Question for high production casters

Up

0

Down

::

Does anyone who uses large quantities of a particular bullet use two molds in rotation to crank out lots of them? Also what sort of lead pots do you use?

Topic

[michaelburns]

Up

0

Down

::

I like to run 2 moulds as once, but not the same. I then separate out the different bullets afterwards, or drop them into different boxes. Sometimes I’ve even run 3 moulds at a go, leaving them to cool off on a hotplate so they don’t get too cool.

You can empty a 10lb pot pretty quick that way, particularly if you have a friend helping, one filling and one dropping.

Problem with running 2 moulds is that you have to really pay attention you’re not doing something wrong with one of them, since they all want to be run “just so”, and all a little differently.

[teemuParticipant]

Up

0

Down

::

I run also 2-3 mold´s at same time. If you cast big bullet´s like over 400gr and use iron or brass mold they getting so hot after while so there is plenty of time to let mold´s cool a bit and change other mold

[jameswilson]

Up

0

Down

::

My first post here.

I often use 2 when casting the same type bullet

When doing heavy weights it helps to get the larger one to cool down some.
I do have 2 of a few molds but it just depends what is needed.

[cliftonmorris]

Up

0

Down

::

I cast up a pot using two moulds last night. Some of the best looking bullets I have ever cast. I sat down and weighed some today and find that on these two 200gr. Designs I get about a 2.3 gr variation in weight with one style and just under 5gr with the other. Both were two cavity moulds as I got more into weighing them I found I could call the weight pretty close by looking for tiny differences in the fill of the drive bands and the perfection of the base corners. What sort of weight variations do you guys find acceptable? All of these bullets look better than what you buy commercially cast but I have never weighed any of those to compare.

[darrellsteenwykParticipant]

Up

0

Down

::

I just run one mould, sometimes it’s an NOE 10C or an 8C, pleanty fast for me.

[jasonfancherParticipant]

Up

0

Down

::

I just run one mould, sometimes it’s an NOE 10C or an 8C, pleanty fast for me.

same here. noe 5 cavity. go slow and watch the pile up.

[mikehuppParticipant]

Up

0

Down

::

I’ve found some of my moulds prefer a cadence best accomplished by rotating two moulds. Makes a big pile of bullets in a hurry, need to keep an eye on the alloy level when using two 4-6 cavity moulds.

[cliftonmorris]

Up

0

Down

::

I’ve been considering a jump back into NRA Bullseye pistol competition so I want to maximize bbullet consistency every way I can. Someone mentioned keeping an eye on alloy. I take it they meant  level in the pot when casting with multiple molds.  I bought a LPG single burner fish fryer and  a large plumbers pot that will hold over 50 lbs of lead. I’ve been using than to melt pigs of pure lead and casting it into ingots. I buy Rotometal alloy ingots and blend the pure lead as needed in the small lead pot. I think this go around I’m going to alloy the whole shebang so I can just add consistent ingots of the correct alloy as I’m cranking out competition wadcutters.  I figured that I could use the Lee Production pot to melt the ingots in. My current Lee pot doesn’t seem to hold temps consistent as the pot empties so I think I will get the same production pot but without the bottom pour and get the temp set on it when it’s full. If I use the bottom pour pot to do the initial melt in and pour an ingot from it and add the barely solidified ingot to the ladle pot to keep it full, I might be able to maintain a more consistent temp control without spending bank on a Magma 40 lb. pot. 
I sure wish we could get Swede to make us a 185 or even a 170 grain version of the HG 130 bullet.

[adamsutherlandModerator]

Up

0

Down

::

I use around 800 120 gn 310 cadet boolits a month.

I use a five cavity Accurate mould and cast around 400 – 500 boolits at a session, I have arthritis in my hands and shoulders and any longer than 3/4s of an hour at the pot and I’m hurting and loosing my grip on the mould handles.

Therefore i like to get as many boolits done as I can at a sitting.

I have tried the two mould approach and not found it much faster, that could just be me not practising enough however.

The two mould approach could have some more merit if you are using the Lee six cavity moulds they have less metal that most other multi cavity moulds and the aluminium use does seem to heat up very quickly so giving one time to cool down makes sense with that type of mould.

I have never found overheating whilst using Accurate or NOE moulds to be an issue once I get the cadence right and the bullets just drop fast enough for me and the mould doesn’t need cooling time ‘tween pours.

I use RCBS Pro Melts and the 20 odd lbs they hold is more than enough capacity for my type of casting.

[garynordgran]

Up

0

Down

::

I have tried using two molds but it didn’t seem to work as good for me. I have made piles of over 50 lbs. with a four cavity steel (Highly modified) Lyman mold. I do have to keep the alloy temp. down a little with the steel or it will slow you down waiting for the sprue to solidify. I found you need at least a 20 pound pot if you want high production rates. A 40 would be better.

[rallandhessParticipant]

Up

0

Down

::

I cast with two 20lb Lees and often use two moulds in two cavity steel, or multi cavity aluminum. I can’t seem to keep the correct cadence when trying to use one brass and one aluminum. When I’m using my rg4 brass mould it keeeps me plenty busy by itself, making sure my pins are correct, and gives me a chance to put the mould down and give my wrist a rest. Had a full day of casting with my 165 RD 5 cavity aluminum the other day, and ended up with 62 lbs of bullets. Now if I could just talk somebody into putting all the Gas ckecks on those bullets for me!!

[michaelburns]

Up

0

Down

::

I tried casting last night with a single alu 5-cav 200gn 364 mould.

I had to go so slowly after a certain point (1000gns of lead per drop adds a lot of heat to the alu) that I ran downstairs and prepped a second mould so I could run 2 at once.

[Author]

Replies