Learning how to use my 2 Cavity MP Mold better.

[BJung]

Tonight I learned to cast boolits with my 2 Cavity MP Mold better. To heat my brass mold, I rest my MP mold onto my hot plate handle side up. I then take a propane torch and heat the sides on all 4 sides twice. Then, I open the mold and heat the pins and the inside faces. Doing this more than once with a cold mold, when I cast my first boolit, the color of the lead was dull gray. This means I heated the mold up pretty hot.

When I drop my boolits I do this. I wait for the sprue to solidify and then tap the sprue plate with a plastic mallet. I turn my mold faced down, open the mold and tap the hp pins at an angle hitting the pin closest to the mold handle first. As a result, this bullet does not get jammed up with the pin and mold, and the holes are concentric. I've never been able to drop bullets looking as good consecutively.

[Wheelguns 1961]

The only place that I tap is the bolt on the handles. Tapping on the pins can cause irreversible damage to a mold. There are some good tips and techniques on the MP-molds website. They are worth reading.

[BJung]

how do you get the pins to fall out and drop the hp bullets? Glove and thumb?

[Wheelguns 1961]

I use a tiny drop of 2 cycle oil on the sliding pins, and a tiny drop on the male side of each alignment pin. Wait for the mold to heat up completely before applying the oil. I just use my hot plate to heat the mold, no torch. I put the mold on when I turn the pot on. This gives it plenty of time to heat up. You need to get to know your hot plate. I use a slightly higher temp on brass molds compared to aluminum molds. When the mold is hot, the oil will allow the pins to easily slide. If your hollowpoints are sticking to the pin, it is a good chance that your pins aren’t hot enough. They may also be rough, but I haven’t had that problem. Give it a little time, and it will all come together. I think of it as managing heat, and read those tips and techniques. They really are very good advice.

[BJung]

Thanks

[BJung]

Have you tested your MP HP bullets for expansion yet? If so, what alloy and load are you using?

[Wheelguns 1961]

I have MP hollowpoint molds for many calibers, mostly for handguns. I use 49% coww- 49%pure- 2% pewter. They expand great. I try to match the hp pin to the velocity. I have been really liking the performance of the cup points for higher velocities and hunting.