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Old February 9, 2013, 11:50 PM   #1
Beagle333
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Made something for the Blackhawk to eat today.

I made about 300 HPs today, and it took forever with the single cav.
I have never tried making more than a handful at a time before with the singles. I'm definitely dragging a chair out to the casting table the next time I decide to make a pile of these. (Straight isotope 95-2.5-2.5)



And I also made another 300 of these nifty little wadcutters (358432) for the wife's .38 while I was at it. It is a 358432 drilled for a HP pin, (this is actually the "Turtle Buster" mold that I posted here a few month ago) but for this run I put the flat pin in it but didn't pull it all the way down flush, so it left a nice concave nose on 'em instead of a deep hollow point. I kinda like the look.

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Last edited by Beagle333; February 11, 2013 at 10:29 PM. Reason: spellin'
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Old February 10, 2013, 10:18 AM   #2
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Beagle333

Now ya know it`s a labor of LUV.

NO dedication other than casting HPs with a SC mold can be displayed !!

Good looking fodder !!!

When ya get even fillout about the pin ya know the temps of the mold/pin & the alloy is good .

358429 ???? if so what do they weigh ,as I have a mold settin on go to Buckshot .

Nice pics by the way !
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Old February 10, 2013, 03:02 PM   #3
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358429, yes. And they average 160.2gr as cast. The pin isn't nearly as hard to get fillout on, as the base. I get rounded bases if I don't keep my little propane torch handy and hold the sprue hole in front of it for a couple of seconds, about every 5 pours. It'll make nice square bases then, but it'll drift back to round ones if I let the sprue plate cool, and I'm making a good puddle on it when I pour. The pin fills out just fine, every time. I can get flat bases if I pressure pour, but I also get finning when I do that unless I keep the temp kinda on the low side. He did a flat pin for it too, so I can pour the original booli....um..bullet, but I haven't ever used that pin.
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Old February 10, 2013, 04:56 PM   #4
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I have both the .357 and .429 molds in the Lyman "DEVASTATOR". It only took a couple of sessions with each before I broke down and got one of MiHec's masterpieces. One at a time is fine, but I like production and with the interchangeable pins, I can do both solids and HP's in one sitting.

Not criticizing by any stretch those are some great looking bullets for sure. (yea I "almost" got corrected for my spelling after reading your post.) LOL
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Old February 10, 2013, 11:37 PM   #5
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Very nice! Iso lead and good temp control make for nice-looking boo....bullets. Don't want that BH going hungry, they're so much fun when they're well-fed.
If you cast sitting down a heavy apron or a heavy towel in your lap should be standard equipment.
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Old February 11, 2013, 11:49 AM   #6
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I call it still life with hollow points.






a Cramer type mold can take the pain out of casting them.
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Old February 11, 2013, 07:11 PM   #7
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TXGunNut: Yes, you are very correct on that! I had figured I better put something on my lap. I noticed I tend to splash a lot, especially since I ladle cast. I bet it would get real exciting real fast to get a drop splattered off in the ol' lap.

Salvadore: Nice picture!!! I got a couple of MiHec Cramer molds and a NOE RG4. I just like playing with the single pins. It's a nice relaxing afternoon.
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Old February 11, 2013, 09:31 PM   #8
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Nice pic, Sal! How the heck are you?

I figured you knew about lap hazards, Beagle. Just wanted to be sure.
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Old February 14, 2013, 11:54 AM   #9
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just fine Tex, look what I did to my 32 spec. I call it a Tanker 94.



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Old February 14, 2013, 09:01 PM   #10
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Still having fun with the 358432

I set the flat pin tip even with the shoulder this time and I think they look even better! I had been using the tapered pin and making deep hollows but it cut the weight down to 137gr. I think this looks pretty good and still looks like a WC for the most part.
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Old February 15, 2013, 08:02 PM   #11
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Those are nice for sure.
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Old February 16, 2013, 02:28 PM   #12
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'been at it again

I got out the MiHec 359640 today and made a few. I used ±12 lbs of lead, so I prolly ended up with ±500 bullets. I haven't counted em yet. It goes pretty fast and they jump off the pins, but every now and again (not often), they'll want to stick to the mold. I haven't figured out why. But it's not burrs, because it doesn't do it all the time. Mostly it went real smooth and was an enjoyable morning. I didn't have the good camera out there today, so here's a cel phone pic.
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Old February 16, 2013, 03:09 PM   #13
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What do those weigh?
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Old February 16, 2013, 03:28 PM   #14
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359640

They were supposed to be 158gr. Mine were averaging 157.6gr so I feel pretty good about em.
Better pictures coming tonight when I get back in for the day.
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Old February 16, 2013, 05:18 PM   #15
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.... but every now and again (not often), they'll want to stick to the mold. I haven't figured out why. But it's not burrs, because it doesn't do it all the time.
I have had a few Accurate Molds (my .432 "One Ounce Suppository"), that had issues with sticking, for a while. And, one of my NOE 314316-HP molds does the same.

