Stupid, stupid, stuuuuuuuuupid

[omgb]

I've been casting bullets since 1976 so I've cast more than a few over the years. It's been a while however since I've cast anything much under 500 grains and in less than 45 caliber. To get big 45 cal bullets to fill out and have nice sharp edges, one has to cast fairly hot. Yesterday however, I sat down and cast 500 bullets in .38 cal from a Lyman mould I just bought from a nice gentleman here on cast bullets. naturally, I left the temp setting on my Lee 20 pounder right where it usually sits. This made some frosty looking bullets but I wasn't worried. Shoot, the mould running hot like that just dropped the bullets out without even a tap. Of course, I was using Lyman #2 alloy and just because I could, I dropped them into cold water to harden them up. (anyone see the problem yet?) So, I go to size them at .377 in an RCBS lube-o-matic using White Lightening lube. These bullets were rock-freeken-hard and of course, because they were cast hot, larger than normal by maybe .002. I managed to horse about 25 of these through the machine and then BINGO, I got one stuck. I freed it and sized a couple more and bang, it happened again. This went on for maybe 50 more bullets and then I jammed one in there real good. After a lot of work, I got it out. So, what's afellow to do? Buy a lager die and size them in two steps? Well, that might have worked. I could have bought a die for my Star and sized them that way, but that would have cost me a tad over $40.00 by the time I factored in shipping, and a new base punch. Instead, I remelted the whole lot and recast them, this time allowing them to air cool and I dialed down the temp to just hot enough to keep the bottom pour spout from clogging up. This time, they all went through like "buttah". You would think that after all of these years I'd know better than to cast hot and water chill before sizing. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Oh well.....I saved the cash but lost two hours of work.:roll:

[Wayne Smith]

Next time, anneal them. About 1/2 hr @ 190 degrees should do it.

[omgb]

Wayne, I would have done that except that I'd already lubed them. It's been pushing 102 around here these past few days and as such, the house is buttoned up pretty tight and the AC is running full-tilt-boogie. All I needed to land me in divorce court was to smell up the house with melting bullet lube. Believe me, there are far worse things in life than wasting a couple of hours of work. Solomon said it best in Proverbs when he said, "it is better to live on a roof top than in a house with an angry woman". Since he had 100 wives and a few more concubines I figure he knew what he was talking about. I love my wife and normally she's as gentle as a lamb. But, with menopause, trouble at work and all the hassles associated with selling/showing our house, the last theing I need to do is put something stinky in the oven. :confused: So, I just recast them.

[buck1]

Size them with in a few hours of casting them. or air cool and heat treat after sizing in a 400F oven for 30 min and water quench. ....Buck

[omgb]

Size them with in a few hours of casting them. or air cool and heat treat after sizing in a 400F oven for 30 min and water quench. ....Buck

Well, sure, heat treating them after sizing would have worked but it was too late for that. As to sizing them right away... that's what I did and they were still too dang hard. So, I remelted them. Any way, i didn't need them that hard, i was just playing around and in the course of having fun, painted myself into a corner so to speak.

[Bret4207]

A very wise man, that Solomon guy.

[rockrat]

Before you sized them you could have taken some Lee liquid alox and thinned it and lightly lubed the bullets. Maybe that could have made the normal sizing easier. Or possibly used some spray-on case lube, lightly applied, before sizing, to help with the overhard bullets? Just an idea.

[redneckdan]

I was running hardcast one night, hot lino water dropped. I don't remember why I thought I needed it that hard for .357 mag but I did it. Got down to the last handful of a batch of 200 when the L-shaped lever on my dads RCBS lubsizer fractured. Never got one stuck though, I was only takin it down .0014 if I remember correctly.

[buck1]

Well, sure, heat treating them after sizing would have worked but it was too late for that. As to sizing them right away... that's what I did and they were still too dang hard. So, I remelted them. Any way, i didn't need them that hard, i was just playing around and in the course of having fun, painted myself into a corner so to speak.

Wow they got hard fast! Was this the same alloy as you cast those 45 rifle boolits that I cheched out for you a wile back? ....Buck