Hello, I'm new to bullet casting. I cast for 9mm Luger and powder coat the boolits.
I did my first batch, and everything with the casting, PC and sizing went great, but when loading, in the seating station, the bullet (sized to .356) gets swaged by the case to .352-.353 (which is the internal case diameter the powder funnel gives to the case) obviously creating extreme accuracy and leading issues. In 100 rounds, literally everyone keyholed
I'm positive the swaging is caused in the seating station by the case itself, and not in the crimp station.
I really don't get why the bullets would be this soft....
I'll leave pictures and details below. Thanks!!!
Bullet alloy: Cast from recovered bullets from the range backstops. Cleaned and made into ingots.
Casting pot: Lee Pro 4 20lb
Casting temperature: Unknown since I don't have a termometer. The setting on the Lee pot was between 4 and 5. (Perhaps this is the culprit? Should I cast at a higher temperature?)
Bullet mold: Lee 6 cavity 125gn .356 2R
Bullet sizing: .356 (previously I loaded with PC coated bullets of this diameter sold by a local manufacturer and had absolutely no accuracy or leading issues with them)
Boolit hardness: Unknown, but obviously way soft
Powder coating: Hybrid paint. Pre heated toaster oven to 200º C (400º F) and baked for 12 minutes.
Water quenching when casting: Yes.
Water quenching when powder coating: Yes.
Reloading machine. Dillon 550B
Dies: Dillon. Except powder funnel, which is a DAA Mr. Bulletfeeder funnel.
PICS:
https://imgur.com/a/UjH2S