Insanity's odyssey in casting.

[triggertreat]

To get things back on topic, I will mention that I need to get more involved with this casting thing. I want to start looking into a mold for a .357; but I have no clue what to look for on NOE. I ordered some cast bullets on Ebay, and unfortunately they didn't work out too well in the Winchester. 

For a win 70-35, I would be looking for a weight around 85gr to keep the velocity up around 850 FPS or better.  That probably means a .357 pellet mould.  I do see one pellet mould on the NOE site that would match that weight, but it's only in .356, so I wouldn't gamble with the cost on that one without some input from experienced shooters with it and a Win 70-35.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=35_586&osCsid=o946od8olgnvgu1b5sbq787gm0

NOE also has a BT that weighs 136gr in pure lead.  You could add in some tin to lighten it some.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=35_527&products_id=4743&osCsid=o946od8olgnvgu1b5sbq787gm0

PA has a JSB pellet in that diameter and weight.  That would be something I would try at least.  https://www.pyramydair.com/product/jsb-match-diabolo-exact-35-cal-81-02-grains-domed-100ct?p=1087

I do feel your pain with trying to find a mould to cast your own.  I've had one dud in .25 cal with really no other moulds available to try either.  I have had good success with .357 moulds, but these are 150gr.  The Win 70-35 just wouldn't push those fast enough, IMO.

[VaporTrail]

Oooh! How nice! I sold most of mine, unfortunately. And they were the ones that I put the most work into. I converted 1/8 truggies and buggies and even a 1/12 CRT.5.

I'd regularly rip the foam in the tires to shreds.

My favorite was taking unbranded Chinese knockoffs and building them up to insane levels. Like my little 1/18 Chinese buggy that I converted from brushed to brushless. Didn't take too much, but all the other guys with their 400 dollar Nova Rossi engines weren't thrilled that a little cockroach was smoking them in the straights and the corners. 

Sorry for the diversion, Insanity.

To get things back on topic, I will mention that I need to get more involved with this casting thing. I want to start looking into a mold for a .357; but I have no clue what to look for on NOE. I ordered some cast bullets on Ebay, and unfortunately they didn't work out too well in the Winchester. 

I have had really good results with the lee 125gr mold. They drop at .358 and are easily sized down. Not expensive either.

Thanks, ShakySarge. I'd really like to keep the weight in the 80-90gr range. Right now it's shooting the 81gr JSBs at a max of 884FPS, and she's bone stock. I feel if I go up too high on weight, FPS will drop too low.

I wonder if anyone has a BT HP mold .358 sized in 80-90gr. I'll bet those would be magic!

[VaporTrail]

To get things back on topic, I will mention that I need to get more involved with this casting thing. I want to start looking into a mold for a .357; but I have no clue what to look for on NOE. I ordered some cast bullets on Ebay, and unfortunately they didn't work out too well in the Winchester. 

For a win 70-35, I would be looking for a weight around 85gr to keep the velocity up around 850 FPS or better.  That probably means a .357 pellet mould.  I do see one pellet mould on the NOE site that would match that weight, but it's only in .356, so I wouldn't gamble with the cost on that one without some input from experienced shooters with it and a Win 70-35.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=35_586&osCsid=o946od8olgnvgu1b5sbq787gm0

NOE also has a BT that weighs 136gr in pure lead.  You could add in some tin to lighten it some.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=35_527&products_id=4743&osCsid=o946od8olgnvgu1b5sbq787gm0

PA has a JSB pellet in that diameter and weight.  That would be something I would try at least.  https://www.pyramydair.com/product/jsb-match-diabolo-exact-35-cal-81-02-grains-domed-100ct?p=1087

I do feel your pain with trying to find a mould to cast your own.  I've had one dud in .25 cal with really no other moulds available to try either.  I have had good success with .357 moulds, but these are 150gr.  The Win 70-35 just wouldn't push those fast enough, IMO.

Thanks, triggertreat. Yeah, it's kind of a precipitous ledge to be on. I want to try a bunch of molds, but I worry about them not shooting well. I have some expendable income, but it wouldn't be enough to cover several molds that would not work out.

I'm glad that Insanity's venture is more or less paying off. Knowing my luck, I'd have to go through several molds. 

Right now the JSBs are working out great...but I would like to try some HP slugs. I got super lucky with the ones from Rick on Ebay for my Sumatra Long in .25. I didn't do so well with the 82gr HPs. 

At least I didn't buy the mold for that one. 

