Lead melting temp

[Griz44Mag]

I do use a thermometer to watch the temp on the pot.
I wait until the pot is 750+ before casting.
The molds also have to be hot - I set them on the hot plate when I turn on the pot so the molds are good and hot when I start casting.
When I hears guys say the first 2-20 bullets will be bad - I have to laugh - heat the molds up!
I do not know the temp of the molds but you sure don't want to touch them!
Hot lead - hot molds - make good bullets.
And it absolutely will not matter if you dip or drip - just make sure the mold fills as quickly as it can be safely controlled.
If you count the time I spent casting with my grandfather as a youngun, - I have been casting for over 60 years.
Bullets, balls, sinkers, soldiers, bearings, trot line weights and more.

 

[nkbj]

I've got a thermometer on the bench, still in box.
I'm gonna need it soon for some alloys and 500 plus grain long skinny bullets.
I've got #2 babbitt I'm going to use for tin content and the alloyed copper is going to need control.

 

[Idaholewis]

HOT and HOTTER

I mainly cast large Bullets, i do Roundball as well

“Money”

Here are just a few examples of what i cast, ALL with my Bottom Pour Pots

”Money” Bullet

650 Grain .54 Cal Slicks

610 Grain .50 Cal

 

[COTNTOP]

like they say "proof is in the pudding", looks a lot better than mine.

 

[Idaholewis]

like they say "proof is in the pudding", looks a lot better than mine.

Don’t get discouraged, Keep working at it, you will get better at it

 

[stikshooter]

HOT and HOTTER

I mainly cast large Bullets, i do Roundball as well

“Money”

Here are just a few examples of what i cast, ALL with my Bottom Pour Pots

”Money” Bullet

650 Grain .54 Cal Slicks

610 Grain .50 Cal

That there is pure bullet porn!

 

[lou puleff]

I cast at the temperature that gives the proper weight bullet my 540 gr money bullet mold the lead has to be 820 degrees for the bullets to be exactly 540 on the scale and it fills out the mold with no issues.

 

[BadDaditood]

I gave away my plumbers pot and my old Lyman 20 when I got this Lyman Mag 25 digital bad boy.
https://www.lymanproducts.com/mag-25-digital-melting-furnaceI usually end up at 800 for round balls and 750/780 for alloys.
I also made a little oven out of a 2” deep electrical box, knocked an end off and put a flat cover blank for a bottom. Holds 2 molds on the hot plate.
i can’t seem to get consistent results with the bottom pour so I use a long handled ladle.
I’ve watched a couple of idaholewis’s videos so I bought a Lyman 57 amp and a 17 globe sight for a TC Hawken .50, all I need is a good bullet mold to play with… any recommendations?

 

[Griz44Mag]

I gave away my plumbers pot and my old Lyman 20 when I got this Lyman Mag 25 digital bad boy.
https://www.lymanproducts.com/mag-25-digital-melting-furnaceI usually end up at 800 for round balls and 750/780 for alloys.
I also made a little oven out of a 2” deep electrical box, knocked an end off and put a flat cover blank for a bottom. Holds 2 molds on the hot plate.
i can’t seem to get consistent results with the bottom pour so I use a long handled ladle.
I’ve watched a couple of idaholewis’s videos so I bought a Lyman 57 amp and a 17 globe sight for a TC Hawken .50, all I need is a good bullet mold to play with… any recommendations?

OUCH! I cast my own to save money. Sure aren't going to save much when the pot you melt lead in costs more than the rifle you are shooting it with.

 

[Oldbear63]

I have a decent batch of pure lead and just received my first .490 round ball mold. I don't have a bottom pour or electric pot.
If I wanted to run small batches of bullets using a small iron pot and ladel how should I guess at the temmperature? Should I invest in a thermometer?
Does anyone still run bullets using a camping burner and iron pot (or is that too dangerous)?

 

[Idaholewis]

I gave away my plumbers pot and my old Lyman 20 when I got this Lyman Mag 25 digital bad boy.
https://www.lymanproducts.com/mag-25-digital-melting-furnaceI usually end up at 800 for round balls and 750/780 for alloys.
I also made a little oven out of a 2” deep electrical box, knocked an end off and put a flat cover blank for a bottom. Holds 2 molds on the hot plate.
i can’t seem to get consistent results with the bottom pour so I use a long handled ladle.
I’ve watched a couple of idaholewis’s videos so I bought a Lyman 57 amp and a 17 globe sight for a TC Hawken .50, all I need is a good bullet mold to play with… any recommendations?

