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Bubbles in the base of cast minies
- Thread starter TDDredge
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i think they're safe to shoot ... if you're trying to get a feel where your gun is on paper, they'll probably be of some use. I have always had to 'tinker' with Minnie bullets, but ended up going to a ladle, although i use bottom pour for everything else -- your mileage may vary ... these guys are very sensitive to temperature.
good luck in your quest for mold nirvana, and
Make Good Smoke
good luck in your quest for mold nirvana, and
Make Good Smoke
I believe this has been covered before, but perhaps a word again. At distances less than 100 yards, you may have to hold what is called a fine sight or hold the tip of the front sight at the bottom of the rear sight notch and the target level with the top of the rear sight.
Okay here's my question to you regarding these. As an engineer, I like steel, especially where heat is involved, and especially compared to aluminum where heat is involved. Have you ever had issues with aluminum being so much softer than steel when it's being used as a mold? That's the big thing that makes me flinch, seeing as aluminum is considerably less durable and weaker than steel. I could see an aluminum mold wearing out considerably faster than a steel mold, which feels like it ought to last just about forever.
I have been using an aluminum Rapine mold for 30 years with no wear issues and it was used when I got it. Now Rapine molds were far better quality than Lee but even Lee molds will give years of good service. I see abuse and poor storage as more damaging than normal wear. Lyman & RCBS molds will last several lifetimes and Lee are cheap enough that they can be replaced if they should ever develop problems.
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And I'm assuming you run the lead into that mold very hot? This is what I really wanted to hear. I might just end up getting one of those molds, and I'll keep an eye out for a lyman. But if there's one available, and it's right in line price-wise with all the other molds I've seen (when you recognize it comes with handles). So look at that, I've found a mold. Again, thank you guys for your input here.
As Hawkeye said, aluminum molds do work but just as in other things, quality varies. There are also different alloys of aluminum and different manufacturing techniques. If you want to see a stark difference, just compare a Rapine, NOE, Moose mold against a Lee. If you can't see the difference, there's not help to be had. I'd take my Rapine & Moose mold any day over a Lee. The difference is just that simple. The other issue is the size the bullet drops at. If you have a conversation with Moose and arrive at a mold, the mold you get will drop right at the size you want if you stick with what you both agreed on. Mine drops right at 581 with about a half thou either way. You won't get that type of preformance out of Lee. But again, there are a number of factors that affect the final bullet when casting.
I also have steel molds and they work well. So between the two, if the aluminum mold is from a quality maker, then I don't worry about it. I consider Lee to be disposable. But as with anything, nothing is completely user proof. Abuse a steel mold and it's going to have issues too.
I knew from the outset that I wasn't going to be going with a Lee. The simple fact that it's $30 made me flinch. Yeah I'd love it if molds were that cheap, but considering pretty much every other option was around $80, several alarm bells started ringing. I don't really want a disposable mold. I want one that'll last me years. Moose moulds' price, website, and your recommendation led to me sending them an email to get the ball rolling on an order. I know what I want in some senses. I want a .575" bullet, and old style sounds great. I got a repro 1861 springfield because I wanted a traditional gun, I might as well be going with a traditional bullet style. With a .577 barrel, that gives me leeway for shooting a bunch and not having to worry about fouling, without sacrificing too much accuracy. Based on price alone, I expected that a Lee would probably give me some good bullets, but that it wouldn't be a mold that would last, and it certainly wouldn't be giving me the bullets other molds could give me. And sure, when I start out, I'll get some garbage bullets and you know what? They'll be 100% my fault. And I'll dispose of that evidence and throw them right back in the furnace. And that furnace will probably be a Lee furnace based on reviews, so I guess they'll still get a little cash out of me yet.
