The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

I am spending some time today with a batch of fresh cast 185gr bullets. They are from a Lee .312 double mold and after lubing with liquid Alox and drying overnight they are being sized to .311" and gas checks applied. These are going into the Mosins and Enfields for some fun in the sun in a couple of weeks. This is my first time using the liquid Alox and I did not understand how such a little amount could go so far. It is quite amazing. After drying they are not nearly as messy as folks on the net had led me to believe. Like everything, you get different opinions from different folks.

Back when I was a wannabe caster I used the Lyman 314299 mold and the Lyman sizing set up but I failed big time and gave up. I was never able to cast two bullets with the same weight

I hear ya buddy. I don't have any ''perfect'' looking bullets yet, but they do pass my inspection for plinking. I have weighed several random bullets and they seem to be pretty close. The Lee molds are about a third the price of Lyman molds, and they come with handles. I imagine the Lyman would be better? But I do like the alluminum molds. The bullets start coming out frosted when the mold gets too hot, so I touch it to a wet towel, then it seems to be good to go for more. I still need some things, like a thermometer, and some more molds, but I really like making my own ammo. It is a hobby that requires patience, but I have developed lots of that from being a father of 3 kids, a wife of 29 years, and 30 years being a mechanic.

One of the biggest issues with casting bullets consistently of the same weight is keeping the mould hot. The Aluminum moulds are really hard to keep them hot especially for the 30 caliber ones as Lee seems to make these double moulds. All my cast iron moulds do better than the aluminum ones. After you cast a lot of bullets cull them out by weight. + or - 2 grains is about the limit for anything you are shooting longer than 100 yards. Keep your lead hot and stir it frequently so the metal stays mixed. Fluxing can help some too. But with the aluminum moulds keep the pot hotter than with the cast iron ones. These things will help keep a consistent weight and get the mould to fill out properly.
Burrhead

bunkysdad wrote:I hear ya buddy. I don't have any ''perfect'' looking bullets yet, but they do pass my inspection for plinking. I have weighed several random bullets and they seem to be pretty close. The Lee molds are about a third the price of Lyman molds, and they come with handles. I imagine the Lyman would be better? But I do like the alluminum molds. The bullets start coming out frosted when the mold gets too hot, so I touch it to a wet towel, then it seems to be good to go for more. I still need some things, like a thermometer, and some more molds, but I really like making my own ammo. It is a hobby that requires patience, but I have developed lots of that from being a father of 3 kids, a wife of 29 years, and 30 years being a mechanic.

You were a wife for 29 years

Lyman molds are better only on account of being steel, I was just a Lyman fan boy and could afford to be at that time and the 314 size mold was great due to my Enfield having a 312 dia bore.

bunkysdad nice looking bullets there! I hope they work out well for you. You must have some really tight grooves on that Mosin and Enfield,both my Mosin and SKS rifles require .314 dia. cast bullets to fill the .312 groove to groove bore. I use the Lee .312 160 gr. TL RN bullet in those rifles and it actually drops bullets right at .314 dia.,gas checks are applied with the .314 sizer.

I have 12 Lee two cavity molds,two Lyman iron molds I got at an estate sale for $25 each and a newly purchased 38 Cal. HP mold from NOE. I'm very happy with all my molds,the majority of the Lee molds cast great right out of the box but a couple needed some minor attention,such as removing some small burrs that may cause the bullets to hang up or shimming up one side of the block so that it closes better.

Most all my Lee molds get locked up in a vice and the mold block surface get a nice polishing with 600 grit paper as well as the entire bottom of the sprue plate where it contacts the mold blocks. I also deburr the holes on the underside of the sprue plate before polishing it with my cartridge case deburring tool,just a couple light turns is all you need.

Some good mold mod. info.
http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/MoldMods/default.html

I haven't use this in my lawn equipment as of yet but it's excellent sprue plate lube and I use it on all my molds. Just a dab on the tip of a Q-Tip goes a long way.

If the weight is a little off big deal, load them anyway, use them for plinking, when you become more experienced, and acquire better molds them start obsessing over bullet weight exactness. Most people here are lucky if they shoot on a hundred yard range, for that bullets that are a little off ( we are talking tiny discrepancies here) will do just fine.

I will have to do some various trials with different loads and post some target pics. Then I would like to try some .314 sized bullets and see the difference. I have not slugged my bores, and didn't really want to get into loading yet for each individual gun, but if they slugged differently then perhaps that is exactly what I should do. I am still learning, and open for discussion any time.