Several Questions regarding casting bullets

[Supergrobi]

Hello Newsgroup,

today i cast bullets for the first time in my life.

The Equipment i used:
A Lee Production Pot IV
A very old Euroarms mold for .577 Minié
As lead i used H&N Roundballs of a size i don't need

Several questions rised, and i believe, trained casters can answer them:

I didn't flux the lead, because i was sure the new roundballs are of clean lead. On the molten surface of the lead was a quite large amount of a substance looking like rust. Is that normal? Should i flux even pure lead?

After casting about 40 Rounds, the bullets got fins on the side facing toward the grips of the mold. I then recognised that the mold didn't close completely. There were no lead inhibiting it. When the mold was cooled down, i was able to close it, but i had to overcome a resistance. How can i maintain the mold? Heat resistant Copperpaste i use for nipples or graphit from a pencil?

My last question: I left some lead in the melting pot, as Lee suggests. Lee also suggests to use silicone or WD 40. Do you do that? Do you remove the layer before using the pot the next time?

Thank you very much in advance for your answers!

Greetings from Berlin
Frank

 

[mooman76]

The lead will oxidize and form a crusty layer on top of the melt. Just scrape it off with the ladle. It wouldn't hurt to flux too if you like.

Don't know about how to fix the mould but maybe it is getting too hot. You could try turning the heat down and see how that goes. Also are you lubing the mould? You need to lube it with a lube, sparingly with a high temp lube. 2cycle oil works well and don't get any in or near the cavities. I use a Q-tip to lube sparingly

I always leave lead in the pot when I am finished, in fact I top the pot off so there is less of the pot exposed. WD-40 would work fine also if you want to do that.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I drop wax into the molten lead and then skim off the impurities with a spoon. I usually skim off any impurities I see. I melt my lead in a ladle on a blow torch.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I have molded countless thousands of bullets without fluxing (just constant skimming).
If you are getting fins on the side of the bullet you have lead stuck to the mold that is preventing the mold from completely closing.

I always leave the last ball cast in the mold without removing it this will prevent any corrosion of the mold. I also never let my pot run dry, as any dross can plug the pour spout I always leave my pot 3/4 full.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Hello Newsgroup,

today i cast bullets for the first time in my life.

The Equipment i used:
A Lee Production Pot IV
A very old Euroarms mold for .577 Minié
As lead i used H&N Roundballs of a size i don't need

Several questions rised, and i believe, trained casters can answer them:

I didn't flux the lead, because i was sure the new roundballs are of clean lead. On the molten surface of the lead was a quite large amount of a substance looking like rust. Is that normal? Should i flux even pure lead?

After casting about 40 Rounds, the bullets got fins on the side facing toward the grips of the mold. I then recognised that the mold didn't close completely. There were no lead inhibiting it. When the mold was cooled down, i was able to close it, but i had to overcome a resistance. How can i maintain the mold? Heat resistant Copperpaste i use for nipples or graphit from a pencil?

My last question: I left some lead in the melting pot, as Lee suggests. Lee also suggests to use silicone or WD 40. Do you do that? Do you remove the layer before using the pot the next time?

Thank you very much in advance for your answers!

Greetings from Berlin
Frank

Like the others have said the rust is oxidation not a big deal. I flux when I make my ingots and I don't flux when I am casting bullets. You can do it, it won't hurt.
On the finning again that is lead stuck between the sides of the mould. I would lightly smoke the mould so that the lead won't stick to it.
I don't put anything in my pot that has oil in it. It has to burn off and makes a stink. I don't worry ab out it. I empty mine because I never know what I am going to pour next. Fishing weights pistol bullets. WHo knows.

 

[Supergrobi]

Thank you all for your answers!

I will try lubing the mold next time! I don't know if it got to hot. I read, bullets become frosty when cast with a to hot mold, mine didn't. But i will observe this point next time!

As i expected, there are different opinions regarding the fluxing. I will use all your experiences and try both versions. In any case i will skimm the surface of the lead.

