Casting .310 Round Balls............

[ETipp]

Casted lots of other projectiles but I have never cast round balls. I have a hankering to buy a mold and cast a bunch of .310 round balls for my Crockett rifle.

Are there any specific tricks that I wouldn't already know from casting other projectiles?

 

[jdw276]

Need to preheat the mold. Those little roundball take a long time to heat up my lee mold so lots of wrinkles and toss backs until it gets heated up. Lots of roundball out of a pound of lead.

 

[ETipp]

Need to preheat the mold. Those little roundball take a long time to heat up my lee mold so lots of wrinkles and toss backs until it gets heated up. Lots of roundball out of a pound of lead.

Indeed. Always to that but I will pay special attention to it with these. Planning on purchasing a two cavity mold.

Any special thing to know about a sprue?

Thank you.

 

[Grimord]

I find the spru cutter on the Lee molds does a good job of slicing the sprue off close to the surface of the ball.

 

[deerstalkert]

I have a 6 cavity mold . it really needs pre-heating. but it sure cranks out the balls.

 

[jdw276]

I tumble mine in a rock tumbler for an hour or so. Sprue disappears and if not it shows me the flaws I missed. They go back to the melting pot.

 

[BackDraft]

I tumble mine in a rock tumbler for an hour or so. Sprue disappears and if not it shows me the flaws I missed. They go back to the melting pot.

Rock tumbler, like, say a ball mill? Also, would I just throw the balls in with, or without medium?

 

[Nobade]

Lots of patience. After a long time of casting those it still looks like you haven't done much since the pile is small. A 6 cavity mold would be really nice.

 

[ETipp]

I have a 6 cavity mold . it really needs pre-heating. but it sure cranks out the balls.

Indeed. I can see where a 6 cavity mold would require more preheating.

 

[ETipp]

Lots of patience. After a long time of casting those it still looks like you haven't done much since the pile is small. A 6 cavity mold would be really nice.

Indeed, two at a time can be slow. But time is one thing I usually have.

I'll ponder on this a little more. I might purchase a 6 cavity mold instead, but they are more spendy.

 

[SwampBilly]

Indeed. Always to that but I will pay special attention to it with these. Planning on purchasing a two cavity mold.

Any special thing to know about a sprue?

Thank you.

If you could find a mold with more cavities that might be more efficient, in terms of making use of the heat.

 

[senseisugarbear]

Must Pre-heat mould ,Set micro wave for 3 min. You won't have to worry about Sprues....LOL Be Safe>>Wally

 

[jdw276]

Rock tumbler, like, say a ball mill? Also, would I just throw the balls in with, or without medium?

Yes, i just put the RB in and run it for 45 minutes. Harbor freight one. So a 2 vs 6 cavity mold. Think how many shots you will be shooting in a session, this vs other calibers in your inventory. I usually get like 3 or 4 molds going in the summer and 2 in the winter to keep molds from over heating. In a two hour period I can make over 400 roundball with 2 cavity molds. All good ones. 100 to 200 of each size. I just check my inventory and cast away for my various rifles. Then put em all in the tumbler. My issue is with the bigger roundball keeping the melter full of lead. That part slows me down sometimes.

 

[Timber Wolf]

I have cast a lot of balls and bullets with one and two cavity molds but started purchasing six cavity molds when available just to speed things up for my most-used calibers. I have been very satisfied with the results of the six cavity molds. That said, .310 is one size I have not had to cast as I stumbled across a quantity of old-price, N.O.S. Hornady .310 balls at a rural gun shop last year and am pretty well set.

 

[angelariz]

I tumble mine in a rock tumbler for an hour or so. Sprue disappears and if not it shows me the flaws I missed. They go back to the melting pot.

Brilliant.
I hadnt thought of that.

 

[smokepolehall]

I have 2 cavity molds from Lee. I also have the 20 lb melting pot with temp setting gage. I put my mold into the sdge of lead in pot as its melting the lead. It heats up nicely. Remember smoke inside cavity/s it helps. I use either my hard rubber mallet or a nice round hardwood to knock sprue cutter open. Once you start you can get a good many done, i usually knock out couple/3 hundred at a time.

 

[waksupi]

This shows out of stock at the time, but if you search Graf's or other suppliers, you can probably find some. Beats the hell out of casting the little buggers. 8# is a butt load of ball!

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Super-Buck-Lead-1-1_2-8-lb_jar-310/productinfo/SBK15/

 

[Whitworth]

JMHO but the for the cost of the mold and your time a couple hundred purchased.310 balls might be a better investment. I cast for all kinds of stuff but didn't both with .310 balls for my .31 Colt. YMMV

 

[ETipp]

JMHO but the for the cost of the mold and your time a couple hundred purchased.310 balls might be a better investment. I cast for all kinds of stuff but didn't both with .310 balls for my .31 Colt. YMMV

I can respect that. Its one reason why I have put off purchasing a .32 RB mold. I certainly haven't had any issues with Hornady .310 RB.

However, I've casted different style and caliber projectiles for years. Reloaded non- mentionables for over 40 years as well. But for the most part, I do not like being at the mercy of having to order RB. None to be had in this neck of the woods. I also do not like having to trust the shipping world nowadays.

But everybody to their own thang, I reckon.

 

[BackDraft]

JMHO but the for the cost of the mold and your time a couple hundred purchased.310 balls might be a better investment. I cast for all kinds of stuff but didn't both with .310 balls for my .31 Colt. YMMV

Unless the anti-lead crowd continues to get their way. If production of lead ammo goes the way of caps, we’ll be scrambling to utilize scrap lead.