ASSRA Forum - What causes bullet wrinkling

ASSRA Forum › General › Reloading the Single Shot Rifle › What causes bullet wrinkling

(Moderator Group: Moderator)

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

Page Index Toggle

Pages: 1 [2]

Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies)

What causes bullet wrinkling (Read 5651 times)

GT Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 2039 Location: Northeast Wyoming Joined: Jun 28^th, 2015	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling Reply #15 - Aug 23^rd, 2020 at 12:06pm	Print Post
	'06 That's a good one and a lot of responses... I've been cleaning some of my problem molds now with Toluene if you can get it. It's become a recreational use chemical by a few... so it's not as common anymore. It reduces the residue and moisture left by several other cleaners and methods. Two other things I did was polish the sprue plate removing all machining lines both in the hole, and on the underside. Then someone here posted pictures of the spout of their ladle, it had a tiny vent groove ground in it. I don't know which one made the most difference as I did all of these at the same time, but my casting issues have mostly diminished... maybe it's the weather and moon/star alignment, and the new shipment of lead I got??? Have you tried another mold (that you know casts a good bullet) to make sure you alloy didn't get contaminated. Greg

	"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk" T. A. Edison "The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right" M.T.
	IP Logged

Mick B Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1004 Location: 19 Ian Nicol St watson ACT aus Joined: Apr 11^th, 2013	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling Reply #16 - Aug 23^rd, 2020 at 8:36pm	Print Post
	Describing that bullet as wrinkled is, in my opinion, something of an understatement. Mike


	IP Logged

MI-shooter Moderator Offline Posts: 698 Location: SE Michigan Joined: Apr 18^th, 2004	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling Reply #17 - Aug 25^th, 2020 at 5:18pm	Print Post
	I would venture to say the mould is not up to temp based on the edges being rounded still. I sit the mould on the edge of the pot for about a half hour as it is heating up the lead and even then it may take dozens of bullets cast in the mould before good ones come out. What alloy? Enough tin in the mix? Alloy temp is one thing. Mould temp is another issue IMO.


	IP Logged

bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2757 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling Reply #18 - Aug 25^th, 2020 at 6:35pm	Print Post
	I have a coil hot plate that the mold and dipper sit on as the pot gets up to temp. Typically only the first 5 or so bullets are not in the target weight range. Jack

	ASSRA # 11318 just a bit of a hoot.
	IP Logged

40_Rod Frequent Elocutionist Offline Extremism in the persuit of accuracy is not a vice Posts: 4285 Location: Knoxville, TN Joined: Apr 20^th, 2004	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling Reply #19 - Aug 26^th, 2020 at 10:14am	Print Post
	Silicone can be a real pain to get out after you degrease / wash two or three times and it still happens I coat the mold either smoke it or take a graphite pencil run it over the inside of the mold. If that dosen't work take your dipper and drill out the hole .005 t0 .010 that will give you better pressure when casting. 40 Rod


	IP Logged

oughtsix Global Moderator ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 1272 Location: Columbus Joined: May 31^st, 2009	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling chapter 2 Reply #20 - Aug 26^th, 2020 at 2:51pm	Print Post
	So I scraped vent lines and washed with carb cleaner. First bullet out left side perfect, right side wrinkle. Since i didn't have a butane lighter, I spritzed it with DropOut. Wrinkle gone. wiped out the DropOut, wrinkle returns. Re-sprayed, no wrinkle. BUT... the bullets are rough, see photo. I lowered the temp on the pot to see if that had an effect, but didn't see any improvement on wrinkle. So I can get unwrinkled bullets withe DropOut. Will Fuzzy bullets shoot as well as smooth shiny bullets. If they do, then I'll make more. Thanks for all the suggestions, -06

	Life Member ASSRA, OGCA & TSGC I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters........ Frank Lloyd Wright
	IP Logged

westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 11461 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling Reply #21 - Aug 26^th, 2020 at 5:47pm	Print Post
	I have a Frank zika mold with a very small sprue hole. Has to be perty hot, (800+) cast fast and hold the ladle on longer to get bullets to fill out completely. On another occasion had a problem with my pot not coming up to top temperature. New pot and thermometer cured that problem.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
	IP Logged

oughtsix Global Moderator ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 1272 Location: Columbus Joined: May 31^st, 2009	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling Reply #22 - Aug 28^th, 2020 at 5:52pm	Print Post
	Found some long matches and smoked the mold. Worked wonders, good bullets, filled out, no wrinkles. Would like to understand why, but happy to have smooth, shiny bullets. The fuzzy one were very inconsistent with weight. They will go back into the pot. Hopefully, the buffalos at Etna Green won't stand a chance!

	Life Member ASSRA, OGCA & TSGC I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters........ Frank Lloyd Wright
	IP Logged

bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2757 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling Reply #23 - Aug 28^th, 2020 at 6:16pm	Print Post
	I save the cheap candles left over from birthday cakes. Very smoky! Plus a touch to the spruce plate screw lubes it if it is sticking. Do it with the mold hot and before you drop the bullet to keep the wax out of the cavity. Use sparingly. Jack

	ASSRA # 11318 just a bit of a hoot.
	IP Logged

oneatatime Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3865 Location: Rocky Mountains Joined: Oct 30^th, 2011	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling Reply #24 - Aug 28^th, 2020 at 6:27pm	Print Post
	I'm with rafter3c. A new mould gets scrubbed with a toothbrush and denatured alcohol then blotted with a paper towel and, agreed, the old Lyman dippers are the best. The moulds are preheated on a cheap Walmart hotplate set to medium. Dipper to mould contact is held to a quick count of 3 to 5 depending on weight of bullet. First bullet out is usually good to go.


	IP Logged

Red Cent Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 316 Location: Benton, KY byway of WV, VA, NC Joined: Dec 25^th, 2016	Re: What causes bullet wrinkling Reply #25 - Aug 28^th, 2020 at 7:57pm	Print Post
	"really brushed it hard with wire brush 2nd time." The difference between "regular" rubbing alcohol and "denatured" alcohol is an additive to make the drunk sick. Seriously.

	Life is too short to argue with stupid people and/or drink cheap booze
	IP Logged

Page Index Toggle

Pages: 1 [2]

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

« Board Index ‹ Board Top

Top

ASSRA Forum » Powered by YaBB 2.6.12!
YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2024. All Rights Reserved.

Valid XHTML

Valid CSS

Powered by Perl

Source Forge

Page completed in 1.3598 seconds.