IMPORTANT NOTE: I did already create a thread on Cast Boolits, since everyone seems to refer casting questions there. However I frequent this forum a lot more, and was looking for input from people here and hoping to help give a little life to the casting section here.
Well I cast my first batch of test bullets today. Thought I would relate my story of starting up and was hoping for input on ways to dial things in.
The lead
Is repurposed bullets at about 13bhn. The short version is I had a LARGE batch factory coated cast lead bullets (120lb ish) that were leaving heavy deposits of lead and bullet coating in the barrels after only 50rnds. I could not fix the issue after much testing and decided to repurpose the lead. Its a LONG story and I would rather not go down the rabbit trail again.
Cleaning it up
I got a small stainless sauce pan, and used my single burner camping stove with the green propane tanks and melted down bout 6lb at a time as more than that was too hard to pour. I have been able to melt down about 45lb so far. I got a Lee ingot mold. It was cheap, and I figured having 1/2 bar slots for making my own alloys down the road would be helpful. In retrospect getting the lyman 4x1 lb ingot mold would have been better. I have been heating it up in the sauce pan at full blast until it all melts then backing off the gas. while it was cooling a little I was scooping the bullet coatings off the top. Then I fluxed using the frankford flux to get the last of the crud out. I know there are other options, but it was cheap and does a long way. The lead pours fine in a single pour but leaves ripples in the ingots. it generally cools in 10-20 seconds. I figures since it is just going to get re-melted later the ripples are fine.
Casting
I got the Lee Pro 4, 20lb furnace, because it was cheap. I also got lee molds, because they are cheap and I am learning. I got a 125g round nose for 9mm, and a 158g wide flat nose for 38/357. I am hoping to get custom molds eventually but I want to get my technique down first. The only critique I have for the furnace is that the adjustment for the pour speed needs a lock nut as it moves when you pour. I started out with just 3lb. I set the furnace to 5, figuring I would let it warm up all the way and pour. However it was set too low. The bullets had lots of layer lines. and the lines from the mold were not clean. I had the molds on top of the furnace to pre-heat. I ended up turning it up to 9 and then backing it down. Around 7 1/4 ended up being the sweet spot. the bullets were clean and the edges were crisp. at 7 1/2 the bullets were frosting. at 7 the bullets were fairly crisp but there were some layer lines.
Sizing
I am planning to try sizing tomorrow. This is one of the things I am still learning about. How long should I wait after casting to size? I have heard if I size too soon and the lead has not reached even hardness it might end up under sized due to not spring back as much? For now this is a test batch and I am going to measure some as cast and size tomorrow.
I have a LEE app press and got the sizing kit and punches. For .357 I will be sizing at .359 (based on my cylinder size) and 9mm will be a .357. Hoping to set it up and try sizing tomorrow.
everything was done outside, and there was a light breeze.
So a few questions
Frost on bullets
From what I understand this means the lead or mold were too hot when pouring, is this right? Also does it effect the bullets in any way other than cosmetics?
water dropping
We cooled a few of the bullets in water so we could look at the, better right after casting. As I understand it this can harden the bullets. My basic understanding is that air cooled bullets start out a touch soft then evenly harden to where they started. Water cooled bullets harden and get much harder than air cooled but soften some over the next few days. But I dont understand the specifics. How much harder is a water cooled bullet? will it soften to its original hardness, or once it settles will it still be harder than air cooled. starting out at 13bhn. I understand this is not an exact science, just trying to get a ballpark idea. I plan to air cool the majority of my bullets, but am considering water dropping the ones for my full power 357 loads.
sizing
the bullets seemed to go through fine however I'm seeing a couple things I don't understand
1. streaks on the bullets. the sizing process is leaving lines down the sides of the bullets, is this normal or do I need to be fixing something?
2. the bullets are not sized all the way around. there are some spots on the sides that look like they were not touched by the sizer
3. some of the ogive is getting sized. is this normal, seems a touch odd and does not look the best.
lubing
seemed to go ok as near as I can tell, but I may have put too much lube on. had a couple questions.
1. the instructions say wax paper. will using foil be a problem for now or will it stick and pull buts of foil off
2. did I use too much lube?
