Question for you about molds ??

fiver

Well-Known Member
i tried some dry moly spray on some bolts/nuts at work once.
all the nuts kept backing off as things jiggled around.
since there was about 18-K of pressure being held in by those nuts i was getting some worried.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
i tried some dry moly spray on some bolts/nuts at work once.
all the nuts kept backing off as things jiggled around.
since there was about 18-K of pressure being held in by those nuts i was getting some worried.
The stuff has certain applications where it works pretty good, and a lot where it's the last thing in the world you want to use! ;)
 

johnnyjr

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the much needed advice for an old timer. Now I'm discovering none of my 86 gr Loverin bullet are the same length when trying to achieve the same oAL. Maybe it's the gas check. I'm gonna send them down range anyway..
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
it could be worse.
you could have 310 diameter bullets with 8mm gas check shanks on 2 of the 4 cavities.
i know a guy with a mold like that.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Thanks for the much needed advice for an old timer. Now I'm discovering none of my 86 gr Loverin bullet are the same length when trying to achieve the same oAL. Maybe it's the gas check. I'm gonna send them down range anyway..
You mean the bullets or the COAL? If it's the bullets themselves, are they coming out of the mould differing? If they start out the same length but differ after sizing, then that's your issue. There are ways to work on that. If it's after seating, same thing.
 

johnnyjr

Well-Known Member
You mean the bullets or the COAL? If it's the bullets themselves, are they coming out of the mould differing? If they start out the same length but differ after sizing, then that's your issue. There are ways to work on that. If it's after seating, same thing.
As they drop from the mold..
 

JonB

Halcyon member
Bullet length variation "as dropped" is a function of sprue cut. Cutting the sprue is a whole thing onto itself...and is more important with GC'd rifle bullets.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Agree with Jon. Likely the sprue cut. Or the sprue plate being cool. Are you getting nice clean "pretty" bases or are you getting pockmarked, slanted, ripped or torn bases?
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
or bumps...

the only way your gonna tell the difference is with a scale.
not something i get all worked up about unless i'm doing the 2400 fps thing.
but it gives me a double chance to find junk mixed in with the good.
 

Dusty Bannister

Well-Known Member
I think it might be helpful to be clear on the bullet mold number, number of cavities, and then get the mold up to temp and cast at LEAST 10 cycles of good bullets. Keep the bullets segregated by cavity. Then you will be able to sort out the ones with bumps on the base since it is possible if you use a measurement including the bump, it will read in error longer than others.

Perhaps your mold was cut with a little error, but generally, there is not a likelyhood that the mold cavities are cut wrong individually. At least this might give you clear information to determine if it is a mold issue, or not.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
.002" variance in raw casting length probably wouldn't show up on scaled bullets, let alone downrange. Life is way too short to sweat those sorts of variances.......but that's me.

I can think of a couple possible causes--likely due to sprue plate dwell between cavities. But see my 2nd sentence above. Bias alert--I am a known and notorious heretic in a number of venues, not least of which is the casting and reloading realms. I am on A&SBC because of these traits, having worn out my welcome at other hobby sites for failing to genuflect when directed to do so and/or daring to disagree with the Powers That Be over matters of small consequence.

I've found my tribe.
 
Last edited:

hornetguy

Active Member
.002" variance in raw casting length probably wouldn't show up on scaled bullets, let alone downrange. Life is way too short to sweat those sorts of variances.......but that's me.

I can think of a couple possible causes--likely due to sprue plate dwell between cavities. But see my 2nd sentence above. Bias alert--I am a known and notorious heretic in a number of venues, not least of which is the casting and reloading realms. I am on A&SBC because of these traits, having worn out my welcome at other hobby sites for failing to genuflect when directed to do so and/or daring to disagree with the Powers That Be over matters of small consequence.

I've found my tribe.
Has anyone taught you the secret handshake yet? Me either.... I feel shunned....