Well as you may have guessed I'm new at this game and need some help.

Problem 1: I was given a Lee Mould which cast a .358" 150gr Hollow Point Semi Wadcutter bullet. The problem I'm having with it is getting the tip to completely fill out. Any ideas?

Any idea as to which Lyman Top Punch to use with this bullet?

Problem 2: I bought a Lyman dipper to do the pouring, and lead wants to cling to it to the point interfering with the actual pouring. Any ideas of how to get the clinging lead off and how to prevent it from sticking to the dipper?

I'm also pouring a 45cal bullet in a Lee mould that's doing fine, so I don't think my alloy is the problem with the .358 bullet. The alloy is straight wheelweights with some chilled shot thrown in.

Thanks to all,

Rick

There are several things you need to do; the first being to thoroughly scrub the mold in hot soapy water and then dry it completely. Next, using wooden matches, smoke the cavity (both sides) and nose pin. It doesn't hurt to follow Lee's instructions about lubricating the mold either (very sparingly). You also should rub the entire top surface of the mold with a soft pencil to prevent galling. Third, raise the temp. of your pot to 800 deg. F to start. Lower it to 750 deg. after ~20 successful casts. Lastly, clean the dipper with a wire wheel (Do this outdoors and use eye protection.), then smoke it with a candle until it's completely covered with soot. Repeat frequently to prevent the problem. ...Maven

sanman--My guess would be you need to flux a little better and perhaps cast a little hotter.

Rick, I forgot to add that a top punch which fits a "generic" SWC bullet will also fit the Lee, e.g. Lyman #429. However, you can easily make one from a common nail whose body is Approx. the same size as the top punch shaft and whose head is < .356". ,,.Maven

That core pin has to be hot. I dip Lee moulds into the molten alloy ubtil the pin bracket comes away clean.

The way to deal with the buildup on the sprue hole is just to remove the dipper in such a way that you get an actual sprue. Overfill the mould a little. The sprue has enough weight to fall off when a few specks won't.

The graphite trick is a good one. I use spray mould release instead of a pencil. A good coat on the top of the mould and both sides of the sprue plate cures several problems, but I don't use it as release anymore, because it makes the mould cast small when you apply it inside the cavities.

Thanks for the replies guys. I cleaned up my mould, smoked it, then lubed the top with an old pencil, all after turning the pot on to heat up. I guess I now have an issue with the pot as after 2 hours, it still wasn't hot enough to do any casting. The lead never got past the 'grainy' stage. I will be ordering myself a new one today!

Thanks again,

Rick

The biggest problem I had when I started casting, was trying to cast too cool. Once I started to pre-heat the mold, and run the pot hotter, I'd get good bullets. The lee molds especially like to be cast hot. This is especially true of wheel weights. All I cast is straight wheelweight alloy, and so long as it is hot, it'll work well in any type of mold.

I'd advise getting a Lee bottom pour furnace. Yes, the do dribble, and the don't hold the tightest of temp ranges, but it'll certainly suffice to cast good bullets.

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Originally posted by Paul H:

I'd advise getting a Lee bottom pour furnace. Yes, the do dribble, and the don't hold the tightest of temp ranges, but it'll certainly suffice to cast good bullets.

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Got a Lee Pro 4 20 Lb Furnace on its way to me as we speak! I'll let y'all know how things work out.

Rick

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Originally posted by Sanman:
Well as you may have guessed I'm new at this game and need some help.

Problem 1: I was given a Lee Mould which cast a .358" 150gr Hollow Point Semi Wadcutter bullet. The problem I'm having with it is getting the tip to completely fill out. Any ideas?

Any idea as to which Lyman Top Punch to use with this bullet?

Problem 2: I bought a Lyman dipper to do the pouring, and lead wants to cling to it to the point interfering with the actual pouring. Any ideas of how to get the clinging lead off and how to prevent it from sticking to the dipper?

I'm also pouring a 45cal bullet in a Lee mould that's doing fine, so I don't think my alloy is the problem with the .358 bullet. The alloy is straight wheelweights with some chilled shot thrown in.

Thanks to all,

Rick

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COLD MOLD!!!!!!!.Warm that mold at all times with propane torch or in lead while pouring.The smaller your cast the more imperfections due to cold mold will show

a quick caveat.... if you use a propane torch to warm up the mold, you must be VERY gentle with it.... warm it gradually and evenly.. it's very easy (I've been told) to warp a set of mold blocks by heating them too quickly and un-evenly. This is all hearsay, as I've never warped any myself. I just set the mold on top of the furnace while I'm bringing it up to temp, and top it off by dipping a corner of the mold into the molten lead for a few seconds.

Well my new Lee pot arrived late yesterday afternoon and you guys that said I was casting too cool were exactly right!

I was surprised at how quickly 10 pounds of metal came up to tempature. The mold was warmed and I got a good bullet on my 3rd cast!

I had some culls, as I assume everyone does, but but didn't have as many as I thought I would. I've picked out 50 to keep and use to start working up a load in my S&W M686.

Now wish me luck on learning to use the Lubrisizer.

Thanks again,

Rick