The mold i use is a complete one, the halfes of the mold are fixed and cannot be changed. I am sure there were no lead sticking at the mold, because that also was my first thought but i couldn't see any lead. I hope, the problem will be fixed with lubing the hinge (right word?) next time.

Again, thank you all! Today 25 bullets out of about 50 are shootable in my opinion. There is a lot to learn for me, and that's the great thing with Muzzleloaders!

 

[cynthialee]

a 50% cull rate for your first run is pretty good to be honest

Keep at it and you will reduce the cull rate to 1 in 10 or less in no time. At least with the culls you can just melt them back down and try again. All that is wasted is time.

 

[Supergrobi]

Well, shootable doesn't mean perfekt...

I'll keep on it and hope to reach the 1:10 ratio soon!

 

[coloradoclyde]

frosted balls means your lead and or mold is too hot, this will also cause lead cause lead to seep between the joints. lead stuck between the mold half's will be nearly invisible. I would not use any petroleum base lube on your mold.

wipe your mold off, smoke it with a candle, turn down the heat and try again.

Large cavity molds take time to heat up and can quickly overheat adjust your rhythm to compensate.

Also be sure there is no lead on the alignment pins or their holes. lead under the sprue cutter can also cause problems.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I use Brownell's mold release on the pins. With a Lee mould that means I can count on it closing properly with about 80% of my moulds. Newer Lee moulds do seem to be improved over past years.

 

[mooman76]

Just curious, why no petroleum based lube on the moulds? I can't see a problem with it.

 

[bpd303]

Petroleum based lubes will migrate into the mold cavity, resulting in crummy balls/bullets. Ask me how I know.

 

[Idaho Ron]

This is the truth. It will take a lot of casting to burn that oil out of the mould. Smoke the mould.

 

[bpd303]

I always spray my molds with carburetor cleaner and coat lightly with mold release before casting. For me mold release works better than smoking the mold.

 

[Mad Mucus]

The Bullshop's BULL PLATE SPRUE LUBE is best IMHO.....
Instructions for use of Bull Plate Lube
Bring mould up to casting temperature and fill cavities with alloy.
Be sure to have complete base fill out to avoid getting Bull Plate Lube in the cavities.
Cut the sprue and keep blocks together with boolits in cavities.
Lightly dampen a Q-tip with Bull Plate Lube and spread a light film of lube on the mould block top surface and bottom of sprue plate.
With a clean Q-tip wipe away any excess lube from both surfaces. Only a very small amount is needed.
Also apply to alignment pins and hinge points.
New or very clean mould may require more than one treatment. Reapply at the first sign of any drag on opening or closing sprue plate.
Repeat procedure at the beginning of each casting session.

Clean mold with pure alcohol.
Smoke mold with long bbq match sticks and repeat as required.
Flux with a chip of bees wax and scoop off dross.

MM

 

[Greenjoytj]

I always spray my molds with carburetor cleaner and coat lightly with mold release before casting. For me mold release works better than smoking the mold.

Tell us about this "mold release" product you are using.

 

[Greenjoytj]

The rust could be from the steel pot of the lee melter.
Clean the melted lead and drain the pot to inspect the steel liner.
Lee sell replacement pots probably cause they rust through in time and with bad storage habits.


Don't forget to apply rust preventative oil to the mold aftter use and to clean of the oil prior to use.

Important - get a lead melting thermometer to remove temperature guess work.

 

[FishDFly]

This is the truth. It will take a lot of casting to burn that oil out of the mould. Smoke the mould.

Nope, spray the mold cavity with contact cleaner or carb cleaner, oil is gone on contact with the spray. .

 

[Idaho Ron]

But if you don't have the cleaner then what? You clean the mould with water and soap. Then you pour bullets until they look good.

 

[FishDFly]

But if you don't have the cleaner then what? You clean the mould with water and soap. Then you pour bullets until they look good.

Clean with alcohol, if you leave water in the mold and cast with water in the mold, the water will expand 1,600 times and turn to steam causing a violent eruption.