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Post by Forgeworkx on Jun 17, 2008 6:49:27 GMT -5
Is it a good idea to add something to the lead for smooth casting ?
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Jun 17, 2008 17:15:24 GMT -5
i'm not sure i understand your question, forgeworkx. are you asking is it ok to add atnaomy when casting round balls? what kind of shooting are you going to be doing? target shooting plinking or hunting. i'm no expert but i have been casting bullets for muzzleloaders,blackpowder cartridge and modern guns for about four year. i might could help if i knew more on what your shooting needs are
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Post by Forgeworkx on Jun 18, 2008 3:59:30 GMT -5
I guess what I,m asking is can something be added to the lead to aid in smooth pouring , sometimes I get ripples or small marks on the outside of the ball . I currently hunt with a 50cal Traditions, deerhunter .
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Post by 3balls on Jun 18, 2008 6:54:05 GMT -5
I had that problem when i first started, I was told that my mold was to cool. I started holding the mold block over the melting pot to heat it up.
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Jun 18, 2008 17:37:05 GMT -5
yes a cold mold will cause your bullets to have wrinkles in it. i place my molds on top of my melting pot while i'm waiting on the lead to melt. you'll still have the first handfull of bullets come out with wrinkles in it. as far as making your lead pour easier, use parifin wax. just a little will do. everytime i run bullets i'll cut a piece of wax about the size of my thumb nail. thats all you need. BE WARNED, THE WAX WILL FLAME UP FOR A FEW SECONDS. don't mean to yell just getting a saftey issue accross. it's nothing major but its good to know its gonna happen. sometimes it will just smoke up real bad, but most of the time it will flame up. no one told me that would happen so you can imagine my surprise when i had a 25 pound melting pot full of fire and didn't know why. also take the time to skim your lead. i do it before i put the wax in. just in case you don't know skimming is getting out all that trash thats in the lead. that to will cause wrinkles and little holes in your bullet. just take a old spoon and lightly drag it over the melted lead. just on the surface of the lead. i keep a old soup can around to dispose of this junk. after i've skimmed and fluxed the pot with the wax, i'll stir the pot a few times to make sure i got all the trash out of it. and skim again if you notice any trash building back up in you pot, while your running bullets. i hope this helps
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Post by Forgeworkx on Jun 19, 2008 5:00:08 GMT -5
Thanks for all the info , I will be sure to give it a try .
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Post by phoenix1967 on Jun 19, 2008 5:10:14 GMT -5
adding some plumbers solder (small roll) to the melt will help. the tin and antimony in it helps a bit. It seems thst your pwoblem with wrinkled is more from the bullet cooling too quick. Billy's suggestion of prheating the mold will help alleviate that as well. I've seen bullet molds made of cast aluminum, and they cool too quick no matter what. the best ones ore made of cast iron or mild steel.
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Post by caretaker on Jun 19, 2008 11:26:19 GMT -5
forgeworkx, how do you like the traditions deerhunter 50 cal? I havve a traditions 50 cal. buckhunter and like it fine. First time I fired her with a scope mounted on her sweet Betsy broke my nose and blacked my eye. As well as cost me 7 stiches to sew up the cut on the bridge of my nose. I now know not to put more than 90 grains in her. Too much gives her a belly ache. Aside frum that she likes 44 sabots.
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Jun 19, 2008 12:23:08 GMT -5
i use rosin core solder that was used to make headlights. it's some good stuff if you can get it. i believe you could use it to flux with too. i have some molds made of steel some made of aluminum and one mold made from brass. the steel molds seem to make a better bullet, just takes longer to heat up. the aluminum molds works well. one i have is a six cavity gang mold from lee. i can cast bullets with it all day with nary a problem. i also have a double aluminum mold from lee, and its good for about 20-30 bullets before it heats up and starts frosting the bullets. it seems to take longer to heat up to. i have some lyman and a couple of old ideal molds made out of steel or iron or something. its my opinion that these are the molds that God would use. i have never made a bad bullet using these mold. i hate the brass mold i would almost rather run out of bullets in a gun fight than have to use it. that mold was replaced with a new lee mold for fathers day. my wife is great
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Post by Forgeworkx on Jun 20, 2008 5:46:37 GMT -5
been using a lee double mould , aluminium , and will apply abit of heat next time and mate I love this rifle the smoke , smell and the noise it,s a bit of a bugger when spotlighting and all the smoke waiting to see if I hit the intended target , it is also scoped
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