Eventually, I traced the issue with the AMs to the long cavity, and the way it fills. The alloy bounces off one side of the cavity and across the to the other side, resulting in 2 "hot spots". Even if it isn't permanent, it creates temporary warpage that can cause sticking.

The NOE stickiness seems to be caused by temperature differences between the HP (or flat) pin, and the blocks. The slightly different cooling rates seem to make the crimp groove and/or lube grooves hang up.
--I settled on that after a lot of experimentation, and a LOT of time spent carefully watching an open mold (with a stuck bullet), until the bullet dropped free - assisted only by gravity - to be immediately measured (and compared to measurements of bullets that were freed with human assistance).


The crappy thing about that mold, is that there isn't anything wrong with it. Its a good mold. It just doesn't get along with my style of casting.
So, I avoid it and generally only use one of my 314316-FN molds.
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Old February 16, 2013, 07:54 PM   #16
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Frank, what do you use your 314316hp for?
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Old February 16, 2013, 09:22 PM   #17
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The NOE stickiness seems to be caused by temperature differences between the HP (or flat) pin, and the blocks. The slightly different cooling rates seem to make the crimp groove and/or lube grooves hang up.
I did notice that the bullets only hung up in the cavities opposite the pins. They didn't stick at all on the side that had the pins and their guide rods.
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Old February 16, 2013, 09:52 PM   #18
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Frank, what do you use your 314316hp for?
Not much, now that I avoid the mold.

But... it was originally purchased for use in .32 H&R / .327 Federal (.312"/.313").
Now that I have a few molds, including FN-only molds, I also use the bullets in 7.62x54R (.316"), 7.7x58mm Jap (.315"), and .30 WCF (.309"/.310"). One of these days, I may even stuff some in the .30-06.

To date, it has only been fired at paper, water bottles, beer cans, rocks, and dirt.


One somewhat applicable note on that design - NOE lists the bullet as a 115 gr FN-PB, but it's closer to 115 gr as a naked GC-HP. It weighs about 128 gr, as a FN-PB and 117 (my molds) as a GC-HP. With lube and a GC, you're back up around 122 gr.
It was a miscalculation on Swede's part, when he first listed the design, and he just hasn't wanted to change it.
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Old February 16, 2013, 10:18 PM   #19
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359640

Here's a better picture, now that I'm settled in for the night and have access to a better camera. (isotope lead 95-2.5-2.5)
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Old February 16, 2013, 10:42 PM   #20
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Nice pic, nice boo..bullets. HP looks like it'll require a lifeguard after a good rain.
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Old February 17, 2013, 08:44 AM   #21
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Really Nice
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Old February 17, 2013, 08:05 PM   #22
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That's it rub it in.... I'm waiting on mine to get here. It won't take long to get it broke in either once it does. LOL

What no penta's in the bunch? LOL

Yep I poured up quite a few this afternoon myself. I emptied the 4-20 on the Ranch Dog 429-240, and then again on the MP 429 HG 503. I threw two cavities with the penta pin and two with the blank for straight SWC's. Like mentioned above I had the SCW stick nearly every time I cast them, but I found that if I alternated 2-3 pours with the penta only then hit all of them the S flat nosed would drop free ....almost every time.

Anyway it was a productive day, I also smelted up close to 100# of alloy as well just getting ready for the new ones to arrive.
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Old February 17, 2013, 08:49 PM   #23
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What no penta's in the bunch?
I didn't wanna push my luck. It was my first time with a Cramer style anyway. Besides, the penta pins look like somebody put a point on em with a dull chainsaw. I gotta smooth em up a lot. They would lock onto a bullet like a bulldog, I'd bet.
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Old February 18, 2013, 06:16 AM   #24
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I didn't wanna push my luck. It was my first time with a Cramer style anyway. Besides, the penta pins look like somebody put a point on em with a dull chainsaw. I gotta smooth em up a lot. They would lock onto a bullet like a bulldog, I'd bet.
The penta's are a bit different in that they need a touch more heat, (I bump the temp up around 20 degrees on the PID), but they also need time between the cut and dump to fall free of the pins. I usually give them around a 5 count before opening the halves and they will drop most o the time. For the stubborn ones I tap the end of the pin slightly with a 3/4" dowel and that usually frees it right up.

To be honest I have more of an issue with the blank pins pouring the flat nosed in both the RFN and SWC molds. They simply don't want to turn loose of the grooves and fall out. Least with the HP pins they have a bit of assistance.

I'll try and get a pick of some I poured up yesterday, but don't hold your breath waiting.
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Old February 18, 2013, 01:16 PM   #25
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I have a question. Are these steal or aluminum molds?

I don't cast much for center fire but I've cast more muzzleloader bullets/balls than a care to remember. I've fallen in love with the laser cast silver because you can push them hard and still get one hole groups. I've always had to smoke the heck out of my steal molds to stop them from sticking. Never had an aluminum one stick unless the lead wasn't hot enough.
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