Tracey Terrill - Thanks for the question. Frosty bullets mean that the alloy and mold are getting too hot. Frosty is caused by certain crystal formations in the cooling of the lead. It does not affect the shooting of the bullets, but the frosty look is not like the nice shiny that we like. If you slow down the speed or use a wet sponge to cool the mold a bit (and turn down heat of casting pot), the frosty will dissipate. If the sprue takes 4-5 seconds to harden, that is about right.
FC45... you are such a perfectionist, that's why we love your videos. Please take off that lump of duct tape and, get yourself a bit of fiberglass-cloth some resin & catalyst. Then, on a small piece of onion paper, write, your name or, the size of the cast, etc... place it under the fiberglass when you repair the handle. It will appear like magic and clear as can be, plus, the handle will be strengthened and look 1000 times better. LOL Just my humble opinion. Another great video. Best~
supervdj- Thanks for your good question. For Lee molds, beeswax is recommended for lubrication during casting. They warn against using candles but don't really say why except that the lube doesn't last as long. I use plain thin white candles to lube my Lees and I report that you only need to lube the Lees once each hour of casting. If you use colored or fragrance candles, those will leave stains on the Lees, but will not affect performance. My thin white candles work well for past 40 years.
FC45LC - I am beginning to reload the Lee 125gr .38 spl bullet thanks to you. Just wanted to say thank you for improving my capabilities / confidence plus the ability to not have to rely on my local stores having the ammo I’m looking for. 👍👍
Mr. FortuneCookie45LC, I want to personally thank you for all your detailed videos. I just purchased the equipment and 25 lbs of lead. I have two molds as of now. A 2 cavity round ball mold and a 1 cavity brass mold. I had several questions, but reading through the comments answered most of them. Again, thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Mickey Mac - That is not a surprise - and thanks for posting this. What makes bullets drop out of our molds is two things 1) no burrs and 2) Lead alloy is hot and bullet shrinks on cooling and release themselves from the mold cavities. Having smoke in the cavities won't release them if either 1) or 2) is not in play. And if 1) and 2) is present, smoke won't do anything additional - so why do it? Best to ya...
Great video as always. Awesome tips on caring for your moulds! Awesome channel, I enjoy watching your videos and have learned alot from them. Have a great day!
Tommy Rad-Great questions - Lyman, SAECO and RCBS molds are all soft steel. You do not have to smoke them, and they are not heated up by dipping the corner into molten lead. Your 525 mold does have a quirk - do warm up you mold on top of the pot as the lead is melting. When you start casting, your core pin will be cold and the slug will stick to the core pin taking a big pull to get the core pin out. Solve this by taking a propane torch and heating the end of the core pin a bit see2
Your note / testing is brilliant ! I will do that in the future . Checking each hole gives you a no nonsense picture of what your mold throws out. As we get into using more and more dies- note taking becomes essential. Why try and re-invent the wheel ? If you did it once, write it down. Unless you have a photographic memory or only cast one caliber, note taking is a must. When I first got back casting due to the ammo shortage I only shot .45 ACP, so it was not that essential. But today, well I have molds for round ball 44, 7.62x 39, .357, 10 mm and very soon 9mm. Try and remember all those variables in your head ! LOL You really should do a video on proper note taking. I learned a lot from just this video.
Vengenace Early- Thanks for the good word - As you know, it's not hard, and you've already got your own system - I just keep a notebook for my casting stuff. Included lube formulas - but the 45/45/10 system is the best - I don't need to use the old lubes except for rifle rounds or for time I might want to go "retro" Best Regards
I hear and see a lot of people using desiccant packets who are using the ones they get from items they buy, like vitamins, shoes, etc. Those packets are long since completely useless. You need to buy the color indicated desiccant so you can tell when it is saturated and needs to be dried again in the oven. I suggest buying the stuff in bulk and you can make small containers or bags to keep them in. I use small plastic bottles with tiny holes drilled in them, or you can even use ziplok bags and poke small holes in it with a needle. But, you need to have a way of knowing when they are saturated with moisture or else they are doing you no good. Anything you get that comes with a product you buy, you can count on it being totally saturated, so it won't do you any good. You can probably use an oven to dry them back out, but you'll never have any way of knowing when you need to dry them again. Get the color change stuff in bulk and make your own packets. It can save you from a rusty situation!
Tommy Rad-reply2-but don't heat even close to making it glow - your slug will not stick to the core pin. Also, flame the sprue plate a little as it will be too cold in the beginning. Make about 6-8 casts to get the mold blocks up to temp and you will be in business. No need to lube your mold during casting at all. When you are done, while mold is still hot, use a rag to wipe off any lead still present, if doesn't wipe off, hit the lead with your torch and wipe it off. see3
Use epoxy to keep the handle on for good. I spray my iron molds with an industrial tool preserve agent. Spray them with carburetor cleaner after they heat up. The preservative will evaporate. The sprue and base should be perfect, or the bullet is no good. You are cutting them too soon!! You have to let them “set up” before cutting them. # 400 steel wool will help get the surplus lead off. Good luck!!
Theoutdoorsguy1-Thank you for that comment, such power in words in short messages. The way I look at it, there is even in-fighting and disputes amongst teammates of championship teams. We all have value, and we are stronger together. I fear that there are bigger enemies and bigger battles that have to be fought for the biggest of stakes. Stay well...
Give Corrosion-X a try. You don't have to coat it but once. Corrosion-X doesn't evaporate-to-dry, it leaves a thin coating.... for a long, long time, and it's easy to remove IF need be.... I've been using it for a long time. It really is quite amazing.
Tommy Rad-reply3- Then when everything is cleaned up, wipe mold blocks, sprue plate and handles with Ballistol rag - No need to store mold with last slug inside (how do you get any protectant like Ballistol in there if you do that). The idea that leaving a slug in there keeps the blocks aligned is unnecessary - I've never had any of my many molds suffer that problem. Store mold in Tupperware with dessicant packs - good for next cast session. Best Regards...
