Bullet Casting & Coating MegaThread

Artie said:
@Jay77 has motivated me to try casting for my SKS again with 2400[mg]
I am running the same Lee C312-155-2R bullet as him but, in the past, had terrible luck with IMR-4198. Reading C.E. Harris-The Practical Dope on 7.62x39 and seeing how well Jay's results were, i have decided to try it again with 2400. Picked up 1lbs at Shooting Supply today and loaded up 20 rounds starting at 14gr to 15.5. Hoping to get to the range on Friday and see how it goes.
-Mixed brass, trimmed to 1.519
-Lee C312-155-2R, alloy is COWWs and a bit of added tin, 3 coats of HiTek, water quenched on 3rd coat, sized to .314 (SKS bore slugged at .312), average weight is 163gr with gas check
-Seated to crimp groove, 2.159 OAL
View attachment 739788

Practical Dope on the 7.62X39

Practical Dope on the 7.62x39 By C.E. HarrisUpdated 3-27-94 I have reloaded thousands of rounds of 7.62X39 ammunition with both cast bullets and jacketed, in the AK and the SKS. I got frustrated with the AK as accuracy of these seems is generally poor, at best about 5-6" at 100 yards. The...
castboolits.gunloads.com
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Big-ole-fail! None of the loads would cycle the Norinco SKS. Nice easy shooting and 14.5gr of 2400 was the most accurate but, had to run it like a bolt gun. Actually thought something was wrong with rifle so loaded up some Brown Bear to see if it would cycle and it did w/out issue. Back to the drawing board.
 
Jay77 said:
We ripped through a hundred on Friday and they were great. Running out of tips and recently snagging some great COWW from @Chaparral66 I decided to pour some more. Mmm think it was time to give the Lee pot a cleaning because pouring was a PITA. So I emptied out the lead and found a bit of that fine dust in the spout. So for my curiosity… if everything floats to the top how does that fine dust get to the bottom? I leave about an inch or two of lead in the bottom when I stop. And I use a generous amount of saw dust to flux.
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The lead at the nozzle is exposed to the air and actually subject to air entrapment during flow - not much but the tiny amount of oxidation on the "drip" can get pulled into the nozzle.
Over time they accumulate in the nozzle but can't move further since the the pin either blocks flow or the lead is flowing.
Why don't all of the oxides flow out of the nozzle when pouring? Because physics dictates the boundary condition at the lead/nozzle interface the velocity must be zero. It accumulates because the oxides don't whet out on lead and end up sticking better to the steel nozzle.
 
I loaded up about 60 more 2400 14gr x39 and shot them yesterday through two different norinko SKS’s and two minor failure to feeds occurred which only required a quick wiggle of the bolt. I’m going to send them through the tumbler and load em up again. I really want to know how many reloads I can get out of the cases. And the kid is enjoying the 38spl with the True Blue… he likes the snappy rounds…. And I like the price.
 
pastera said:
The lead at the nozzle is exposed to the air and actually subject to air entrapment during flow - not much but the tiny amount of oxidation on the "drip" can get pulled into the nozzle.
Over time they accumulate in the nozzle but can't move further since the the pin either blocks flow or the lead is flowing.
Why don't all of the oxides flow out of the nozzle when pouring? Because physics dictates the boundary condition at the lead/nozzle interface the velocity must be zero. It accumulates because the oxides don't whet out on lead and end up sticking better to the steel nozzle.
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Makes sense and the more and more I poke the hole with the bent welding rod to fix the flow issue the more I push crap back into the nozzle. Easy enough to clean the pot every couple of sessions.
 
Jay77 said:
Makes sense and the more and more I poke the hole with the bent welding rod to fix the flow issue the more I push crap back into the nozzle. Easy enough to clean the pot every couple of sessions.
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Dull a drill bit and use that by hand to clear the nozzle
Or grind your welding rod into a D-bit

Only use by hand and it will clean without damage
 
Artie said:
Sure, rub it in.
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Now we have to get together for some additional testing. Mine ran in both an SKS and AK without an issue. Wonder if I’m doing something different that could be driving up the pressure or how I’m lubing the gun or something. I lube the rails with red grease and throw some oil in. But I don’t clean often
 
Jay77 said:
Now we have to get together for some additional testing. Mine ran in both an SKS and AK without an issue. Wonder if I’m doing something different that could be driving up the pressure or how I’m lubing the gun or something. I lube the rails with red grease and throw some oil in. But I don’t clean often
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I am using gas checks and you are lubing the bullets. I will load up some more at 14.5 -15.5gr of 2400 and remove gas check and lube the bullet. Could be alloy, I assume softer could form and seal better and increase pressure? I have read the recoil spring on the Norinco are lighter than Russian or Yugo so that shouldn't be an affecting issue. We will see
 
Artie said:
I am using gas checks and you are lubing the bullets. I will load up some more at 14.5 -15.5gr of 2400 and remove gas check and lube the bullet. Could be alloy, I assume softer could form and seal better and increase pressure? I have read the recoil spring on the Norinco are lighter than Russian or Yugo so that shouldn't be an affecting issue. We will see
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I really want to do a side by side comparison at some point for the heck of it. We had a quick mag dump trip to the range yesterday and we found one round from a previous trip which we randomly loaded mid mag for testing. The kid knew when he shot that round because it was a powder puff round compared to the golden tiger we were shooting but it cycled. I want to say that my alloy was range scrap with a water drop after the third coating of hi tek. I’ll pour some more with COWW and I’ll water drop after the third round of hi tek. I want to pour more for some 300blk which I’ll try sizing to .309 and lube. I tried to slug the virgin bore but stopped as it got really tight near the chamber… wood dowels are not the best choice …please don’t ask me how I know…
 
Pan lubed my next batch of x39 with my lifetime supply of home made lube:
1lbs Beeswax
1lbs Paraffin
1 tub of Vaseline
1 red crayon
2 splashes of STP

Loaded up another 20 rounds with 2400, lubed and not GC'd, 14gr - 15.5gr. Will seat a bit deeper to increase pressure. These are the same alloy as my earlier attempts because I cast and coated about 300 awhile ago and have them.