If you want a Factory Mold i swear by the Lyman Plains, It shoots EXTREMELY well in every Rifle i own, .50 & .54 Cal.

If you want a Custom mold, These 2 are my Favorites from Accurate Bullet Molds, I have several of them and they are Excellent.

These 2 are my Favorites in .50 Cal
https://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=50-415IThe .50 Cal, Accurate Molds #50-415I

Cast of PURE Lead

Gotta Love a BIG WIDE Meplat

5 Shot Group, Shot with my Green Mountain LRH 1:28 Twist at 60 Yards

And this one, This is from an Original Bullshop 460 that i sent to Tom at Accurate Molds and had him make for me. I would make a few simple changes here, Go with ALL Bands the Diameter you need instead of a Taper Design (Size to fit your Bore) And do away with the slight Bevel Base
https://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=51-450M

 

[French Colonial]

You might check with Steve Brooks out in Montana, if he is still making molds he will custom make it any way you want it.

 

[mooman76]

I have a decent batch of pure lead and just received my first .490 round ball mold. I don't have a bottom pour or electric pot.
If I wanted to run small batches of bullets using a small iron pot and ladel how should I guess at the temmperature? Should I invest in a thermometer?
Does anyone still run bullets using a camping burner and iron pot (or is that too dangerous)?

I did it for years. If the bullets' or RBs don't fill out turn up the heat, if it takes too long for the lead to solidify, turn the heat down. If the RBs come out frosty, turn it down. By the way frosty doesn't hurt a thing. You will get the hang of it and figure out what works best for you.

 

[lou puleff]

If you want a Factory Mold i swear by the Lyman Plains, It shoots EXTREMELY well in every Rifle i own, .50 & .54 Cal.

If you want a Custom mold, These 2 are my Favorites from Accurate Bullet Molds, I have several of them and they are Excellent.

These 2 are my Favorites in .50 Cal
https://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=50-415IThe .50 Cal, Accurate Molds #50-415I

Cast of PURE Lead

Gotta Love a BIG WIDE Meplat

5 Shot Group, Shot with my Green Mountain LRH 1:28 Twist at 60 Yards

And this one, This is from an Original Bullshop 460 that i sent to Tom at Accurate Molds and had him make for me. I would make a few simple changes here, Go with ALL Bands the Diameter you need instead of a Taper Design (Size to fit your Bore) And do away with the slight Bevel Base
https://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=51-450M

Hey idaho those are kinda on the light side ? Lol

 

[Whughett]

I wish to expand my knowledge of casting. Can some explain how pouring temperatures effect the bullets weight. Given that the lead is hot enough to completely fill out the mold that is. It’s been mentioned twice in this thread.

 

[Eterry]

I started 40 plus years ago with a coleman gasoline stove, a small cast skillet from china, Lyman mold and a foot long piece of broom handle. Cast 100's if not 1000's on that set up. Have never owned a thermometer. Bought a Lee 20lb pot, turn it on high, cast until I see frost, then turn it down or add lead. I put the mold on the rim while heating, usually only toss first 2 bullets, then go to work. Lead melts quicker in Texas heat than Texas winter, but have no idea what the temps are.

 

[Whughett]

I started 40 plus years ago with a coleman gasoline stove, a small cast skillet from china, Lyman mold and a foot long piece of broom handle. Cast 100's if not 1000's on that set up. Have never owned a thermometer. Bought a Lee 20lb pot, turn it on high, cast until I see frost, then turn it down or add lead. I put the mold on the rim while heating, usually only toss first 2 bullets, then go to work. Lead melts quicker in Texas heat than Texas winter, but have no idea what the temps are.

Sometimes people seem to complicate an other wise simple task.

 

[Tenring]

Tried my hand at casting some .44 Lee Conicals, My first time ever casting. Don’t laugh Ha Ha.. I poured with one of those Palmer electric Pots, seemed to have worked ok.

 

[Whughett]

44 Caliber J&D bullets. Hot enough to fill out the mold not too hot to frost. Pure lead for percussion revolver use. Lee two cavity mold.
cheap Lee 5 pound capacity pot with the dial set to 5 once lead starts filling out the mold. Small bullets so temps over 700 not required.

 

[Tenring]

Very Nice, They look Great..