Trouble casting with NEI !

[blaser.306]

I just received an original 310429(ssk) boolit mould that was for sale in the swap/n/sell . I am casting with w/w mono mix 10lb W/W to 1 lb pure Mono to try and get full .430 dimeter slugs. I do not know what I am missing here but the boolits are dropping @ .429-.4295 where the bands are filled out completely and there is a patch on the side of most but not all that is noticeably sunken in and the lube grooves are rounded? Do I need to cast hotter (frosted boolits) Add more tin, higher melt temp? Mould too cool ? venting issue? Anyone with some experience with these older NEI moulds , I would surely appreciate some input . Thanks in advance !

[Bushrat]

I have a 230 gain 45 acp mould that is an old, 80s NEI mould. It casts great, likes it hot and I sometimes smoke it to get the bullets to fill out better. It is the best casting mould I own.

[WHITETAIL]

I tend to agree with try hotter first.
Frosting is not a bad thing. (MHO)
I myself have a lot of frosted boolits
and they fill out great and work in every gun I have.

[44man]

Then wait a day or so to measure, they should expand a little.

[white eagle]

add tin

[Bret4207]

My Walt Melander cut NEI is my easiest to cast with mould, or one of them anyway. Start with cleaning the mould really well, then get it good and hot, take it to the frosting temps and see what happens. Check your vent lines under a glass and drag a scriber through them if needed. If you just can;t get the mould to fill out after cleaning it really well, try adding a little tin.

Is this iron or aluminum?

[Three44s]

Another +1 for adding a bit of tin.

Try the heat first ............. then add the tin ............


Three 44s

[blaser.306]

Thanks for all the replies . I went back at it with some fresh aloy 10lbs ww to 1 lb mono ( should be plenty of tin).Heated the melt up to 750 deg and with a pre heated mould started to cast , the first couple were shiney and close to filled out , then after about 4 or 5 drops I noticed that right next to one of the handle holes ( the front one ) as the holes are offset on this mould . When cast @ frosting temp it throws a slug at about .428-.4285. It would appear that it acts like a heat sink "un evenly " I managed to get some boolits to cast well and at the stated dimention. However I find that these blocks are very temp sensitive. 3 or 4 drops and they are at a point that where the handle holes are located you can start to see a round frosted patch starting to develop ! A 20 or 30 second cool down period with the blocks open to the air and you are good for another 6 to 8 or maybe 10 boolits before the frosty "spot" starts to show up again. It will just take a little work and time to figure out it's "mood" and the proper cadence to cast it at !

[casterofboolits]

IMHO NEI sucks frog farts! I'd take Lee moulds over NEI and I am not a big fan of Lee either.

[Blammer]

the new NIE, sure, the old NEI's that Walt made, I'd take them anytime!

After you get your mould to start to frost, turn the melt temp down a bit and slow your temp of casting. Should be good to go. If trouble with fill out overpour the sprue, I find that helps sometimes.

[Nrut]

blaser.306,
Are you using a bottom pour pot or a ladle ?

[Bret4207]

What Blammer said, a Walt Melander cut NEI is a joy, the new stuff I don't hear such great stuff about. Same for the heat, you are in a position to slow way down, your mould is telling you what it wants, you just have to listen.

[blaser.306]

I hope that it tells me that it will make boolits that will shoot eventualy! I took a few out to the range today over top of a 27 gr. charge of IMR 4227 and a win lpp lubed with C-red sized to .429 ( realy ,want .430-.431 would be nice in a .445 supermag TC 14" and they printed a shotgun type "pattern" 14" @ 25 yds with 10 rounds. Hope things improve!

[918v]

I'd try a soft alloy and at a higher temperature with a super hot mold. TC barrels and chambers are unforgiving. Does your chamber have a "forcing cone" looking throat? Good luck trying to match the bullet diameter to seal that one.