Casting outside tempreture

[jednorris]

I normally try to cast my 30:1 Black Powder Bullets when the temp. is a comfortable 55 - 75 *. With Winter here I have time to cast up a bunch before Summer. I would have to cast them in temp. closer to 35 - 45*. I do not know if there would be enough change that I would NOT want to mix them with previously cast bullets of the same weight. Any input?

[Winger Ed.]

You might want to raise your heat a little.
If you get a good fill out with the same alloy---- I wouldn't think twice about it.

If they're the same alloy, look good, and are the same weight I can't imagine why there be a problem mixing batches.
Now--- go out there and kill something with them before hunting season is over.

[poppy42]

I’d much rather cast at 45 degrees than at 85! I’d seriously doubt temp would make any difference as far as mixing boolets to re cast. I don’t do black powder but I have certainly mixed boolets used with smokeless powder. I can’t see what possible difference did it make.

[BLAHUT]

If they weigh the same then no difference ?

[Chaparral66]

In January I smelted about 150 pounds into ingots when it was 27 °F with no issues. But I was not casting boolits. Much nicer to smelt/cast when it is below 60 °F.

[405grain]

In the Summer here it gets over 100 degrees. Winter is casting season. I cast the years worth (and more) between Fall and early Spring. I don't worry about the air temperature's effect on the alloy (there probably isn't any), I worry about its effect on me!

[upnorthwis]

I keep all my batches separate no matter what the temp, but that's just me. However, I once tried to cast in ZERO degrees F and it didn't work out at all. Must have run 10 lb. thru the mold and still couldn't get a good bullet. Had to wait till spring.

[smokeater]

Being in Alabama, I try to do all my casting in the winter but sometimes run short on inventory thus have to cast in the heat of summer. However, never noticed any accuracy issues besides, never thought about it. Now casting pot temperature is a whole other story. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

[gwpercle]

The cooler air sucks heat away from both pot and mould ... you will need to increase your heat . If the wind is blowing put up something to block the wind ... it's like blowing on a hot cup of coffee ... the wind and the cold might keep you from getting to a castable temperature .
Weigh a few bullets ... they should be close to Batch #1 cast in summer .
If not , segregate the batches as to weight and load them accordingly .
Gary

[fredj338]

Air temp isnt affecting the bullets at all. Keeping the mold hot may be an issue but if the pot temp is 650deg, that isnt changing with air temp. The pot will just run a bit longer. I do put a foil lid on my Lee, regardless of air temp.

[pcmacd]

I normally try to cast my 30:1 Black Powder Bullets when the temp. is a comfortable 55 - 75 *. With Winter here I have time to cast up a bunch before Summer. I would have to cast them in temp. closer to 35 - 45*. I do not know if there would be enough change that I would NOT want to mix them with previously cast bullets of the same weight. Any input?

You, sir, are fretting about things which do not matter at all.

Cast your bullets and shoot them.

A 750F mold doesn't care if it is zero degrees outside.

...

[MUSTANG]

A couple of weeks ago I was casting a bunch of cores for swaging in the reloading shed. Temp was 35 degrees in the shed; 20 degrees outside the shed. No problems other than takes a while to heat pot initially; and longer to recover when ingots are added.

Last week temps below 0 degrees F every day - getting wimpy in my old age so I avoided going outside. I think it would have been much longer for melting had I gone to the reloading shed to work - not to mention the need for heavily insulated Ski pants and Coat.

[megasupermagnum]

That is no significant change. It's when you consider a swing from 70f down to -10f that I see a difference. Even then bringing pot temp up an extra 30f does the trick.

[jednorris]

Thanks for all the input. I cast about 400 bullets in 34* temp. and they all looked great, but I DID turn up the pot a few degrees. I normally weigh all my .40 Cal. bullets and during the Summer they run 414 to 415 gr. these ran 416 to 417 Gr. I will no longer worry about outside temperature. GOOD SHOOTING.

[mehavey]

Air temp isn't affecting the bullets at all

^^^ THIS ^^^

[Seeker]

Santa brought me a couple of new molds. I just had to try them out the day after Christmas, so I went to my unheated garage and cast 100 or so. It was 12° outside. Got to love it.

[1eyedjack]

Cast outside mostly in the winter prefer cold temperatures like freezing cold just bundle up in the Carhart and insulated boots crank up the heat and cast fast! Wind can be a big factor even though I have good coverage on 3 sides and overhead extra clothes provide a little more safety

[brokeasajoke]

I tried casting yesterday with temps in the 30s and struggled. Couldn't keep heat in my cast iron pot. I may have had a 25% success rate but my propane tank was almost empty. I really need a thermometer to monitor lead temps.

[Rapier]

Temperature of your pot inside is the only concern. At 750 to get a good hard alloy, I usually only cast at or near freezing, that 100# pot is very hot otherwise.

[Winger Ed.]

Couldn't keep heat in my cast iron pot..

If you don't already have a wind screen/shield around the base, and maybe some bricks or plate helping to direct the heat
straight up into the pot and not letting the heat go around it, you might want to get or make something.