What did you do in the reloading room recently?

So I used lead foil to see the difference in quality vs lyman #2. Then I added lyman ingots and the end result was fugly boolits. I did size them, but my question is will fugly boolits cycle/function well enough? Does powder coating help with a smooth looking finish? I don't really care about looks, I am making these for SHTF and for general fun at the range.

Also, could the deformities be a result of not keeping the cast mold hot enough? Every few minutes I will set it on top of the oven to try to keep it hot
 

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So I used lead foil to see the difference in quality vs lyman #2. Then I added lyman ingots and the end result was fugly boolits. I did size them, but my question is will fugly boolits cycle/function well enough? Does powder coating help with a smooth looking finish? I don't really care about looks, I am making these for SHTF and for general fun at the range.

Also, could the deformities be a result of not keeping the cast mold hot enough? Every few minutes I will set it on top of the oven to try to keep it hot
Or am I keeping the furnace too hot? Should I STFU and stop caring?
 
The .38/55 is a Hi-Wall. It's a Browning with crescent butt and octagonal barrel. They don't make it anymore but I think it was called the traditional hunter. It has a Parson Long Scope. I don't think that's around anymore either. It's a pretty low tech combination but fun to shoot.
 
The .38/55 is a Hi-Wall. It's a Browning with crescent butt and octagonal barrel. They don't make it anymore but I think it was called the traditional hunter. It has a Parson Long Scope. I don't think that's around anymore either. It's a pretty low tech combination but fun to shoot.
Love it. Low tech is my tech. Any pictures of it?
 
So I used lead foil to see the difference in quality vs lyman #2. Then I added lyman ingots and the end result was fugly boolits. I did size them, but my question is will fugly boolits cycle/function well enough? Does powder coating help with a smooth looking finish? I don't really care about looks, I am making these for SHTF and for general fun at the range.

Also, could the deformities be a result of not keeping the cast mold hot enough? Every few minutes I will set it on top of the oven to try to keep it hot
Lead foil for the most part is pure lead. So its molten point is higher than lyman #2 , your bullets look like a combo of to low alloy temp and to low mold temp.
They will shoot, covering them with a coating is like painting over rust and dents.
if tou dont care coat them and shoot them. If not put them back in the pot and keep trying.
Keep tour foil lead aside for other things , like shotgun slugs and black powder projectiles.
 
Lead foil for the most part is pure lead. So its molten point is higher than lyman #2 , your bullets look like a combo of to low alloy temp and to low mold temp.
They will shoot, covering them with a coating is like painting over rust and dents.
if tou dont care coat them and shoot them. If not put them back in the pot and keep trying.
Keep tour foil lead aside for other things , like shotgun slugs and black powder projectiles.
Thank you
 
...and the end result was fugly boolits. I did size them, but my question is will fugly boolits cycle/function well enough? Does powder coating help with a smooth looking finish? I don't really care about looks, I am making these for SHTF and for general fun at the range.

Also, could the deformities be a result of not keeping the cast mold hot enough? Every few minutes I will set it on top of the oven to try to keep it hot

You have cold flow due to not being at adequate temps.
I'd just throw them back into the pot.
Mildly blemished bullets can still be fired successfully, but if they are too poorly cast, you run the risk of the bullet breaking apart inside your magazine, cylinder, chamber or while in flight.
 
So I used lead foil to see the difference in quality vs lyman #2. Then I added lyman ingots and the end result was fugly boolits. I did size them, but my question is will fugly boolits cycle/function well enough? Does powder coating help with a smooth looking finish? I don't really care about looks, I am making these for SHTF and for general fun at the range.

Also, could the deformities be a result of not keeping the cast mold hot enough? Every few minutes I will set it on top of the oven to try to keep it hot
also if your not going to coat that lee tumble lube design bullet you will want to get the best mold fill out for the tumble lube grooves to hold the lube
 
Posting pictures is beyond my ability but when my daughter gets back from South Carolina I'll have her do that. You're welcome to shoot it if you ever get up to Harvard or Shirley.
I swear I’m going to take you up on that sometime. I need to put that on my short list.
I might have a bullet mould that would work well for that rifle. What diameter Bullet are you using?
 
I'm using a Lyman375449. It's a 264 grain flat nose gas check and I size it to .379. I've tried SR4759 and AA5744 but this rifle likes IMR4227 better.
Ah nice. I have the Lee mould on hand right now. It’s a buddies. I was casting and coating some for him. Let me know if you want to try some. It’s around that weight and RNFP also.
Do you use starline brass? I read a good article on their website a few years back about 2 different sized 38-55 cases and needed to know what your chamber are bore were like. It was a damn good one
 
The .38/55 is a Hi-Wall. It's a Browning with crescent butt and octagonal barrel. They don't make it anymore but I think it was called the traditional hunter. It has a Parson Long Scope. I don't think that's around anymore either. It's a pretty low tech combination but fun to shoot.
There are two companies making long scopes, MVA and a cheaper one (forgot the name).

If you ever buy one, spend the money on MVA. Or get the cheaper scope but use MVA mounts. (Based on what I read on other forums).

Once in a while I think of buying one.
 
So I used lead foil to see the difference in quality vs lyman #2. Then I added lyman ingots and the end result was fugly boolits. I did size them, but my question is will fugly boolits cycle/function well enough? Does powder coating help with a smooth looking finish? I don't really care about looks, I am making these for SHTF and for general fun at the range.

Also, could the deformities be a result of not keeping the cast mold hot enough? Every few minutes I will set it on top of the oven to try to keep it hot
mold not up to temp
 
I have Winchester, Remington and Starline(the shorter one) brass. I's so old I can't remember where I got it but I think I ordered it from Midway. It's not from factory ammo because I've never used any.
 
I have Winchester, Remington and Starline(the shorter one) brass. I's so old I can't remember where I got it but I think I ordered it from Midway. It's not from factory ammo because I've never used any.
Nice. I really want to get an old Stevens or something that I can make a single shot 38 special or something crazy like a 25 stevens extra long.
 
Still early this weekend but,

- 100 rounds of .223 sized
- Loaded 25 7.62x54R with Viht 135
- Loaded 43 7.62 NATO with BL-C(2)
- Found a box of once-fired 303 British and prepped those cases
- Sized 100 rounds of 308
- Prepped more 6.5x55

Also found a box of 1000 9mm projectiles, so I might use those.
I also plan to load some Makarov.
 
Thanks. I was thinking of using one of these to keep it hot, eg every few pours place on stove

View attachment 416136

Or is this overkill?
yes its over kill, cheap hot plate is better, less fuel, less fumes, more control.
Easy enough to pre warm mold on top of smelting pot and cast a few and it should be up to temp.
Then if you start getting frosted bullets you can let it cool a bit. I rest it on my steel oil tank , makes a good heat sink.
 
Question for the dillon/progressive reloading crew

Powder dispensers typically dispense based on VOLUME

Charges and spec are predicated on WEIGHT

There's variation from throw to throw of several tenths of a grain on most powder dispensors due mostly due to variation in the powder itself

Are you progressive loaders just accepting several tenths variation in charges or is dillon powder dispensor somehow a much better mousetrap than RCBS/Lyman etc?

Too bad progressive reloaders dont seem to offer a powder dispensor that is weight based
There are some small tricks people do that claim better performance. You can polish the inside of the powder drop and cone to make powder flow smoother.
You can also tap the hopper or some people mount a small vibrating piece to ensure there’s no air pockets in the powder.

Most just accept the “range” of the powder throw the be good enough. Even though you can load for high end precision on a progressive press most people would do the powder on a trickler for better powder measure consistency.
 
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