Poured some today

[imashooter2]

I poured a few C312-155-2R for the 300 BLK today. It was my second time using this mold and I’m still feeling it out.

I used a cobbled together “hardball” alloy of 25% Lino, 25% spacer strips and 50% cable sheath. I know the spacers could be most anything, but this batch snaps when folded, so I figure there has to be some tin and antimony in there. Regardless, the resulting alloy casts beautifully and makes boolits right on the nominal 155 grains. Kept the pot at 700-725 and the fill out was sharp and the sprues cut smooth. Even at the low pot temperature the boolits would start to frost and I would have to touch the mold to a damp sponge occasionally.

I really enjoyed this session. I needed to turn my mind off and concentrate on simple things for a bit. It’s a shame the arthritis is making the sessions shorter, but thank God I can still cast and shoot. Many have it worse.

So that’s it. Nothing really notable here. Just happy with the day and posting to talk to like minded people.

[45-70 Chevroner]

I have that same mold, the last time I used it was about 5 years ago, I size it to .310 for my 30-30 14" Contender. I also shoot that boolit in my SKS, it shoots very well in both. I probably have 300 of them stored, my alloy is coww and 2% tin. Yes my arthritis gets In the way of a lot of things. I bought a Taurus CG2 9mm a few weeks ago and haven't felt like taking it out to shoot yet.

[imashooter2]

It works well in the BLK. Member Slughammer gifted me some to try before I got any cast. Right now that’s the only platform I have for this mold.

The session gave me 471 by weight. I haven’t culled them yet, but they looked great falling from the mold. Shouldn’t be too many to go back in the pot.

[Rickf1985]

I rebuild carburetors as a part time moneymaker and since I was not getting any jobs I was just getting ready to convert the workbench over to casting and bang! four carb jobs come in! Well, that put off the casting but it did put some money in the pockets for more primers and such so they are out of the way and tomorrow I will get back to converting over. This year I am going to work on building a hood and ventilated duct system so I don't have to have the garage doors open.

[imashooter2]

I used to cast in a tool shed outbuilding, but after the arthritis started, I needed to both sit and have heat for the hands. I moved the operation into my basement a few years ago and never looked back.

[TjB101]

I’m in the market for a 308 bolt gun. I only use range scrap for my bullets. PC and water quenched after coating. Would they be hard enough for low end range fodder?

[dearslayer]

I used to cast in a tool shed outbuilding, but after the arthritis started, I needed to both sit and have heat for the hands. I moved the operation into my basement a few years ago and never looked back.

Any issues with smoke & fumes etc??

[charlie b]

I’m in the market for a 308 bolt gun. I only use range scrap for my bullets. PC and water quenched after coating. Would they be hard enough for low end range fodder?

Yes, if by low range you mean 1000fps or so. Once you get up to 1500 or more then gas checks would be recommended although some have had decent luck with plain base water quench at higher vel.

For a .30cal, if you are going to be shooting cast and want higher vel, then look for a 1-12 barrel instead of the more common 1-10. My 1-10 barrel shoots good groups until 2100fps or so. Above that and they start to open up.

[charlie b]

Any issues with smoke & fumes etc??

You should cast and PC in a ventilated area. Doesn't take much. You can keep the smoke down by your choice of flux. If you use wax then put a match to the fumes so they burn off instead of smoking. PC is melting plastic so will smell a bit as well. A kitchen hood works.

[Rickf1985]

I have been using a propane torpedo heater in the garage for heat but those things are a pain since you have to plug them in and unplug them every time you want to regulate the heat. I am looking to put a spare woodstove in there. I also have arthritis in my hands, and everywhere else. I wear welding gloves when casting and they tend to keep my hands warm so that helps to some extent.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve always sat down to cast boolits. Next time I will be wearing an Ace bandage on my wrist ahead of time, to hopefully keep it from hurting later.

[TjB101]

Yes, if by low range you mean 1000fps or so. Once you get up to 1500 or more then gas checks would be recommended although some have had decent luck with plain base water quench at higher vel.

For a .30cal, if you are going to be shooting cast and want higher vel, then look for a 1-12 barrel instead of the more common 1-10. My 1-10 barrel shoots good groups until 2100fps or so. Above that and they start to open up.

Good to know regarding twist rate. Would plan on gas checking these and probably look for recipes with some faster burning powders. Thanks for the reply.

[TjB101]

I used to cast in a tool shed outbuilding, but after the arthritis started, I needed to both sit and have heat for the hands. I moved the operation into my basement a few years ago and never looked back.

Ditto … makes it so much nicer. I built a hood for my 10 pound pot that works really well to ventilate flux smoke, etc.

[imashooter2]

Any issues with smoke & fumes etc??

There are no fumes from lead at casting temperatures, so I’m not concerned there. Smoke can be an issue so I flux sparingly with a paint stirrer stick. A bit of wood smoke smell is no issue. Actually pleasant to my nose. To support that, the ingots have to be scrupulously clean from your original smelting.

When I was selling pewter and doing 20 - 40 pounds in a day, there was considerably more smoke from the wood chips I used to reduce dross. I opened 3 windows and put box fans exhausting out through the 2 opposite the third. It was a pretty good draft and reasonably effective. Enough so to keep Her Majesty happy anyway.

[imashooter2]

Only 9 rejects from that run of 10.5 pounds. That’s not too shabby for me. Put a couple of the rejects on the Lee hardness tester. 2 imprints each on 2 samples were all the same .060 for 14.3 Bhn. I guess the spacers were a little light on the tin and antimony. That said, 14.3 should be more than adequate for my needs.

[imashooter2]

Retested after 1 month. Hardness increased to 15.4 Bhn.