First attempt with Aluminum.

This is with a 2 cav NOE 358429 RG2 hollow point mold. I'll post a pic below if you didn't see the other thread.

Well... I think they turned out really nice.
It started off slowly. I think I didn't wait for the pot to get up to top temp before I started, because the mold was on the hot plate for 20 mins, so I know it was hot. I didn't do any mold prep other than take it out of the box, screw it to the handles, squirt some Dawn on a toothbrush and hold the mold under the sink by the handles and scrub the cavities out for a minute. Then I put it right on the hot plate to dry/heat up. Right before I started casting, I applied bullplate lube (comes with a NOE mold) to the bottom of the sprue plate, the sprue plate bolt, the alignment pins and the tips of the HP pins (using a Qtip). So it took about 20-25 pours to get everything hot enough for the wrinkles to go away, and then it was pretty smooth sailing after that. I think I made friends with it, once it was hot. I was going pour a whole pot, but my ol' leg reminded me that it wasn't 100% healed up yet, so I only poured 10#. I was using a Lee 20# pot and a Lyman ladle.

My friend who gave me the pot had said that the dial was really close on temp and so when I got to the perfect spot where the b?o?o?l?i? bullets were just falling out of the mold, I opened my box containing my trusty new Rotometals thermometer and it said I was at 820 degrees. Lots of folks will say that is too hot, but I always put the pot on 8-1/4 on the dial to start with, and ease it down to about 7 as the lead level falls, so I guess I always pour at 820 or thereabouts. I was using my usual isotope alloy of 95/2.5/2.5 for these.

And here are the results from my kinda short pouring session this morning.

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Are you a lead zombie, too?

Well, the morning started off to cast about 150 38 slugs. Fired up the Lee 4-20 and filled 'er up (with an inch to spare at the top) with the correct "witch's brew" of bnh mix, and started casting using on the eight 6 cav molds I have. Figured I would just leave the extra in there for next time.

Well before I knew it, the pot was dry and I had over 500 of the little dudes! Almost like a hypnotic zombie trance had set in! pore...dump...pore.....dump......etc.

Do you guys have the same problem?????

I have six 2 cav molds in the mail to me right now and I hope that will slow me down?

NAAAAAAAAAAAAA.........!

"This hobby that was going to save me hundreds.....is now costing me thousands!"

bangerjim a "lead-blooded" American

Once I've got a good rythum going, I like to make a pile.

I don't save money, probably pay a little more. I do get to shoot a lot more for the same money though.

Boolit Master Join DateFeb 2012LocationOregonPosts203

If I am going to to get the pot going I am going to fill it and drain it pretty low or it ain't worth the time. The funny part is with a 6 banger it don't take much time at all before you have a beautiful looking pile.

Better to be poked in the eye with a wet fish than a sharp stick

Boolit Man Join DateMar 2013LocationItalyPosts107

I do just the same almost boobs evenings, work all day in the restaurant, then in the evening when I get home, the first thing I do is turn on the lee 4-20 and then I dress for the casting.and I do not stop until the pot is empty.

io faccio la stesa cosa quasi tette le sere ,lavoro tutto il giorno nel ristorante ,poi la sera quando arrivo a casa ,la prima cosa che faccio ? accendere il 4-20 lee e poi mi vesto per la fusione.e non mi fermo fino a che il crogiolo ? vuoto.

Drain the pot? Not unless I'm planning on changing to a completely different mix. I always start with a full put and small ingots on the sides to preheat. As the level drops, I add ingots(watching the thermometer) or sprue to keep the pot at least 80% full. Yes, I flux fairly often, but cast until I'm tired, and not just until the level in the pot has dropped. With a 20# pot and 1/2# ingots its easy to maintain temperature while keeping th pot nearly full.

Definitely a zombie here. I have done two sessions so far (relatively recent zombie conversion) but I've managed to crank out about 1,100+ each time. It's certainly addicting.

The Zombies, They're Coming! And those boolits aren't gonna cast themselves!

When I started to cast I didn't even know of the old site that this one turned into but man I wished I would have............I would have been totally addicted at a much sooner pace.

Boolit Man Join DateMar 2013Posts107

Yep started to cast a few "test" loads next thing I know I have a gallon pal full. Hope they work like I want them to.

Boolit Man Join DateJan 2013LocationMichiganPosts128

I do just the same almost boobs evenings, work all day in the restaurant, then in the evening when I get home, the first thing I do is turn on the lee 4-20 and then I dress for the casting.and I do not stop until the pot casa ,la prima cosa che faccio ? accendere il 4-20 lee e poi mi vesto per la fusione.e non mi fermo fino a che il crogiolo ? vuoto.almost boobs evenings? Am i missing something or is my mind in the gutter on this one?

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Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

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Glock G23, 40 S & W

What do I need to know to reload for this gun?

I reload and shoot in B.E. about 10,000 rds per year in .45, 9mm, and .38. My gun club has a great group buy on Glocks, so I ordered a G23 compact in 40 S&W. (I am saving about 44 % on this gun.)

This will be my primary carry gun, the others are a Colt 1991, 80 series, which is now under my Marvel conversion and a S&W 642, 38 spl.

Will I be able to load for the Glock as cheap and reliable as my other pistols.

Thanks,

Jim

View the original article here

why they don't make cheap slug rounds?

No market for them.

Like Larry Potterfield says - there are 3 reasons for reloading:

1. Economy
2. Accuracy/performance
3. That particular caliber is obsolete and no longer available.

Number 3 will never come into play with modern shotguns. Number 2 won't come into play because there is no way a handloader will be able to do much improvement over a factory slug round in either accuracy or terminal performance. That leaves economy. There just aren't enough people needing to shoot the kind of volumn needed for home slug loading to be an economic matter. The shotshell shooters that do reload have to shoot quite a large value to make any savings.

