So first legit casting session tonight. Yes I'm up at 2 a.m casting bullets, look I'm weird y'all all should know this by now
Alloy was 100% clip on wheel weights ( melted fluxed and made into Ingots from in a separate process)
Pot temp ranged from 750-950 kinda was kinda hard to keep it dialed in
Mold was a Lee Six cavity .225-55grain aluminum ( cavities smoked ,used my propane burner to warm it up to temp
)
Out side temp was around 50
Bullets where water dropped.




The mold was dropping pretty good it seems except for two cavities that constantly wanted to hang bullets.
All in all they seem pretty ok for a first time go


So far this seems to be my most common defect I guess you could say. Reckon this is because I didn't port enough to really fill the cavity or my mild stared cooling down too much


This being the worst on by far


O and do my bases look right ? I need to find my Lyman manual and read up a little more


So all in all howed I do ? Should I focus on keeping my temp more stable or mabye better mold care ? Really open to anything

Try adding about 2% tin and run the mold hot and fast. Overall the defects look to be from the mold being on the cool side (round base and wrinkles). Leave a big spur too. It helps to keep the spur plate hot so the base fills out.

Many do look pretty good. It looks like you are on the right track. What casting pot are you using? You may need to speed up or slow down the flow. Them 22 cal molds are not the easiest to run.

I always have a few that go back in the pot. Don't forget to weigh them. Some more will go back in the pot. Kick out any more than 1 grain light (air bubbles you cant see) or one grain heavy (mold not held closed quite all the way, sprue wasn't cut quite right cause the screw holding the cutter on got to loose) If you do that they will hit where you aim them. A larger 150 grain 30 cal for example I use a 2 grain each way spread.

If your going to shoot them out of your hornet or any other center fire you will need reduced loads. You get them going to fast and the lead gets to hot. Gas checks help a bunch with that but you still may need to slow them down.

Looks like a good start. Weighing each "Boolit" will be a good idea even if they look fine with a visual inspection.

Chris

X2

a little plumbing solder mostly tin will help the fill and get sharper corners

22s are harder

I also cast with a lee 4-20 I run the pot till I get frosty then back the dial off slowly till I hear the coils turn off mine buzz a bit when on
then it is about keeping a pace when they get too hot they start to stick for me a damp rag next to you if you get too hot can cool down quick also if the far end starts to stick , start pouring from the other end and alternate.

They do look pretty good

Bullets look pretty good.

You shooting them in a Hornet? Most Hornets have a 1 in 14" twist, (or is it 1 in 16"?). Might be a little short on revolutions to stabilize that 55 grainer.

You did fine. Melt those that are not filled out, wrong weight etc. Get total weight and add just a tiny bit of Sn,,, about 1 or 2 % by weight. Those wheel weights probably already have some tin. Make sure the mold is hot, not just warm.

Add a birthday candle to the lead after it's all melted. They will make your bullets shiny.

I'll see if I can find some time plummer's sodder but was trying to 100% this deal with Wheel weights. And I did notice the mold was cooling down too quick. The sprue plates bolt kept loosening as well for some reason

Imma get a little scale from harbor freight later in this week just for weighing. And these are for my 5.56 AR. I'm looking at a 36 grain HP mold from NOE for my hornet

I weigh mine with my reloading scale

The lead was bouncing from 725-950 kinda averaged at 800. And I tried to make sure to try and over fill the cavities with a big sprue but since my pot doset have the little mold rest it's kinda difficult to keep it all the same.
This isn't the 4-20 is the smaller on they sell in fishing catalogs for pouring your own lead weights

1:7 5.56 ar. It shoots 53grain and 75 grain jacketed bullets well so figured it would decent with 55's

I added a chunk of old candle wax to the pan when I was making Ingots and I added some more when I had the lead to temp in the pot.

Wolfdog, You can bend you up a little rest something in the image of a door handle and pop rivit or screw it down on the base . works pretty good that way.

Looks like the mold isn’t hot enough.

Find yourself a piece of dry wood about an inch by a foot or so. Use that to stir the pot with your flux. The stick acts to flux the lead on the bottom of the pot.

After I break the spur, I put the spur back in the pot.

The small pot is why your temp if fluctuating.

Make yourself a jig to pull the mold across while casting. First find how close or far you need to be.

I could go into more but you would be better going on the http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php website. They know way more than I do.

block of 2x4 is what I use to keep my mold the right height the nice part is once you find what works for you all the lee molds are the same height

yes it is black from the heat of molten lead dripping on it but lead doesn't stick to it

[/quote]

Find yourself a piece of dry wood about an inch by a foot or so. Use that to stir the pot with your flux. The stick acts to flux the lead on the bottom of the pot.

After I break the spur, I put the spur back in the pot.

The small pot is why your temp if fluctuating.

Make yourself a jig to pull the mold across while casting. First find how close or far you need to be.

I could go into more but you would be better going on the http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php website. They know way more than I do. [/quote]
Actually already on there posting lol. A little on the dead side lately but I'm looking at buying a PID controller from one of the members who makes and sells the over there.