First let me say it will be nice to be able to respond/ask for clairification from you folks from shooters. Been following the forum for quite some time. Now too my problem. Got a new .45acp mold from LEE. I did a lot a bitchin to get it. First copy was undersized in the rear drive band. They made it right. This is a 452/200 swc. It only wants to fill out half the time. Frosty and rounded front drive band is the reason for rejection. I don't have this problem with other LEE molds. Any help out there? Sorry for being long-winded. Regards, Jeff

54JEFF

I have a Lee Mould and I had the SAME problems when I first got it, I thought this thing does not work, but after reading and trying different things, I finally got it to work.

I preheat it for longer than it says to, I smoke the inside with lighter, candle is better though.

I hand cast, with ladle so I do not know about the furnaces, but with my 2 holer I just start casting and about 2 to 5 casts I have good bullets, I keep casting until I flux/ add new metal, then I repeat the whole process, I have made 100s if not 1000s of bullets and that is my secret.

I like frosted bullets, I think the lube sticks better.

Clint

Thanks Clint. Maybe because the mold is new it's gonna need some break-in time. I thought of resmokin the mold when the bullets started to drop bad, but didn't. Will try it as soon as garage cools down. Good day sir, Jeff

54JEFF,

I clean all my molds THOROUGHLY with some type of degreaser. Many are available at auto parts stores. I then clean the cavities with HOT soapy water to remove all residue of the degreaser. Then I put them in an old oven I have in my garage where I cast and let them heat up to 225-250 degrees F. This dries them well. I then smoke the cavities with old fashion kitchen matches--the wooden ones. I think the lighters and candles might add a bit of oil residue to the cavity, thus causing fill out to not be good. The first few casts are generally still not good until the mold heats up. Then the good bullets begin to drop. I generally cast at 800+ degrees F.

I have also found that even if a driving band is slightly rounded, it sometimes does not affect accuracy. Depends on what you are shooting. Good-luck...BCB

You may also want to try casting at a higher temperature, say 800 deg. F, at least at first and then drop back to 740 deg. F when (if?) you get good bullets. This presupposes you have a casting thermometer of course (Very handy and not too expensive; helps improve consistency). My other thought is that the mold may not be venting properly, which you can determine by inspection and fix with a jeweler's file if necessary. Moreover, you may want to loosen the screw on the sprue plate a bit too. ...Maven

54Jeff,

I too had the same challenge. I did what the other folks said- clean it etc....but I added pure tin to the melt- not much, jus' about a pound to 18 pounds of WWs. The tin helps a great deal.

Regards.....

I use a brake parts cleaner on the molds, scrub with a tooth brush. Be sure the mold is cold first. Ask me how I know about that one. Then I smoke with one of those long lighters. My lee molds seem to work well this way.

......I'll add a reply that is materially the same as several others. I use Berrymans ChemTool carb cleaner to do the initial cleaning along with a toothbrush to scrub the cavities.

I will then smoke the cavities with either a Bic type disposable or my Zippo lighter. Once the mould has heated up while sitting on the furnace it gets lubed, dunked into the pot for a 10 count. Then I commence casting. Usually only 2-3 culls result and then good bullets start falling.

A dull frosted or grainy appearance is poor fill out. Well defined surface crystalization is merely casting at elevated temps. As long as it's over the entire bullet surface it's fine.

Any rounded or frosted detail area is either due to: surface contamination of the mould cavity, incomplete fill due to a venting issue, or incorrect alloy/mould temp.

........Buckshot

54JEFF, I don't see where you said whether you use a dipper or bottom feed. Make sure your mold is squeeky clean. I use brake cleaner and/or starting fluid which is cheaper. Far as I can tell, the starting fluid evaporates completely and leaves no residue. I then cast until the boolits are dropping frosty all over. If they're not filling out I smoke the mold with a kitchen match. So far it's worked every time. Clean mold, run hot, smoked (matches only). Every time I've had problems with Lee fillout, cleaning and sometimes recleaning, plus smoke would cure the problem. I do run 'em hot also. How hot? Don't know, don't have a thermometer but boolits are frosted. I'm a ladle caster and usually power pour. Regards, Woody

Thanks to all who took time to respond. I will follow your advice and let you know how it turns out.There seems to be no pattern to this problem. Mold will drop some clean and sharply defined bullets then rounded junk! I'm gonna turn it up, clean it up, and smoke it up. Thanks again, Jeff