New at casting

[Scott Greene]

Looking at casting with the Lee mold for 358-105-SWC in the double mold for a 38 Special and for my 9 MM but can not find any load info for it, Is anyone using these molds for both cal's.

 

[bohica793]

For me, the 105 is too light a round. I cast 125 RNFP for the 9mm and 148 wadcutters for the 38. That being said, what powder are you looking to load with?

 

[Scott Greene]

Thanks bohica793, did not have a powder picked out as of yet, was just looking to see if anyone was using the 105's in both the 9 mm And 38's as I would like to cast both for the 9 mm and 38 an seen that the mold was used for both.

 

[Scott Greene]

not yet shootnstarz, but thank you I will.

 

[daveb6332]

Tried the 105swc in a couple of 9mm's and a .380 and none fed reliably. YMMV

 

[Gas Port]

I plan on getting back into casting my bullets. Back in the eighties- I used to cut the sprue and dump the freshly formed bullets in a bucket of water to cool it down and set the bullet. Some say this distorts the bullet- has anyone else used this technique?

 

[JohnAL]

I plan on getting back into casting my bullets. Back in the eighties- I used to cut the sprue and dump the freshly formed bullets in a bucket of water to cool it down and set the bullet. Some say this distorts the bullet- has anyone else used this technique?

Quite common. It also hardens the bullet. It's better with a soft landing. Some put a towel with a slit in it over the water bucket so that they land on the towel then roll into the water.

 

[bohica793]

Quite common. It also hardens the bullet. It's better with a soft landing. Some put a towel with a slit in it over the water bucket so that they land on the towel then roll into the water.

^^^This.

Water quenching can take you +6-10 on the Brinell scale without having to add antimony. Not appropriate for all castings but helpful for particular applications where hardness of alloy is important. For pistol ammo, I have yet to find an application that required harder than 12bhn. The real key is properly sizing the round for the firearm in question.

 

[BRDN]

I plan on getting back into casting my bullets. Back in the eighties- I used to cut the sprue and dump the freshly formed bullets in a bucket of water to cool it down and set the bullet. Some say this distorts the bullet- has anyone else used this technique?

Yep...i water quench everything except roundballs