I always count to 5 after sprue hardens

Bent_Ramrod wrote on Sep 29^th, 2014 at 3:42pm:


I agree 100%.  I cast my Hoch and Paul Jones using 30:1 and 20:1 is normally at 825 in the pot.  I hand dip with a Lyman dipper that has been opened up just a tad in the spout.  I have a thermocouple on my mold.  I preheat the mold in the lead pot to about 550 and let it come back down and equalize through the blocks and plates.  My 33 Hoch I cast at  400 mold temp.  I have a let it cool a fuzz between bullets, normally; but can keep a 75 to close to 100 bullets per hour rhythm going. My 25 cal Paul Jones runs at 465 mold temp.  Others such as 45 cal 550 grs run about 25 degrees lighter in the pot and in the low 400s on the mold. Never below 775 in the pot. Keeping the mold temp +/- 3 degrees will drop nearly every bullet  within .1-.2 gr on the 33s.  

I usually throw the first bullet cast back when I start; just feels good to have a fouler I guess   I inspect every bullet as it comes out, especially the base.  If there is a problem, it will normally be my mold is too hot, going too fast and a fin starting or debris (lead contamination) on the base plate.  

If you are having trouble, never underestimate the value of "smoking" the mold.  Take a candle holding it so it gets a good layer of smoke in the mold.  Be careful not to contaminate the mold with candle drippings as you maneuver the mold blocks around the candle flame.   

Great. Glad you got it working. When Hoch molds are casting right they are almost a pleasure to use (for those of us who find casting to be a chore).

The humidity here has been hanging around 70 - 90 % for weeks.  I have to grease my molds with Rig to keep them from rusting and they are stored in a heated shop.  It's a bit of a mess to clean up but it's all I've found that works for long term storage.  My newer custom molds are brass, which solves the problem.

I also use a torch sometimes but find pouring a dipper of lead over the outside of the bottom plate does the trick.  You can, provided that the mold bottom is dry and free of dirt, lay it on top of the lead to keep it up to temperature.  This is the method I use and it works for me.