Cast .30's for first time in 42 years tonight

[MikeSSS]

Back in high school I cast RCBS 30 cal 180's for my .303 No4 MK1 and a friends dad's sporter version of a 1917 rifle in 30-06. We also shot some in my uncle's Win 94 30-30. I couldn't afford a lead pot, just melted lead in the ladle! No, the bullets didn't come out all that good.

Tonight I used a Lee 312-155 mold without doing anything to it. I figured it might not fill well since I didn't chase the air vent grooves. Right. All 53 boolets had incomplete fill areas. I water quenched them all and the lead was wheel weights.

So I took a scribe to the vent lines and, surprise, they all were blocked where they contact the bullet cavity by flash leftover from cutting the cavity. I scribed the whole groove with special attention to the cavity end on each and every groove that meets the cavity. Wow, had to wear three pairs of glasses, one over top of another to do it. I'll do a better job on the next mold that I scribe.

I'll cast some more boolets tomorrow morning, if they come out better the 53 from today will be melted down, if not I'll just shoot em offhand at 25 yards or closer. The load will be 16 gr of 2400. The rifle will be a 1903 A3.

Boy, casting sure is easier with a bottom pour furnace.

The freightning part is I really need to chase the air vent grooves on several molds in the garage and on two more I bought for the Milsurps. And, scribing ALL the grooves on the six-banger that is on order is going to be a real joy. Uh huh, sure.

[jcadwell]

What are you casting for? That 155 grain 312 is my favorite bullet for my 336 Microgroove 30-30. Since it is a pointed bullet I only ever load one in the hole and one in the magazine while hunting. It sure is accurate and shoots flatter than the flat points.


Good luck with the casting and scribing.

[MikeSSS]

This month I bought molds in 6.5, 8mm and .30 along with four sizers, gas checks for each caliber and some powder and a 91/30. So, money for molds was tight and I decided to go with the 312155 that will be my mold for the SKS and AK, but will also be used in an 03 A3, No4MK1, K31, Mosins and whatever else it will fit. Next month I'll probably get molds more specific to each type of rifle.

Glad you have good results with this boolit. They look real nice, like a bullet should.

[David R]

I think you need to get your mold hotter for better fill out. Also if you take a fine file and just break the corners at the top of the mold it will vent better.

sounds like you are hooked. congrats, join the aslym.

David

[Newtire]

Hi Mike,
Like everyone says, Welcome aboard. Probably the best place to learn about casting that there is. Before you go blind chasing out all those crosshatch vent lines, just try boiling the mold awhile in some soapy detergent water. Then rinse it off in hot clear and then use some brake-clean spray. Wipe out the excess with Q-tips and clean off the sprueplate good, Lube the sprue pivot and the v-grooves lightly like the instructions say. Get a butane lighter and play it over the cavities until they are "smoked". Turn up the pot to maximum and let er fly. Mostly those molds won't fill out because they still have traces of oil left in them. At least that's been my experience with the couple/30 or so I have.

[MikeSSS]

Todays casting adventure:

Set the pot at 6.5 and again had incomplete filling, the lead was too cold.

After turning the pot up to 8.5 the mold filled a lot better and the boolits 'sang' in the water. The sprues took a few seconds to solidify.

Eventually the mold overheated and some of the boolits came out with side flash. Rain was threatening so I called it a day.

After Liquid Aloxing I ran the boolits through a .314 sizer just to crimp on the gas checks. After another Aloxing I loaded some for the 1903 A3, 91/30 Mosin and the Lee Enfield No4 MK1. Charge was 16.0 of 2400.

After neck sizing the cases I beveled the outside and inside of the necks and used a Lee Case belling die to bell just a bit. I seated the boolits to the bottom of the crimp groove but didn't get to shoot any. Rats.

We have been having a drought...the day I loaded my first .30 cal cast bullets in 42 years it rained. So, to make it rain all you have to do is pick something you haven't done in 40 years and prepare to do it. Rain will come along and 'rain on your parade'. It's OK, we needed the rain and now I have an excuse to get up tomorrow morning and go have some fun.

Eventually I'll boil the mold in soapy water and flush it 'clean', but not tomorrow!

Mostly I'll shoot offhand but I loaded enough ammo for the A3 03 to shoot a couple groups off the bench.

To be continued.....

[grumpy one]

Mike, if that's a Lee pot, the temperature control is not a thermostat, it's a simmerstat - the graduations tell you approximately the ratio of on time to off time. So, while you are heating up your mould you'll turn it up and then find it's way too high after the mould stabilises. 8.5 is way too high - I use about 6 with a simple aluminium cover over the pot, and quite a bit less if I cover the melt with woodchips as well.

If the sprues take about three or four seconds to solidify you are in the right ball park - but the easiest way to tell if the mould or metal is too hot is the frosty appearance of the bullets. Moderate frosting does no harm, it just tells you the temperature is getting up there. Extreme frosting, so the surface looks like zinc crystals on galvanised steel, is way too hot. If you lower the temperature of the metal after the mould heats up, it will help shorten your solidification time and raise your productivity. The experts touch the mould against a wet sponge once each cycle as well, but I suggest you leave that until you have everything else calibrated and working or you'll have too many variables to experiment with all at the same time.

FWIW, my process is to figure out the right pot setting and casting cadence after the mould has warmed up, and always return to that thereafter. I usually put up with frosty bullets because I can get better consistency that way - for me, cool-cast shiny bullets seem to have too much diameter variation. Don't get confused during the period when the mould is warming up, or you'll have the mould temperature, pot temperature and cadence issues all messed up and fighting each other to a standstill.

Geoff

[MikeSSS]

Thanks.

There is a lot to learn and it takes time to get experience.

I'll keep after it.

[catboat]

It's funny how we get back into things after several years. Pays to hold onto your shooting equipment, for the next time we "go back to the future." There's something therapeutic about bullet casting. Enjoy it.