How to use Cerrosafe

[corvette8n]

I got about 1/2 pound of Cerrosafe but got no directions with this stuff, I want to make a chamber cast, do I need to lube the bore. Whats the best way to plug the bore?, any tips appreciated.

[scrapcan]

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Gun...ons.aspx?p=384

You can download the instructions for cerrosafe at Brownell's. Maybe the above link will work. You will need to put cerrosafe in the search box and it should come up. the instruction sheet is in the shop work section. If you can't find it send me a pm.

Here is a thread started by PIWO that has alot of good info in it.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=12989

[Nobade]

I just plug the bore with a patch and jag. That way I can put the rod back in after casting, screw it on, and push the casting out. I use a loaded round of ammo to stop the patch so I get an impression of the throat and first part of the rifling. I melt it in a RCBS ladle with the acetelyne torch, and pour. Don't lube the barrel, just make sure it's fairly clean. Be careful to keep the cerrosafe in the chamber and not in the barrel threads or it's hard to get out, especially on Winchesters and others that have an extractor cut.

[uscra112]

Gee, you shouldn't need that much heat to melt Cerrosafe.

And yes, the chamber should be SLIGHTLY oily. Very thin oil, and wipe out as much as you can with paper toweling or patches.

[Ranch Dog]

I'm glad I looked at MidwayUSA before I wrote as on March 7, I bought the 1/2# bars of CerroSafe for $7.99 each as it was on sale. I notice it is now $17.99 each

I had looked at USCRA's suggestion of McMaster-Carr as a source but didn't quite understand the price... is it $26.28 for one 1/2# bar (the bars are 1/2# each) or $26.28 for a pound and a half (3 1/2# bars)? I was going to call them but looked at MidwayUSA before the call and saw that they had it on sale. I have posted a screen-shot of the McMaster page with the info on the CerroSafe.

The instructions and technical data are available from the MidwayUSA web site:
MidwayUSA's Cerro-Safe Technical Specification

All I pretty much work with are the Marlins so the chamber casting is easy with the rifle broken down. You could do it with the bolt removed, but I use this as an opportunity to give the rifle a complete cleaning. The CerroSafe will manage to find it's way into some pretty tight places so I've found it easier to have just the rifle frame ready for the job. Clean the chamber, lightly oil it (then wipe it out with a patch), plug the barrel (I want about an inch of rifling with the cast), and cast it.

Cerrosafe's melting point is below the boiling point of water so I use a plastic funnel with a short length of vinyl tubing to get it to the chamber. The tubing is just long enough to reach the chamber with the funnel set through the back of the receiver. I heat the CerroSafe in a skillet ashtray, you will find these at Wal-Mart and they are quite handy at the casting bench, over a Coleman stove. At one-hour, I push the casting out of the receiver with a wooden dowel.

[uscra112]

The McMaster price is $26.28 for one ingot 1.5 lbs weight. But your deal with Midway beat that! That said, the "normal" price from Midway makes M-M look pretty good.

BTW one excellent use for all those low-melting-point alloys is to fixture odd-shaped parts for filing or machining. Especially good for small and delicate bits.