Today Was the Day

Take total control of your projectiles by casting your own!
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GasGuzzler
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Today Was the Day

Post by GasGuzzler »

I only weighed a few (157.1-157.4 still warm) but didn't mic them. I have a Lee sizer in .358. Hope the rifle likes them as much as the Blackhawk does. I've read some of these R92s like .359.

I bought the last of the Johnsnons liquid wax at my Home Depot recently and have made one batch of Ben's. I used it to "seal" some bullets I relubed after they were covered in powder from pulling them. That was back when I learned to make lube.

I have not tried the TL mold yet.

I figured the frosty ones were OK but I wanted to get it right the first try. After the lead and mold were hot I figured at pot setting and pace that worked well.
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Re: Today Was the Day

Post by Ohio3Wheels »

You done good!

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Re: Today Was the Day

Post by Maximumbob54 »

You are already off to a good start. First two things to add are a thermometer and a flat top hot plate:

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_in ... ucts_id=30



The lead thermometer will help you know just how hot your alloy like to be cast at and when you should dial it down before you start casting frosty bullets.

The hot plate with the solid flat top works best over the coil model. This is soooo much better at evenly warming the mold blocks than trying to prop them over the pot.

A nice to have but not critical option is the lube pen NOE is now carrying:

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_in ... ts_id=2376

What is critical is that you keep your mold lubed so you don't get galling and wear on the parts. This can be done with a cotton swab and some lube but the pen just makes it easier. I can grab the pen with the gloves and a few swipes of the lubed felt tip and I'm back to casting in less than a minute.
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Re: Today Was the Day

Post by GasGuzzler »

Aluminum mold is already scored where the sprue plate pivots. Sprue plate loosened up after it cooled.

I used a steel plate on top of my coiled element topped with a steel box to balance the mold while I set it down to fiddle.

Any suggestion is welcome.
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Re: Today Was the Day

Post by donhuff »

Ohio3, I'm with you on the frosted bullets. It don't bother me at all if they get frosted. And like you say, lube sticks better to the "frosting". But I powder coat so now the powder paint, sticks better, and hides the frosting so that nobody knows they were frosty in the first place ;)


GG, if you'll add about 4 ozs of lead free solder (tin) to a 10 lb batch. You will be surprised at how well the slugs will fill out. All the edges and corners will be as sharp as the they are in the cavities.
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Re: Today Was the Day

Post by GasGuzzler »

That mold has a gradual taper at the crimp groove. All the other edges are fairly sharp. I'm pretty happy with the results of fours hours of learning. I do have some gifted solder as well as some gifted straight tin Lyman ingots.

I'm horse trading to get components to build a PID controller. I'm skipping the $45 thermometer I didn't have to already make good bullets.
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