Just a note I read Richard Lees book and he said there is always a 1/2 price available if you turn in your old mold to get a new one. Or maybe its to have the same one retooled. Call the Lee company to verify that just to make sure I got that right but they have some kind of deal like that.Forever I think
I've been having pretty good success for a beginner over the last 2 years. I'm sure in a few years I'll look back and think how much I had to yet learn. But most of my good info and questions answered have been from you vids. Can't thank you enough. I just took a chance on a Cramer 8 cavity 452-230 to get set up for a 1911/45 I haven't yet received. Still much to buy though...ugh! I'm curious why dipping the iron mold is not advised...warpage??
Don Gayan Amarasinghe - No need Don, best is when you get done casting, while the mold is still casting hot, just take any rough rag and wipe the top of the mold off - any lead you have there will just come off - then when the mold cools just a bit, apply a thin coat of mineral oil...this stops the oxidation that occurs as the mold cools completely. Best to ya for good castin' Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to ya, FC Steve
grinc333 - RemOil will do well to rust prevent our iron molds. Just a little will do, plus storing in Tupperware with a dessicant pack thrown in...Best to ya, FC
Thank you for your videos as I am new to smelting and casting. Smelted some pure lead and wheel weights this week, today I clean up some new Lee molds and two Lyman iron molds I purchased used and try them tomorrow. My questions: One Lyman iron mold has very fine rust in the cavities, must I make sure to remove every bit, and how? Do I need to clean the used ones? I suppose it wouldn't hurt, but they look new except for the fine rust I mentioned in the cavities of one. I used your videos as primers for my collections of lead and lead alloys (saved many dollars!) and procedures to date. Thank you for passing your knowledge on.
Michael McNamara - Fine rust means you actually saved that mold. Once fine rust becomes pitting rust, the mold is compromised although it may still be usable within reason. Use a tiny amount of naval jelly with Q-tips to remove the rust and then liberal application of brake cleaner to remove any residue - never scrub a mold with liquid detergent and water unless you are about to cast with it - hopefully, the cavities will be OK - you'll know when you cast with it. When I'm done casting, I dump the water and then lay out all the bullets on an old towel or flannel shirt to dry - then clean and coat the still hot mold with Ballistol and set it aside to cool completely while everything else is put away - clean up is done. Coat mold again with the same Ballistol rag and then store in the mold drawer in my cool, dry garage. Never had any issues with molds this way for 40 years. As you see in my vids, my very first Lee mold still looks new including the steel parts. And you have seen my much used 30-35 year old Lyman molds are still in great shape - they will transcend generations if my teachings to grandsons occur "this was grandpas mold that I'm going to shoot with grandpas gun" or not.
FortuneCookie45LC Thank you! I went to the garage and pulled out an old jar of Naval Jelly and a can of break cleaner. Some elbow grease with Q-Tips and the mold looks clean and especially shiny in the grooves. There are in the tightest of a crevice or two tiny dark specs I could not get out. Hopefully that won't matter. If it does I was thinking some naval jelly with a toothpick to get in that tiny spot? After rinsing with break cleaner and drying, I wiped with Balistol and stored in my small loading room where it will always stay cool. Thanks again for the advice -- it came out so good, I used the same procedure with another Lyman mold obtained from the same person. Gunk came off and it is clean as well, with the exception of some lead in the pour holes. Nothing major, but I'm hoping as I pour the molten lead will heat it up and it will come off. Somebody carelessly used these molds.
Michael McNamara Best to you on saving those molds - the only problem now is if the pits caused by the rust makes the bullets hard to drop out of the mold. I don't usually recommend smoking bullet molds, but if pits stick your bullets, you might go ahead and do that. If that doesn't work, I recommend getting some of that mold release from MidwayUSA - should solve sticking caused by pits plus run the alloy and mold on the hot side - will result in more shrinkage on cooling so bullets drop out. If a caster treats steel molds as what they are - bare steel then he/she knows that rust is always just around the corner, but it doesn't need to happen… Good castin' to ya….
Howdy, your shows are tremendous help, even the little. details! so my question for today lol copper coat or powder coat,which is best to do? thank you again.
Rob Tolley - We can do 90 - 95% of our shooting with cast bullets and powder coating those bullets is a very good way to go as is the 45/45/10 lube system - your choice (many are choosing PC today). For 90 - 95% of our shooting copper jacketed bullets are not needed. But, for purpose of defense or hunting, your copper jacketed bullets have their definite place... Best to ya, FC
Do you have any info for brass molds? Got a CBE mold for Martini Henry bullets. Also, they say to smoke every 30 to 50 rounds for the first 150 to help season the mold. Do you have any info on stuff like that?
I am thinking of polishing the cavity to a spit shine almost like chrome with my dremel tool for my Lee 7/8oz slug mold. If I am careful and use a low abrasive fine polishing compound, next to no material will be removed from the cavity. What do you think?
pepelapiu2004 My 7/8 oz Lee slug molds (I've gone through a couple of those - on my third one) cast pretty smooth slugs as is - I really don't see how polishing the cavity will really improve the mold. The aluminum is soft and you might have trouble getting the shine you want without affecting the contour of the slug. Lee would not recommend doing that. If you do polish the cavity (others have done stuff like that on other videos but not with slug molds), you might publish a video for the rest of us to check out....Best regards to you
Hey buddy. I want to start using my Lyman 525g slug mold. All my other molds are aluminum, so I'm used to setting up aluminum molds for production [cleaning, smoking (application of soot from matches), beeswax on moving parts, etc]. Is it necessary to smoke the iron molds? Not that carbon soot would be detrimental, what do you do? Best.
I keep getting extra material on the tips of 3-4 out of the 6 cavities. Almost as though the mold isn’t sandwiching closed all the way. What is causing this? It is very frustrating because then I have to scrap each bullet that has extra material off with my fingernail. What is the fix for this?