3. how thick is the lube supposed to be. it was like a THICK grease. did not want to come out of the bottle
This is where I am now. I know I still have a good bit to learn. What can I do better?
Well I cast my first batch of test bullets today. Thought I would relate my story of starting up and was hoping for input on ways to dial things in.
The lead
Is repurposed bullets at about 13bhn. The short version is I had a LARGE batch factory coated cast lead bullets (120lb ish) that were leaving heavy deposits of lead and bullet coating in the barrels after only 50rnds. I could not fix the issue after much testing and decided to repurpose the lead. Its a LONG story and I would rather not go down the rabbit trail again.
Cleaning it up
I got a small stainless sauce pan, and used my single burner camping stove with the green propane tanks and melted down bout 6lb at a time as more than that was too hard to pour. I have been able to melt down about 45lb so far. I got a Lee ingot mold. It was cheap, and I figured having 1/2 bar slots for making my own alloys down the road would be helpful. In retrospect getting the lyman 4x1 lb ingot mold would have been better. I have been heating it up in the sauce pan at full blast until it all melts then backing off the gas. while it was cooling a little I was scooping the bullet coatings off the top. Then I fluxed using the frankford flux to get the last of the crud out. I know there are other options, but it was cheap and does a long way. The lead pours fine in a single pour but leaves ripples in the ingots. it generally cools in 10-20 seconds. I figures since it is just going to get re-melted later the ripples are fine.
Casting
I got the Lee Pro 4, 20lb furnace, because it was cheap. I also got lee molds, because they are cheap and I am learning. I got a 125g round nose for 9mm, and a 158g wide flat nose for 38/357. I am hoping to get custom molds eventually but I want to get my technique down first. The only critique I have for the furnace is that the adjustment for the pour speed needs a lock nut as it moves when you pour. I started out with just 3lb. I set the furnace to 5, figuring I would let it warm up all the way and pour. However it was set too low. The bullets had lots of layer lines. and the lines from the mold were not clean. I had the molds on top of the furnace to pre-heat. I ended up turning it up to 9 and then backing it down. Around 7 1/4 ended up being the sweet spot. the bullets were clean and the edges were crisp. at 7 1/2 the bullets were frosting. at 7 the bullets were fairly crisp but there were some layer lines.
Sizing
I am planning to try sizing tomorrow. This is one of the things I am still learning about. How long should I wait after casting to size? I have heard if I size too soon and the lead has not reached even hardness it might end up under sized due to not spring back as much? For now this is a test batch and I am going to measure some as cast and size tomorrow.
I have a LEE app press and got the sizing kit and punches. For .357 I will be sizing at .359 (based on my cylinder size) and 9mm will be a .357. Hoping to set it up and try sizing tomorrow.
everything was done outside, and there was a light breeze.
So a few questions
Frost on bullets
From what I understand this means the lead or mold were too hot when pouring, is this right? Also does it effect the bullets in any way other than cosmetics?
water dropping
We cooled a few of the bullets in water so we could look at the, better right after casting. As I understand it this can harden the bullets. My basic understanding is that air cooled bullets start out a touch soft then evenly harden to where they started. Water cooled bullets harden and get much harder than air cooled but soften some over the next few days. But I dont understand the specifics. How much harder is a water cooled bullet? will it soften to its original hardness, or once it settles will it still be harder than air cooled. starting out at 13bhn. I understand this is not an exact science, just trying to get a ballpark idea. I plan to air cool the majority of my bullets, but am considering water dropping the ones for my full power 357 loads.
sizing
the bullets seemed to go through fine however I'm seeing a couple things I don't understand
1. streaks on the bullets. the sizing process is leaving lines down the sides of the bullets, is this normal or do I need to be fixing something?
2. the bullets are not sized all the way around. there are some spots on the sides that look like they were not touched by the sizer
3. some of the ogive is getting sized. is this normal, seems a touch odd and does not look the best.
lubing
seemed to go ok as near as I can tell, but I may have put too much lube on. had a couple questions.
1. the instructions say wax paper. will using foil be a problem for now or will it stick and pull buts of foil off
2. did I use too much lube?
3. how thick is the lube supposed to be. it was like a THICK grease. did not want to come out of the bottle
This is where I am now. I know I still have a good bit to learn. What can I do better?