Cast my first Boolit today!

[bruce381]

yeah just start casting more a hundred or so will get mold heat up, it is too cold if alloy clogs spout it is too cold get a lead thermometer to put in pot I run at 700F. Alloy is about 1% tin (SN) and 1% antimony (SB). Dont look at each one just go you will see when heats get right they will drop sharp and clean that is COOL

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I am old school...really old school. Not a fan of participation trophies etc etc.

Those bullets are awful. You know it, and everyone here knows it. Why would you post something like that?

You may have "studied and studied" but have not learned much.

Information overload is not your problem. The need for instant gratification is your problem.

Go back and try again. Get your mold and alloy so hot that the bullets are frosted then dial temperature back to get perfect bullets. Frosted bullets are good to use so no need to toss them back into the pot. Wrinkled bullets and poor fill are junk.

This is not rocket surgery. Now, if you have contaminated alloy, that will give you a world of hurt. If you cannot get good bullets running hot, buy some decent alloy and try again. There is usually alloy in the S&S section of the forum or you can buy it here:

https://missouribullet.com/results.php?category=12

YAMA HAMA!
Don, tell us what you really think?

Give Mike break, he wasn't posting to get a trophy or even fishing for compliments, he was just posting his first results and mentioned they weren't perfect, but it was fun, and there will be more. Nothing wrong with wanting a conversation about how the first session went.

I recall the first time I cast 22 cal, I had a NOE mold, clone of the RCBS 22-55. This was long before I learned to pre-heat the mold on a hotplate. Anyway, all I could get was wrinkly 60gr boolits, never was able to get the mold hot enough in several different casting sessions. I wanted to shoot some, so I tumbled lubed some and loaded them for 222rem. Those wrinkly boolits did ok, 3" groups at 100 yds...pretty respectable for a newbie casting/shooting wrinkly little boolits.

[Mike Langlois]

Thank you again for the info. I considered the ladle method and I'll give it a try. I just can't stop grinning when I review
Don Verna's comment; it sounds exactly like something I would say! Would you believe our family motto is "The principle of Delayed Gratification". Boy did you get me motivated. I'm going to Mount the First Boolits and put them with the other 'Participation Trophies' on the wall. Most of the trophies are Very Expensive reminders to Think Twice and Cut (get Married) once. My Second casting will be a better example of my studies into this addiction.
Manic Mike
P.S. After I present a well cast second boolit, I'll post a picture for Bad Ass Wallace.

[super6]

This was my first attempt after reading every thing I could get my hands and eyeballs on. Two or three attempts and it was on! I started with a turkey cooker and a ladle, no thermometer, and just keep an eye on the melt and the mold heat.

[VariableRecall]

I've cast a couple thousand projectiles myself and I'm still learning, but my immediate guess out of the gate is that your mold isn't hot enough. I'm assuming there's nothing wrong with your alloy or your pouring strategy.
Even the quickly warming aluminum molds lee makes will take some time to warm up. You can do that the long way by just casting projectiles with them which will go right back into the pot, or, by just pre-heating the mold with the help of the pot.

The alloy that I'm using is about 50/50 Missouri Bullet's Magic Alloy and soft mystery lead.

What I am looking for in a recently cast boolit is an even, slightly matte finish on the surface of the projectile, frosted, as other people call it. Shiny works too, but keep a close eye on those driving bands and lube grooves as the projectiles start flowing out the mold.

What usually happens when I cast is that the mold gets too hot, leading to a more speckled consistency to the frosting. Sure, the lines are sharp but they can struggle to stay intact when being dropped out of the mold because they are too hot.


I think the best way to learn about casting is through experience. Keep it up, and you'll get those nice, filled in curves in no time.

[Cast10]

The best thing is, IF YOU MESS UP, RE-MELT!

Looks like it’s all been said already. But heat/consistency and cadence of pour is paramount to good bullet fill-out. Nice Start!

[Mike Langlois]

So, with a poke and some encouragement form the community, I cast my second bullet; right on to my 99th boolit.



There is humor before the end so keep going. Two better ones on the left and two not better ones on the right.



I hope there is a sub forum to help explain the New Addiction to my wife. Humor involves learning that the new leather apron must cover your jeans or it does no good. I suppose I don't need to tell anyone here that molten lead is hot.



It gets funnier if you get all excited by molten lead in your crotch and set the thoroughly Pre-Heated mould on the plastic top of the tool box.



Which is a minor annoyance to the tool box. Doing it twice and having to clean up the muld is sort of funny.



