Sam

Paul, with the first alloy nothing I could do would make a bullet other than shiny and sharp, even soaking the mold in the molten metal for 10 minutes while I took a break while everything on high. Heat and mold temp made little difference, even slushy cold alloy made pretty shiny bullets that were only half filled out. The alloy from later today would not make a shiny bullet no matter what I did, I even did one cast with 20% tin (remelted into the alloy) and it was as dull as the rest. Frosty is a good description, but not frosty from heat, I know what heat frosting looks like from my first 2 attempts and this is not it.

The mould blocks should have a heat relative to the alloy temp. That is to say that the two should work together. Your alloy must be hotter than your mould blocks (so the casting will solidify) but your mould blocks must be close enough temperature-wise to your alloy that the alloy does not cool too quickly as it contacts the mould blocks. Its a fine-tuned relationship.

Another thing you can do after you fiddle with the temperatures is to adjust your pouring height. This is best done with a bottom pour furnace. I wouldn't attempt this with a spoon or other similar dipper. It would make a pretty good mess. The greater the distance between the furnace spout and the mould, the greater velocity will your alloy have as it enters the mould. Getting the correct pouring height for a given alloy/heat combination can really make a difference. Often this will produce flow into the vent lines of the mould halves. That's when you know things are about as good as they can get with casting. The vent lines are so small that if lead is actually flowing into them, its a cinch that the corners of your mould cavity are filling in too.

I've never cast with a spoon, although I have used a Lyman dipper with excellent effect. Dippers are just too slow for me. I've got to get more bang for my buck, timewise.

Keep posting and between myself and the experts here, you'll get where you're going.

Tapping the mold will be added to the routine also, I am getting a +/- 1.5-2 grains or so in my bullets.

I make big batches of alloy at one time, say 500 to 1000 pounds. That gives consistency over a longer period of time.

Also, (and I know I'm gonna hear about this) I have yet to crack the code on Lee moulds. I've tried several (.338, 9mm, 38, 45) and simply cannot get a casting equal to one from a good ductile iron block. Maybe its a mark of my inexperience.

My favorite moulds are those of Hensley & Gibbs. I believe Wayne has closed the doors some time ago but there are plenty of good used ones for sale. One of their best features is the THICK sprue cutter with an honest to goodness trough to keep the molten lead where it belongs: filling the cavities as the castings cool and shrink instead of spilling all over the place. The thicker sprue cutters don't warp as quickly as the thin ones like those on the Lee, Lyman, RCBS, etc. moulds. You can use a higher heat and, I believe, subsequently get better quality castings.

Once a sprue cutter warps, nothing short of a surface grind with shimming will give you flat bullet bases.

http://www.turbodieselregister.com/user_gallery/displayimage.php?&photoid=4635&width=2

I have only added 2% tin as a rule, I have tried significantly more on a couple bullets and then melted them into the pot. I cannot see any difference in the bullet beyond 2%, they seem to be as good as they are going to get at 2% to my eye.

I am on the lookout for more molds, specifically a 200 grain 45 SWC, preferrably in the H&G 68 profile. They shoot great from my 45's. I do want to try an iron mold for sure. I am also going to attempt making some molds of my own this summer. I have access to the equipment........

Maybe I am just bias towards aluminum molds, but I have never had a bullet come out of a aluminum mold that would match in quality out of a steel mold.

What are you using for casting material; wheelweights, range scrap, etc? If you inadvertently got some bismuth in your melt that may be part of the problem. If that is the case than all you can do is scrap what you have in the pot and start over.

If your melt turned gold and bluish and crusty on top it is only because the heat is too high. Antimony and tin dissolves within the lead and fluxing serves only to remove dirt and other impurities from the alloy.

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SAFE SHOOTING,

Al. moulds - absolutely love 'em. Been using Lee moulds for 30+ years now & I find 'em great. I also have a lot of CI & brass moulds in my 'stable' but the Lee give consistently better results & are much more comfortable to work with.

Do your brass moulds have brass sprue cutters or are they made of steel? I never owned a brass mould. Do they cool more slowly than iron moulds?

Hey! Look what I found. Whatever all this means, the guy really knows his stuff when it comes to bullet casting.