poor filling

[JKearns]

Hello again,
I have a lyman 44 cal hbwc (429398 ) I bought it years ago and just recently tried casting with it. About 80% of the cast bullets have irregular bottoms in that the skirt portion does not fill out completely. I called Lyman and they said run my pot at 800 deg, flux often and use a ladle. This didnt make and difference. I was using wheelweights. I am looking for any help that is out there. I am wondering if the 4 air bleeds on the base plug should be opened up a little? I have already cleaned them up with a needle file. I should mention that the skirt portion is extremely thin. I am guessing at 1/32" or less.

THanks again
John

[JKearns]

that happy face should be an eight 42939eight

[crazy mark]

I heat the base plug with a small propane torch and that helps. Cast fast and heat as needed. That base plug loses a lot of heat fast when it isn't in the mould. Mark

[Dale53]

Reading this thread, I just had a thought (I know, can be dangerous :razz: ) but has anyone tried a heat sink for the hollow point plug? It would be pretty easy to set a single burner hot plate next to the casting area, and have an aluminum block sitting on the heater. The block would have a hole in it to drop the hollow point plug in while you are getting ready for the next bullet. That would keep it up to temp.

Frankly, I have always just cast fast and depended on that to keep the plug hot. I just recently ran a couple of hundred 457322's for my 45/70 and had no problems. I do run the metal a bit hotter (750-800 degrees) and watch for fill out. It has been no problem with that particular mould. When I cast hollow points for the 45/70, I use 25/1 lead/tin. I will use these with a duplex smokeless/black powder load (10% RL7 and the rest Goex cartridge) and need them soft and malleable to insure expansion.

For the magnum, I would try WW+2% tin and see if I got leading. My goal would be to use as soft a bullet as I could get away with. All of my deer with the .44 magnum have been shot with hard bullets (Keith and the Lee C310) and I just depended on the wide meplat to do the work. I have NOT been disappointed.

Just some thoughts of an idle fellow...

Dale53

[fourarmed]

Good advice - including what you got from Lyman. You need heat and pressure to fill out HPs and HBs. Try pressing the mold opening tight against the spout of your pot with the pot full and hot. Hold it there several seconds with the spout open, then drop it down just before you shut off the stream, so that you get a good-sized puddle.

[floodgate]

that happy face should be an eight 42939eight

That is a "glitch" in our program - put an extra space between the "8" and the close parenthesis, and it will go away. Try "edit" on your post and see.

If that's the worst we can come up with, we're doing OK!

floodgate

[JKearns]

Thank you all for the information. Boy did i ever make a rookie mistake! The problem was not caused by the lead not reaching the base of the mould after all.I examined the mould and a cold bullet and found when i was casting the bottom plug was being drawn up into the mould creating a false skirt. I now make sure the plug is all the way down so the C-clip is tight against the adjustment screw and that nothing touches it when I'm casting. The simplest solution would seem to be lapping a washer to fit the correct gap and leaving it on the plug shaft. Now to see if these things will shoot:) Is anyone else shooting this bullet?
THanks again
John