Lead casting

[MattMaier]

So I just cast my first batch of round balls for a .62 caliber smoothbore flintlock I should be getting soon. They are round-Ish, which is good for a first attempt but they still kind of look like shriveled brains. What do some of you folks do to ensure that your bullets come out of the mold smooth and uniform?

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[Jamie6.5]

Try heating the mold more.
If the mold is too cold the lead doesn't flow as well, and can have a frosty, wrinkly surface when it comes out.
After the first few, the mold won't need to be reheated as much.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Clean mold, more tin (just a smidge as it's expensive and you're shooting a front-loader) and higher mold temp - try a faster casting cadence. Throw those brains back in the pot!

 

[jbett98]

Light a wax candle, hold it slightly inverted and let the black smoke rise up into the mold. This puts a release agent onto the mold surface.
It really helps to preheat the mold too, just like the first response stated.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Are you using a bottom pour vat or are you using the ladle or dipper method? I have a 62 calibre Zephyr rifle for which I have a couple of different moulds. I get complete fill out using the dipper: not so much with using a bottom pour vat.

Even then, to get complete fill out, I had to enlarge the spout hole of my dipper with a drill bit to increase the flow of the melted lead to the mould.

Also, since you are shooting a smoothbore, the use of pure or dead soft lead is not a requirement for ease of loading. If you add a little tin to your bullet metal this will aid in mould fill out.

How about posting a picture of your flinter? :winkkiss: