bullets easily drop out of my mould instead of fighting to get them of the pins Can u Please tell me how you go about prepping a brand new brass mould? ( heat cycling or whatever u call it ) prior to starting casting

[mehavey]

I'd scrub it down with toothbrush/dishsoap to start
Then hotplate-it (https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6814751&postcount=16) through several full-temp cycles

-- or --

Just smoke it and start casting.... :popcorn:

[Ausglock]

Trailboss.
Slip into a BSC store and get some Loctite Ceramic Mig nozzle spray.
Not cheap.
But will work on your pins.
I use it for the hollow plug pin on my Lyman 12ga slug mold.
Brilliant stuff.
Or the new HITEK Bonded mold release will also work.
Give HITEK a cooee down Taree, NSW

[mehavey]

This stuff?
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/414Fi4MNdsL._SY445_.jpg

Never heard of that use before.
Wonders never cease....

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Can u Please tell me how you go about prepping a brand new brass mould? ( heat cycling or whatever u call it ) prior to starting casting
As delivered I simply wash all parts in mythelated spirit wipe off, when dry apply some powdered graphite to the sprue plate. I have about 20 CBE molds and have no problems with any.

To use just pre-warm the mold blocks and start casting. I think the problem with 'sticking on the pins' is one simply of not enough heat.

https://i.imgur.com/L8VViXb.jpg

[Ausglock]

This stuff?
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/414Fi4MNdsL._SY445_.jpg

Never heard of that use before.
Wonders never cease....

Yep.. That's the stuff.

[HI-TEK]

This is a great product.
How much does it cost currently? What is film thickness after application and heat curing?
As label states, it is for Welding nozzles, to stop weld spatter filling up inert gas flow areas.
It usually leaves a reasonable film thickness on surfaces to reduce the sticking of spatter.
Inside Moulds, I suspect that it may build up a film thickness, which may or may not affect final cast diameters.

[Stephen Cohen]

I also wonder why one needs a hollow point on such a soft cast bullet. But I would also suggest contacting Hi-Tek Joe as suggested by Ausglock. Regards Stephen

[Stephen Cohen]

As delivered I simply wash all parts in mythelated spirit wipe off, when dry apply some powdered graphite to the sprue plate. I have about 20 CBE molds and have no problems with any.

To use just pre-warm the mold blocks and start casting. I think the problem with 'sticking on the pins' is one simply of not enough heat.

https://i.imgur.com/L8VViXb.jpg

I have 5 of the CBE moulds and I have always just cleaned them warmed them and gone to casting, I know this is not what is suggested but it has worked for me and I consider them the best moulds I have ever used. Regards Stephen

[Ausglock]

This is a great product.
How much does it cost currently? What is film thickness after application and heat curing?
As label states, it is for Welding nozzles, to stop weld spatter filling up inert gas flow areas.
It usually leaves a reasonable film thickness on surfaces to reduce the sticking of spatter.
Inside Moulds, I suspect that it may build up a film thickness, which may or may not affect final cast diameters.

Doesn't matter the thickness as the OP would be using it on the HP pins, not the cavities..

[HI-TEK]

Doesn't matter the thickness as the OP would be using it on the HP pins, not the cavities..

OK, Understood.

I am wondering how pins would be sprayed with the aerosol?
Unless you had many, many pins to coat, it seems a lot of moneys spent on a spray can, to use next to nil of the product for coating a couple/few of pins.
They would be far better to use the Bonded Hi-Tek release agent where they can apply only enough to do the job. I suspect, it would work out much cheaper and they would get results that were required, and no waste and far less costs. Side benefit is, that the bonded Hi-Tek would also be useful for internal coating of the Moulds for better release of cast.

[Burnt Fingers]

Proper heating of the pins costs nothing.

One could also smoke the pins. That may help.

[44Blam]

Casting with HP molds can be a little frustrating. But the main thing is to get your lead hot and get your mold/pin(s) hot. On some molds, I am running lead temps 750-800 degrees just to keep the molds hot enough for good fill out. So heating plate or sit it in the melt for a few minutes. I have a few molds that really need to be HOT and I have a little sheet of paper in my mold box that notes these things. But a hot pin will drop your boolits. Also a little carbon from a lighter or match helps when you haven't fully come up to temp.

[Trailboss]

Thanks again. Good tips , it’s great to hear individual ideas and techniques that are sometimes OUT OF THE BOX but very effective

[Jim22]

I ordered a 2 cavity aluminum HP mould from NOE. It arrived but I haven't cast with it yet. A little intimidated. How many of the tips for brass moulds also apply to aluminum? Put it on a set of Lee handles.

[OS OK]

Jim22...

Just follow the good advice here about cleaning the mould thoroughly, preheat it a couple times up to 400ºƒ & let it cool to the touch and get a little micro pore patina started...lube it up proper and preheat it again before you cast. Put graphite on those pins, if they look rough buff them with some rouge on a cotton wheel.
Casting is a lot like getting a good paint job...it's all in the preparation.
Start casting and read the signs as you go...they usually say 'more heat' either in the pot or in the preheated mould & pins. Don't cast a jug full of rejects...fix your problems on the fly.
If you did the pre work right and didn't skimp, you'll find success very quickly.

Start yourself a thread so we can follow your success.