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

[2A Georgia]

Fiddling with programing the PID adjusted to 365C set point as my Pot was having trouble getting to 371C.  It's a new to me so there may be an upgrade in my future (or overhaul). 
Already had the TC plug short out.  Had to re-wire and now running fine.
Took the drill to my $1.97 4 pack of wallyworld teaspoons and made a dross ladle...lol
Ran another 120 keepers of 217RF20 almost half 19.4 and 19.2-19.6 range.  I now have a 400 tin of hunters and two dozen for testing.

Are you using the molds I traded you? Glad to see its working for you if so!

Yessir I am hooked.  Down the rabbit hole with Chinese PID and to build PID oven conversion. 

[2A Georgia]

Took the day off to see the Dentist :-( came home and cast about 250 NOE68HP.  Cull rate was 47% all me doing something wrong.  I did clean both my molds this morning but still need to focus on clamping to eliminate the vertical seam.  IIDMP dropping gorgeous 63.3gr .300 diameter.
So the 99.9% pure are Okay for deer sized vitals, but not squirrel.  The .303 Challenger loves the NSA 47.2grx.303 slugs which are 40:1.  The NOE cadd drawing shows the driving bands as .303 so I'm guessing the 99.9 is shrinking a little and the 40:1 should drop right at .302ish and group better.
Ordered 10 pounds of 40:1 from RotoMetals for testing.  The Notos and SPA800r are both grouping the NOE Hunters acceptable in 99.9 so I might have to keep two lead piles or just cast the Hunters at 40:1 as well.

[triggertreat]

Nice testing of pure lead verses with a little tin to help fill out the mold better.

The seams could mean the lead is being poured too hot.  Or, if you drop the temp more this can help with preventing the seams.  I like to pour my lead no hotter than what it takes to keep the spout from clogging up.  I usually pour at 735° and put some wood around the bottom to help keep the spout protected from my window fan which is also angled away.

[Back_Roads]

Nice testing of pure lead verses with a little tin to help fill out the mold better.

The seams could mean the lead is being poured too hot.  Or, if you drop the temp more this can help with preventing the seams.  I like to pour my lead no hotter than what it takes to keep the spout from clogging up.  I usually pour at 735° and put some wood around the bottom to help keep the spout protected from my window fan which is also angled away.

x2 on temp to cast at, I had my temp creep up on me I knew that as the sprue puddle was spreading out thinner and faster, quick dip of a thermometer confirmed that.

[2A Georgia]

My intuition and this forum serve me well I moved my set point from 371C to 355C.  My RF20's in 99.9 pure were dropping at 19.3 or 19.4.  Everything 19.5 and greater had the seem showing.  I did notice the spru running fast and thin at 380C.  Cull rate was down to about 40% so I kept 75 pellets.
I will try the NOE68 at 335-340C to see if they cast closer to .303 while I wait on the 40:1 from Roto.
Plenty more to learn and an oven to convert to PID control and having a ton of fum!
I think I am also going to cull everything that can't group the NOE217RF's.  Be interesting to see how the IGT jumper likes them.....
Only own AGs that I can cast for....or at least that's the plan

[avator]

Looks like it's working out well for you... enjoy.

[triggertreat]

Yep, well on your way to being a master caster.

It's interesting how you and Bill can cast at lower temps than I can.  It must be the difference between the 10lb verses the 20lb pots.  735° is about as low as I have been able to go and still be able to have good pours.

I am down for the count for a while after my extension ladder slipped out from under me yesterday, dislocating my shoulder.  Fun, fun.  The doc got it back into the socket but can't use my right arm for six weeks.

[Madd Hatter]

Holy smokes Keith! 🙏 You get better fast.

[triggertreat]

Holy smokes Keith!  You get better fast.

Thanks!  It's a pain, for sure.  It happened really fast.

[avator]

Dang Keith... do what the doc says. Trust me, you do not want this total reverse shoulder replacement like I have. 

[triggertreat]

Dang Keith... do what the doc says. Trust me, you do not want this total reverse shoulder replacement like I have. 

NO, I don't want none of that.  So much I want/need to do but can't now.  They didn't give me many happy pills either, so I am having to stretch them out as best I can.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Sorry to hear that Keith!
Hope you mend soon.

[triggertreat]

Sorry to hear that Keith!
Hope you mend soon.

Thanks Scott!  I feel stupid now but have been up on the roof many times without any issues and have lived up on a ladder for forty years as a service tech.  This one got me because of a wet deck surface.  I got the branch off the roof though, lol.

[2A Georgia]

Yep, well on your way to being a master caster.

It's interesting how you and Bill can cast at lower temps than I can.  It must be the difference between the 10lb verses the 20lb pots.  735° is about as low as I have been able to go and still be able to have good pours.

I am down for the count for a while after my extension ladder slipped out from under me yesterday, dislocating my shoulder.  Fun, fun.  The doc got it back into the socket but can't use my right arm for six weeks.

Mend soon.  Do all the PT assigned.  Hang Tough

[triggertreat]

Thanks!  A long road ahead.  I already have an orthopedic lined up.  Fun, fun.

[2A Georgia]

Tore apart the "new to me" 10# pot reassembled without the Rheostat (let the PID do that).  At a set point of 345 she held 343 to 345 never overshot and dropped as low as 300C.  I'm gonna say ole girl is ready for a new heating coil which Larry over at Midway has for $12.99.  Funny how I put a BSA Edge scope for the SPA800r in my cart....still evaluating
The hunters dropped at 19.1-19.5 most 19.2-19.4 65 keepers and a cull of about 35 so getting better and still learning and having fun.
I am still experimenting with the P,I and D input values....I know, it's an OCD Engineer thing.....
This tin of 140 will get tested in the Scope Busting Jumper to see if they can group.  She likes H&N PbF 9.57s so we'll see about these heavy

[2A Georgia]

The NOE217RF20s that dropped at 20 wouldn't fit in the scope busting jumper.  The 19.3s fit snug with some coaxing.  They grouped pretty good.
First photo of the groups then another with the same pellets after I adjusted my length of pull.
So I have a (cast) pellet that works in all my .22s!

[2A Georgia]

My first run of 40:1 cast 91 NOE68 slugs and culled 28 so about 1/3rd culls.  The balance did drop higher (previous 62.3) at 62.6 to 63.5 with the bulk 63.0 or 62.7.  The previous .300 appears to be .302 now so we'll see how these group in the .303 Challenger.  Curious now if the NOE217RF20 would drop at 20.0, but I like them softer and afraid the 40:1 might not chamber in the jumper or SPA800r as we're tight in both with the 99.9.

[triggertreat]

That's very good.  I sold the only BBT mold for .25 cal that I had.  I never could get it to agree with my FX liners.  Maybe I used the wrong lead but am fairly sure I used the 40 to 1 as that was all that I had at the time.

[2A Georgia]

So the NOE68 BTHP did fill out better with 40:1 at .302 versus .300 for the 99.9%pure.
Shot two 9 shot groups at 10M prone with front bag.  The first two shots are low and shot 3 or 4 is usually high left. 
I feel like these groups are tighter than the 99.9% but still not as tight as the NSA .303
I will check them at 24yards next time I go to the LGR but might put the 70mm spring and shim back in for another try at 4,000psi fill now that I have .302 slugs.