My Damn Channel-Any light oil is fine for protection of steel parts from rusting. I've never had any corrosion on Lee molds. But that is a real danger for the iron Lyman, SAECO, NEI and RCBS molds - have to coat them with gun oil. Plastic boxes with dessicants inside are also a good idea. I have found rust on a couple of seldom used Lymans, but I've never lost a mold to rust. Best to ya...
Nice Vid FC :) But i still have a question! I use beewas to lub my alignment pin when i cast and its leave a brown layer on molds that i cant get off. I see your old mold doesnt have any mark and still look new! Do you see wax layer when u lube them, and how you remove them? Thank's for all you nice vid and information you gave to all us :)
N1c014sL1s4 - You are doing the right thing - Beeswax is recommended for lubing Lee molds. I have been using thin candles instead and it works OK. I also get those wax stains whenever I use color candles. The beeswax must have some impurities in there that causes that for you... Doesn't matter - our stains do not affect mold performance. No need to try to get them off...Best Regards to you, and good castin' to ya...!! FC
Get a can of permatex Anti-seize from the auto store or a little tube of it from most anywhere. It lasts throughout a casting session, and works very well. I use it on all parts that can be lubed on my Lee molds, the sprue screw(s), alignment pins, even on the mold handle screws. A little goes a long way, so use a Q-tip, and a toothpick to apply to areas near the cavities so you don’t get it to creep into them. Just wipe off excess if you get any with a Qtip.
MyREDTAIL all depends on your firearm. If you know your cylinder size, throat diameter, and bore diameter-the smallest diameter will be like a sizing die. Your bullet will need to be .001 to .002 larger than that diameter. If your bullets throw that diameter, cast and shoot away. Make sure your crimp die isn’t harsh enough to size down while crimping, otherwise you accomplished nothing.
Jason Reeves - My Lyman molds will outlive me (unless I let them rust - not going to happen) and my grandchildren will be using them - if they want to. How do I know that? Because they used to include molds with pistols sold back in the 1800s and those antiques still have working molds today. Lee molds will last also, but I'm not going to say last to grandchildren… Best Regards...
Thanks for the vids!!! I have the Lee 401-175TC mold and from day one it leaves a casting line. I have had some bullets come out of it with minimal line. What causes this?
Randal Gleaton - A small barely perceptible line is normal, but if it gets wider, it might be from 1) debris caught on the mold faces 2) misaligned mold blocks 3) mold not closed completely before pour is made 4) if Lee mold, the mold needs to be lubricated according to instructions 5) defective mold. Most mold lines can be ignored. Good castin' to ya, FC
Diesel9193 - Rust in the cavities causes rough bullets to be cast and oftentimes bullets sticking in the molds and not dropping free. Rust needs to be polished out of a mold by using a bullet in the cavity with a screw set into the base. The bullet can be used as a spinner along with an abrasive milling paste - spin until the rust is gone. If the mold is heavily rusted, it may be ruined beyond recovery. A send back to the factory is then indicated. Best to ya, FC
Jason Need - Yes, and the Ballistol burns out of the cavities and good castings ensue...Mineral oil works well also...just a light coat will do..for storage protection. You could choose to brush the cavities out with detergent and water before heating up on hot plate or over the casting pot to dry. But I just let the casting do that. You just don't want pools of oil in the cavities when you start casting. Good castin' to ya, FC Steve
Hello Mr. fc45, do you have a video on casting bullets and resizing the bullet. I want to start casting my own bullets, but need more education on casting and resizing. yep I'm a novice reloader. I just learned about your channel. God bless
Buck Barnes - The best temp for casting lead bullets is melt the lead (minimum 621 degrees F), and then get the mold hot, then when casting good bullets, it takes 4-5 seconds for the sprue to harden - that is the sweet spot for casting bullets...what temp is that exactly? Been casting for 40 years, and I can't tell you that. That temp actually varies depending on the mold being aluminum, iron or brass. With aluminum, hot is better. Best to ya, FC
gorvgo go to tractor supply and get a pair of super long needle nose pliers. Let the melting pot get as hot as the dial will allow. Let soak for ten minutes at that temp. Soak the needle nose pliers to get them hot as well. Gently grasp your mold and pull it out. The lead should cool fast and allow you to remove it from your mold. If you have stubborn lead that won’t, get a propane torch and apply to whatever lead sticks and remove with some fine screen-do not wipe aggressively, just dab it
bought a 2 cavity Lee mold a couple months ago, cast about 7000 bullets and it is done. I only ever gave it a light tap on the nut and the cavity no longer lines up..m pretty disappointed in the quality, even though it was only $30 I was led to believe that they weren't shite
+ChromeArty -- With the shotgun slug molds - we're so hard on them casting up a storm that 7000 is good to get - I don't think I've ever gotten that many before the mold wears out, the core pin breaks off, or the plate gets out of range. Sounds like you didn't do anything wrong with your 2 cav - but the pins and bushings probably failed you. You could call Lee and find out if it's still under warranty. If not, you could send it back to Lee, they will return to you a like new mold for 1/2 the price. If you have soured on aluminum molds, the iron ones will give you longer service and a more feeling of quality with 'em. My Lyman iron molds have lasted me for my entire casting career spanning 40+ years, and they are still going strong even with regular usage. But the production is lower, the bullets are not any better (although some bullet styles you cannot get from Lee without special order). With my Lee 6 cavs, I get 40-50K bullets out of 'em and if they wear out and fail me, I just buy another one... Since I started doing these videos, I've bought a lot more of the 6 cav designs so that I'll probably not wear out any more of 'em since I've got so many to use... 7000 bullets is a nice pile of bullets, and some good work was definitely done... Best to ya, FC
+FortuneCookie45LC thanks for the info FC! I'm in Canada with typically means no warranty (for some unknown reason) but I'll give them a shout maybe. I bought the thing less than 2 months ago I think. I just got my first Lyman Steel Mold and it sure is sweet. being a 4 cav I feel like the production is way higher! I'll have to give the 6 cav Lee a try one day :) Cheers!!!