20230423_113512.jpg 20230423_151920.jpg 20230423_153515.jpg
 
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I was thinking of taking the same bullet lee .312 155gr, hi tek, sizing to 309 with lube and turning out some 300 blackout. I have the tips done and now I need to come up with a load recipe. Could I use 2400 like the x39’s with a reduced starting point of around 13gr! Any recommended known load/powder combos for a good starting point?
 
Jay77 said:
One end over the other or both sides?
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Front to back 😁

Usually the bore will be pretty consistent from end to end with some having constrictions near threaded shanks. You can pour enough in the chamber to get the first couple inches of the rifling then do another one from the muzzle end and compare.
 
38ExtraSpecial said:
Front to back 😁

Usually the bore will be pretty consistent from end to end with some having constrictions near threaded shanks. You can pour enough in the chamber to get the first couple inches of the rifling then do another one from the muzzle end and compare.
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just follow the chamber casting instructions. Leave it in to long its a bear to get out
 
Jay77 said:
Second question of the day around using cerrosafe to slug a bore. Chamber cast and or cast the muzzle… you wouldn’t push it through the bore like a pure lead slug…
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Cerrocast is hard and brittle - 22 brinell
www.metaconceptgroupe.com

Cerrobend, Cerrotru, Cerro® alloys | Metaconcept

Cerrobend, Cerrotru *** The METACONCEPT Group offers a range of specific alloys. CERRO® products are low melting temperature alloys used as thermal fusibles for forming or temporarily fixing parts
www.metaconceptgroupe.com www.metaconceptgroupe.com

If you are using one of the other Cerro alloys then you might be able to stage it.

But if you get it stuck a hair dryer will melt it out easily (BTDT)

Edit: you said Cerrosafe so brinell 9.
However remember it grows a lot over time 0.25%
Make sure you measure at 30 minutes after cast or wait a couple of days and scale (x/1.0025)
 
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My older Lee pot was in need of a rebuild. It stays inside an old barn so it’s not really out of the weather completely.

I was going to buy the parts from Lee but after looking at the $36 in my cart I figured I would channel my inner @pastera and fix it myself.

Some drilling, tapping, threading and fiddling and she’s good as new. 11 years of use and abuse and it’s still running. You really can beat a Lee for value.
 
38ExtraSpecial said:
My older Lee pot was in need of a rebuild. It stays inside an old barn so it’s not really out of the weather completely.

I was going to buy the parts from Lee but after looking at the $36 in my cart I figured I would channel my inner @pastera and fix it myself.

Some drilling, tapping, threading and fiddling and she’s good as new. 11 years of use and abuse and it’s still running. You really can beat a Lee for value.
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[pics]
 
38ExtraSpecial said:
Ok ok here they are

Simple fixed but effective. Lee pots are pretty simple which is nice when you need to fabricobble something together.

View attachment 759548View attachment 759549
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Where is the ugly?
Also Lee often will warranty many parts of the lee pots. All but the element IIRC
Call lee with any questions I find they are still great to deal with and so far I have never had to be on hold or transferred to get issues resolved
 
pastera said:
How's the cover working for you?
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I love those covers. If anyone doesn’t have a @pastera pot cover for your Lee you’re missing out.
They double as a proper hot plate for preheating moulds and ingots. You need to patent that and see it to Lee.

mac1911 said:
Where is the ugly?
Also Lee often will warranty many parts of the lee pots. All but the element IIRC
Call lee with any questions I find they are still great to deal with and so far I have never had to be on hold or transferred to get issues resolved
Click to expand...

I wasn’t sure on the pots so I figured I would take the rainy day to mess around with it. I was close enough with the die size I had and my plethora of taps proved fruitful once again. Gotta love having a grandfather that worked at Morse twist drill.
 
38ExtraSpecial said:
I love those covers. If anyone doesn’t have a @pastera pot cover for your Lee you’re missing out.
They double as a proper hot plate for preheating moulds and ingots. You need to patent that and see it to Lee.



I wasn’t sure on the pots so I figured I would take the rainy day to mess around with it. I was close enough with the die size I had and my plethora of taps proved fruitful once again. Gotta love having a grandfather that worked at Morse twist drill.
Click to expand...
You have not seen ugly to you see a old lee pot smothered in borate from years and years of fluxing.
 
Artie said:
Pan lubed my next batch of x39 with my lifetime supply of home made lube:
1lbs Beeswax
1lbs Paraffin
1 tub of Vaseline
1 red crayon
2 splashes of STP

Loaded up another 20 rounds with 2400, lubed and not GC'd, 14gr - 15.5gr. Will seat a bit deeper to increase pressure. These are the same alloy as my earlier attempts because I cast and coated about 300 awhile ago and have them.

View attachment 745460View attachment 745461View attachment 745462
Click to expand...
Another fail with x39. I think my Norinco just doesn't like cast. Have tried 2400 and IMR4198 powders. IMR4198 cycles the action w/out issue but accuracy sucks. 2400 doesn't cycle the action but accuracy is good. Gonna grab a pound of RL-7 and give that a try.
 

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