Finally got back out to the shed....

Beagle333 · June 10, 2017, 06:56 PM

I hobbled out to the shed today and fought off the red wasps and fired up the ol' pot. I had to build a new seat for my casting chair, as the danged squirrels had eaten my padded one! This'll do for now. At least I got to cast today. I made a nice pie pan full of .41 Keith bullets. The plan is to get out here earlier tomorrow and make some for the .44 and .45 before the sun heats up the shed again.

Chainsaw. · June 10, 2017, 11:00 PM

Very nice work. Look good as always!

Nice of you to let your tiller help too!

armoredman · June 11, 2017, 01:30 AM

Nice, great fillout - what alloy, if you don't mind?
Your casting chair is more high speed than mine - I have a home made stool with no back.

Beagle333 · June 11, 2017, 08:38 AM

Thanks!

Quote:

what alloy, if you don't mind?

10# clip-on wheel weights, 3.7 oz of tin (or pewter).

FrankenMauser · June 11, 2017, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Nice, great fillout

I was going to say the same thing.
I always have issues with sharp-cornered designs filling out properly unless I run really hot and drop super-frosty bullets.

But those SWCs look fantastic (w/ just a nice 'matte' frosting to make them more tactical

).

One of these days, I'll figure it out. I just bought a PID to help control temp better, so maybe that'll help.

Beagle333 · June 11, 2017, 03:10 PM

The PID is really nice. I'd have to say the mold oven to preheat the mold makes lots of difference as well. At least for the first 15-20 pours. I started off with the mold at 405° and the pot PID was at 730°.

Beagle333 · June 11, 2017, 08:23 PM

After I culled about a dozen, the first pan only made a little over 300, so I went back to the pot today and made another pan full. Now I feel happy about it.

I probably won't need to make any more of these this year.

Mike / Tx · June 12, 2017, 07:25 PM

Those look really nice. Throw some Carnuba Red or Blue in them and your ready to go. Those are way too nice to powder coat.

I went out Sunday a week ago and broke in my new MP 8 cavity 359135 with a 20# batch, then yesterday poured another 10# worth.

If everything goes right the three grandsons will be here for the summer next Saturday and I figured I'd get a head start on them.

Beagle333 · June 12, 2017, 08:48 PM

I'm going with the Carnauba blue for these. Haven't tried any of it yet, but I got a dozen sticks. These are the first bullets I have cast since he came out with it.

Wreck-n-Crew · June 14, 2017, 02:23 PM

Did you quit PC Beagle333? Pretty bullets BTW.

Beagle333 · June 14, 2017, 09:44 PM

Oh no, I didn't quit it. I just haven't cast in a year. (I got a bum leg that acts up now and again) Now that I'm back, you'll see some colored ones again. I haven't abandoned lube either. Usually the weather determines which I use. If it's too hot or raining, I can use the lubesizers indoors. I do the powdercoating all outside in the yard. 'Matter of fact, in the first pic, my compressor is sorta hidden behind the Pro-Melt (you can see the blue air hose) and you can see my powdercoating oven on the lower left.

Wreck-n-Crew · June 15, 2017, 05:23 AM

Good to hear your back at it...sorry bout the leg.

Beagle333 · July 3, 2017, 09:18 AM

I still do about as many with lube as I do in PC. It really just depends on the weather.

Beagle333 · July 7, 2017, 08:57 PM

IF it doesn't rain tomorrow, I'm going to try to get out there and sweat a bit in the casting shed. I got two new molds this week and I am baking them to get their cycling in. One is the MiHec .44 Terminator mold and the other is the NOE .45 Colt Keith SWC mold.
I usually just start casting with them, but I had some time tonight, so I thought I would cycle them a couple of times in the oven just to limber up the pins.

When I got this one out to install the pins today, I noticed that Miha includes 5 different pins now. Solid (flat point), cup, small HP, large HP and penta.
Sweet!!! That'll make a bunch of different bullets.

Also, the NOE mold comes with HP pins, as well as cup point and flat point (solid).
I love HP's. Options galore!! These will be for me. I gave away all of the .41's at the top of the thread, because.... well, I don't have a .41 caliber yet. I just have a .41 mold.

Oh.... and I am still using photobucket. So if these pics disappear, that's why. But it's working for now, so I'm still using it.

armoredman · July 8, 2017, 05:05 AM

Wow, what a selection! How fast and easy are they to use when doing HP? Never cast HP, wondered it is was worth trying to do so for hunting bullets.

Beagle333 · July 8, 2017, 08:25 AM

They are as fast, if not faster than solids, because you have to cast at a steady rate to keep the pins hot. If you fool around very much with the blocks open after dumping, the pins get cool and you'll get incomplete fillout on the noses. So you have to keep casting at a regular fast cadence and you'll get a pile of them soon. I do think that most folks believe that a wide meplat is preferable to a HP for a hunting bullet, because you can get good expansion and weight retention without having to have the perfect alloy, but of course that is always just an opinion of whoever is shooting them.
But to answer your question, if you learn a rhythm that will keep the pins hot, and cast with a good hot melt (I usually have the PID set 725°-740°), you can dump them just as fast as any other.

