I have a new RCBS 250 gr Keith style bullet mould. I used this mould for the first time today. Melted some wheel weights, added about 10 inches of 95/5 solder, fluxed it, then started pouring using a dipper to fill the mould. (bottom pour pot is on order) I water quenched the bullets directly from the mould. I weighed 8 bullets and found they weighed from a low of 262.4 gr to a high of 264.2 gr. I checked the scale with a Berry's 125 gr and 240 bullet and it was on the money. Why would this mould cast a bullet that is over 12-14 grains high? I measured the diameter of the bulets and they were .430. I tried to force some through the cylinder of my gun using a pencil and they would go but they were pretty tight. I'll be sizing them to .429 when my Lee sizer arrives this week.
Couple of observations: It doesn't take many wheel weights from tractor trailer tires to fill a 10 pound pot. (some of these weights were 8-10 oz each) I could scratch the WW with my thumb nail but not the bullets after the water quenching. Casting is as much fun as reloading or shooting.
I think the rcbs moulds (stated weight) is for linotype,they always come out heavy with WW,I have a .452-270saa mould that comes out at 282,expect it from rcbs.
RCBS Cast bullet manual number 1 (And only....) states that your bullet was designed for Linotype use and that in that bullet, if you use wheelweights that you should expect it to be 11.7 grains heavier than the nominal stated weight with linotype. So your bullets running 12-14 grains over the stated weight look right on target. The manual also says the bullets will cast at .0009 smaller than nominal diameter when cast with wheel weights.
regards, Graycg
Posts: 692 | Location: Fairfax County Virginia | Registered: 07 February 2003
Don't smelt those weights directly in your pot. The grit and trash mixed up with them will cause problems in a downpour spout. (Learned that one the hard way)
Most of us clean up big batches of WW over a turkey fryer in cast iron pots. There are several threads on the process.
Makes for better bullets and fewer problems with our pots because we clean and flux when we are making ingots and again when we melt the ingots for casting.
Posts: 1570 | Location: Base of the Blue Ridge | Registered: 04 November 2002
If that is the 44-250-K mold you are using the weight of the bullets is right at what my 44-250-K's weigh in at when cast from an alloy of 2-1 (ww-#2). I shoot them as cast--I don't size them. They shoot pretty darn well from my Ruger SRH with Green Dot, AL-8, or WC-820. Size if you wish, but it is just another step. Good-luck...BCB
Posts: 212 | Location: WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA | Registered: 11 March 2001
Try shooting the bullets "as cast" if they are that close to the cylinder throat of your gun. The bullet doesn't care is it is sized by being fired or pushed through a die. Don't worry about the small amount of resistance the over size bullet will create. The Lee liquid alloy should work nicely for moderate loads and it'll save a step in the process.
