Poured a few for testing

Mike / Tx · February 18, 2016, 09:29 PM

Well sort of,

I didn't want to take away from the beauty of LAH's great casting so I thought I would just post up another parade of pictures...

So I was playing with a few different molds this evening just for kicks and to unwind a bit. One of them was a new to me buckshot mold. I have to tell you I will have to play with this one a bit for sure and certain, just doesn't want to breath/vent or fill worth a hoot. I didn't spend much time with it,

The grandkids might like some slingshot ammo though..HMMM don't think so...

So then I grabbed up a MP 359-125 that I got for the 9mm. I used the cup and large HP pins so I got two of each with each throw. I REALLY like this bullet and it shoots OHHH so good.

Ok close up,,,

Mike / Tx · February 18, 2016, 09:33 PM

Ok so here is the one I touched base with ol Beagle about. It is the NOE 453 230 RF with the HP pins in it.

Like I mentioned it is probably for the 45 Colt, but I will be running it out of my 1911. It should work a bit better than the MP 452640 which is around the 260gr mark with my alloy, but it hits with authority ...

But these are simply to do a little load testing with so I didn't go all gotta have perfection on them. If they shoot worth a hoot in the 1911, then I will adjust things and get them dropping out with no weird looking lines here and there. But for simply heating up what was left in the pot from a week or so ago and trying out a mold I haven't used before I think they turned out usable anyway.

hartcreek · February 19, 2016, 12:13 AM

Post a photo or two of your buckshot mold so we can take a look to see what you are doing wrong. I can see that you tried to cast them and the mold was not warm enough but it kinda looks like something is not right with your sprue plate also.

I too cast buck shot but my smallist is .36.

You can see on some of your .45 striations so I ma thinking that you need a but more heat and or are wobbling the mold under the lead stream.or the stream is strisling a bit.

Mike / Tx · February 19, 2016, 05:22 AM

Heart,

Those shot are the pile of good ones...

Yep I'm sure I wasn't anywhere near where I should have been heat wise. I got it to pouring a couple just about the time the wife came back and called me to supper. Unfortunately we weren't going over to Beagles, and I had to settle for a pork chop.

I have a hot plate I use for pre-heating my molds. I have used the big cavity Lee and other type molds on it and have a couple of marks on where they like to be set to be ready to dump good bullets from the get go. That takes time to sit and adjust until you hit the right temp. I just set it to the top mark and when the light went out I went to pouring. This one is brand new just pulled it out of the box and cleaned it up sometime earlier this week.

The alloy was at 745 to start with but I bumped it up to 765 and went from there. I tried several things while piddling with the buck mold after supper, and seemed ti find that if I just shoved the sprue plate up tight to the nozzle on the pot, it loaded up just fine. It's just the first time I have even use the mold. I know it was hot enough the second time after supper as when I opened it I sometimes still had molten lead swimming around in there when a cavity didn't fully fill. I'm not overly upset though, I have had close to 50# worth of 00 buck sitting in bags in a cabinet for nearly 20yrs and haven't loaded the first round yet. These will mainly be for lighter loads for those who don't like the recoil of a full tilt one.

The NOE's, similar situation. I had it sitting on top of the plate and it didn't seem to warm up as well as the others do having those hinged pins on the bottom of it. After getting some cast through it though it warmed up. I think there is still a little tweaking to be done on the pre-heat, and finding the right temp for the alloy as well.

But this was just a what the heck lets see what these do sort of thing. Once I sit down with an actual full pot of alloy on a weekend morning and dedicate the time to them both I am sure they will be popping out some right nice fodder for target and field use. I will be giving a friend those seen here and will be pouring up some more for me next week sometime. He was looking for something with a bit more weight than the MP 200gr HP's and I remembered having this one so figured I would give it a whirl.

It's all good, and I will certainly post up if things don't get working with that buck mold.

hartcreek · February 19, 2016, 05:38 AM

Your source of lead do you have any sheet lead? I saved a piece of lead roof flashing and I cover the top of my Lee bottom pour pots to get them to heat up faster and to stay hotter when I need them to.

Beagle333 · February 19, 2016, 07:19 PM

I'm gettin' way behind in the pitcher department.

