My balls are wrinkly ;)
- Thread starter RobertIN
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
I think that comes with age
You can't cast good round ball or bullets using half-assed equipment! You need a melting pot (electric) is best and lead has to be kept at least 750-810F! A good iron mould and mould has to be kept hot! I always heated my mould over and open flame before starting such that after about a minute in the flame I could feel the heat emanating when held up to within 2" of my cheek! A SINGLE MOULD is best because if get a multiple mould the problem of maintaining consistent heat is much easier. If RB or bullets get a 'frosty' look the mould is TOO HOT! I've been doing this since 1948....so it ain't like I started last week!
Sidney Smith
58 Cal.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2019
- Messages
- 2,205
- Reaction score
- 2,312
So you're saying that Lee molds are no good? Because if that's what you're implying, you're wrong. I've used Lee molds forever, and they throw as good a ball as any. It's only with my .311 mould that I've had issues, and that's been explained as to why it's happening.
I personally like frosted balls and bullets, better fill out.
So THAT's why the frontiersman has frosty balls. Got it. No electric pots. Interesting to say the least. You learn something new every day.
Get a nice flat hunk of steel, let that get good and hot & use it as a mold rest/heater.
No I didn't say Lee moulds were NO GOOD!
This ain't 1750 sittin out in the timber trying to cast RB. It's MY ASSUMPTION that folks trying to cast today want the best!So THAT's why the frontiersman has frosty balls. Got it. No electric pots. Interesting to say the least. You learn something new every day.
leadhoarder
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2020
- Messages
- 995
- Reaction score
- 1,659
I can't imagine trying to cook a dipper of lead with sleet and snow coming down.
Those guys were tough!
I believe there were more balls involved than the ones being cast.
Ledger American fur company goods for rendezvous 1832:
“15 rifles 30-36 bore Hawken Bros St Louis @ $23.50
35 Rifles 32-46 bore Leman co @$ 13.00
75 London fusils Barnet @12.50
Lead 2lbs ingots@$.20 apiece 3000 lbs
Powder best DuPont @.25 per lbs 400 lbs
Powder standard @.10 lbs 1000 pounds
Moulds to fit rifles fifty @.75
Moulds for fusils twenty five @ .75
Franklin and Volt furnace W/ thermometer @ $3
Electric Dynamos for powering Franklin Volt furnace one dozen @$18
Worms, turn screws, spring vise, hand clamps, ball screws ect, at ..05
Assorted rags for [email protected] per bundle”
Fact is melting lead in a ladle on camp fire with Callahan bag mold I’ve turned out fine ball.
CaptainKirk
54 Cal.
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2010
- Messages
- 2,245
- Reaction score
- 879
I've used Lee, Lyman and RCBS moulds...all of them work, but not the same. You can't treat them equally but instead have to figure out how long each mould will stay hot while you are stoking the pot, or the fire/coals if traditional heat source. As I mentioned earlier, the Lee moulds will heat up quicker but also cool down very quickly compared to steel moulds.
A couple things you can do are use a plug in hotplate to keep the mould at casting temp, or if not, pour a couple balls and leave them in the mould while you are waiting for your lead refill to come up to temp.
Wrinkly balls heat is off, either lead or mold is to cold, Now still a nice job on them, my first batch was the same wrinkly .451s still hit target well enough. If ya ran em in a Whipped Cream, prior to shooting that whipped cream does stick in the grooves with the ball as it hits a target.
I'm not a high volume or competitive shooter. I'm a simple soul yearning for a simpler time. Sitting by the fire improving one batch at a time is good for me and feels good in my heart so that's where I am
Whiteoak15
40 Cal
- Joined
- May 28, 2022
- Messages
- 178
- Reaction score
- 283
Definitely use more heat!!!
I use an electric box with a lid on a hotplate to pre-heat my molds to 500 degrees. BBQ thermometer in the lid. I had to jump the fusable link because it blew from too hot.
You can not cast pure lead to frost, only an alloy. If you cast an alloy to frost you change the roundness of the bullet as the blocks do not expand evenly like a hole in a solid block.
For pure lead, the blocks at 500 and the lead at 800 will cast perfect without a reject. Turn the lead heat down for alloys. Do not bottom pour, use a ladle and keep the spout clean. Turn the mold, insert the ladle spout tight and turn up, you do not want a lead leak there. Hold together long enough to fill the mold and tip off the ladle. Do not try to fill the cavity from the sprue. You will short change the mold and get different weights, air pockets and wrinkles.
If you look into the ladle, you will see the lead go down, stop for a short time and go down again as the ball cools, now is the time to tip off the ladle. Feed the mold from the ladle.
You can not cast pure lead to frost, only an alloy. If you cast an alloy to frost you change the roundness of the bullet as the blocks do not expand evenly like a hole in a solid block.
For pure lead, the blocks at 500 and the lead at 800 will cast perfect without a reject. Turn the lead heat down for alloys. Do not bottom pour, use a ladle and keep the spout clean. Turn the mold, insert the ladle spout tight and turn up, you do not want a lead leak there. Hold together long enough to fill the mold and tip off the ladle. Do not try to fill the cavity from the sprue. You will short change the mold and get different weights, air pockets and wrinkles.
If you look into the ladle, you will see the lead go down, stop for a short time and go down again as the ball cools, now is the time to tip off the ladle. Feed the mold from the ladle.
No trouble running good product with my LEE molds just keep the temperature up.
I with a little research and reading Lee molds instructions have found the same to be true. A thermometer is a good and very helpfull investment. dont run you temperature too high or loe and work quickly for best results.
At least your balls weren't Schweaty.
