Newby on the block... well, to casting anyways.

[RonsPlc]

Al says they are in the works and it should be 2 - 2 1/2 weeks.

Hehehe, I called about a month ago and was told it should be a month, maybe 1.5 months, so it seems that he is right on schedule. 😃😃

[avator]

I think it's awesome when you call the posted phone number and the owner answers. Not many like that anymore.
Most of them hide behind voice recorders and secretaries reading from scripts.
I also asked if there was any chance of a 250 24 RF... he said nothing in the works right now. It's all good, I'm gonna do more testing with the short pins in the 27. I think I can bump the power and push them faster in the Sentrys.

[Spacebus]

Knock it off, I really don't need another .22 cal mold 🤣😂 Seriously though, my next mold will probably be the new 251-49 and then a 177 mold if those ever come out.

[avator]

I have enough problems pouring .22 I wouldn't even try .177.

[RonsPlc]

Bill I wanted to ask you how your avenger liked the .25 27 grain ones.

I am pondering getting a .25 avenger, but it it would be better to wait until the magnum mold is available, my pocket book, and wife would probably be happier. 🤣

[avator]

Ron, my .25 Avenger shoots pretty much anything I feed it well.

[Madd Hatter]

Bill I wanted to ask you how your avenger liked the .25 27 grain ones.

I am pondering getting a .25 avenger, but it it would be better to wait until the magnum mold is available, my pocket book, and wife would probably be happier. 🤣

The.25 mag mold is the 1 I'm waiting for.

[avator]

"Testing" means just that... testing to see what may work and what may not.
So today before I closed up the Red Shed for the day I took an empty pellet tin and 2 pieces of the fitted foam that comes in them and put several drops of Balistol on them and worked it into them really well.
Then I added enough of my cast 250 - 27 long pin pellets to fill 3 mags for the Sentry. I gently swirled the pellets for several minutes in the tin between the foam.
Tomorrow I will begin with a fresh target and shoot 3 mags with no lube before any lube gets in the barrel, then 3 mags lubed.
If this is a total failure, the Sentry barrel comes off the gun very easily for cleaning. Alcohol should remove any residue.
If the results are favorable, I may add a few drops to my tumbler process. Maybe even toss a lightly lubed foam in the tumbler with the pellets. If that don't work out well, the drum can be cleaned with hot water and Dawn.

[Spacebus]

"Testing" means just that... testing to see what may work and what may not.
So today before I closed up the Red Shed for the day I took an empty pellet tin and 2 pieces of the fitted foam that comes in them and put several drops of Balistol on them and worked it into them really well.
Then I added enough of my cast 250 - 27 long pin pellets to fill 3 mags for the Sentry. I gently swirled the pellets for several minutes in the tin between the foam.
Tomorrow I will begin with a fresh target and shoot 3 mags with no lube before any lube gets in the barrel, then 3 mags lubed.
If this is a total failure, the Sentry barrel comes off the gun very easily for cleaning. Alcohol should remove any residue.
If the results are favorable, I may add a few drops to my tumbler process. Maybe even toss a lightly lubed foam in the tumbler with the pellets. If that don't work out well, the drum can be cleaned with hot water and Dawn.

I do a similar lube routine with a foam lined tin, but I use silicone oil. It works, but the tumbler sounds even better. I may have to invest in one.

[avator]

After thinking about lubing pellets overnight I've decided not to.
Obviously I am new to the game of casting and it looks like I may be on a steep learning curve. Much of that comes from my learning process.... I tend not to follow directions well and I need to see the good and the bad for myself through trial and error. Anyways, my plan is to capture and recast as many of my pellets as possible. That said, my mind says the I don't want lube of any kind on them.
On the other hand, I will be melting the captured pellets down and pouring them into the corn ingots. But, I don't know if this process will remove the oils. Last thing I want to do is add another possible reason for poor results to the mix.

[RonsPlc]

Bill, you are using old wheel weights, they have oil, grease, dog wet, and all manner of stuff on them when you get them. The smelting that you do to bring them to ingots for the production pot takes care of it for you. I would not be concerned about a little ballistics lube as far as that is concerned.

[Spacebus]

After thinking about lubing pellets overnight I've decided not to.
Obviously I am new to the game of casting and it looks like I may be on a steep learning curve. Much of that comes from my learning process.... I tend not to follow directions well and I need to see the good and the bad for myself through trial and error. Anyways, my plan is to capture and recast as many of my pellets as possible. That said, my mind says the I don't want lube of any kind on them.
On the other hand, I will be melting the captured pellets down and pouring them into the corn ingots. But, I don't know if this process will remove the oils. Last thing I want to do is add another possible reason for poor results to the mix.

Oil is much less dense than lead. Worst case scenario it floats on top and you slim it off. Best case it acts as a reductant.

[avator]

I also flux with sawdust and that should absorb any oils.

BTW, I just talked to my buddy, Pete, who owns the tire shop. He told me to come on down and pick up a bucket of wheel weights.
USPS is due to deliver the insulation for the mold oven this morning. Soon as that is here I'll grab me a 5 gallon bucket and head out.

[Wayne52]

I don't use a thermometer, tumbler, lube, hot plate or any of the popular gizmo's for casting for PB's  y'all KNOW how I do it and I still swear by it.

[avator]

LOL Wayne, I hear ya. And before it's all said and done, I may be doing it the same.

[EdinGa]

I don't use a thermometer, tumbler, lube, hot plate or any of the popular gizmo's for casting for PB's  y'all KNOW how I do it and I still swear by it.

Same here, but I do use a hotplate oven because I like to cast with multiple molds in the same session. My 4lb pot and Lyman ladle make all of my airgun ammo. My bottom pour pots are are PB only. Wayne, thanks to your method I rarely have to cull any of my casts.

[Madd Hatter]

Bill, I read that you are getting a bucket of used wheel weights. Here's a guide to help sort what you get.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?139839-Guide-to-Hand-Sorting-Wheel-Weights&s=8323198a959460e753dead759166a5a2

[maraudinglizard]

I am with Wayne, I just go with it. One bucket of wheel weights will last me forever, I am still sorting them out to some extent. Now that I have pellet/slug traps made, I don't have to worry about a lead shortage, I have to worry about storing this stuff for future use. Bill, there is nothing wrong about trying something out that is how you learn what works best for you.

[avator]

TY Robert... this is a useful link.
This will be my 3rd go around with the wheel weights and I've learn the tricks.
First the magnet on the ends (stay away from the clips) then the visual (read the codes).
Steel sticks to the magnet and zine is clearly marked ZN.
And finally the melt....
Lead melts faster than anything else and I never leave the pot unattended. If I happen to miss anything it shows itself pretty good. I'm always stirring and scooping steel clips out.
I flux twice before I even pour ingots... once with beeswax and again with sawdust after the wax burns off.
I also add sawdust to the pot everytime I add ingots.

[avator]

I am not quite equipped for the pressure pour.... yet.
My hot plate must have a safety temp regulator in it. It will get hot enough to melt the lead from the wheel weight for ingots but it will not get hot enough to to pour the pellets.
My 4# bottom pour LEE pot does not give me enough room for the ladle.
That leaves me with 2 options...
1) pull the bottom pour rod out of the pot and plug the bottom pour hole.
2) break out one of my propane burners.
Neither of which are gonna happen today because... all of my propane tanks are empty and I really don't want to modify the new LEE pot.

So, today looks like a good day to sort wheel weights.