What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
- Ranch Dog
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Re: What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
Cast my TLC313-150-RF design, an NOE mould, for the 7.62x39 and 303 British. Setup Friday morning and kept getting interruptions which eventually led to me shutting down until later in the day. I've posted pictures of my reloading room and benches but to show you I'm not a fancy guy, here is my casting bench!
I had a bench a dozen years ago, in my barn, and in that this is not a frequent endeavor and it always ended up collection odds and ends because of the lack of use, so I removed it. I have five different "carports" on my ranch, with electricity, and just select one that fits my needs. 95% of the time, any season, it is the entrance to my barn where I keep my truck parked. I can cut three panels out of my bench top, cut, so they are easy to store, and that is about all I need to get set up. I've also found the tailgate the right height for me and place the pot on a cinder block to get it higher.
I always have a nice view that makes the time more enjoyable and plenty of fresh air and a breeze to reduce the fume hazard. My dog's like it, they can keep track of me!
This session was the second run of the Hot Pot 2. I had a bunch of 303 British bullets from two different molds that were not going to work out. The bullets had been lubed with Ben's LL, so I did not want them in my casting pot. I started the Pro 4-20 with fresh 60/40 (linotype/wheel weights) alloy, but it did not take the Hot Pot very long to reduce 5 pounds unusable bullets to a fresh alloy. I believe it took four melts, poured it right into the 4-20. I see the Hot Pot 2 doing a lot of odd jobs for me and there is no setup, just plug and melt anywhere it is safe to do so.
That was Friday, so yesterday afternoon I installed the gas checks and ran them through a .314 Lee sizer. While I did that, I had my Lyman 4500 heating up White Label Lube's 2500+. These are tumble lube bullets (TLC313-150-RF), but people miss that they can be lubed on a traditional lubesizer. With a .314" die in the Lyman, I lubed them very quickly.
With my 60/40 linotype alloy the bullet drop a bit lighter than the design probability of152-grains, the sample lot had a very tight average of 146-grains. I have 250 completed bullets. This is about the largest size lot that I will work with now. I need twice that but will cast again in a couple of days. The linotype requires that gas checks be seated and sizing be done pronto. These bullets get hard quick.
I had a bench a dozen years ago, in my barn, and in that this is not a frequent endeavor and it always ended up collection odds and ends because of the lack of use, so I removed it. I have five different "carports" on my ranch, with electricity, and just select one that fits my needs. 95% of the time, any season, it is the entrance to my barn where I keep my truck parked. I can cut three panels out of my bench top, cut, so they are easy to store, and that is about all I need to get set up. I've also found the tailgate the right height for me and place the pot on a cinder block to get it higher.
I always have a nice view that makes the time more enjoyable and plenty of fresh air and a breeze to reduce the fume hazard. My dog's like it, they can keep track of me!
This session was the second run of the Hot Pot 2. I had a bunch of 303 British bullets from two different molds that were not going to work out. The bullets had been lubed with Ben's LL, so I did not want them in my casting pot. I started the Pro 4-20 with fresh 60/40 (linotype/wheel weights) alloy, but it did not take the Hot Pot very long to reduce 5 pounds unusable bullets to a fresh alloy. I believe it took four melts, poured it right into the 4-20. I see the Hot Pot 2 doing a lot of odd jobs for me and there is no setup, just plug and melt anywhere it is safe to do so.
That was Friday, so yesterday afternoon I installed the gas checks and ran them through a .314 Lee sizer. While I did that, I had my Lyman 4500 heating up White Label Lube's 2500+. These are tumble lube bullets (TLC313-150-RF), but people miss that they can be lubed on a traditional lubesizer. With a .314" die in the Lyman, I lubed them very quickly.
With my 60/40 linotype alloy the bullet drop a bit lighter than the design probability of152-grains, the sample lot had a very tight average of 146-grains. I have 250 completed bullets. This is about the largest size lot that I will work with now. I need twice that but will cast again in a couple of days. The linotype requires that gas checks be seated and sizing be done pronto. These bullets get hard quick.
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Michael
- akuser47
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Re: What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
I like it no need to worry about ventilation when nearly outside doing it.
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Re: What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
Some 308 150gn for the 30-30 after all deer season opens in 12 days.
An avid reloader is one poor sole
- Ranch Dog
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Re: What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
NOE TL452-234-RF for my Hi-Point 4595.
