Author Topic: Casting Bullets  (Read 825 times)

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Offline Lead pot

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Casting Bullets
« on: January 15, 2003, 12:02:59 PM »
:D Hi All.
I have been reading a lot of posts here and elsware new casters asking "how to".
This is the way I do it,(Right or wrong it workes for me).
I read from a lot of people that you cant bottom pour a large 500 gr + bullet.I myself like to pour with a ladle but I use boath.
The trick is getting the proper temperature and lead flow when casting eather way.This is my way.
I hold the mould block right tight against the nipple with a slow flow of lead,thhe lead will seap out a little but just hold it for 2 to 3 seconds longer without droping the mould the reason I do that is you will have a little head presure from the weight of the lead pushing on the soup forsing what I call the fill.It will push the soup right into the vent grooves in the block.I have pictures posted were you can see. http://www.msnusers.com/leadpot and look at the cast pictures.Now to get to that point the temperature has to be proper I dont have a set temp and I dont stick the thermometer in the soup untill I see the lead in the vents then I check the temp for that alloy and mould I'm using and record that. some moulds like the temp higher or lower.  this pour with the bullets I have posted the mix is 35-1 lead tin the temp was 760 deg.
When the alloy starts to show sign of crystals your soup is getting to hot and you might get some lead smear in the bore the lead and tin is starting to seperate(I think dont know for sure) gut I notice lead smear in my bore when I get my lead to hot.
The bullets in the picture are left to right .408 410 gr from a Steve Brooks mould I had him make with extra wide lube grooves.The center is a .458 Lyman postell notice the tool markes,the one on the right is a Brooks like the otherone but that is a 40-1 lead tin mix notice how well they fill. The brooks are a fine lathe bored mould and they fly good.I hope this will help you new would be casters get started. Remember you cant take any shortcuts and get in a hurry.If the bullet looks bad it will fly bad.  Lp.
Dont go were the path leads,go were there is no path and leave a trail.

Offline Mason Stillwell

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Casting Bullets
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2003, 05:24:33 PM »
That is some very good information.
Thanks for posting it.
Pete
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