I have been seriously re-afflicted with the casting virus. Last time it hit me I was 13....that was 37 years ago. I made thousands of .44 cal roundballs for my '51 Navy revolver. Used a steel coffee can and my Moms electric stove. I did not have a clue what I was doing then and still don't. I have hours of reading this forum in a attempt educate myself in the basics. My first smelting was (2) 25 pound bags of hardened #8 shot. I have since read of the evils of melting lead shot and will not be doing that again. I made "muffin tin" ingots about 3/4 full. For my first attempt at casting bullets in my Lyman 457122 HP mold, I mixed approx 5lbs of the "shot lead ingots with 1# of linotype. I use a LP fired burner with a small cast iron dutch oven as a casting pot. The hottest I could get this melt(Lyman thermometer) was 600 degrees. It probably took 50 pours to start getting the hang of everything including the hollow point pin. Attached are (2) pics of finished boolits. I am getting everything to fill out decently except the base. Note the very consistant radius on the bases. I need suggestions on how to improve this condition before making any more. Hotter pores?