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5.56 Federal 62gr Mod0 SOST Gel Test Results

Finished up the testing of the Federal 5.56 62gr Mod0 OTM SOST (T556TNB1) round. Here are the conditions and results.

Test conditions:
-16'' CHF PSA barrel
-Test rounds fired from 15 feet
-"FBI spec" (Their term, not mine...) Clear Ballistics gel block

Chrono Data:
-2997 feet per second
-1235 foot pounds of energy

Results:
-1st shot passed through 32'' of gel
-2nd shot stopped at 32''
-Fragmentation occurred along the way

Here's the video showing the test, the permanent cavity, both shots into the gel, and a discussion of the results:

Federal Mod0 Gel Test HD Video Link

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Hornady 8th Edition Revisions

I found this earlier on a local forum, didn't know if it had already been posted or not.

I don't have the manual, but figured someone might.

http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/8thEdErrata.pdf

I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

hmm, wonder why no Alliant Bluedot in the 41 mag?

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Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

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Need someone to verify a .40sw load

Every manual I have lists 175gr tc bullet. 4.7/4.8-5.8grs of Unique, with either 1.09, or 1.125" OAL for two similar weight bullets

Ok, so I go with the load data that's close to the 173gr cb. I loaded some up the other day with my last bit of bullseye, and I really like this bullet.

On to today, I'm putting together 50 to plink with. Pull down Unique, as it's a listed powder in the Lyman manuals.

Load up 5grs, and seat to 1.095 OAL.

Does this sound like a decent load and setup? I can't find any info for cast boolits and unique online, and the lyman manuals are the only ones I have that list unique with a 175gr cb.

I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

Depending on the round, Ramshot list specific loads for jacketed, plated, cast and copper. Lyman is a good source and if your load is within their start to max range and it functions properly (passes the "ker-plunk" test) with no excess pressure signs I'd say you're good to go. Published OALs is just a guide at best in most cases.

For all practical purposes there's no difference between 175 grain and 173 grain in the same boolit. That being said, Lyman does differentiate between boolits of the same weight but different forms or profile.

Alliant also has some lead boolits loads listed on their website.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.", old Chinese proverb.

Ok, I'm more awake now.

What I loaded is 172-173grs lubed cb.

5grs of Unique with an OAL of 1.095.

Max load for the similar profiled boolit listed is 5.8grs of unique with a 1.125" OAL.

I'm just wanting to make sure that the .03" isn't enough to change the pressure significantly enough that it causes a pressure issue.

I'm extremely new to loading the .40 and fairly new to loading semi-autos with unique.

I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

I'm just wanting to make sure that the .03" isn't enough to change the pressure significantly enough that it causes a pressure issue.The 40 S&W can be sensitive to deep seated boolits; I seat my 175 TC to an OAL of 1.125". Genarally, if the round will fit in the magazine and pass the "ker-plunk" test, you're better off going as long as you can. That's not strictly true in all instances, you have to consider such things as nose profile, lube grooves and etc.. What I aim for is just short enough so the boolit's nose doesn't impinge on the rifling and short enough to fit into, and feed from, the magazine. Why not go with what Lyman suggests for 175 grains boolits: 1.100" and 1.125"?

Lyman does show a loading at 1.090" but that is a 135 grain JHP which is a very short TC style boolit. It has to be a short cartridge so enough of the bullet is in the case to be held properly. 175 grain boolits should go longer. 1.090" and 1.100" are very close, but I prefer to err on the side of caution. And that means no overly deep seated boolits. 1.125" for a 175 grain TC boolit does that for me. And since I never load past mid range charges, I've had excellent success.

Last edited by ku4hx; Today at 06:00 AM.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.", old Chinese proverb.

I just double checked the load data in the Lyman 49th and what I loaded. I was looking at two different cb's, and confused what I stated earlier.

The bullet that's closer to the profile I used has an OAL of 1.1", and I seated them at 1.095". Not the same weight boolit that has the 1.125" OAL.

I was looking at the data for the other bullet and confused myself and posted without verifying what I'd actually done.

Also, what exactly is the 'kerplunk' test? Is it just dropping the round into the chamber and making sure it goes?

I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

Remove you barrel. Hold the barrel vertically and drop a loaded round (or a dummy round if you want) into the chamber. It should completely chamber with a satisfying "ker-plunk" sound. Or, if you will, a definite "plunk" sound. If it does, invert the barrel and the round should immediately drop freely out. Both in and out actions comprise a successful "ker-plunk"/"plunk" test for me. Got to have both.

The idea is to determine if the round's dimensions are correct: cartridge OAL and neck diameter being the most troublesome to me.

Five grains of Unique is a mid-range load and I'd think it'd be fine. But if it were me, I'd load it at 1.125" OAL. But that's just me. If 1.095" is safe for you and works then that's your call.

Last edited by ku4hx; Today at 06:21 AM.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.", old Chinese proverb.

+1 to the above post by ku4hx.
I load my 40 on the lighter side. If it is accurate and functions, I leave it there.

Shiloh

"A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves."
Bertrand de Jouvenel

?Any government that does not trust its citizens with firearms is either a tyranny, or planning to become one.? ? Joseph P. Martino

?If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert , in five years there would be a shortage of sand.? ? Milton Friedman

You may not post new threadsYou may not post repliesYou may not post attachmentsYou may not edit your postsForum Rules

Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

View the original article here