+ChromeArty -- The Lyman 4 cavs are indeed very fine to use. Since you like those, the Lee 6s will be fine for you... I have a whole drawer full of them and they have served very well... Best Regards to ya - Hail to all our Canadian friends...!! FC
The wooden handle that split. You always want the grain of the wood to be sideways not up and down that's the weakest part and if you applied enough pressure the wood will split. Same goes with baseball bats!
Robert Fugate - That handle did indeed split according to the grain as you pointed out... Took 40 years of fairly regular use though...but if the grain were different as you suggested, it probably would have been good for another 40...Happy New Year to ya..!! FC
sirblacklord-I can't argue with you, because I am far from perfect. And I think I am losing it when I leave my IPhone at the office. And no one, not even Alvin York, or John Wayne or Marilyn Monroe, or (shudder) Obama can make everyone happy all the time. Sorry to have offended you - next time you see FortuneCookie45LC on a by-line - you'll just have to pass it by. Best regards for a good life to you...
Hey Mr. Fortune godfather... why do you not leave your last pour of bullets in your cavities? I'm just curious if doing this would help by not getting any lube in my cavities.. thank you sir..
TonyandLaura Pritchett - Best way to protect our molds from storage rust is a light coat of mineral oil in the cavities. Bullets left in the cavities prevents us from coating the inside of the blocks with mineral oil or Ballistol. And if we open the blocks to coat with mineral oil, and leave the bullets in, we have broken any seal from the bullets being in there so that moisture could get in there. After the mineral oil coat, we throw some dessicant packs in with the molds and store 'em in sealed tupperware or GI ammo cans. or sealed plastic containers. I'm lucky in that I live in moderate climate and store my molds in a drawer in a nice dry, dark, cool place. Never had any rust in a bullet mold doing the above. Also, aluminum molds do not rust (except for the steel parts - mineral oil there is good), so leaving bullets in the cavities is pointless there. The small amount of oil just burns out of the molds after 2 or 3 pours or we could use a toothbrush and detergent wash before casting. Good castin' to ya, FC Steve
FortuneCookie45LC Thanks man for the quick reply & thanks for all the work you put into your videos. I've learned a ton from you & elvis ammo. I am passing down the knowledge I have learned from y'all to my son..
My Damn Channel - Use a sharp Exacto knife with magnification and after you have identified the sticking cavity, find the little burr. If you don't see the burr, do not apply the Exacto. This is like jeweler's work - carefully remove the burr by placing the blade at a very shallow angle to the edge of the cavity and shave/bevel the burr off. The aluminum is soft and this can be overdone. Some other casters just tell me they use a rag and repeatedly wipe from cavity center outwards to remove any tiny burrs. Then cast again to determine improvement. Bullets should drop with no more than 4-5 taps on handle pin or shakes...Best Regards...
Buck Barnes - First, you have to see the burrs - magnification helps here - then an Exacto knife to just shave the burr only...Try to maintain the angles as the burr is removed. Haven't seen any burrs on my latest Lee molds...Lyman iron molds do not have burrs... Best to ya, FC
I've used Ballistol for years, but after watching the Project Farm episode on gun lubes, I'm going to give Clenzoil a try. I use synthetic 2-stroke oil on a rag on a hot mold with the sprue cut and the bullets left in. Thanks Elvis Ammo, for the tip! It has saved me hundreds of dollars and tons of headaches. ua-cam.com/video/fibRewlndLg/v-deo.html
My bullets never fall out , I got to beat the shit out of it. On top of that I've used your 1 pound of linotype to 6 pounds of range scrap and still get 230 grain bullets coming out 240 to 250 grain. I've bought every cast and reloading bullet book known to man so I'm on the fence just to say fuck it none of the books give me a load above 230 grain so I give up. If I have to buy extra alloy to add to range scrape what's the fucking point ?
Tracey Terrill - Thanks for the question. Frosty bullets mean that the alloy and mold are getting too hot. Frosty is caused by certain crystal formations in the cooling of the lead. It does not affect the shooting of the bullets, but the frosty look is not like the nice shiny that we like. If you slow down the speed or use a wet sponge to cool the mold a bit (and turn down heat of casting pot), the frosty will dissipate. If the sprue takes 4-5 seconds to harden, that is about right.
FC45... you are such a perfectionist, that's why we love your videos. Please take off that lump of duct tape and, get yourself a bit of fiberglass-cloth some resin & catalyst.
Then, on a small piece of onion paper, write, your name or, the size of the cast, etc... place it under the fiberglass when you repair the handle. It will appear like magic and clear as can be, plus, the handle will be strengthened and look 1000 times better. LOL
Just my humble opinion.
Another great video. Best~
supervdj- Thanks for your good question. For Lee molds, beeswax is recommended for lubrication during casting. They warn against using candles but don't really say why except that the lube doesn't last as long. I use plain thin white candles to lube my Lees and I report that you only need to lube the Lees once each hour of casting. If you use colored or fragrance candles, those will leave stains on the Lees, but will not affect performance. My thin white candles work well for past 40 years.
FC45LC - I am beginning to reload the Lee 125gr .38 spl bullet thanks to you. Just wanted to say thank you for improving my capabilities / confidence plus the ability to not have to rely on my local stores having the ammo I’m looking for. 👍👍
Mr. FortuneCookie45LC, I want to personally thank you for all your detailed videos. I just purchased the equipment and 25 lbs of lead. I have two molds as of now. A 2 cavity round ball mold and a 1 cavity brass mold. I had several questions, but reading through the comments answered most of them. Again, thank you for sharing your knowledge.
You are exactly right,
I stopped smoking my molds after this video, the new molds are clean and great!
Thanks again.
Mickey Mac - That is not a surprise - and thanks for posting this. What makes bullets drop out of our molds is two things 1) no burrs and 2) Lead alloy is hot and bullet shrinks on cooling and release themselves from the mold cavities. Having smoke in the cavities won't release them if either 1) or 2) is not in play. And if 1) and 2) is present, smoke won't do anything additional - so why do it? Best to ya...
your videos are consistently well reasoned and helpful. Thanks.
