With my two most recent mold purchases (both Lee 2 cavity aluminum molds), I scrubbed them in hot water and Dawn detergent with a toothbrush before anything else. I smoked them with a butane fire starter and got the mold up to temp and started casting. I simply could not defeat the wrinkles so I scrubbed again and smoked again. It worked and after about 4 heat cycles the good boolits started coming at the first pour. Sure enough, casting with the second mold last night on it's 4th heat cycle, the boolits were good after a few cycles and off I went with nearly zero rejects. The mold needed a short time on the hotplate in the middle of the run but I was back to good casts in no time.
I don't enjoy struggling with a new mold but it sure feels good once one has a seasoned mold that reliably quickly casts good boolits. I do still run into problems trying to keep these molds lubed without causing wrinkles. A single drop of sprue plate lube on the pivot of the sprue plate can ruin bullets for a number of casts. Sometimes I give up and go scrub the mold and resmoke it.
My point in this post is to encourage a new caster or someone who is fighting a new mold to not get discouraged. Use good cleaning, smoking and lube practices. The mold should get better each time you get it out then eventually will settle in.
Don't forget also, you have to learn what each mold wants. The 401-175gr TC mold wanted my non adjustable analog Lyman thermometer to indicate about 650. The 452-230gr RN was looking for around 700 or a little higher. I resisted going that high but once I got there I was rewarded. That temp on the 401-175 would have caused severely frosted castings.
Here are a few of last night's 45ACP (452-230RN) session.
Attachment 193650