First time, can someone take a look for me

Mustang Jon

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This is the first time casting my own. I got the same feeling casting these as I did the first time I reloaded my first round! Can someone take a look at these and tell me if they are usable or not? I see a little smear from the spru plate. Screenshot_20190806-142731.png IMG_20190806_142627.jpg IMG_20190806_142703.jpg
 
as long as your base edge is sharp defined and doesn't have any flashing, I wouldn't worry too much. You need to pluck out any that you don't like and give them new life in the lead pot and keep casting. Eventually you'll hit the sweet spot
with the temps and make great bullets every time for as long as you keep going.
 
Yes, l will be powder coating these. I have recycled some that didn't look so good. I'll let them cool a bit and recycle the rest that haven't filled out. Thanks guys, this is almost as fun as loading them.
 
For a first time this looks great. The one I circled shows a nice base where the spure was cut.

If you cast too fast you car rip the spur and you will see the crystalline structure of the lead.

If you look closely at the spure when pouring, you will see a color flash as the lead cools. I want a few seconds after the flash to cut the spur and dump the bullets.

For a first time these looks great.
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A smeared sprue plate is from opening the plate too soon. The bullets you cast are so-so, a little more heat is needed both on the lead and mold as well, one serves the other. What type mold are you using, I'm guessing a Lee gang.
 
Yes I'm using a 356-102 Lee double cavity. Waiting on my 365-124, 401-175 and 452-230 molds to get here in about a week or so. They sent this mold first. And Eastwood is sending me two pounds of powder as well. Just couldn't help myself and had to try this one out. Loving it so far. I'll play with the heat a little more once I get the other molds and see if I can get rid of the smear. @Grits, thanks for the encouraging words, much appreciated.
 
The best investment I made for casting was a lead thermometer. The thermometer really helps when you are starting out. Once you figure out the right combination of lead and mold temp, you can repeat it again.



You need more heat in the lead and mold. I see several that the mold was too cold and the lead froze before the cavity was filled. The base fill is off on several also. This could be from cold lead, mold, or sprue plate too tight and not letting it vent properly.

It's a great start for a new guy. Keep casting!
 
They're good to go. I save and use the wrinkled ones if they are not too bad since you're coating them. They'll be fine for bill drills.
Keep casting and you'll get better and better.
 
I cast up some 9's, 40's and some 45's today. The 45's didn't fill out that great. Must not have had the heat right. But I think I got enough to powder coat and test now. Just got to find a toaster oven. Don't think the wife and daughter would appreciate me taking the one out of the kitchen. IMG_20190812_115134.jpg IMG_20190812_111140290.jpg
 
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I havent powder coated pure lead but I did tumble lubes some with Alex heavily. It was for a 223 that was downloaded to 800fps. It leaded the barrel BAD. They were shot out of a nef handy rifle so you may be ok with PC and pistol barrels.

I do find pure lead more difficult to cast with. It seems to like a higher heat when poured. You may want to hit up rotometals and pick up some hardball/linotype to add to your pure. There is some spreadsheet on the net that gives you the amounts to add to get the desired hardness. It may be on castboolits website but be prepared for info overload when you start looking through that forum.
 
I was going to try these and see how they do. I have 36 ingots of range scrap that I was going to start mixing in with the pure stuff and see if I can find a mix that will work. But with 1900 lbs. of pure lead I'm going to need a little more range scrap.
 
I was going to try these and see how they do. I have 36 ingots of range scrap that I was going to start mixing in with the pure stuff and see if I can find a mix that will work. But with 1900 lbs. of pure lead I'm going to need a little more range scrap.

Or part with some of that lead :)
 
Lead flavored skittles, mmmmmm:D
 
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