As a note, I did not have a single reject from the NOE mold. I do let the mold get hot as my alloy melts and is conditioned. Whether it be a Lee or NOE, I start casting one cavity at a time, adding another cavity only after getting a perfect bullet from the previous cavity. This session was perfect, from that first cavity cast, until the pot was empty, I never had a less than perfect bullet.
I also don't fiddle with the temperature of the pot anymore. I heat and prep my alloy with Lee's temperating control wide open. As I get the lead fluxed and mixed, I reduce the control position to 7½. I leave it there with the mold on top of the pot for about 15 minutes and then cast until I'm done. I do reflux and stir the pot about every ten minutes. When I do that, I wait after the stir until I hear the heat coil cycle before I start casting again. I probably haven't stuck a thermometer in the alloy in five years.
I love a hot alloy. I only cast with aluminum molds and if the bullets start sticking or get frosting, I cool the mold block for about three seconds by sitting it on a wetter than damp rag that I keep folded on the bench.
As a note, I did not have a single reject from the NOE mold. I do let the mold get hot as my alloy melts and is conditioned. Whether it be a Lee or NOE, I start casting one cavity at a time, adding another cavity only after getting a perfect bullet from the previous cavity. This session was perfect, from that first cavity cast, until the pot was empty, I never had a less than perfect bullet.
I also don't fiddle with the temperature of the pot anymore. I heat and prep my alloy with Lee's temperating control wide open. As I get the lead fluxed and mixed, I reduce the control position to 7½. I leave it there with the mold on top of the pot for about 15 minutes and then cast until I'm done. I do reflux and stir the pot about every ten minutes. When I do that, I wait after the stir until I hear the heat coil cycle before I start casting again. I probably haven't stuck a thermometer in the alloy in five years.
I love a hot alloy. I only cast with aluminum molds and if the bullets start sticking or get frosting, I cool the mold block for about three seconds by sitting it on a wetter than damp rag that I keep folded on the bench.
Michael
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Re: What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
Saturday Morning Cast a couple Hundred NOE 310-180 -FP
Yesterday Afternoon Seated the Alum.Gas Checks and Powder Coated...
Hopin to get some loaded and down a Barrel or Three this Weekend...
Yesterday Afternoon Seated the Alum.Gas Checks and Powder Coated...
Hopin to get some loaded and down a Barrel or Three this Weekend...
- RBHarter
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Re: What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
Had to use the old fixed temp 5# pot , but I poured a couple hundred H&G #130 and some Rapine 458201, a 196 gr .453 dia SWC for 45 ACP and a .459 dia 250 gr RNFP for 45-70 . Actually after looking it up it was probably an OM of the original Colts Colts bullet but I'm going to shoot it in the 45-70 .
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- Macd
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Re: What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
Count em. 189 Lee LH 309-150's. Checked and lubed with LLA twice. Standing them up with tweezers is always fun I also did a 10 pound pot of TL 452-230 2R for 45 ACP and Colt. The mold is 10 years old and throws a perfect bullet from the first cast. I preheat on a hotplate. Lead for both is WW plus a 12 inch length of 50/50 solder to aid in fill out.
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Re: What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
Some days you bite the bear and some days the bear bites you. It was one of those days. Brought out some molds I haven't used in a while. Two Lyman 44 from the 90's. The single cavity 429303 was doing fine then it started requiring a bit of muscle to open. Couldn't figure out why so set it aside to cool. The 2 cavity SWC with GC dropped a dozen or so decent bullets then started looking like it had oil on it. Cleaned it but I was throwing more back than I was keeping. Tried the Lee 300 gr 45 it seldom lets me down but it soon started dropping bullets with flanges on them, loose sprue plate I think but at that point I shut off the gas, cleaned up and called it done. Moon phase, that's my story and I sticking to it .
Make smoke,
Make smoke,
Curt.......makin' smoke and raising my carbon foot print one cartridge at a time
- Ranch Dog
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Re: What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
You did the right thing. I've had days like that, don't fight it, time for a nap.
Michael
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Re: What Bullet Casting Did You Do Today?
Cast up a bunch of the Lee 170 gr. RNFP bullets to shoot in my 30-06, an 30-30. I cast them from 50/50 with a bit of Tin and water quench out of the toaster oven after the powder coat cures.
Bullets coated with Smokes Super Clear ready to be placed on the tray.
Bullets are almost ready to go into the toaster as soon as I place a few more.
Cured bullets ready to go in the drink, then gas check and size before loading.
Bullets coated with Smokes Super Clear ready to be placed on the tray.
Bullets are almost ready to go into the toaster as soon as I place a few more.
Cured bullets ready to go in the drink, then gas check and size before loading.
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