I gotta make myself get out to the shed and melt a few!

Mike / Tx · February 20, 2016, 06:18 AM

Heart,

Not long ago I stripped my Lee pot down and replaced the pot, stem, and seat. While I had it apart, and before I put the outer skin on it, I wrapped the outsides and bottom of it with some 1/4" ceramic wool we use on our boilers that is good to 2100 degrees.

I had the issue your referring to before that, whee even a small fan would coll it down pretty quick. Now though it hold heat VERY well.

I just think the main issues with that BS mold are that it was brand new, and that particular alloy isn't just right for it. I'll be experiementing with it in the weeks to come for sure. I like a good challenge, well as long as it doesn't involve too much agrivation anyway.

February 19, 2016, 05:22 AM	#4
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	Heart, Those shot are the pile of good ones... Yep I'm sure I wasn't anywhere near where I should have been heat wise. I got it to pouring a couple just about the time the wife came back and called me to supper. Unfortunately we weren't going over to Beagles, and I had to settle for a pork chop. I have a hot plate I use for pre-heating my molds. I have used the big cavity Lee and other type molds on it and have a couple of marks on where they like to be set to be ready to dump good bullets from the get go. That takes time to sit and adjust until you hit the right temp. I just set it to the top mark and when the light went out I went to pouring. This one is brand new just pulled it out of the box and cleaned it up sometime earlier this week. The alloy was at 745 to start with but I bumped it up to 765 and went from there. I tried several things while piddling with the buck mold after supper, and seemed ti find that if I just shoved the sprue plate up tight to the nozzle on the pot, it loaded up just fine. It's just the first time I have even use the mold. I know it was hot enough the second time after supper as when I opened it I sometimes still had molten lead swimming around in there when a cavity didn't fully fill. I'm not overly upset though, I have had close to 50# worth of 00 buck sitting in bags in a cabinet for nearly 20yrs and haven't loaded the first round yet. These will mainly be for lighter loads for those who don't like the recoil of a full tilt one. The NOE's, similar situation. I had it sitting on top of the plate and it didn't seem to warm up as well as the others do having those hinged pins on the bottom of it. After getting some cast through it though it warmed up. I think there is still a little tweaking to be done on the pre-heat, and finding the right temp for the alloy as well. But this was just a what the heck lets see what these do sort of thing. Once I sit down with an actual full pot of alloy on a weekend morning and dedicate the time to them both I am sure they will be popping out some right nice fodder for target and field use. I will be giving a friend those seen here and will be pouring up some more for me next week sometime. He was looking for something with a bit more weight than the MP 200gr HP's and I remembered having this one so figured I would give it a whirl. It's all good, and I will certainly post up if things don't get working with that buck mold. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

February 19, 2016, 07:19 PM	#6
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	I like seeing fresh bullets! I'm gettin' way behind in the pitcher department. I gotta make myself get out to the shed and melt a few! __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

February 20, 2016, 06:18 AM	#7
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	Heart, Not long ago I stripped my Lee pot down and replaced the pot, stem, and seat. While I had it apart, and before I put the outer skin on it, I wrapped the outsides and bottom of it with some 1/4" ceramic wool we use on our boilers that is good to 2100 degrees. I had the issue your referring to before that, whee even a small fan would coll it down pretty quick. Now though it hold heat VERY well. I just think the main issues with that BS mold are that it was brand new, and that particular alloy isn't just right for it. I'll be experiementing with it in the weeks to come for sure. I like a good challenge, well as long as it doesn't involve too much agrivation anyway. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

February 19, 2016, 12:13 AM	#3
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	Post a photo or two of your buckshot mold so we can take a look to see what you are doing wrong. I can see that you tried to cast them and the mold was not warm enough but it kinda looks like something is not right with your sprue plate also. I too cast buck shot but my smallist is .36. You can see on some of your .45 striations so I ma thinking that you need a but more heat and or are wobbling the mold under the lead stream.or the stream is strisling a bit.

February 19, 2016, 05:38 AM	#5
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	Your source of lead do you have any sheet lead? I saved a piece of lead roof flashing and I cover the top of my Lee bottom pour pots to get them to heat up faster and to stay hotter when I need them to.