|
|
Post by tullymars on Nov 7, 2023 19:32:37 GMT -5
I'm still really new at bullet casting but have been happy with my results up to now. Recently bought a second or maybe third hand Lee 6 cavity .44 mold. I think it was a special run or a Ranch Dog copy of the Lyman 429421. The thing turns out pretty bullets but I'm getting a large weight difference. Weights run from 260 gr. all the way up to 269 gr. I ladle pour so my cadence may be whats causing the weights to vary.
My concern is will I be ok loading, say the Skeeter load with that much difference or should I sort them to a more consistent weight?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2023 20:12:42 GMT -5
You shouldnt have a problem. Are you running the mold cooler at first then getting hotter as you go? Hotter metal makes heavier bullets from my experience. If you are getting 10gr variance from each pour, your mold is probably the bigger issue. I shoot same powder charges for 260 and 285gr slugs. You should find bullets cast hotter to be larger diameter as well. I shoot mostly range scrap. I only use MP molds now. I like my variations to be within a couple grains. Im not an expert and most of my bullets end up in the dirt. But ive been happy with my developments.
You should test some. The heavy ones might make shot string variations at longer range. Close up, you probably not notice enough to matter.
|
|
|
|
Post by tullymars on Nov 7, 2023 20:59:22 GMT -5
You shouldnt have a problem. Are you running the mold cooler at first then getting hotter as you go? Hotter metal makes heavier bullets from my experience. If you are getting 10gr variance from each pour, your mold is probably the bigger issue. I shoot same powder charges for 260 and 285gr slugs. You should find bullets cast hotter to be larger diameter as well. I shoot mostly range scrap. I only use MP molds now. I like my variations to be within a couple grains. Im not an expert and most of my bullets end up in the dirt. But ive been happy with my developments. You should test some. The heavy ones might make shot string variations at longer range. Close up, you probably not notice enough to matter. I kinda thought I was the weak link in the equation. My other molds are all 2 cav. and I've never seen this much difference in weight. This was my first time casting with this mold and pouring 6 cavities, I was probably rushing things and I know I wasn't paying close attention to the temp. of the mold or the pot. Thanks for the feedback. |
|
Fowler
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 3,671
|
Post by Fowler on Nov 7, 2023 21:49:31 GMT -5
I ladle pour myself, I get way smaller variance ladle pouring over bottom pour pots but I seem to be the exception there.
I personally don’t worry about bullet variances until I have cast a couple pots of bullets with the mold. It needs to be seasoned some, burn off any cutting oils from production (even well cleaned I seem to always have streaky bullets till everything burns off), have the mold heat up and cool down cycle a few times before it starts to behave.
Then as others said mold temps make big changes. I try and keep pace so my bullets are just starting to frost. If the bullets are bright silver the mold needs to be cast with a touch quicker pace, completely frosted bullets mean you are casting a bit too quick. Each mold requires a little different pace but the mold will tell you the pace to cast at. Hard to cast with a 2 cavity alum mold and a 6 cavity at the same time, one over heats and the other struggles to stay warm.
YMMV
|
|
|
|
Post by tullymars on Nov 8, 2023 10:20:50 GMT -5
I ladle pour myself, I get way smaller variance ladle pouring over bottom pour pots but I seem to be the exception there. I personally don’t worry about bullet variances until I have cast a couple pots of bullets with the mold. It needs to be seasoned some, burn off any cutting oils from production (even well cleaned I seem to always have streaky bullets till everything burns off), have the mold heat up and cool down cycle a few times before it starts to behave. Then as others said mold temps make big changes. I try and keep pace so my bullets are just starting to frost. If the bullets are bright silver the mold needs to be cast with a touch quicker pace, completely frosted bullets mean you are casting a bit too quick. Each mold requires a little different pace but the mold will tell you the pace to cast at. Hard to cast with a 2 cavity alum mold and a 6 cavity at the same time, one over heats and the other struggles to stay warm. YMMV Thanks for all the advice guys. I got this particular mold at a decent price even for a Lee mold. It had some issues but most of the problem seems to be me a far as the bullet weights. I'll fire it up again when we have some more cool weather and give it another go. Again thanks for the tips. |
|
gnappi
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,611
|
Post by gnappi on Nov 8, 2023 14:04:17 GMT -5
I too don't worry about weight variability since I don't load balls-to-the-wall barn burners because at or near max in load data in the tables is sufficient for me. After powder coating I weigh the heaviest and work up loads to it but generally ~10-12 grains is the largest variability I get. Now if I see a hole where I cut the sprue I toss it back in the furnace.