June 10, 2017, 06:56 PM	#1
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	Finally got back out to the shed.... I hobbled out to the shed today and fought off the red wasps and fired up the ol' pot. I had to build a new seat for my casting chair, as the danged squirrels had eaten my padded one! This'll do for now. At least I got to cast today. I made a nice pie pan full of .41 Keith bullets. The plan is to get out here earlier tomorrow and make some for the .44 and .45 before the sun heats up the shed again. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile. Last edited by Beagle333; June 10, 2017 at 07:03 PM.

June 10, 2017, 11:00 PM	#2
Chainsaw. Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2015 Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain. Posts: 1,774	Very nice work. Look good as always! Nice of you to let your tiller help too! __________________ Just shoot the damn thing.

June 11, 2017, 03:10 PM	#6
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	The PID is really nice. I'd have to say the mold oven to preheat the mold makes lots of difference as well. At least for the first 15-20 pours. I started off with the mold at 405° and the pot PID was at 730°. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

June 11, 2017, 08:23 PM	#7
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	After I culled about a dozen, the first pan only made a little over 300, so I went back to the pot today and made another pan full. Now I feel happy about it. I probably won't need to make any more of these this year. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

June 12, 2017, 07:25 PM	#8
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	Those look really nice. Throw some Carnuba Red or Blue in them and your ready to go. Those are way too nice to powder coat. I went out Sunday a week ago and broke in my new MP 8 cavity 359135 with a 20# batch, then yesterday poured another 10# worth. If everything goes right the three grandsons will be here for the summer next Saturday and I figured I'd get a head start on them. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX

June 11, 2017, 01:30 AM	#3
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,299	Nice, great fillout - what alloy, if you don't mind? Your casting chair is more high speed than mine - I have a home made stool with no back.

June 12, 2017, 08:48 PM	#9
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	I'm going with the Carnauba blue for these. Haven't tried any of it yet, but I got a dozen sticks. These are the first bullets I have cast since he came out with it. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile. Last edited by Beagle333; June 12, 2017 at 08:53 PM.

June 14, 2017, 02:23 PM	#10
Wreck-n-Crew Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,820	Did you quit PC Beagle333? Pretty bullets BTW. __________________ If you ever have to use a firearm, *you don't get to pick the scenario!*

June 14, 2017, 09:44 PM	#11
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	Oh no, I didn't quit it. I just haven't cast in a year. (I got a bum leg that acts up now and again) Now that I'm back, you'll see some colored ones again. I haven't abandoned lube either. Usually the weather determines which I use. If it's too hot or raining, I can use the lubesizers indoors. I do the powdercoating all outside in the yard. 'Matter of fact, in the first pic, my compressor is sorta hidden behind the Pro-Melt (you can see the blue air hose) and you can see my powdercoating oven on the lower left. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

June 15, 2017, 05:23 AM	#12
Wreck-n-Crew Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,820	Good to hear your back at it...sorry bout the leg. __________________ If you ever have to use a firearm, *you don't get to pick the scenario!*

July 3, 2017, 09:18 AM	#13
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	I still do about as many with lube as I do in PC. It really just depends on the weather. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

July 7, 2017, 08:57 PM	#14
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	IF it doesn't rain tomorrow, I'm going to try to get out there and sweat a bit in the casting shed. I got two new molds this week and I am baking them to get their cycling in. One is the MiHec .44 Terminator mold and the other is the NOE .45 Colt Keith SWC mold. I usually just start casting with them, but I had some time tonight, so I thought I would cycle them a couple of times in the oven just to limber up the pins. When I got this one out to install the pins today, I noticed that Miha includes 5 different pins now. Solid (flat point), cup, small HP, large HP and penta. Sweet!!! That'll make a bunch of different bullets. Also, the NOE mold comes with HP pins, as well as cup point and flat point (solid). I love HP's. Options galore!! These will be for me. I gave away all of the .41's at the top of the thread, because.... well, I don't have a .41 caliber yet. I just have a .41 mold. Oh.... and I am still using photobucket. So if these pics disappear, that's why. But it's working for now, so I'm still using it. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile. Last edited by Beagle333; July 7, 2017 at 09:05 PM.

July 8, 2017, 05:05 AM	#15
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,299	Wow, what a selection! How fast and easy are they to use when doing HP? Never cast HP, wondered it is was worth trying to do so for hunting bullets.

July 8, 2017, 08:25 AM	#16
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	They are as fast, if not faster than solids, because you have to cast at a steady rate to keep the pins hot. If you fool around very much with the blocks open after dumping, the pins get cool and you'll get incomplete fillout on the noses. So you have to keep casting at a regular fast cadence and you'll get a pile of them soon. I do think that most folks believe that a wide meplat is preferable to a HP for a hunting bullet, because you can get good expansion and weight retention without having to have the perfect alloy, but of course that is always just an opinion of whoever is shooting them. But to answer your question, if you learn a rhythm that will keep the pins hot, and cast with a good hot melt (I usually have the PID set 725°-740°), you can dump them just as fast as any other. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.