Bullet Casting Woes

[villiers]

Those pics would seem to further convince that hollow based bullets are the way to go.

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[jmoore]

Those pics would seem to further convince that hollow based bullets are the way to go.

Mmmm, a guarded "yes". But mostly in situations where using a bullet that is at or slightly above groove diameter is not possible. Rifled muskets for one instance. And not always then! (Hornady makes a nice reversed stepped bullet that engraves the front band, but it's still hollow based.) Some cartridges just won't chamber with a full sized bullet seated in the case. (Assuming that the case isn't doing further bullet diameter reduction upon seating as happened above!) But otherwise you end up having to forgo base wads that protect the bullet's base from the black powder's low grade explosion.

Here's the damaged mould set mentioned several posts ago (#72) after being attacked with a flat rock:

Attachment 43820Attachment 43818Attachment 43817

Added some copper based anti-seize and was very careful in setting the sprue plate tension at reassembly. There's a little light visible under the plate at the outer portion, but it's probably less than 0.003". I get nervous when I can see any light between flat surfaces, but it's often less than 0.0005", so consider the source!


Attachment 43819

I believe Patrick Chadwick mentioned an aluminum based anti-seize recently, but this can will do me for the foreseeable future. ETA: Here's a link for reference: A square screw?

BTW, IIRC, lead is generally considered "self annealing" at room temperatures, so swaged bullets are very unlikely to have a hard outer shell unless they're oxidized. Even heat treated wheel weights will slowly soften over time.

[Patrick Chadwick]

I believe Patrick Chadwick mentioned an aluminum based anti-seize recently, but this can will do me for the foreseeable future.

Yep, either will do. It was the spray can that persuaded me to buy the alu version.

[Patrick Chadwick]

BTW, IIRC, lead is generally considered "self annealing" at room temperatures, so swaged bullets are very unlikely to have a hard outer shell unless they're oxidized.

OK, just a hypothesis, but do you have an alternative explanation? I just know that the lead sheet I use for soft vice jaws develops cracks after extensive use, so I think there is a work-hardening effect, even if small.

[jmoore]

is a work-hardening effect, even if small.

In the short term, yes. And if there's microfractures, they won't heal themselves. As for the eroded areas in the lower grooves region, I'm thinking it's gas cutting. It was quite shiny just after having been recovered. A bullet trap that would damage the bullet less would be helpful. Could drag the revolver down to the "crick" on the hunting property and procede to get wet!

Cast a bunch of bullets, but fought with the process for well over an hour. Couldn't get good crisp edges! Even with the melt nearing 800°F. Finally just cast a mess until the pot ran dry, threw in the sprues, reject bullets and some overflow back in the pot and started again. Oddly, the bullets came out much better, even at much lower temperatures! The two melts will be kept separate. Would like the mould to drop bullets ~0.002" larger, but have yet to try "beagling" the blocks.