[Wayne52]

Matt after my last casting using the 217-17-WC I've found that the sprue plate hole is very small in comparison to all my other molds and the nozzle of the ladle (in my case) had to be super clean before each pour.  So far it's been my experience that before each pour I'll first let a little bit of lead flow through before pouring the pellet, my reject rate dropped considerably this way.  I don't recommend opening up the sprue plate hole at all because I think it might create more problems.  I came to the conclusion that it'll just take a little longer to pour good WC's in .217 for good results.

[Insanity]

That is interesting Wayne I can see why you would need to do that makes it a bit more tedious it sounds.

[Insanity]

Casted up some more 217-20 pellets today and boy do they sure look great. averaging right now .6gr difference and each cavity is holding .05 to .1 variance. A great big thanks to everyone who has guided me especially Wyane52 with our phone conversations, and here is the results of that.


I wont get to shoot them in my range for a few days my monster is sick ear infection in BOTH ears.

[VaporTrail]

Wow those look nice!

[Wayne52]

Looking good Matt !!!

[maraudinglizard]

Very nice, no swirls or flashing to mess them up, those should do well in your gun.

[anti-squirrel]

Minor resurrection-  I'm further intrigued by those .25 wadcutters. 

Reading through this thread has given me a lot of information- experiencing the failures and eventual successes as the learning curves flattens out is enlightening, but having a member like Matt who is willing to share the experiences is even better.

and yeah, the final results are gorgeous.

[Insanity]

Yesterday I did fire up the pot and smelted some more free pellet lead. I casted about 20 or so pellets so i could see how it did and they came out nice and shiny.

Peter I may do a fresh run on a few wadcutters just so you can see the difference in the old lead and methods to my new.

[anti-squirrel]

Yesterday I did fire up the pot and smelted some more free pellet lead. I casted about 20 or so pellets so i could see how it did and they came out nice and shiny.

Peter I may do a fresh run on a few wadcutters just so you can see the difference in the old lead and methods to my new.

I'm on the edge of ordering a Leshiy and torn between .22 and .25- Dillon was getting some good results with the .22 and NSAs slugs, but a quarter-bore wadcutter in a Leshiy would be simply exciting!  (hooray that replacement barrels for the Leshiy aren't unobtanium- never mind the gun is tunable!)

[Wayne52]

Peter the wad cutters really need to be slowed down to 700fps or less, they're really not a long range pellet at all.  I do shoot a lot of the .217 wad cutters from my Crosman 150 and they really work well in that.

[Insanity]

Have a update here... So today I set up to cast at least 1000 pellets out of my 217-20 mold. I was getting about a 75% failure rate I thought because it was cold I was not getting a good fill. I tried everything from keeping the mold hotter than normal and heating my lead up to 850°f nothing was working. So I was filling my ladle and just letting it flow back into the pot, I do that to mix the lead for temp, I was not getting a good flow it was solid then turned into droplets. Turns out it was around 60% blocked... I took a drill bit and by hand knocked the rust and slag out of it and wouldn't you know it I started to get good pellets again. Most of you are thinking well derr you walnut if you just read some more posts on the other casting forum you would know that. Well I only truly learn from experience and all I tend to try to research just enough to get started, the rest its trial by fire for me. Which if you read this from the beginning that is evident.

This makes me want to season my ladle. I am thinking about hitting it with a wire brush in my dremel then heating it nice and hot and dunking it into some used motor oil. Then once it has be established I can maintain it so as to keep rust and build up at bay. I also know better to clean off the oil residue you know because fire and contamination and such.

[anti-squirrel]

Thanks to Matt's kindness, I have been able to sample his .25 wadcutters. the old ones are all I taken shots with- IE: his earlier attempt work very well in my Hatsan 95QE.  3 shots, 3 hits on my 19 yard spinner.  No sighting in, just loaded and pulled the trigger.  The 95QE is currently sighted in for 25.4 grain AA domes.... and Matt's .25 Murder Wads   I'll try the newer ones later or perhaps tomorrow.

[Insanity]

Looking forward to see how well they do on paper. Also how the .22s do for you. I know with Jeff's dar 25 after 30y they start to come off point.

[anti-squirrel]

Looking forward to see how well they do on paper. Also how the .22s do for you. I know with Jeff's dar 25 after 30y they start to come off point.

Getting too dark today.

Tomorrow if it ain't nasty I'll try the .22 domed Murder Missiles   I like the length of the .22s.  MEATY!

[Insanity]

They smack pretty hard at 27fpe out of my urban.

[Wayne52]

Matt I was over at my brothers about a week ago doing some 15 yard shooting with the wadcutters out of my Crosman 150 and I was getting some super nice off hand groups with it, the .22 wadcutters work well in  a .22 pistol, they would probably work really good in all the Crosman .22 co2 pistols. 

[Insanity]

I do keep eying the .22 WC mold for my 2240 carbine.