first casting!!

guncheese · August 16, 2013, 07:54 PM

200 grain H&G #68 from a Lee 2 cavity, straight wheel weight
going to run them as cast
they are dropping at .453 or a smidge under, should be good to go!
and my special "Zombie Slick Boolit Loob"

Beagle333 · August 16, 2013, 10:19 PM

Nifty!!!! Them sure look a whole lot better than my first batch! Congrats!

That loob looks pretty wicked too.

GP100man · August 16, 2013, 10:21 PM

guncheese

They all look good except the 1 3rd from the left , 1 bad band & I still put em in the plinkin fodder, but 2 bad bands & you`re askin for trouble.

Gas fill follow the wrinkles & gas cut the boolit all the way down the barrel + exit the muzzle as a flyer.

The rest look very good for ya first cast.

As Beagle said , everybodys first is purtier than mine was !!

guncheese · August 16, 2013, 10:49 PM

ohh no not perfect or even good!
but im tickled to be casting instead of ordering and waiting

Mike / Tx · August 17, 2013, 05:26 AM

Hey Cheese,

Those look great, and I like the green lube as well....

Do you have a lead thermometer ? If you do, you might try running your alloy at around 675'ish, and with a little pre-heat on that mold you should have those great looking bullets falling if not from the get go, very close to it.

Don't ask me why, but when using straight WW alloy, from my 358-158 mold up through my 452-300, they all just seem to like that particular temp. If I get it up into the 700 degree range they start throwing out weird ones with a funky circle or wrinkle on the sides. (Still haven't figured out the circle thing.)

Also don't get too caught up in the having to smoke the cavities either. A few heating up and cooling off cycles followed by a scrub out with BonAmi or Comet will do wonders for them. Sometimes it takes a few cycles to get all of the cutting oil out of the pores of the aluminum. So if you find it pouring great one time, then the next time it throws nothing but junk, you'll know why.

I usually do a quick scrub out with an old tooth brush and as hot of water as will fall out of the faucet, each time I get ready to pour with them. Then I give them a lube up and set them on the hot plate to warm up.

Don't know if it helps or not, just something about being here in the balmy south right along the coast and knowing how this atmosphere is with oxidizing aluminum. Just makes me feel better knowing that IF there was any there I scrubbed it off before I started pouring. I don't mind having throw backs, but I like to get more usable bullets than ones I have to remelt.

guncheese · August 17, 2013, 05:03 PM

yo Mike
i tried out the 358-148 today
and it really took a bit to get it to fill
as i had dropped the pot temp a bit
dont have a thermometer for it
but i have a pretty good handle on the heat
was dropping well from the swc mold
but took awhile to get the 358 to start dropping well
cleaned it with brake clean and a q tip out of the box
but still took a bit
learn learn
experience experience experience

TheBear · August 17, 2013, 05:53 PM

nice bullets, i can remember my first batch...

GP100man is right, you shouldnt us bullets as damaged as the 1 3rd from the left.

August 16, 2013, 07:54 PM	#1
guncheese Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2013 Posts: 128	first casting!! 200 grain H&G #68 from a Lee 2 cavity, straight wheel weight going to run them as cast they are dropping at .453 or a smidge under, should be good to go! and my special "Zombie Slick Boolit Loob"

August 16, 2013, 10:19 PM	#2
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	Nifty!!!! Them sure look a whole lot better than my first batch! Congrats! That loob looks pretty wicked too. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

August 16, 2013, 10:21 PM	#3
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	guncheese They all look good except the 1 3rd from the left , 1 bad band & I still put em in the plinkin fodder, but 2 bad bands & you`re askin for trouble. Gas fill follow the wrinkles & gas cut the boolit all the way down the barrel + exit the muzzle as a flyer. The rest look very good for ya first cast. As Beagle said , everybodys first is purtier than mine was !! __________________ GP100man

August 17, 2013, 05:26 AM	#5
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	Hey Cheese, Those look great, and I like the green lube as well.... Do you have a lead thermometer ? If you do, you might try running your alloy at around 675'ish, and with a little pre-heat on that mold you should have those great looking bullets falling if not from the get go, very close to it. Don't ask me why, but when using straight WW alloy, from my 358-158 mold up through my 452-300, they all just seem to like that particular temp. If I get it up into the 700 degree range they start throwing out weird ones with a funky circle or wrinkle on the sides. (Still haven't figured out the circle thing.) Also don't get too caught up in the having to smoke the cavities either. A few heating up and cooling off cycles followed by a scrub out with BonAmi or Comet will do wonders for them. Sometimes it takes a few cycles to get all of the cutting oil out of the pores of the aluminum. So if you find it pouring great one time, then the next time it throws nothing but junk, you'll know why. I usually do a quick scrub out with an old tooth brush and as hot of water as will fall out of the faucet, each time I get ready to pour with them. Then I give them a lube up and set them on the hot plate to warm up. Don't know if it helps or not, just something about being here in the balmy south right along the coast and knowing how this atmosphere is with oxidizing aluminum. Just makes me feel better knowing that IF there was any there I scrubbed it off before I started pouring. I don't mind having throw backs, but I like to get more usable bullets than ones I have to remelt. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

August 16, 2013, 10:49 PM	#4
guncheese Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2013 Posts: 128	ohh no not perfect or even good! but im tickled to be casting instead of ordering and waiting

August 17, 2013, 05:03 PM	#6
guncheese Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2013 Posts: 128	yo Mike i tried out the 358-148 today and it really took a bit to get it to fill as i had dropped the pot temp a bit dont have a thermometer for it but i have a pretty good handle on the heat was dropping well from the swc mold but took awhile to get the 358 to start dropping well cleaned it with brake clean and a q tip out of the box but still took a bit learn learn experience experience experience

August 17, 2013, 05:53 PM	#7
TheBear Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2011 Posts: 303	nice bullets, i can remember my first batch... GP100man is right, you shouldnt us bullets as damaged as the 1 3rd from the left.