Mp-359-640

[Charlie Two Tracks]

[smilie=b:I have a MP-359-640 mould from Mihec. I have another one of his but I want to use this one for an example.
If I use straight Isotope lead and cast at 700 deg. should this combo make good boolits? I am doing something wrong with all my moulds. I need to slow down and get this figured out. If this will work, let me know. This is where I am at now[smilie=b: I figure that if I know a known combo, I will be able to concentrate on just casting. I have already cleaned and oiled the parts of the mould.

[dragonrider]

I cast at 800 degrees. I use straight wheel weights not isotope, don't know if it matters, I have never gotten good boolits at anything less than 800 degrees.

[101VooDoo]

Charlie, I haven't cast any of these with Isotope lead yet, just hard-ball.

Used the mold for the first time on Sunday. Pot Temp varied between 750-770, I did a five count after the sprue frosted and then had the mold open for about a three count or so depending on if I needed to tap the handle to get the pentagon bullet to drop.

I preheated the mould on a hotplate, and it still took a few more than a half dozen casts before they stopped dropping wrinkled. As the pot got empty the temp dropped to the 720 range and I shortened the five count to four. Seemed to work pretty well.

This is only my second shot at hollow-points, so if I can do it without screwing the dog completely, anybody can.

Jim

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I don't know if I say "anybody". I have a hot plate coming in the mail. Maybe I will wait for it and see if it helps. I just tried a few and I did not have good fill out at all. The top looked like it was one big crimp band. Those are good looking boolits by the way. The only reason I wanted to use Isotope lead was because it is a known product. I'm not sure about my WW lead.

[GLL]

What is the "Isotope lead" composition?

Jerry

[101VooDoo]

Charlie,

I've got some of the Isotope as well, I emptied the pot on Sunday and intend to try it this next week.

I'll let you know how it comes out.

Jim

[76 WARLOCK]

I cast about 100 of those and that mould worked well, at first didn't fill but as soon as the mould got warm it cast really good boolits. It looks like the 5pt is not centered in some but not in others. That is the nicest mould I have ever used.

[GLL]

More heat ! :)

Jerry

[leftiye]

New mold? It takes a while for oxides to form on iron/steel molds, and about the same for the surface to clean up on an aluminum mold. Then it casts better after that. Hollow points are touchy (especially those with .22 caliber openings) and often need extra heat to form the noses well.

[Humbo]

Jim,
really nice pictures with cool light setting. A little bit more heat, and bullets should fill out perfectly. Did you test expansion with the hard-ball alloy?
I can't wait until my mold gets here, it should be here shortly.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I'll try some more heat tonight after work. The mould is great. It's me. I'll get this figured out. Hope you guys don't get tired of my questions.

[101VooDoo]

Jim,
really nice pictures with cool light setting. A little bit more heat, and bullets should fill out perfectly. Did you test expansion with the hard-ball alloy?
I can't wait until my mold gets here, it should be here shortly.

Humbo, the light setting was just a fortunate accident; I was hurrying to snap a shot to post and the light was just right, go figure.

Haven't tried to see if the hard ball will expand yet, my guess is that they won't, even at high speed. I bought some of the Isotope lead hoping it'll be around 10 BHN and will expand.

I only managed to fire one of the rounds, I loaded them in the lower crimp groove and they just barely fit in my Anniversary Blackhawk, thought I was good to go until I triggered off the first round, and the next jumped out just enough to bind the cylinder.

It was my first round over a chronograph - went 1277 FPS with 13.5 gns of 2400. Of course one round isn't much of an average...

Good luck with your new mould, these Mihec products are just amazing.

Jim

[HiVelocity]

Jim-

Eww.............nice boolits! MiHec is addictive. I now have 4 of his molds and just received the 359-640. Your photos were so nice that I used one as my desktop background..............lol!

Please let us know how your pet loads with this bullet work out. I need one in both .357 and .38.

HiVelocity in SC

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Higher temp. worked. Thanks guys. I tried it tonight at 850 to 900 according to my RCBS thermometer. The lower drive band measures .359 and the upper drive band .3584 on an average. The double crimp grooves are crisp. They may not be perfect but they will shoot. More practice is needed on my part.

[Doby45]

Charlie or 101VooDoo what weight do those drop at?

[JoeG52]

I am casting them from half wheel weight / half pure lead. The round HP weighs 158.5gr and the 5 sided HP weighs 161.0gr.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

The five sided ones are dropping in the 162's with WW

[101VooDoo]

Doby45,

In Hard Ball the HPs are running 154.1 & the Pentagons are 157.1 -

Jim

[Humbo]

These results threads are great, especially with eye candy like Jim's pictures.

Jim, I cast a lot with hardball alloy (92-6-2), but it my tests with the 45 Colt shooting into water, it has been too brittle to expand properly. It might work better in 357, I'll get back with results as soon my mold gets here. Going to the beach today to pick up sand, it should be OK as a testing media I suppose.

[excess650]

According to my older Lyman thermometer, almost all of my molds drop nice bullets when casting 720*-750*. I prefer to be closer to 720* as it allows me to work more quickly, but some of the molds want more heat. I've cast as low as 680*, but results were spotty. I should mention that the majority of my casting is done with a ladle by pressure casting, so probably requires less heat than bottom pouring w/o pressure. The overflow goes back into the pot, and sprue cut into a box. I preheat small ingots on the top of the pot and drop them in as temperature rises and the level drops. This does require more frequent fluxing, but the mix is literally stirred with every dip.

The isotope lead is reputed to be around 97-2-1, and might pour better with another % or two of tin added. Such a low antimony content should allow a quenched bullet to expand without shattering. Years ago when I was shooting IPSC, I had the opportunity to test some 40 S&W rounds chrono'd at 1000fps. When fired into a bullet proof vest draped over an old, lightly padded chair with wooden backer, the bullets mushroomed nicely, and these were higher antimony content than the isotope lead variety.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Casting is such a strange thing. I took my time tonight and made sure that I paid attention to the mould temp, lead temp., speed of pouring, distance from bottom of pot, time I let the sprue harden and time before I opened up the mould. Well, I'm sure that you guys are surprised but it worked. I had some very good cast boolits come out. The temp. was 750 and I kept it constant. The mould was 1/8 th inch from the spout. Once the sprue started to harden, I turned the mould upside down and waited for a count of 5. I opened up the mould and counted to two. Nice fill out. Thanks for all the tips. It seems to be working.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Charlie,

Now the Fun begins.


Sam :D

[101VooDoo]

Casting is such a strange thing. I took my time tonight and made sure that I paid attention to the mould temp, lead temp., speed of pouring, distance from bottom of pot, time I let the sprue harden and time before I opened up the mould. Well, I'm sure that you guys are surprised but it worked. I had some very good cast boolits come out. The temp. was 750 and I kept it constant. The mould was 1/8 th inch from the spout. Once the sprue started to harden, I turned the mould upside down and waited for a count of 5. I opened up the mould and counted to two. Nice fill out. Thanks for all the tips. It seems to be working.

Great - its awesome when they start dropping nicely, isn't it.

Jim

[Charlie Two Tracks]

It sure is Jim. I was beginning to have my doubts. Let me know how your Isotope works out.