Well Thank You for your time and doing such a great job on the video's you provide us, As a newby to casting the information you post is invaluable.
Great video as always. Awesome tips on caring for your moulds! Awesome channel, I enjoy watching your videos and have learned alot from them. Have a great day!
Tommy Rad-Great questions - Lyman, SAECO and RCBS molds are all soft steel. You do not have to smoke them, and they are not heated up by dipping the corner into molten lead. Your 525 mold does have a quirk - do warm up you mold on top of the pot as the lead is melting. When you start casting, your core pin will be cold and the slug will stick to the core pin taking a big pull to get the core pin out. Solve this by taking a propane torch and heating the end of the core pin a bit see2
Your note / testing is brilliant ! I will do that in the future . Checking each hole gives you a no nonsense picture of what your mold throws out. As we get into using more and more dies- note taking becomes essential. Why try and re-invent the wheel ? If you did it once, write it down. Unless you have a photographic memory or only cast one caliber, note taking is a must. When I first got back casting due to the ammo shortage I only shot .45 ACP, so it was not that essential. But today, well I have molds for round ball 44, 7.62x 39, .357, 10 mm and very soon 9mm. Try and remember all those variables in your head ! LOL
You really should do a video on proper note taking. I learned a lot from just this video.
Vengenace Early- Thanks for the good word - As you know, it's not hard, and you've already got your own system - I just keep a notebook for my casting stuff. Included lube formulas - but the 45/45/10 system is the best - I don't need to use the old lubes except for rifle rounds or for time I might want to go "retro" Best Regards
2tommyrad-Thanks for that great tip. I'm going to look into it right away. Have a fine day...
Wow great video! Thanks for the help
I hear and see a lot of people using desiccant packets who are using the ones they get from items they buy, like vitamins, shoes, etc. Those packets are long since completely useless. You need to buy the color indicated desiccant so you can tell when it is saturated and needs to be dried again in the oven. I suggest buying the stuff in bulk and you can make small containers or bags to keep them in. I use small plastic bottles with tiny holes drilled in them, or you can even use ziplok bags and poke small holes in it with a needle. But, you need to have a way of knowing when they are saturated with moisture or else they are doing you no good. Anything you get that comes with a product you buy, you can count on it being totally saturated, so it won't do you any good. You can probably use an oven to dry them back out, but you'll never have any way of knowing when you need to dry them again. Get the color change stuff in bulk and make your own packets. It can save you from a rusty situation!
Thanks for the information I plan on reloading very soon
Never knew that Ballistol was invented by the Germans.
Ballistol, Great stuff :-)
Tommy Rad-reply2-but don't heat even close to making it glow - your slug will not stick to the core pin. Also, flame the sprue plate a little as it will be too cold in the beginning. Make about 6-8 casts to get the mold blocks up to temp and you will be in business. No need to lube your mold during casting at all. When you are done, while mold is still hot, use a rag to wipe off any lead still present, if doesn't wipe off, hit the lead with your torch and wipe it off. see3
I have been using hornady one shot to coat molds for storage---seems to be working well
Hilarious 😂..i thought i was listening to bullwinkle the moose narrate this video. 🤣 great video thank you..
Use epoxy to keep the handle on for good. I spray my iron molds with an industrial tool preserve agent. Spray them with carburetor cleaner after they heat up. The preservative will evaporate. The sprue and base should be perfect, or the bullet is no good. You are cutting them too soon!! You have to let them “set up” before cutting them. # 400 steel wool will help get the surplus lead off. Good luck!!
Theoutdoorsguy1-Thank you for that comment, such power in words in short messages. The way I look at it, there is even in-fighting and disputes amongst teammates of championship teams. We all have value, and we are stronger together. I fear that there are bigger enemies and bigger battles that have to be fought for the biggest of stakes. Stay well...
Take a shot every time he says ballistol
Give Corrosion-X a try. You don't have to coat it but once. Corrosion-X doesn't evaporate-to-dry, it leaves a thin coating.... for a long, long time, and it's easy to remove IF need be....
I've been using it for a long time. It really is quite amazing.
Tommy Rad-reply3- Then when everything is cleaned up, wipe mold blocks, sprue plate and handles with Ballistol rag - No need to store mold with last slug inside (how do you get any protectant like Ballistol in there if you do that). The idea that leaving a slug in there keeps the blocks aligned is unnecessary - I've never had any of my many molds suffer that problem. Store mold in Tupperware with dessicant packs - good for next cast session. Best Regards...
Just a note I read Richard Lees book and he said there is always a 1/2 price available if you turn in your old mold to get a new one. Or maybe its to have the same one retooled. Call the Lee company to verify that just to make sure I got that right but they have some kind of deal like that.Forever I think
The book is " Modern Reloading " Second Edition by Richard lee. Great source of info by the way
I've been having pretty good success for a beginner over the last 2 years. I'm sure in a few years I'll look back and think how much I had to yet learn. But most of my good info and questions answered have been from you vids. Can't thank you enough. I just took a chance on a Cramer 8 cavity 452-230 to get set up for a 1911/45 I haven't yet received. Still much to buy though...ugh! I'm curious why dipping the iron mold is not advised...warpage??
Yup. Well said.
Do you have a video on prepping molds ?
Good information and thanks for sharing! Would you use brass wire brush to clean up lead build-up on the top of iron mold?
