.30 Cal NOE mold

[triggertreat]

I cast a few more NOE .30 cal pellets today before the cold weather returns.  Though not sorted yet, these look darn near commercial quality!  I have been lowering my temps as I am still learning best practices for casting.

Today's temps were at 735°.  Far below where I started as a newb at 850°.  What I have learned is that I still get nice fill outs at the lower temps, but the difference is with not getting any dog ears or wings from being too hot and lead slipping through the cracks.  These have much smoother heads and skirts and are more uniform, which should translate into far less culling.  When pausing to check weights, they seem more uniform as well.

I didn't get nearly as many cast as I would have normally, but I was doing a lot of testing of temps and such before getting into a rhythm. I think that effort will pay off.

I was casting with the higher temps before because of my issue with the Lee 20lb pot spout ceasing up at the lower temps.  Well, I had that trouble again today, but I got the bright idea to place some scrape porcelain tile cuts on both sides of the spout/pot.  This was all that was needed to fix the spout issue at the lower temps.  I also placed a piece on top of the pot to cover ~ 85 percent of it.  I noticed the PID controller I built didn't have to work nearly as hard with that addition, too.

I have been having some decent luck with groups out of the Slug A liner with the wings manually removed, but I just know these will shoot groups even better If consistency in casts play any kind of roll.

[35 shooter]

Those look great.

[GumpIsrael]

I agree, very professional looking!

[GSu]

Wow! That's some awesome looking cast pellets.  Might give me some incentive to try and cast some myself as I recently managed to score a 700mm Superior Heavy liner in .30.  Still learning the Impact.

[Bob Pratl]

I was casting with the higher temps before because of my issue with the Lee 20lb pot spout ceasing up at the lower temps.  Well, I had that trouble again today, but I got the bright idea to place some scrape porcelain tile cuts on both sides of the spout/pot.  This was all that was needed to fix the spout issue at the lower temps.  I also placed a piece on top of the pot to cover ~ 85 percent of it.  I noticed the PID controller I built didn't have to work nearly as hard with that addition, too.

Keith, can you give more information or pictures on the placement of the tile cuts?
Is this to prevent cooling of the spout?

[triggertreat]

I was casting with the higher temps before because of my issue with the Lee 20lb pot spout ceasing up at the lower temps.  Well, I had that trouble again today, but I got the bright idea to place some scrape porcelain tile cuts on both sides of the spout/pot.  This was all that was needed to fix the spout issue at the lower temps.  I also placed a piece on top of the pot to cover ~ 85 percent of it.  I noticed the PID controller I built didn't have to work nearly as hard with that addition, too.

Keith, can you give more information or pictures on the placement of the tile cuts?
Is this to prevent cooling of the spout?

Thanks fellas!  I am certainly proud of these cast for a change.  The heads and skirts are really smooth and formed well.  I think I could even go lower in temp a bit more, but untested.  I'll be culling a number of these that have wings or are a little rough as I started at higher temps while working my way down.

Bob, just anything that you can find to isolate both sides of the pot and not interfere with your casting or access to the handle.  It seems any wind blowing by escalates the cooling of the spout.  Pieces as tall as the pot is what I used (scrap porcelain tile cuts).  Before that, a cut up piece of an old rubber floor mat leaned against the control box to prevent touching the hot pot.

[Wayne52]

Looking good Keith !!!

[scion19801]

Keith, you don't have to manually cut those wings off. you get. i see yo u got them on a towel already. grab the two corners of the end of the towel in one hand and do the same with the other hand. now lift the towel to make a pocket. then lift one end up and it will roll the pellets. then lower and lift the other hand. keep going for a few minutes. this will tumble and mix the pellets all up and break the wings off for you. Works like a charm for me.
they look good. I too am interested in the mod you did to the pour spout. my 10 lb. pot might not like it but it has been running good.

[triggertreat]

Keith, you don't have to manually cut those wings off. you get. i see yo u got them on a towel already. grab the two corners of the end of the towel in one hand and do the same with the other hand. now lift the towel to make a pocket. then lift one end up and it will roll the pellets. then lower and lift the other hand. keep going for a few minutes. this will tumble and mix the pellets all up and break the wings off for you. Works like a charm for me.
they look good. I too am interested in the mod you did to the pour spout. my 10 lb. pot might not like it but it has been running good.