|
|
|
|
Post by LeverGunner on Nov 8, 2023 21:52:29 GMT -5
Nine grains is a heck of a variation. I would expect 3-4 grains maybe. Still I'd likely shoot them for plinking without sorting them. I would however want to get them more consistent with subsequent casting sessions. When working with a 6 cavity mould, you can warm it up by casting only 1-2 cavities a while when you start. Which bullet is it? I'm fond of the Ranch Dog 432-265-RF, I use it a lot in my Winchester 92 44 Magnum, and my Ruger Blackhawk 44 Special. |
|
|
|
Post by tullymars on Nov 8, 2023 22:13:18 GMT -5
Nine grains is a heck of a variation. I would expect 3-4 grains maybe. Still I'd likely shoot them for plinking without sorting them. I would however want to get them more consistent with subsequent casting sessions. When working with a 6 cavity mould, you can warm it up by casting only 1-2 cavities a while when you start. Which bullet is it? I'm fond of the Ranch Dog 432-265-RF, I use it a lot in my Winchester 92 44 Magnum, and my Ruger Blackhawk 44 Special. Nothing on the mold to identify it. The box says .44 Keith. It looks like and measures to the specs of the old Lyman/Ideal 429421 with a flat base ,square grease groove, and equal width driving bands just like Elmer designed. |
|
ideal
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 97
|
Post by ideal on Nov 8, 2023 22:20:14 GMT -5
I ladle pour myself, I get way smaller variance ladle pouring over bottom pour pots but I seem to be the exception there. I personally don’t worry about bullet variances until I have cast a couple pots of bullets with the mold. It needs to be seasoned some, burn off any cutting oils from production (even well cleaned I seem to always have streaky bullets till everything burns off), have the mold heat up and cool down cycle a few times before it starts to behave. Then as others said mold temps make big changes. I try and keep pace so my bullets are just starting to frost. If the bullets are bright silver the mold needs to be cast with a touch quicker pace, completely frosted bullets mean you are casting a bit too quick. Each mold requires a little different pace but the mold will tell you the pace to cast at. Hard to cast with a 2 cavity alum mold and a 6 cavity at the same time, one over heats and the other struggles to stay warm. YMMV I ladle cast the important bullets I make. Stuff like 9mm plinkers and such go bottom pour. I agree that the ladle reduces weight variations, at least for me. FWIW, I try to keep my weights within perhaps 2% of each other when ladle casting. On the other hand, when production is my goal I can really drain a pot in short order, especially with the really big moulds like my six and eight cavity SAECOs. Holy smoke! |
|
|
|
Post by LeverGunner on Nov 8, 2023 22:28:59 GMT -5
Nine grains is a heck of a variation. I would expect 3-4 grains maybe. Still I'd likely shoot them for plinking without sorting them. I would however want to get them more consistent with subsequent casting sessions. When working with a 6 cavity mould, you can warm it up by casting only 1-2 cavities a while when you start. Which bullet is it? I'm fond of the Ranch Dog 432-265-RF, I use it a lot in my Winchester 92 44 Magnum, and my Ruger Blackhawk 44 Special. Nothing on the mold to identify it. The box says .44 Keith. It looks like and measures to the specs of the old Lyman/Ideal 429421 with a flat base ,square grease groove, and equal width driving bands just like Elmer designed. I didn't know Lee ever made a Keith bullet. Thanks for sharing. Heck, I'd love to see a picture of it. |
|
|
|
Post by tullymars on Nov 9, 2023 9:12:44 GMT -5
I don’t have a clue how to post pictures but will text photos to anyone interested.
|
|
gnappi
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,611
|
Post by gnappi on Nov 9, 2023 9:44:24 GMT -5
Nine grains is a heck of a variation. I would expect 3-4 grains maybe. Still I'd likely shoot them for plinking without sorting them. I would however want to get them more consistent with subsequent casting sessions. When working with a 6 cavity mould, you can warm it up by casting only 1-2 cavities a while when you start. Which bullet is it? I'm fond of the Ranch Dog 432-265-RF, I use it a lot in my Winchester 92 44 Magnum, and my Ruger Blackhawk 44 Special. Nothing on the mold to identify it. The box says .44 Keith. It looks like and measures to the specs of the old Lyman/Ideal 429421 with a flat base ,square grease groove, and equal width driving bands just like Elmer designed. WOW! You can cast under +/- 2 grains? you're doing something I never discovered :-) |
|
ideal
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 97
|
Post by ideal on Nov 9, 2023 10:52:54 GMT -5
Nothing on the mold to identify it. The box says .44 Keith. It looks like and measures to the specs of the old Lyman/Ideal 429421 with a flat base ,square grease groove, and equal width driving bands just like Elmer designed. I didn't know Lee ever made a Keith bullet. Thanks for sharing. Heck, I'd love to see a picture of it. Back in the olden days before Miha, some of the guys on Cast Boolits would hold LEE group buys. As you might imagine, this is probably one of those moulds. The wait times on them were often lengthy and would commonly extend well past the estimated shipping date. Sometimes the quality was excellent, sometimes it was not so good. Those were heady days... we could order what we wanted! This predated Accurate and NOE as well (now I feel old!). Each group buy had a leader that handled all the communication with LEE, and also make the necessary payment arrangements. I think this is all by the wayside, but the group loader was known a "Honcho", and after a successful group buy their screen name was marked "I'm a Honcho" as a badge of honor of sorts. Some of you older guys may have seen this in the past. |
|
|
|
Post by tullymars on Nov 9, 2023 11:26:27 GMT -5
Yeah, more than likely one of those molds. It was pretty heavily used and had been smoked so much it looked like the inside of a BBQ grill. Once it was cleaned up it started throwing some nice looking bullets. I'm certainly not giving up on it, but will take more care in my next casting session.
I've got a couple of Miha's molds and they are unbelievably easy to cast with.
|
|
ideal
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 97
|
Post by ideal on Nov 9, 2023 21:58:38 GMT -5
Yeah, more than likely one of those molds. It was pretty heavily used and had been smoked so much it looked like the inside of a BBQ grill. Once it was cleaned up it started throwing some nice looking bullets. I'm certainly not giving up on it, but will take more care in my next casting session. I've got a couple of Miha's molds and they are unbelievably easy to cast with. Are you pre-heating your mould? That could make a difference in your weight variance too. How are the diameters? You may have mentioned this, but I could have missed it. |
|