Going on your recommendation and the moose mould website, if they're casting minies in those molds then I deeply suspect those molds can handle 850F lead, and based on price, I'm expecting it'll last. Aluminum melting point is about 1,200, and I'll be a couple hundred degrees lower than that. Sure its tensile strength may go down but I shouldn't be really stressing it. Plus it'll be an alloy, not pure aluminum obviously, so likely its melting point will be higher. So yeah, I have an email in with them, hoping to hear back tomorrow! Not sure when I'll get a furnace or dipper to skim/pour if the bottom pour doesn't work out just yet, but here we are.
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I bought a mold at one of the regional shoots. No name on the steel mold, only .575. An old time member had passed away and his wife asked one of his friends to help dispose of all his molds and other gear.
The minies that I cast with that mold seem to shoot better than the Lee Mold that I had before.
Anyway, I switched to a lead pot and ladle to pour all of my roundball and minies. Using a bottom pour lead pot, the roundball would have a small void. The Bevel Brothers showed the point in one of their articles in Muzzle Blasts. After cutting a few open, I saw the small air pockets inside. Some of my minies had the void inside too.
For me, ladle pour makes the best boolits.
The minies that I cast with that mold seem to shoot better than the Lee Mold that I had before.
Anyway, I switched to a lead pot and ladle to pour all of my roundball and minies. Using a bottom pour lead pot, the roundball would have a small void. The Bevel Brothers showed the point in one of their articles in Muzzle Blasts. After cutting a few open, I saw the small air pockets inside. Some of my minies had the void inside too.
For me, ladle pour makes the best boolits.
kh54
45 Cal.
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Back to the OP… I only began finding similar bubbles in my Miniés (using 575213-OS mold) when I began using a bottom pour furnace. By trial and error I stumbled on the trick to tilt the mold slightly and that helps as others have posted.
I have a Rapine mold (I’m not home and I don’t remember the number) that seems to cast more consistently, possibly my technique and possibly because the aluminum stays hotter. I don’t know for sure - just spit-ballin’.
I also have an older Lyman 575213 mold. I don’t think it has “OS” stamped on it and it differs from my 575213-OS in that the top of the base pin is rounded rather than flat. Does anyone also use this style mold? I have only used it once or twice for comparison and I haven’t seen much difference in performance.
I have a Rapine mold (I’m not home and I don’t remember the number) that seems to cast more consistently, possibly my technique and possibly because the aluminum stays hotter. I don’t know for sure - just spit-ballin’.
I also have an older Lyman 575213 mold. I don’t think it has “OS” stamped on it and it differs from my 575213-OS in that the top of the base pin is rounded rather than flat. Does anyone also use this style mold? I have only used it once or twice for comparison and I haven’t seen much difference in performance.
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59sharps
40 Cal.
If you Want the OS – just go to moose mold and order one he will make it for you Several different diameters available it’s on his website
Also for a quick sight adjustment JB weld works great. Been on my musket for 10 years now.
https://moosemoulds.wixsite.com/mm2013/minnie-hb
Also for a quick sight adjustment JB weld works great. Been on my musket for 10 years now.
https://moosemoulds.wixsite.com/mm2013/minnie-hb
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59sharps
40 Cal.
It all has to do with the aluminum alloys used. I wasn’t convinced about alum mould but now Ihave 6 of them
Check LEE molds ,Years ago they made a couple O.S. .58 molds. Used one of them in a .58 Harpers Ferry rifle. Very accurate.
When casting large bullets , use proper heat , and allow the lead to over run the sprue cut off plate. Keep the mold hot to avoid wrinkles.
When casting large bullets , use proper heat , and allow the lead to over run the sprue cut off plate. Keep the mold hot to avoid wrinkles.
Yeah, even aluminum has a 1,200F melting point, so I would still be several hundred degrees below, even at 850F, and by the time the lead is in the mold, it'll be cooler. And that's plain old aluminum, not an alloy. I'd assume this would be a 7075 alloy of some sort, if not something tougher.
Griz44Mag
70 Cal.
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I have never understood the Lee bashers.
