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N/A Who's Casting or Wants to Learn?

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Here's the result.

20240403_195948.jpg


Closest sized to .3565 which touched the sizing die 100%. Next .3580 which about 90% touched the die, then as-cast. I cut the mold to .360 spot on, looks like I can expect about .0015 to .002 of shrink in this caliber.

Some side questions for you guys:

What do you do with the dross? Trash can or...?

For powder coating... acetone method or shake n bake? I've tried the latter, seems the thickness is really inconsistent. Also, do you lube after coating? I shot 50ish rounds this morning and noticed some streaks in the barrel.
 
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caliusoptimus said:
Here's the result.

View attachment 452168

Closest sized to .3565 which touched the sizing die 100%. Next .3580 which about 90% touched the die, then as-cast. I cut the mold to .360 spot on, looks like I can expect about .0015 to .002 of shrink in this caliber.

Some side questions for you guys:

What do you do with the dross? Trash can or...?

For powder coating... acetone method or shake n bake? I've tried the latter, seems the thickness is really inconsistent. Also, do you lube after coating? I shot 50ish rounds this morning and noticed some streaks in the barrel.
Click to expand...
Powder.coating is least messy ...Some of the other members use silicon ice cube trays and have excellent results. It might take you a second to find the perfect powder coat method for you. For bigger slugs I have good luck shake and bake with water quench out of oven when powder coat is done.. After slugs powder coated a touch of oil of your personal perfence for lube does fine...Some like Silicon oil....Rem oil works good in my hand lapped.barrel.. There is a big difference in different powder coating s..I have Industrial Silver from Eastwood and a industrial john deer green that flat out work.. I have more than I can ever use if you need some. So glad to have you and your experience here😀
 
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caliusoptimus said:
Here's the result.

View attachment 452168



What do you do with the dross? Trash can or...?
Click to expand...
For example, if you have a separate pot or pan where you melt lead to ingots. Take sawdust and mix sawdust with molten lead, mix and let it sit for a while. Fluxing.
Then the oxidized lead is removed and the impurities remain on the surface, but only less if you use sawdust or wood shavings etc.

Hard to explain as my English is not very good. The Castboolits forum also has a lot of explanations there
 
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caliusoptimus said:
Why do you say a powder coat design? What makes it more or less suitable for coating?
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No lube groove's.....they also reduce bearing surface..... Thus solid copper powder.burner slugs have grooves cut in them to reduce pressure.... Most people.powder.coating for pistols use smooth cast slugs ,reason being they cast easier..You powder coat and maximize lubrication and barrier between steel and lead....
 
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I started casting for my powder burners. Since getting into slug shooting airguns, I’ve gotten a lot more molds. I prefer to find a mold that works for any particular airgun, and then cast slugs rather than buy. I sort by weight and size them. I’ve gotten fast enough casting so that any slugs that don’t measure up to a narrow weight range, I just throw them back in the melting pot. Any old pellets that I don’t plan on using also go into the pot.

For my powder burners, I’ve used mostly Lee two cavity aluminum molds. For my airguns, I have a few 5 cavity Arsenal molds and a couple of 8 cavity MP molds, all in aluminum. Though I prefer the solid nose slugs, I’ve also got a NOE 4 cavity aluminum mold with replaceable pins for flat points, cup points, or hollow points.

IMG_2980.jpeg
IMG_2979.jpeg
 
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ive been casting for about fifty years now. a few things ive learned that are key to good bullets. Know what your lead is! Is it pure lead or what is in it. Casting temp is a big deal to consistency! Pure lead casts hoter than most alloys. The hotter you cast the more the bullet shrinks as it cools ie smaller diameter lighter weight.
I cast alot fo big stuff for PB so I cast on a larger scale but it works for airguns as well. I dont care for electric pots the temp fluctuates too much. I use fifty pound cast iron propane fired pots. i have a couple. each with differnt alloy for differnt types of bullets. I have a steel plate on the bench with the burner and pot on that and landscape bricks around that to increase effichency and maintian temp. try to keep an even cadence to your casting. Count it out if need be so the amount elapsed time between pouring the lead in the mold and opening it is the same. use a small fan to cool the mold if need be. Alumminum heats up very quickly and cools fast so harder to keep consistent temp. Buffalo Arms out of ID sells alot of casting equipment. Thats where i got the burner and pots.
I keep my lead and bullet in lots. mark them with a black marker or something. the date you cast them or something. if you use salvage lead melt and clean it in big batches and mark the ingots so you know what it is and where it came from.
sorry fo the long winded post.
 
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ndwind said:
ive been casting for about fifty years now. a few things ive learned that are key to good bullets. Know what your lead is! Is it pure lead or what is in it. Casting temp is a big deal to consistency! Pure lead casts hoter than most alloys. The hotter you cast the more the bullet shrinks as it cools ie smaller diameter lighter weight.
I cast alot fo big stuff for PB so I cast on a larger scale but it works for airguns as well. I dont care for electric pots the temp fluctuates too much. I use fifty pound cast iron propane fired pots. i have a couple. each with differnt alloy for differnt types of bullets. I have a steel plate on the bench with the burner and pot on that and landscape bricks around that to increase effichency and maintian temp. try to keep an even cadence to your casting. Count it out if need be so the amount elapsed time between pouring the lead in the mold and opening it is the same. use a small fan to cool the mold if need be. Alumminum heats up very quickly and cools fast so harder to keep consistent temp. Buffalo Arms out of ID sells alot of casting equipment. Thats where i got the burner and pots.
I keep my lead and bullet in lots. mark them with a black marker or something. the date you cast them or something. if you use salvage lead melt and clean it in big batches and mark the ingots so you know what it is and where it came from.
sorry fo the long winded post.
Click to expand...
Hmm, sounds like you cast like I cook. Never know what you'll pull from the garden, gotta adapt!
 
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