Hot Cast Bullets!

[TXGunNut]

Today I finally got off my butt and cast some much needed BPCR bullets. Only problem is it's just a hair shy of 100 under my carport! Nice thing is that the pot didn't seem to take long to get up to temp but I'll have to wait until after sundown to gather up my shiny bullets. ;)
Only second attempt, things went a lot smoother and reject rate should be lower. Hoping to net 110-120 after weight checks. Have 140+ that passed visual inspection.
Got a source of WW's last week, maybe I'll be casting for my 45 Colt soon.

[DiscoRacing]

Good Luck...Congrats on the fun so far... I have a loading shack that I cast in... but usually wait till after the weather temp drops near freezing...then cast all winter for the following season.

[TXGunNut]

I'll build a workshop someday. A smooth concrete floor and some steel walls would make lots of my projects a bit easier.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

One hint: when casting, try not to inspect the bullets immediately after dropping them from the mold. Keep casting and keep that mold hot. Inspect after you are done casting. Sometimes beginners get too caught up looking at their bullets and their mold cools down between casts and they can't figure out why their bullets are all wrinkled and have poor fill out... :D

Good luck!

[armoredman]

Yep, I sort after I am done, then toss rejects in to melt next time. I cast in my garage here in AZ heat, but I do it at 630AM! In an hour or so, I can get a hundred+, and then clean up before the sun hits the garage roof directly. I am low volume, maybe 100-150 per session, but it really takes very little setup and cleanup, and I have fun doing it.:)

[riverwalker76]

At least you were able to tolerate the heat! This summer has held nothing shy of 95 degrees for us here, and I just have a 40' X 60' metal shop to cast in! It's like a big metal oven. If the heat index is 105 outside ... it feels like 125 inside my shop!

I did do some smelting of wheel weights a few weeks ago under a big oak tree out back, but I still had a big fan behind me keeping me cool.

I'm afraid it will be Fall before I am able to do any casting if this heat keeps up.

[GP100man]

But I have an insashable need to look at my silver nuggets !!!!!:D:D

[TXGunNut]

Good point, ICH. I usually check them after pouring the next bullet. Like GP100man I love looking @ my shiny bullets. The first several had bad bases but only had a few culls, usually after adding lead. Weight checks only culled out a bit over 10% and I still netted 150 good bullets!
Didn't tolerate the heat too well, cancelled my range trip for today.:( Was too late by the time I was in any shape to go.

[GP100man]

Just set da mold in the sunshine to preheat !!:rolleyes:

Really though be careful fellers ,the heat index will sneak up on ya qwik .

Humidity runs 90% here all da time , & fans drive my lee pots thermostat crazy !!!!

[TXGunNut]

Pretty close, GP100man! I had to move the table under the carport for survival purposes so I had to use the pot for preheating. Nice breeze thru there so no fan needed.

[GP100man]

TXGunNut

I`ve been rereading & to help ya bases fill out at a lower alloy temp is to let the melt build up & make a big sprue on the top , it also keeps better positive pressure on the alloy as it hardens .

Some people strive for frosty bullets , but to my micrometer the frosty 1s are .0005 lesser in dia.

[TXGunNut]

Good point about the sprue/base relationship. Makes sense, hadn't noticed it. Thanks! I'm trying to be more consistent on sprues and ladle fill levels. I back off on the pot heat and/or cool my mould @ the first sign of frost. I like shiny boolits!

[m&p45acp10+1]

I am a fellow Texan, and home caster. I melted down a bucket full of WW today. I did it early this morning outside shortly after dawn. I have a well ventilated inside airconditioned area that I cast my bullets in when it gets hot here. I do my melt down of the WW outside cuz they smoke, and the smell that comes off them would leave the inside area smelling like the burnout box at the drag strip.