Don Gayan Amarasinghe - No need Don, best is when you get done casting, while the mold is still casting hot, just take any rough rag and wipe the top of the mold off - any lead you have there will just come off - then when the mold cools just a bit, apply a thin coat of mineral oil...this stops the oxidation that occurs as the mold cools completely. Best to ya for good castin' Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to ya, FC Steve
Do you think RemOil would be fine to preserve Lyman moulds? I have a lot of that stuff and it sprays on finely with the attached plastic pipe
grinc333 - RemOil will do well to rust prevent our iron molds. Just a little will do, plus storing in Tupperware with a dessicant pack thrown in...Best to ya, FC
Thank you for your videos as I am new to smelting and casting. Smelted some pure lead and wheel weights this week, today I clean up some new Lee molds and two Lyman iron molds I purchased used and try them tomorrow. My questions: One Lyman iron mold has very fine rust in the cavities, must I make sure to remove every bit, and how? Do I need to clean the used ones? I suppose it wouldn't hurt, but they look new except for the fine rust I mentioned in the cavities of one. I used your videos as primers for my collections of lead and lead alloys (saved many dollars!) and procedures to date. Thank you for passing your knowledge on.
Michael McNamara - Fine rust means you actually saved that mold. Once fine rust becomes pitting rust, the mold is compromised although it may still be usable within reason. Use a tiny amount of naval jelly with Q-tips to remove the rust and then liberal application of brake cleaner to remove any residue - never scrub a mold with liquid detergent and water unless you are about to cast with it - hopefully, the cavities will be OK - you'll know when you cast with it. When I'm done casting, I dump the water and then lay out all the bullets on an old towel or flannel shirt to dry - then clean and coat the still hot mold with Ballistol and set it aside to cool completely while everything else is put away - clean up is done. Coat mold again with the same Ballistol rag and then store in the mold drawer in my cool, dry garage. Never had any issues with molds this way for 40 years. As you see in my vids, my very first Lee mold still looks new including the steel parts. And you have seen my much used 30-35 year old Lyman molds are still in great shape - they will transcend generations if my teachings to grandsons occur "this was grandpas mold that I'm going to shoot with grandpas gun" or not.
FortuneCookie45LC Thank you! I went to the garage and pulled out an old jar of Naval Jelly and a can of break cleaner. Some elbow grease with Q-Tips and the mold looks clean and especially shiny in the grooves. There are in the tightest of a crevice or two tiny dark specs I could not get out. Hopefully that won't matter. If it does I was thinking some naval jelly with a toothpick to get in that tiny spot? After rinsing with break cleaner and drying, I wiped with Balistol and stored in my small loading room where it will always stay cool. Thanks again for the advice -- it came out so good, I used the same procedure with another Lyman mold obtained from the same person. Gunk came off and it is clean as well, with the exception of some lead in the pour holes. Nothing major, but I'm hoping as I pour the molten lead will heat it up and it will come off. Somebody carelessly used these molds.
Michael McNamara Best to you on saving those molds - the only problem now is if the pits caused by the rust makes the bullets hard to drop out of the mold. I don't usually recommend smoking bullet molds, but if pits stick your bullets, you might go ahead and do that. If that doesn't work, I recommend getting some of that mold release from MidwayUSA - should solve sticking caused by pits plus run the alloy and mold on the hot side - will result in more shrinkage on cooling so bullets drop out. If a caster treats steel molds as what they are - bare steel then he/she knows that rust is always just around the corner, but it doesn't need to happen… Good castin' to ya….
Ten years later the six cavity lee molds are upwards of eighty bucks
Nic 1- No, sir…I'm going to leave the copper casting to those who want to go real high temp, or leave it to the foundries. Best Regards...
Xtinnoker-Welcome to the HLZ - Thanks for the comment on the Ballistol...
Howdy, your shows are tremendous help, even the little. details! so my question for today lol copper coat or powder coat,which is best to do? thank you again.
Rob Tolley - We can do 90 - 95% of our shooting with cast bullets and powder coating those bullets is a very good way to go as is the 45/45/10 lube system - your choice (many are choosing PC today). For 90 - 95% of our shooting copper jacketed bullets are not needed. But, for purpose of defense or hunting, your copper jacketed bullets have their definite place... Best to ya, FC
Do you have any info for brass molds? Got a CBE mold for Martini Henry bullets. Also, they say to smoke every 30 to 50 rounds for the first 150 to help season the mold. Do you have any info on stuff like that?
I am thinking of polishing the cavity to a spit shine almost like chrome with my dremel tool for my Lee 7/8oz slug mold.
If I am careful and use a low abrasive fine polishing compound, next to no material will be removed from the cavity.
What do you think?
pepelapiu2004 My 7/8 oz Lee slug molds (I've gone through a couple of those - on my third one) cast pretty smooth slugs as is - I really don't see how polishing the cavity will really improve the mold. The aluminum is soft and you might have trouble getting the shine you want without affecting the contour of the slug. Lee would not recommend doing that. If you do polish the cavity (others have done stuff like that on other videos but not with slug molds), you might publish a video for the rest of us to check out....Best regards to you
You back Fortune? Miss U.
Hey buddy. I want to start using my Lyman 525g slug mold. All my other molds are aluminum, so I'm used to setting up aluminum molds for production [cleaning, smoking (application of soot from matches), beeswax on moving parts, etc]. Is it necessary to smoke the iron molds? Not that carbon soot would be detrimental, what do you do?
Best.
I keep getting extra material on the tips of 3-4 out of the 6 cavities. Almost as though the mold isn’t sandwiching closed all the way. What is causing this? It is very frustrating because then I have to scrap each bullet that has extra material off with my fingernail. What is the fix for this?
You ever powder coat lead bullets you bought with the lube in the ring? If so, how do you remove the lube before powder coating and does it work?
Also is there anything other than balistol I could use...since I dont have any balistol..lol
My Damn Channel-Any light oil is fine for protection of steel parts from rusting. I've never had any corrosion on Lee molds. But that is a real danger for the iron Lyman, SAECO, NEI and RCBS molds - have to coat them with gun oil. Plastic boxes with dessicants inside are also a good idea. I have found rust on a couple of seldom used Lymans, but I've never lost a mold to rust. Best to ya...
@@FortuneCookie45LC EEZOX Best Rust Preventor for Metal out there etc.
