A bit of casting

[Ohio3Wheels]

It was a decent day last Saturday, the temperature was comfortable enough to have on long sleeves and to sit around the pot while the alloy melted. Besides I needed boolits for the 40-65. I use my turkey fryer burner and an old 3 quart cast iron pot and a dipper. Two and a half hours later this was the result.

boolits2.jpg

Got some work to do on the Lee 452252, boolits are really ugly. Going to tearit down and get is on the surface plate see i can figure out what's going on.

Make smoke,

[donhuff]

I have had bullets do that several times while casting. It has always been that I had tightened the sprue plate screw down a little to tight. That tends to tilt the plate up off of the blocks and make a big flange like yours. Sometimes just the action of opening and closing the plate, will self tighten the screw, if the set screw has loosened to much.

Try loosening the plate screw, and see if it doesn't sit over the holes better.

I use that 405 grain lee in my Rio 45-70. It shoot really well.

[NavyDoc76-80]

Casting is on my bucket list, they sure look good Ohio, i like the simpicity of your cast iron pot over the lp gas flame.

[donhuff]

You need to do it doc. It add a whole other dimension to your reloading, and will make you even more proud of your homemade ammo.

I did the open pot and dipper for 20+ years. I had tried a Lyman pot that I acquired of and on through those years, with limited success. But then one day it all started working better and now I am a furnace into mold only guy. The thing that really made the difference was that I added about a 1/4 length of lead free solder (ie tin). Wow what a difference it makes. Now the cavietys fill out and make perfect bullets so much easier.

It looks like you could try that too Ohio. Those 45s look to have rounded edges, and the tin will make em fill out nice and sharp. I tend to cast hot to so my bullets are usually frosted. That doesn't bother me though and it seems to make my powder coat stick a little better.

[Ohio3Wheels]

Used to have an old Lyman that I got second hand. The thermostat and the element went south and Lyman wouldn't sell me part to do the fix and as I recall want significant labor to do it in addition to parts and shipping. I've got a small 2nd hand Lee that I need to get out and try to work on the spout, it leaks.

The Wizard likes the 405 with both Black and white powders. So i cant complain too much about it and the mold throws good boolits once I get it hot and get my rhythm established.

Got some time this even so will take a look at the mold and see what I can figure out.

Make smoke,

[donhuff]

I think they all leak!

I can stop mine for a little while, then it starts back. I give the pin a good whop with my mallet every now and then. That seems to do as much good as anything.

As cheap as the Lee's are, if I had one and it gave trouble, I think I'd just throw it away and get another one. After you've cast a few thousand, it has more than paid for itself and your molds.

My problem with the big bullet molds is getting them to hot, and having to wait for them to cool off a little. Course I have been known to dunk them real quick into my 5 gallon quenching bucket.

Do your self a favor and try an NOE mold. They are very nice!

[NavyDoc76-80]

I've got a question, for a long time I have tried to make sense of the letters after a mold number, the letters RF is always part of the size i.e.: xxx-xxx RF, what does it mean?

[donhuff]

round flat

the letters always describe the style of nose that the bullet has.

[Ranch Dog]

Mold/design designations differ between manufacturers as there is not any type of industry stsndard.

[NavyDoc76-80]

Thanks Don, i had considered that in the realm of possibilities but when it "RF" kept appearing over and over i thought it must mean something else. Well, i can tell you with some certainty, that the round flat is the most discussed and used profile i have seen.