Casting a Few

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LAH

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A short, simple video. Hope you enjoy it.

https://youtu.be/pvfOJ-76rP0
 

mikld

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He has his methods down and it seems to work quite well for him. Personally, I have never had to smack my Lee 6 bangers that hard to get them to drop the bullets, or maybe he just hits the handle bolt that hard out of habit...
 

LAH

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mikld said:
He has his methods down and it seems to work quite well for him. Personally, I have never had to smack my Lee 6 bangers that hard to get them to drop the bullets, or maybe he just hits the handle bolt that hard out of habit...

Number 6 cavity on the 45/200 sticks bad. If it were my mould it would have to be corrected. You either smack the hinge pin hard & often or you leave that cavity empty which would require a single pour orifice. The 38/125 isn't bad & releases bullets pretty good but no where easy as it should.

There's a couple Lee single & doubles here which are way better than these 2.
 
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Thanks LAH! What size pot are you using? You make it look easy! I have an 10 lb LEE bottom pour still in the box, and molds. My lead ingots I bought are 14 lbs., so I am stuck. In other words I am intimidated by the process, plus lack of space. I Should have bought the 20 lb LEE pot.
gramps
 

LAH

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gramps said:
Thanks LAH! What size pot are you using? You make it look easy! I have an 10 lb LEE bottom pour still in the box, and molds. My lead ingots I bought are 14 lbs., so I am stuck. In other words I am intimidated by the process, plus lack of space. I Should have bought the 20 lb LEE pot.
gramps

That's a 40 pound pot mostly for commercial use.

If your ingots are 14 pounds you need a few things. A heat source, a cast iron pot to hold a 14 pound ingot & an ingot mould (corn muffin mould). With these you can make ingots small enough for you 10 pound pot.

Casting isn't hard but there is a learning curve. Clean your mould & warm it on the stove-hot plate. On an electric range I use the middle setting for the eye.

Set your pot on 700-725 degrees. After 15 minutes the mould will be plenty hot & you can probably cast good bullets from the get go. Start out with one mould. Fill the mould & leave a good amount of sprue. Soon as the sprue solidifies cut it & dump the bullet on a soft cloth or a shallow cardboard box.

If your tools are right there is nothing to casting but temperature & cadence. If I'm in your area I'd be honored to help you get started.
 

GP100man

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LAH Thanks for the video !

Been casting boolits since `83 & have a few hammer handles that look just like yours !!!

While it looks like your beating the mold apart the hammer handle isn't heavy enuff to damage but enuff to give a good jarring .

With the gang molds just make sure it`s open good before "tapping" it is the trick to not damaging mating parts.

I have a few lee 6banger molds ,but mostly use NOEs 5 holers now, they drop boolits like rain!!

I used to cast standing & setup was close to yours, but back, knees,& feet make me sit thru a casting session.
Sitting in front of a 20 # pot of 750f lead WILL make you pay close attention to what your doing & in what order!!!!

PS: I like a 24oz Ball Peen handle ,straight grained hickory.

Happy Casting !!!

GP100man
 

LAH

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GP100man

Guess the day will come when I'll sit down also. I do have a Master Caster I sit with but it's slow compared to the 4 & 6 cavity moulds. If people could see the beating those take in the M/Caster they would realize a hammer handle isn't so bad.
 
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I got a 6-gang mold (Lee) for a 230 gr TC for .45 ACP recently, and was impressed with how easily the bullets released from the mold. No release agent, just smoked the cavities before I started. I have a new Mihec .44/250 gr Keith bullet mold I haven't tried out yet (4-cavity). That'll speed up my casting for that bullet compared to my old two cavity Lyman mold.
 

LAH

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A six cavity will surely get you where you need to be in a hurry.
 

GP100man

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I have a few 6 bangers from lee & they do good .

But for a relaxing casting session I use a 5 hole from NOE ,all 5 holes drop out .

Wheel weights 20#with 4oz of tin added, start out at 780 for `bout 7 casts then down to 710-720 & roll with it !!!!

Recycle , catch your lead !!!!

GP100man
 
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