Nice Vid FC :)
But i still have a question! I use beewas to lub my alignment pin when i cast and its leave a brown layer on molds that i cant get off. I see your old mold doesnt have any mark and still look new!
Do you see wax layer when u lube them, and how you remove them?
Thank's for all you nice vid and information you gave to all us :)
N1c014sL1s4 - You are doing the right thing - Beeswax is recommended for lubing Lee molds. I have been using thin candles instead and it works OK. I also get those wax stains whenever I use color candles. The beeswax must have some impurities in there that causes that for you... Doesn't matter - our stains do not affect mold performance. No need to try to get them off...Best Regards to you, and good castin' to ya...!! FC
Get a can of permatex Anti-seize from the auto store or a little tube of it from most anywhere. It lasts throughout a casting session, and works very well. I use it on all parts that can be lubed on my Lee molds, the sprue screw(s), alignment pins, even on the mold handle screws. A little goes a long way, so use a Q-tip, and a toothpick to apply to areas near the cavities so you don’t get it to creep into them. Just wipe off excess if you get any with a Qtip.
I have a six cavity mold that makes my bullets frosty!? another six cavity in differant caliber wont? whats your opinion?
Does that 429421 Keith Bullet have to be Sized,? Or can Ijust lub it and load and shoot it as is etc.? Thanks for sharing
MyREDTAIL all depends on your firearm. If you know your cylinder size, throat diameter, and bore diameter-the smallest diameter will be like a sizing die. Your bullet will need to be .001 to .002 larger than that diameter. If your bullets throw that diameter, cast and shoot away. Make sure your crimp die isn’t harsh enough to size down while crimping, otherwise you accomplished nothing.
Jason Reeves - My Lyman molds will outlive me (unless I let them rust - not going to happen) and my grandchildren will be using them - if they want to. How do I know that? Because they used to include molds with pistols sold back in the 1800s and those antiques still have working molds today. Lee molds will last also, but I'm not going to say last to grandchildren… Best Regards...
🖖
Thanks for the vids!!! I have the Lee 401-175TC mold and from day one it leaves a casting line. I have had some bullets come out of it with minimal line. What causes this?
Randal Gleaton - A small barely perceptible line is normal, but if it gets wider, it might be from 1) debris caught on the mold faces 2) misaligned mold blocks 3) mold not closed completely before pour is made 4) if Lee mold, the mold needs to be lubricated according to instructions 5) defective mold. Most mold lines can be ignored. Good castin' to ya, FC
Thanks for the reply FC. As always, your vids are very informational.
Hey FortuneCookie, how do YOU de-burr your iron molds?
What is the best way to get rust about of the cavities I bought a used mold and it has some rust in the cavities
Diesel9193 - Rust in the cavities causes rough bullets to be cast and oftentimes bullets sticking in the molds and not dropping free. Rust needs to be polished out of a mold by using a bullet in the cavity with a screw set into the base. The bullet can be used as a spinner along with an abrasive milling paste - spin until the rust is gone. If the mold is heavily rusted, it may be ruined beyond recovery. A send back to the factory is then indicated. Best to ya, FC
Xtinnoker-Good castin' and good shootin' to ya...Please comment whenever you desire...
So coat the cavities with ballistol and going straight to casting the next go around?
Jason Need - Yes, and the Ballistol burns out of the cavities and good castings ensue...Mineral oil works well also...just a light coat will do..for storage protection. You could choose to brush the cavities out with detergent and water before heating up on hot plate or over the casting pot to dry. But I just let the casting do that. You just don't want pools of oil in the cavities when you start casting. Good castin' to ya, FC Steve
Do you use 100% ballistol or moose milk?
Can you ise these molds to cast solid brass bullets?
Hello Mr. fc45, do you have a video on casting bullets and resizing the bullet. I want to start casting my own bullets, but need more education on casting and resizing. yep I'm a novice reloader. I just learned about your channel. God bless
this makes me look at all my 2 oz cat fishing weights totally different now make bullets or go fishing
I used beeswax on my mold, but I sticks to the mold and turns brown. Yours are not this way. How come?
YOU ARE THE CLOWN that said to Smoke the molds!!!
No. Lee, in the instruction manual, says to smoke the molds before first use. FC45LC discovered that you don’t need to do that.
What is the best temp for casting lead bullies?
Buck Barnes - The best temp for casting lead bullets is melt the lead (minimum 621 degrees F), and then get the mold hot, then when casting good bullets, it takes 4-5 seconds for the sprue to harden - that is the sweet spot for casting bullets...what temp is that exactly? Been casting for 40 years, and I can't tell you that. That temp actually varies depending on the mold being aluminum, iron or brass. With aluminum, hot is better. Best to ya, FC
FC, my sabot mold fell into the melting pot! How do I clean it ? Is it ruined?
gorvgo go to tractor supply and get a pair of super long needle nose pliers. Let the melting pot get as hot as the dial will allow. Let soak for ten minutes at that temp. Soak the needle nose pliers to get them hot as well. Gently grasp your mold and pull it out. The lead should cool fast and allow you to remove it from your mold. If you have stubborn lead that won’t, get a propane torch and apply to whatever lead sticks and remove with some fine screen-do not wipe aggressively, just dab it
Fortune cookie! Do I need a rcbs lube o matic for my 44-40? .429
A good way to pre heat is to pour lead into the cold mold 5 times and tip them back in the pot.
Then you are good to go.
Where can a buy these molds,
any idea how to clean rusty molds ?
beautiful bullets for all those youtubers out there
Epoxy wood grip back together clamp and rub linseed oil into it
Don’t you smoke the aluminum mould and lube the pins and sprue cutter?
Ok you answered smoking but what about the pins? No galling?
