Getting ready to cast first bullets advise ad tips needed

[bpg76]

After lurking and reading as much as I can on this site for about a year ive finally got all my equpment and am ready to cast my first bullets.I have already smelted my wheelweights into ingots.I have a new lee 10pound bottom pour pot and a new lee 2 cavity 452-255 RF for 45 colt.I searched for all the information I could find on cleaning and lubing a new lee mold but still have a few questions before I get started.

1-Will a brush and dish soap clean the mold or do I need to get a can of break cleaner or boil it etc.

2-what is the best way for a beginner to lube the mold and where.I have read about people using carpenters pencils or bullet lube what is the best way to try and what all do i lube.

3-Do I loosen the sprue plate screw. if so how loose do I want the sprue plate to swing.

4-I dont have a thermometer yet.I have a lee production pot iv 10 pound furnace what temperature setting would be good to start with

Any tips and advice you guys could give me would be most appreciated..thanks

[454PB]

I normally clean them with Gun Scrubber, which is about the same as brake cleaner. However, a good scrubbing with an old tooth brush and some Dawn dish soap should do the trick. If you look at the mould, you will see the guide pins (steel) that fit into the aluminum recess in the block, and also the aluminum V-ribs on the front and back. These are the points that Lee says to lube, you can use your boolit lube or parafin wax. It should be done after the mould is hot, and very sparingly. If any of the lube gets into the boolit cavities, it will cause wrinkling and bad results. I've quite lubing my Lee moulds, but I don't recommend that until you had some experience using the mould. Using a pencil is about the same thing as using graphite powder. Leave the sprue plate tension alone unless there is a good reason to adjust it. Lee uses a self tapping screw on these, and once it's disturbed, it tends to move on it's own. My Lee pots (three of them) all cast best at a setting between 7 and 7.5. Yours may be different, watch for wrinkled, shiney boolits as a sign the heats too low. I like to cast at a temperature that causes a light "frosty" appearance on the bollits.

[Goatlips]

bpg76, 454pb has good advice if you don't have a thermometer. When you get used to your pot, it'll tell you where it wants to be; if you use a feeder pot to fill your casting pot with molten lead instead of plunking solid ingots into it, it will keep the temp more even, at least it worked for me. Try here:

http://goatlipstips.cas-town.com/casting.html

Goatlips

[Dale53]

bpg76;
Follow the "sticky" on improving Lee moulds when received and before casting. There is good information there.

Lubing Lee moulds where indicated is a GOOD idea. However, using bullet lube merely "cooks" the material on and doesn't really lube much. Mould release works pretty good but Bullshops Sprue Plate lube is REALLY good. I recommend it without reservation. However, it takes just a film (you don't want it in the cavities). Shake the bottle, remove the lid and just use what stuck to the lid. Wipe a Q-tip over the inside of the lid and use it the way Bullshop recommends. It absolutely eliminates sprue plate galling (common on aluminum moulds) and keeps lead from wiping under the sprue plate of ALL moulds. Really good stuff.

I have had better results by cleaning a new mould with Dawn and a toothbrush, then rinsing in hot water, than using brake cleaner. I have tried both but am now a confirmed toothbrush feller.

Dale53

[bpg76]

454PB,Dale 53,Goatlips

thanks for all the tips guys.Ill clean the mold and maybe try casting some bullets this evening.

Goatlips I came across your webpage a while back I was reading the smelting section over and over before I did my first batch of wheelweight ingots the other day. found the information and pictures very helpful.

[mattc]

also Lee recomends that you use a match or lighter and smoke the inside of the mold to help it dorp the bullets (hold the match or lighter cloce enough to the inside of the mold to blacken the bullet cavity)

[bpg76]

I cast my first bullets this evening.when I was done I had 143 good ones.didnt have any accidents or burns.learned alot. now i need to get a mold for my 38 special.id post some pics but the camera is broke..thanks for all the help guys

[steveb]

I cast my first bullets this evening.when I was done I had 143 good ones.didnt have any accidents or burns.learned alot. now i need to get a mold for my 38 special.id post some pics but the camera is broke..thanks for all the help guys

CONGRATS!!!! I started casting my own several months ago. Fun aint it!

[Ken O]

I cast my first bullets this evening.when I was done I had 143 good ones.didnt have any accidents or burns.learned alot. now i need to get a mold for my 38 special.id post some pics but the camera is broke..thanks for all the help guys

You have probably cut your learning curve by a couple years by just hanging out on this forum. I have cast for many years and still learn stuff here.
Just a couple things to add to the advice above:a handfull of clay kitty litter on top the melt holds the temp and keeps the oxygen off. For fluxing just a stick of wood to stir once and a while, and when you pull the stick out if its burning blow it out and smoke your mold with it if it needs it.

[LET-CA]

Just a couple things to add to the advice above:a handfull of clay kitty litter on top the melt holds the temp and keeps the oxygen off. For fluxing just a stick of wood to stir once and a while, and when you pull the stick out if its burning blow it out and smoke your mold with it if it needs it.

Now that's a great tip! I've been following this thread getting the free education too.

[bpg76]

CONGRATS!!!! I started casting my own several months ago. Fun aint it!

yes its pretty fun and addictive ive already been thinking of shops to hit to find more buckets of wheelweights.


anybody have the lee reloading maual and have the load data for this bullet the .452 255gr rf?i will be using unique

[454PB]

Depends on the gun they will be used in.....if it's a Colt or clone, I'd use 8.5 to 9 gr. of Unique with that boolit. If it's a Ruger Blackhawk or stronger, I use 10 gr. of Unique. As always, work upwards from below.

[mattc]

well I am having to guess at the seat depth, but at a depth of .358 8.2 gr is sitting right at max pressure it is 15743psi (max is 15954 psi) and it should give you about 958 fps

if you are using an old colt I think they recoment staying under 14000psi which would be reached at 7.8 gr (13859 psi)

if you want to play with it a little let me know what your seat depth is and what length barrel you have and I can tell you pretty close on your velocity (I am using quick load and have fun checking their loads against a cronograph, so far they have been within 10fps with loads for my .44 mag)

[mattc]

the Lee manual does not list unique for that bullet but for the 250 gr lead bullet they list 7.6 min and 8.0 gr max at 850 fps and 11800 cup

[bpg76]

thanks for the data mattc

forgot to metion what gun it was .its a rugerblackhawk with a 5/1/2 inch barrel

[StarMetal]

Actually for a 250255 grain lead bullet I honestly wouldn't load more then 8.5 grs of Unique for a Colt revolver. Few reasons, one anything about that is getting stiff for a Colt, two then Unique today is a new recipe and it's a tad hotter, and three the Colt is a light revolver especially in the short 4 3/4 inch barrel configuration. I have an Old Model Ruger Blackhawk with the 4 5/8 inch barrel and I shoot an even 9.0 grs of Unique out it and the gun weights around 38 ounces and 9 grs sure lets you know that it went off. For the guy loading 10 grs there's no sense in that unless you're using it for big game hunting. Yeah the Ruger can take it, but if you're just plinking or punching paper there's no need for that stiff of a load. And no I'm not a whimp I've owned them all...44 mag, hot load 45 Colts, and the 454. Just just don't need to beat your gun, yourself, and your wallet to plink. In fact anymore I shoot my Blackhawk with the 45acp cylinder in more then the 45 Colt cylinder.

Just my two cents.

Joe