Post by dana on Mar 12, 2021 15:32:38 GMT -5
So I got all my dads casting gear up to speed, cleaned molds, cleaned up the old Saeco pot, got a new ladle, some flux. I have been reading and watching videos, so I have some idea of how deep into this I want to get. I know I could just use wheel weights and be good to go, but I also see there can be a lot more to it than that. I want to control hardness of the bullets so I make good accurate bullets. I know for the muzzle loader I need very soft, pistols harder, and rifles if I want to up the velocity hard. I bought some Lino - 4% tin 12% Antimony 84% lead. I hope to use that to harden bullets for my rifles. There is one with 30% Antimony should I get that?
I know some of you will laugh, but I bought the Lee hardness tester. It was on sale for $62.00 at midway. I can't see how else you would know how hard your bullets are. I made a little mold to make a test cake, so when I make a batch of ingots I know what I have, also it seems like less work than filing down the side of a bullet for a test piece. That hasn't come in yet.
I made a batch of .311 (double mold) and .378 a (single mold). about 150 of each. When I test them if I need to make the .311s harder I was going to try to heat treat them. 400* for an hour then quench! I saw this on LA Silhouette Club web site. He stressed using a convection oven though. Not sure I can get one of them. I have a toaster oven. I do plan to use the Lube sizer I have, but may try powder coating at some point. I have some copper checks from Sage Outdoors coming for the .311s.
I had cast some 58 cal for the muzzle loader a long time ago, they were useable but I hadn't done my home work. I have since found that the crud on the top when you first start is not crud, but other metals that need to be mixed back in with flux. I am thinking for the muzzle loader balls I can take this out and save it to add to other batches that need to be hardened. Do any of you do that? I say that, as the muzzle loader wants more pure soft lead. It seemed really intimidating at first, but I think I am getting my head somewhat wrapped around it.
One of the things I'm not sure of is, on the pot it was adjusted so if you slip the handle under the adjusting bolt it locked it shut. I was slinging the lead kinda fast and decided 1/3rd of the way through the second batch that, I should use that to limit the flow! Is that the right way to use it? I was sure able to control it better and make much less of a mess when I changed the setting.
I know some of you will laugh, but I bought the Lee hardness tester. It was on sale for $62.00 at midway. I can't see how else you would know how hard your bullets are. I made a little mold to make a test cake, so when I make a batch of ingots I know what I have, also it seems like less work than filing down the side of a bullet for a test piece. That hasn't come in yet.
I made a batch of .311 (double mold) and .378 a (single mold). about 150 of each. When I test them if I need to make the .311s harder I was going to try to heat treat them. 400* for an hour then quench! I saw this on LA Silhouette Club web site. He stressed using a convection oven though. Not sure I can get one of them. I have a toaster oven. I do plan to use the Lube sizer I have, but may try powder coating at some point. I have some copper checks from Sage Outdoors coming for the .311s.
I had cast some 58 cal for the muzzle loader a long time ago, they were useable but I hadn't done my home work. I have since found that the crud on the top when you first start is not crud, but other metals that need to be mixed back in with flux. I am thinking for the muzzle loader balls I can take this out and save it to add to other batches that need to be hardened. Do any of you do that? I say that, as the muzzle loader wants more pure soft lead. It seemed really intimidating at first, but I think I am getting my head somewhat wrapped around it.
One of the things I'm not sure of is, on the pot it was adjusted so if you slip the handle under the adjusting bolt it locked it shut. I was slinging the lead kinda fast and decided 1/3rd of the way through the second batch that, I should use that to limit the flow! Is that the right way to use it? I was sure able to control it better and make much less of a mess when I changed the setting.