How to order bullet mold for Cal 40 and Cal 9mm how much the price of the bullet mold thanks
bought a 2 cavity Lee mold a couple months ago, cast about 7000 bullets and it is done. I only ever gave it a light tap on the nut and the cavity no longer lines up..m pretty disappointed in the quality, even though it was only $30 I was led to believe that they weren't shite
+ChromeArty -- With the shotgun slug molds - we're so hard on them casting up a storm that 7000 is good to get - I don't think I've ever gotten that many before the mold wears out, the core pin breaks off, or the plate gets out of range. Sounds like you didn't do anything wrong with your 2 cav - but the pins and bushings probably failed you. You could call Lee and find out if it's still under warranty. If not, you could send it back to Lee, they will return to you a like new mold for 1/2 the price. If you have soured on aluminum molds, the iron ones will give you longer service and a more feeling of quality with 'em. My Lyman iron molds have lasted me for my entire casting career spanning 40+ years, and they are still going strong even with regular usage. But the production is lower, the bullets are not any better (although some bullet styles you cannot get from Lee without special order). With my Lee 6 cavs, I get 40-50K bullets out of 'em and if they wear out and fail me, I just buy another one... Since I started doing these videos, I've bought a lot more of the 6 cav designs so that I'll probably not wear out any more of 'em since I've got so many to use... 7000 bullets is a nice pile of bullets, and some good work was definitely done... Best to ya, FC
+FortuneCookie45LC thanks for the info FC!
I'm in Canada with typically means no warranty (for some unknown reason)
but I'll give them a shout maybe. I bought the thing less than 2 months ago I think.
I just got my first Lyman Steel Mold and it sure is sweet. being a 4 cav I feel like the production is way higher! I'll have to give the 6 cav Lee a try one day :)
Cheers!!!
+ChromeArty -- The Lyman 4 cavs are indeed very fine to use. Since you like those, the Lee 6s will be fine for you... I have a whole drawer full of them and they have served very well... Best Regards to ya - Hail to all our Canadian friends...!! FC
The wooden handle that split. You always want the grain of the wood to be sideways not up and down that's the weakest part and if you applied enough pressure the wood will split. Same goes with baseball bats!
Robert Fugate - That handle did indeed split according to the grain as you pointed out... Took 40 years of fairly regular use though...but if the grain were different as you suggested, it probably would have been good for another 40...Happy New Year to ya..!! FC
Thx, happy new year!
Can you have a delivery this one?
Nah, he doesn't have peter griffin as his profile picture...
sirblacklord-I can't argue with you, because I am far from perfect. And I think I am losing it when I leave my IPhone at the office. And no one, not even Alvin York, or John Wayne or Marilyn Monroe, or (shudder) Obama can make everyone happy all the time. Sorry to have offended you - next time you see FortuneCookie45LC on a by-line - you'll just have to pass it by. Best regards for a good life to you...
Hey Mr. Fortune godfather... why do you not leave your last pour of bullets in your cavities? I'm just curious if doing this would help by not getting any lube in my cavities.. thank you sir..
TonyandLaura Pritchett - Best way to protect our molds from storage rust is a light coat of mineral oil in the cavities. Bullets left in the cavities prevents us from coating the inside of the blocks with mineral oil or Ballistol. And if we open the blocks to coat with mineral oil, and leave the bullets in, we have broken any seal from the bullets being in there so that moisture could get in there. After the mineral oil coat, we throw some dessicant packs in with the molds and store 'em in sealed tupperware or GI ammo cans. or sealed plastic containers. I'm lucky in that I live in moderate climate and store my molds in a drawer in a nice dry, dark, cool place. Never had any rust in a bullet mold doing the above. Also, aluminum molds do not rust (except for the steel parts - mineral oil there is good), so leaving bullets in the cavities is pointless there. The small amount of oil just burns out of the molds after 2 or 3 pours or we could use a toothbrush and detergent wash before casting. Good castin' to ya, FC Steve
FortuneCookie45LC
Thanks man for the quick reply & thanks for all the work you put into your videos. I've learned a ton from you & elvis ammo. I am passing down the knowledge I have learned from y'all to my son..
TonyandLaura Pritchett - Way to go, Tony - and please comment or pose questions at your convenience... Best to ya, FC Steve - Hello to Laura..
^^He says all of this in the video.
anybody try copper in conical mold?
whats the best way to get the burrs out?
My Damn Channel - Use a sharp Exacto knife with magnification and after you have identified the sticking cavity, find the little burr. If you don't see the burr, do not apply the Exacto. This is like jeweler's work - carefully remove the burr by placing the blade at a very shallow angle to the edge of the cavity and shave/bevel the burr off. The aluminum is soft and this can be overdone. Some other casters just tell me they use a rag and repeatedly wipe from cavity center outwards to remove any tiny burrs. Then cast again to determine improvement. Bullets should drop with no more than 4-5 taps on handle pin or shakes...Best Regards...
How do you remove burrs?
Buck Barnes - First, you have to see the burrs - magnification helps here - then an Exacto knife to just shave the burr only...Try to maintain the angles as the burr is removed. Haven't seen any burrs on my latest Lee molds...Lyman iron molds do not have burrs... Best to ya, FC
ممكن سعر
No, just you.
Does aluminum rust? Duh?
No. It pits.
No mold lube on new Lee mold?
New caster here. I don't have Balistol. Is using Froglube a good idea?
Your video has nothing to do with her I'm looking for UA-cam house mix identified your video
I've used Ballistol for years, but after watching the Project Farm episode on gun lubes, I'm going to give Clenzoil a try. I use synthetic 2-stroke oil on a rag on a hot mold with the sprue cut and the bullets left in. Thanks Elvis Ammo, for the tip! It has saved me hundreds of dollars and tons of headaches. ua-cam.com/video/fibRewlndLg/v-deo.html
My bullets never fall out , I got to beat the shit out of it. On top of that I've used your 1 pound of linotype to 6 pounds of range scrap and still get 230 grain bullets coming out 240 to 250 grain. I've bought every cast and reloading bullet book known to man so I'm on the fence just to say fuck it none of the books give me a load above 230 grain so I give up. If I have to buy extra alloy to add to range scrape what's the fucking point ?