Bullet Casting & Coating MegaThread

Cast some 9 mm today. I was able to use my PID for the first time and it gave me a much better understanding of when everything was ready (680 F setting gets me between 670-690, which has no frosting and no wrinkling). I also used my old toaster oven to pre-heat my molds. That made a huge difference as well. Overall, a much more repeatable casting session.


PID.jpg
 
ddeck22 said:
Cast some 9 mm today. I was able to use my PID for the first time and it gave me a much better understanding of when everything was ready (680 F setting gets me between 670-690, which has no frosting and no wrinkling). I also used my old toaster oven to pre-heat my molds. That made a huge difference as well. Overall, a much more repeatable casting session.


View attachment 797010
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That’s awesome. I was making about 100# of 20:1 last weekend and realized I was out of tin. Buddy gave me some 40/60 and 50/50 solder last week so I’ll be right where I need it. Planning on melting it up this week.
 
First time coating using Hi-Tek. 3 coats with 10 min to dry, 10 min in the toaster oven at 375 F (controlled via PID) and then 10 min to cool in front of a fan. I'm assuming for lube groove boolits that it doesn't matter how much gets in there (judging by @pastera post above)

Passed the smash test and the acetone test. It went ok for the first time. I'll size these up, load them up and make sure everything is OK

Hi-Tech.jpg
 
ddeck22 said:
First time coating using Hi-Tek. 3 coats with 10 min to dry, 10 min in the toaster oven at 375 F (controlled via PID) and then 10 min to cool in front of a fan. I'm assuming for lube groove boolits that it doesn't matter how much gets in there (judging by @pastera post above)

Passed the smash test and the acetone test. It went ok for the first time. I'll size these up, load them up and make sure everything is OK

View attachment 801524
Click to expand...
Beautiful consistency. Yeah the lube grooves can be bare.
 
It’s been far too long since I put some lead down range. I re-barreled this K 98 with a Israeli 762 surplus barrel. We’ll wait alloy 180 grain lube and gas check H 4895 Powder approximately 1750 ft./s. Took me two shots to get on paper and put the last eat into the black that’s about the best I can do with my eyes and the sights on a K 98.

SR-1 target 100 yards 72383F11-C96A-4556-9DA2-0E7BB50327F4.jpeg C62F2231-21F0-49BF-B688-36387D0835B5.jpeg
 
Ahh my neighbor tossed a Breville smart convection over on the side of the road with a note that says works fine.

Come to find out the convection fan is limping along and they don’t sell replacements. A little persuasion with my compressor and it spins better now. Maybe it’s just gunked up? Reviews say the fans die after 2 years though.
Either way a nice “new” coating oven for when I don’t want to fire up the full size oven for a little batch.
 
38ExtraSpecial said:
Ahh my neighbor tossed a Breville smart convection over on the side of the road with a note that says works fine.

Come to find out the convection fan is limping along and they don’t sell replacements. A little persuasion with my compressor and it spins better now. Maybe it’s just gunked up? Reviews say the fans die after 2 years though.
Either way a nice “new” coating oven for when I don’t want to fire up the full size oven for a little batch.
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If you can't get it going, let me know and I'll see if I can replace the bearings
 
pastera said:
View attachment 819984
Lyman 311467
Going to become 300AAC plinkers
Will also lube them and try pushing them to 1200-1500 (or however fast I can get them without leading)
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Velocity is seldom a issue for leading. Im going with pressure/heat being more of a issue against just velocity.
I think powder burn rate can play a role also. ?
Twist rate can be a issue
Bullet size is a very big contributor also.
My short stint with 300 with cast
iirc had 1/8 twist which is fast for cast. You reach the rpm threshold of cast quick.
125-140,000 rpm -

MV X 720/Twist Rate = RPM

For the 1/10 war rifles thats around 1950 fps for 140k rpm-ish

With common alloy
I have also found a gas check for anything over 1600 fps.
I ran wheel weight allot .310 plain base ( no gas check design) with lee tumble lube with no leading I could see ( no bore scope then) with several hundred rounds with just normal wet, dry, wet patching after use.

I tey to always fall back on my dad and some others about reloading

Dont over complicate it
Keep it safe
Follow basics
Sometimes shit just does not work well.

