School me on bullet casting

by anachronism, Thursday, December 22, 2011, 19:45 (4719 days ago) @ Rod M

I habitually run two 2 cavity moulds. You are entirely correct that the mould takes a little bit to get to temp. I usually dip a corner of the mould in the melted lead to speed it up a bit, but I've heard some manufacturers might void your warranty if you overheat the mould and warp it. I've never warped a mould, or even sent one in for warranty, so I'm unconcerned. LBT actually recommends doing this to preheat a mould, as does LEE. I get my best results with a ladle, and have given up using the bottom our feature on my Mag 20. Everybody casts a little bit differently, and there is no single solution to any situation you might encounter. I cast hot, around 800 degrees, some will say that's too hot, some will tell you it's a good start. Go figger. If you cast outdoors, I would think that you should be okay, particularly if theres a little breeze. If you cast indoors, please use a fan, and adequate ventilation.