And, sadly, due to geographical location and Government interference, is a picture for Bad Ass Wallace; minus all the components.
Manic Mike

[Mike Langlois]

And the missing Picture:



Mike

[brasshog]

Remelt ? Naahhh ... Just powder coat the heck out of it to hide the lines

Best advice that I can give you is to get out there and find five hundred ways to mess it up differently and learn the cause and effects of what your doing. Before long you'll be casting like a pro. My first couple of batches always end back up in the pot as I get things going. I remember the first time that I cast a hollow point. I was so frustrated that I ended up selling the mold and swearing off them for years until I figured out what I was doing wrong. The best thing that I ever did was to get rid of my Lee "Drip O'Matic" lol. Before long your days will look like this:

[Bazoo]

What alloy are you using? There is some surface flaws which look like surface scum in the melt. That isn't an issue, it's more cosmetic than anything. Rounded driving bands are an issue. That is cured by leaving a generous sprue puddle that doesn't spill over the side or into an adjacent cavity.

[billmc2]

I suppose I don't need to tell anyone here that molten lead is hot.
Manic Mike

I'll point out one other obvious quality of molten lead; its liquid.

Back in the '70's, while building a Heath Kit radio that Santa Claus brought I was wearing a pair of boots which I didn't tightly tie the laces. A big dollop of solder fell from my soldering iron landing right inside my boot. Did you know that you can not pull molten solder out of your boot? You need to wait until it solidifies. I still have the scar on my ankle.

[deces]

Building a pid controller for your pot will help you eliminate temperature factors and help prevent zinc contamination.

[Scrounge]

And the missing Picture:



Mike

I'm sorry, that bench is too clean. You can't do good work under those conditions!

I lie a lot, too! Clean and orderly is a great way to be. It is also something I find a bit challenging.

Bill

[dverna]

I hear stories about how people having horrible experiences starting out casting bullets. I was very lucky when I cast my first bullets 50+ years ago.

Back then, there were no personal computers or internet or YouTube "experts". All I had was the Lyman manual and, maybe most importantly, a mentor I listened to. He had been born with only one arm, but he was able to cast and knew what he was doing. He never came over to help me but gave me good advice. Buy an H&G mold and start with Linotype.

I had perfect bullets the first time after less than an hour of "experience". Stepped "down" to a Lyman mold for the .308 and it also ran well...must have got one of the good Lymans. I am sure my friend would have come over to help but I did not need it...I had good bullets from the very start.

One "data point" is all I have. Good alloy and good molds seem to make the learning curve a lot easier.

After a few thousand bullets I started mixing in range lead with the Linotype to reduce costs. but the range lead came from an indoor range that only allowed .22's and cast bullets. Seemed to be consistent stuff.

As a result, I have never used "mystery alloy". I have 500-600 lbs of mystery alloy I purchased on this site over the years for SHTF and will start getting into it this year or next. I am a bit concerned as there is no assurance it does not have crap in it but I will know right away if it does. I have 2000 lbs of "hardball" and 500 lbs of Linotype that I know will cast well.

To the OP. If your mold has clean cavities and hot enough, and the alloy is well fluxed and hot enough... you have alloy issues. I think I posted this, but if not, here goes:

https://missouribullet.com/details.p...ary=&keywords=

16 lbs of good alloy for $41 seems expensive but it will help address your problems. Your time has value. More importantly, if you get frustrated and give up on casting, you will end up shooting less and having this hobby cost you a lot more than this minimal investment.

BTW, if you decide to try a "good" alloy you must get all the crap out of your pot.

[ACC]

Good for you. Keep working at it and you will have boolits galore! Remember one step at a time.

ACC

[VariableRecall]

So, with a poke and some encouragement form the community, I cast my second bullet; right on to my 99th boolit.

And, sadly, due to geographical location and Government interference, is a picture for Bad Ass Wallace; minus all the components.
Manic Mike

Excuse me Mike, It may just be me, but I really don't think you should be melting lead indoors. At least for me, I'd say a fire hazard would be the most immediate issue. Secondarily, air circulation and keeping the wacky vapors out of your lungs should be an important priority. I'd say if you're casting indoors you should at least have negative pressure out, and have a 1 foot radius "Safe Zone" around your pot and boolit/sprue dropoff area.

I cast outside on a Lifetime portable table, with a layer of cardboard and a disposable aluminum tray that the pot itself lays on. Everything that could contact lead or encounters heat is covered in cardboard. After I'm done, I shake out any sprue bits on the cardboard and I'm good to put things away.

[dondiego]

I have always cast indoors. Since I was 16. I am 70 right now.

[bruce381]

yeah in doors my lead is smelted outside to ingots that are fluxed and clean so no smoke to worry about

[405grain]

bruce381: You say that your lead has no smoke or fumes, but your avatar is some dude in a gas mask.

[Iron369]

I'm sorry, that bench is too clean. You can't do good work under those conditions!

I lie a lot, too! Clean and orderly is a great way to be. It is also something I find a bit challenging.

Bill

It’s funny what we notice about people’s pictures. I’m a master electrician myself and cringed at all the cords ran every which way.