denul
02-05-2009, 08:57 AM
I ordered 2 of these molds, because I have usually been able to get a good production rhythm going by using two 6 cavity molds of different diameters; it seemed reasonable that using two of the same caliber would be even faster, because I would not have to separate bullet types.
This time, I used a toothbrush instead of my usual electrical contact cleaner to prepare the molds. It did not seem to help very much; I was at least 25 or 30 casts getting both of the molds making bullets without wrinkles. I have never tried to do any of the power abrasion mold preparation, because I know my limitations. I am willing to settle for a little tapping, which is all I have to do to get good bullet release, especially knowing that my clumsiness with powered devices would almost certainly ruin any mold I attempted to improve.
In any event, things settled down to a really good rhythm, and my production went up very nicely. I cast about 25 pounds of a WW/Lino mixture, of uncertain character, in about two hours, after getting the molds up and running.
Now here are some things I find very difficult to believe. The bullets look very fine on inspection, and measure .404+ as cast and are extremely round. I have no trouble whatsoever sizing them nose first to .400 in the star sizer. The weight of 20 of the bullets, randomly selected from both of the molds , range from 144.9 145.6. I have seen many single cavity molds which will not do this well, and never believed that such consistency was possible using two different molds of the same design (12 cavities!).
I would not quarrel with anyone who wants to dispute this, and I am going to be rechecking my electronic scale against an older Ohaus analog model. Nevertheless, checking other factory bullets seems to indicate that the scale is all right.
BHN hardness was surprisingly low, at about 12, for this uncertain alloy; I tested it within a few hours of casting, and it may harden somewhat over the next several days.
Here is the Chronograph data.
Mixed 40 S&W Brass, including Winchester Federal and Starline
Winchester WST Powder
CHARGE WEIGHT 4.5 gr 5.0 gr
High 994 1051
Low 966 1012
Average 974 1032
Extreme Spread 28 39
standard deviation 9 10
Shots Fired 10 10
I am firing these things at first in a Smith and Wesson Sigma which refuses to chamber anything measuring more than .4005". At .400", These feed, chamber and fire just fine. Using LBT lube, in the Sigma, I have seen almost no leading with the 4.5 gr loads, and a trace of leading with the 5.0 gr loads. This was easily removed with a couple of passes with a boresnake.
I am generally a plinker, and do not have any targets to share, but these seem to be right on for inch sized bottle caps, dirt clods, and sticks out to 25 or 30 yards.
I plan to use them in the 10-mm in an EAA Witness; it has been very happy with heavier bullets. I will also try them in a older 610 Smith which has done extremely good work with heavier 10-mm bullets.
I honestly had forgotten ordering these molds back in May. I can understand the frustration of members who are upset about the long wait times with LEE, but I believe there are reasons for the delay, which are not at all malicious on their part. For my part, I am delighted with the results, and convinced that that company is able to produce an affordable high-quality mold.
This time, I used a toothbrush instead of my usual electrical contact cleaner to prepare the molds. It did not seem to help very much; I was at least 25 or 30 casts getting both of the molds making bullets without wrinkles. I have never tried to do any of the power abrasion mold preparation, because I know my limitations. I am willing to settle for a little tapping, which is all I have to do to get good bullet release, especially knowing that my clumsiness with powered devices would almost certainly ruin any mold I attempted to improve.
In any event, things settled down to a really good rhythm, and my production went up very nicely. I cast about 25 pounds of a WW/Lino mixture, of uncertain character, in about two hours, after getting the molds up and running.
Now here are some things I find very difficult to believe. The bullets look very fine on inspection, and measure .404+ as cast and are extremely round. I have no trouble whatsoever sizing them nose first to .400 in the star sizer. The weight of 20 of the bullets, randomly selected from both of the molds , range from 144.9 145.6. I have seen many single cavity molds which will not do this well, and never believed that such consistency was possible using two different molds of the same design (12 cavities!).
I would not quarrel with anyone who wants to dispute this, and I am going to be rechecking my electronic scale against an older Ohaus analog model. Nevertheless, checking other factory bullets seems to indicate that the scale is all right.
BHN hardness was surprisingly low, at about 12, for this uncertain alloy; I tested it within a few hours of casting, and it may harden somewhat over the next several days.
Here is the Chronograph data.
Mixed 40 S&W Brass, including Winchester Federal and Starline
Winchester WST Powder
CHARGE WEIGHT 4.5 gr 5.0 gr
High 994 1051
Low 966 1012
Average 974 1032
Extreme Spread 28 39
standard deviation 9 10
Shots Fired 10 10
I am firing these things at first in a Smith and Wesson Sigma which refuses to chamber anything measuring more than .4005". At .400", These feed, chamber and fire just fine. Using LBT lube, in the Sigma, I have seen almost no leading with the 4.5 gr loads, and a trace of leading with the 5.0 gr loads. This was easily removed with a couple of passes with a boresnake.
I am generally a plinker, and do not have any targets to share, but these seem to be right on for inch sized bottle caps, dirt clods, and sticks out to 25 or 30 yards.
I plan to use them in the 10-mm in an EAA Witness; it has been very happy with heavier bullets. I will also try them in a older 610 Smith which has done extremely good work with heavier 10-mm bullets.
I honestly had forgotten ordering these molds back in May. I can understand the frustration of members who are upset about the long wait times with LEE, but I believe there are reasons for the delay, which are not at all malicious on their part. For my part, I am delighted with the results, and convinced that that company is able to produce an affordable high-quality mold.