I have been buying and using bullet molds for over 40 years. And used my grandfathers molds 2 decades before that.
I have molds from Mihec, Lee, Noe, Tanner, Accurate, RCBS, Lyman, Gibbs and several others that don't have brand names on them I picked up from gun shows.
I have several Lee molds that are over 30 years old, and cast just as good now after 10's of thousands of bullets cast as when they are new - and better than some of the Lyman steel ones that I have had.
The last Lyman Steel mold I bought - a super simple one cavity .735 round ball, had to be returned twice because it was crap manufacturing.
The first one cast an oblong ball and you had to pry the ball out of the mold. The second one had the pins misaligned and once closed you had to beat it open.
NOE makes some nice molds, at 4 times the price of a similar Lee. They are pretty - but don't cast a better bullet than a Lee.
So you newbees to casting - take note - just like the Land Rover drivers who look down their snoots at Jeep - you will find a lot more happy Lee mold users than any other mold.
The reason is simple - paying 3 or 4 times more for something does not automatically make it a better choice.
My round balls and bullets cast from Lee molds kill deer and varmints just as dead and just as accurately as those cast from a custom Accurate mold.
I have been buying and using bullet molds for over 40 years. And used my grandfathers molds 2 decades before that.
I have molds from Mihec, Lee, Noe, Tanner, Accurate, RCBS, Lyman, Gibbs and several others that don't have brand names on them I picked up from gun shows.
I have several Lee molds that are over 30 years old, and cast just as good now after 10's of thousands of bullets cast as when they are new - and better than some of the Lyman steel ones that I have had.
The last Lyman Steel mold I bought - a super simple one cavity .735 round ball, had to be returned twice because it was crap manufacturing.
The first one cast an oblong ball and you had to pry the ball out of the mold. The second one had the pins misaligned and once closed you had to beat it open.
NOE makes some nice molds, at 4 times the price of a similar Lee. They are pretty - but don't cast a better bullet than a Lee.
So you newbees to casting - take note - just like the Land Rover drivers who look down their snoots at Jeep - you will find a lot more happy Lee mold users than any other mold.
The reason is simple - paying 3 or 4 times more for something does not automatically make it a better choice.
My round balls and bullets cast from Lee molds kill deer and varmints just as dead and just as accurately as those cast from a custom Accurate mold.
TX-GRIZ point well taken. There are molds that I prefer over Lee but I have quite a number of Lee Molds and the have all given good service specially after a little tune-up. The real advantage of Lee molds is their cost which allows me to cast for calibers that I rarely ever shoot.
I have a couple Lee molds but the only one I like has been discontinued. Of the current production Lee molds in 58cal, not ONE design shoots well in my guns. The other issue common to Lee in minies is a lack of sizing. It's 575 or nothing. Good luck with a 575 minie and a 580 repop bore.
As for the Range Rover analogy, that's really disingenuous. Compare a Moose mold to a Lee and be intellectually honest. You do get what you pay for. Further, look at the molds in use by folks who are serious competition shooters where accuracy matters and you won't find Lee. There's a reason for it. Like we used to say when building race cars, speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?
As for the Range Rover analogy, that's really disingenuous. Compare a Moose mold to a Lee and be intellectually honest. You do get what you pay for. Further, look at the molds in use by folks who are serious competition shooters where accuracy matters and you won't find Lee. There's a reason for it. Like we used to say when building race cars, speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?
depends on what you use the mould blocks for. As a hammer aluminum moulds are not so good.
But I cast a lot, and use aluminum blocks from Lee., Moose, and Accurate.. The only mould i ever had problems with was an very ancient Lee that did not use line up pins for the blocks and finally stopped casting good bullets..
I prefer aluminum blocks because they get hot faster and are lighter to use and do not rust or corrode.
At least that is what works for me. Having worked summers for a steel fabrication company while in college I have a fondness for steel for a lot of things, but bullet moulds are not one of them.
Respectfully
Bunk