Thanks, Dan!  Yes, I'm familiar with that trick and have used it on the NOE 249 slugs.  It'll work to knock off the rough spots for sure, but I find it also roughs the finish up more, too.  That may be a good thing (like a golf ball surface on a much smaller scale), but these feel as smooth as glass at the cuts and all around, so I'm going with that.  I kept the different temps in different piles as I went, so most of the wings were already tossed back in the pot.  There won't be many to cull in the pile.

As a side note, I weighed the reclaimed lead from the rubber mulch trap I sorted out the lead from recently.  The reclaimed lead weighed out to be 34 pounds worth.  Not part of these cast as the pot was already full and made ready previously.

This pile weighs 9.3 pounds.  So, based on my calculations of 1 pound equaling 7000 grains, and the average weight of each being 47 grains, I estimate there to be approximately a 1,340 count in this new pile of cast before any culling...Not bad for a half-days worth of fun.  I'll sort them in the colder weather coming up.

[triggertreat]

Looking good Keith !!!

Thanks, Wayne!

[Bob Pratl]

Bob, just anything that you can find to isolate both sides of the pot and not interfere with your casting or access to the handle.  It seems any wind blowing by escalates the cooling of the spout.  Pieces as tall as the pot is what I used (scrap porcelain tile cuts).  Before that, a cut up piece of an old rubber floor mat leaned against the control box to prevent touching the hot pot.

Keith, thanks I will certainty give it a try because a few times I had it heat the spout with a torch to get it to flow again. At the time I thought that it was a blockage. 

[triggertreat]

Bob, just anything that you can find to isolate both sides of the pot and not interfere with your casting or access to the handle.  It seems any wind blowing by escalates the cooling of the spout.  Pieces as tall as the pot is what I used (scrap porcelain tile cuts).  Before that, a cut up piece of an old rubber floor mat leaned against the control box to prevent touching the hot pot.

Keith, thanks I will certainty give it a try because a few times I had it heat the spout with a torch to get it to flow again. At the time I thought that it was a blockage. 

Maybe add a top cap covering as well as best you can also.  I did all three at the same time.

[triggertreat]

I have been testing these NOE .30 cal cast pellets with the Slug A 700mm liner sized in both .299" and .300" with mixed results at 30 yards.

Today, I tried them at various speeds with the STX liner all sized to .299".  I am happy most are touching, and is an improvement over the slug A groups.  I was shooting in some gusty winds around 6-8 MPH, but the distance is close.  I was also playing around with many settings as seen.  I did pop some 50-yard two-inch spinners frequently as well.

From what the results look like to me, considering the harmonics compared to speeds, the 840’s and the high 800’s are the two best speeds for harmonics.  It seems the groups want to open more in between those speeds.

[rsterne]

Good demonstration of how barrel harmonics can change group size.... 

Bob

[triggertreat]

Good demonstration of how barrel harmonics can change group size.... 

Bob

Thanks!  I thought so as well.

[SteveB]

I use the same mold love it so far I don't cast as many as you do sheesh that's a big batch.  I did notice this pellet for my impact shoots really well at 100 yards if I push them fast, like 980-990 fps they do great.  Shot them at the same speed as jsb and they seem to have  better bc as they always hit higher then the jsb. But jsb hates the the speed these do well in my gun. I shoot steel plates at 100 and wow they smack so loud.

[triggertreat]

That's good to know, Steve.  I've ran another smaller batch that I added more sheet lead to, to thin the tin more.  Plus, I worked the spruce plate as Bob recommended, so these are more filled out.


I'm looking forward to testing these soon.  I'm currently mounting a new scope (Titan) and waiting on some better weather.

[KnifeMaker]

Looking Good there Keith!

[triggertreat]

Looking Good there Keith!

Thanks!  I am very happy to have these grouping/stacking well now. They just needed the STX liner instead of the Slug A liner.  Also, with the standard STX pellet liner, I can run them from 850 to 920 without group issues.  POI doesn't change much either at 30 yards with the different speeds. I left the tune at 900 FPS based on best groups.  That's 85 FPE of plinking fun.  These hit with authority and I think I am ready to try these out for real now that I have them sorted out and shooting straight.

The new Titan scope helps a bunch too.  Man is it a clear one!

[KnifeMaker]

I've been considering trading my Zeiss 4.5 x 14x 50 for one of the Elements. Nice Scopes!  


I would like to try an A liner. Good reports for light slugs.   


Mike