How to cast with Lyman Minie Mold

[milrifle]

While I have 3-4 years casting experience, I've only recently begun casting Minies. The first molds I got (Lees and an RCBS) have the 'core plug' or 'base plug' attached to the mold, so it's not a lot different than casting "regular" bullets. I just got a Lyman 575213OS and it has a the core plug on a wooden handle. I casted a few bullets with it, but I'm not sure I'm doing things properly.

1. How tight should the screw be on the bottom that the "E" Ring fits under? There was quite a bit of clearance (Several thousandths) as it came. I did not tighten it up, but I could see that affecting bullet weight (Length).

2. Is it OK to rest the mold assembly on that wooden core plug handle while filling with a bottom pour pot? Doing so put the mold at right about the right height under my Lee bottom pour. I also thought it might help hold that core plug "E-Ring" up against the bottom of the mould. However, if I'm not careful, it seems to rock the core plug off to one side ever so slightly. If I hold it up, the core plug hangs on the "E" Ring which almost certainly makes it hang off centered, as it is supported on only one side.

3. What is the proper sequence of opening the mould after cutting the sprue? I tried twisting the core plug until the opening in the "E" Ring lined up with the screw and removing the core plug before opening the mould, but this just seemed 'wrong'. Next I tried opening the mold while holding onto the knob and just letting the bullet fall out. This worked well enough, but occasionally, the bullet would stick to the core plug. Next I tried just pulling and/or rocking the core plug before opening the mould to help break the bullet loose from the core plug to ensure if would just fall away when I opened it. Of course, this wouldn't work if the answer to Number 1 is that the screw needs to have hardly any clearance on the "E" Ring.

Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions.

[GWM]

I don't know the answer to this, but I let the plug hang free. If I rest on the plug it will move down when I lift the mold and I would need to be sure that the boolit has solidified before that.
Cutting the sprue checking the cut looks right (solidified).
Opening the mold I hold on to the plug with the other hand, rotating and removing it with the boolit on top. Again it needs to be solidified enough not to be deformed by the motion.

[Hickok]

I do the same as GMW.

I put the core plug in the bottom of the mold, turn it a little so the E ring holds it securely. Then pour and cast as usual. I then open the sprue plate, then turn the core plug and remove it, open the molds and drop out the minie. Sometimes a tap on the mold handles with a wooden dowel, "tapper" whatever you want to call it.


When casting minies with pure lead, I always had best results running the melt and the molds a little on the hot side

[milrifle]

Thanks guys. How tight is the screw up against the E-ring? There is definitely noticeable play in mine. I didn't try to tighten it, but I'm thinking about it. Heck, for all I know, it's a shoulder screw or tight against a spacer and there is no adjustment.

[jmort]

This is Jerry Miculek casting hollow-base slugs, same deal, at around 8:38 into the video

[Mk42gunner]

I've cast a few Minie's and more hollow points from Lyman style molds. To answer your questions:

1. I like the e-ring to be snug under the screw. Not tight, but no noticeable movement either.

2. Honestly, I think I have always used a ladle while casting HB or HP boolits. I never rested the pin's knob on anything, it just seems like asking for trouble to me.

3. Ever since I had a boolit spin in the blocks while trying to get the pin out of my very first HP mold, a 457122, I have pulled the pin before cutting the sprue.

My removable pin casting sequence goes like this: Preheat the blocks and pin, get the pin hot. Install the pin/ base plug. Fill mold. Let the sprue solidify, then twist the pin while pulling it out. Put the pin in whatever bracket you have rigged to keep it hot. Cut sprue and empty mold. Close mold and reinstall pin. Repeat until you are tired.

Any time you want to look at your boolits, make sure the pin is not cooling off.

I have used a couple of different methods to keep the pin hot, a bit of wire to hold it in the molten alloy; or my favorite a similar piece of wire holding the pin in the flame of an idling propane torch.

Like most things with casting, there are several different ways to accomplish the same job. The description above works for me, it may or may not work for you.

Good luck,

Robert

[milrifle]

Thanks guys. I'm gonna see if I can't tighten that screw a bit. Looks as if folks use all sorts of sequences, so I guess I will experiment around some more and see what's right for me.

Thanks again

[MT Chambers]

I try to keep the pin in the bullet until the end of casting sequence because the pin will cool quicker than the rest of the mold resulting in skirt problems.