300 aac
I used ranch dog 165 ( lee design) gas checked
Lyman 200 gn plain base
Lyman 175 gn - gas checked.
Best accuracy was with the 165s which was not great.
I would have been happy with sub 3 moa , Did not get there.
 
Last edited:
mac1911 said:
Velocity is seldom a issue for leading. Im going with pressure/heat being more of a issue against just velocity.
I think powder burn rate can play a role also. ?
Twist rate can be a issue
Bullet size is a very big contributor also.
My short stint with 300 with cast
iirc had 1/8 twist which is fast for cast. You reach the rpm threshold of cast quick.
125-140,000 rpm -

MV X 720/Twist Rate = RPM

For the 1/10 war rifles thats around 1950 fps for 140k rpm-ish

With common alloy
I have also found a gas check for anything over 1600 fps.
I ran wheel weight allot .310 plain base ( no gas check design) with lee tumble lube with no leading I could see ( no bore scope then) with several hundred rounds with just normal wet, dry, wet patching after use.

I tey to always fall back on my dad and some others about reloading

Dont over complicate it
Keep it safe
Follow basics
Sometimes shit just does not work well.

300 aac
I used ranch dog 165 ( lee design) gas checked
Lyman 200 gn plain base
Lyman 175 gn - gas checked.
Best accuracy was with the 165s which was not great.
I would have been happy with sub 3 moa , Did not get there.
Click to expand...
For ringing steel at 100 yards or less, 3 moa is plenty
 
pastera said:
For ringing steel at 100 yards or less, 3 moa is plenty
Click to expand...
Yes it is , but I just lost interest in 300? Maybe its the lack of interest in the AR platform ?
I have AR platform in 223 for “service rifle” type matches and a 22lr upper for steel out to 200 yards( max at my club)
3 moa is plenty when shooting at 6 moa plates, lil
These days im having trouble seeing 6 moa aiming dot……
 
Coated the 45 I cast a few days ago.
Cast up some 9mm and 380 while coating.

I need to get a bigger oven since I can cast faster than I can coat in the small toaster oven.
 

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38ExtraSpecial said:
I bet that thing drops beautifully. I know the hollow point version is fast. I imagine a flat point with no lube Groove must rain.
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This is the third different metal I have now (cast iron, aluminum and now brass). I had to figure it out and get the cadence down but they did fall out pretty easily. This is the mold where I thought I needed a second pot. It was 20 min of casting and 30 min of waiting.

It took a little bit for the mold to get up to temp (i preheated in the toaster oven, but that’s not enough), but I didn’t take a picture of those wrinkly ones.
 
Anyone know of a local place to get an M4 x 4mm DIN 913 (ISO 4026) set screw? I don't know if my MP mold didn't come with one or it fell out :(

I tried Fastenal and they don't have any because why would they have every fastener known to the world? Lowe's has something for faucets that fits but it doesn't state whether it is the flat point (ISO 4026). I could order from McMaster but I don't need 50.

I guess I could just cut a longer one that Fastenal has if it comes to that: https://www.fastenal.com/product/details/90032
 
ddeck22 said:
Anyone know of a local place to get an M4 x 4mm DIN 913 (ISO 4026) set screw? I don't know if my MP mold didn't come with one or it fell out :(

I tried Fastenal and they don't have any because why would they have every fastener known to the world? Lowe's has something for faucets that fits but it doesn't state whether it is the flat point (ISO 4026). I could order from McMaster but I don't need 50.

I guess I could just cut a longer one that Fastenal has if it comes to that: https://www.fastenal.com/product/details/90032
Click to expand...
I can check when I get home. I ordered some spare parts with the last order but I don’t know if that was one of them.

I lost one and just drilled and tapped larger for something I can find in town.
 
It’s an m4 with a 0.7 mm pitch. I’ll have to look to see if other m4’s have that same threading.

Thanks for the suggestion. I did think about just buying that longer one from Fastenal and letting it hang out like the bolts on Frankenstein 🤣
 
Jay77 said:
I’m also missing one on my 8mm mold which I bought first. I periodically check now to make sure it’s tight. The last time I was using the 314410 I heard something metallic hit the floor…. It was one of the bolts for the HP inserts.
Click to expand...
Next time anyone buys from MP grab the extra hardware. It’s dirt cheap and most of it you can’t get at Lowe’s.
 

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