what should be the optimum temprature for casting bullets? All i ever done is throw my lead into a iron cast pot over a old coleman stove waited for the lead to melt. Never really thought about a correct tempeture to get the most out of my moulds. Just kept skimming and adding more lead. Is there a better way than the coleman stove and iron pot method. waiting to hear from the best of you!
Lead should fill out a mould with no wrinkles between 750 and 800 degrees F provided the mould is clean and well heated. I have a lead thermometer but rarely use it. When the bullets start to come out of the mould with sharp edges and maybe some whiskers, that's when I keep them. I use a propane burner to melt lead in a cast iron pot and use a dipper which pours the lead faster into the large cavity moulds we use. A Coleman stove will also work. I only use a bottom pour electric furnace for small caliber, lead alloy bullets used to feed more modern firearms.
Jim Burgess
15th CVI
I use a bottom pour pot when I can, but have found you must ladle-pour hollow cavity bullets to get consistent weights.
I cast between 850F - 900F.
When the bullets start developing blue noses on dropping that is when everything has gotten to the right temperature.
Steve Sheldon
Commander
4th Louisiana Delta Rifles
NRA Certified Muzzleloading Instructor
When casting large, heavy bullets, get it hot and pour it fast is the ticket to good quality minies. In addition, the mold must be up to temperature, especially the base plug. I use both a bottom pour and a ladle pot. Some of my molds work fine with the bottom pour and some work better with the ladle. In either pot, I run lead at 850F. With smaller bullets like a Smith or revolver, the lead doesn't have to be as hot.
"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition"
Rudyard Kipling
YadkinValleyRangers@gmail.com
NRA Muzzleloading Instructor
Well, your thread reveals that you were not having problems with wrinkles and pits. You just asked about temperature, if you are getting the bullet weight you want with no imperfections than do not change anything...why mess with something that works. I threw away a new Lyman Big Dipper melting pot last spring...I went back to the reliable Coleman with a large tank. Some electrics are better than others.
Take care, see ya at Laingsburg.
Keith A. Williams
15th. Reg VA Vol Cav
"Believe that you can whip the enemy, and you have won half the battle." - General James Ewell Brown Stuart
So I now wait for temprature of lead to rise up to 800 to 850. I noticed the lead fills out the mould better. The pocket looks better without lines or a pocket. Thanks for your guidence. I have begun wieghing the bullets. I have seen wieghts deviate from 313 grains up to 319 grains. with the vast majority being in the 316 to 319 range. The lower wieghts I attribute to the mold not being up to temprature or air pocket not seen. But how much of a deviation can there be before it affect the elevation trajectory? I know it is not sensable to expect them all to be exact. How much deviation would you allow? I am starting to get serious about my shooting. I want to eliminate as many variables as I can. So i have started to throw my powder by wieght not volume. Weigh my bullets and keep my caps in the same lot number the best i can. Is there anything else i should consider to try and get the same consistancy from my loads?
I go plus / minus of 2 grains (bullet weight) if medium is 515.5 grains 517.5 max and 513.5 least...there is room for fine tuning more...depending if your gun is placing rounds either high and low or both.
317.5 grains should be your happy medium, start with 316.0 through 319.9 grains to see how the grouping is...adjust powder load to tighten up grouping or reduce bullet final weight to 316.5 - 319.5.
Good luck.
Keith A. Williams
15th. Reg VA Vol Cav
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