Casting hollow point bullet
- Thread starter johnnyjr
- Start date
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
I just put the mold on a hot plate, the whole time the pot alloy is heating up. You can cheat, with judicious use of a propane torch. After a few ladle pours, I'm dropping good bullets. I invert the mould, so pins are facing up, when lightly tapping the bullets out. I use 20-1 alloy or some facsimile, there of.
358156 hp
At large, whereabouts unknown.
Keeping the pin hot is no big deal. Simply dip it in the molten lead for a few seconds, then wipe it off before reinserting into the mould. Multi-cavity HP moulds generally have pins that are attached to the mould so you need to preheat the mould pretty extensively before first use and set a casting pace thats pretty rapid. In any case, the mould and the pin must remain hot.
fiver
Well-Known Member
take your self a coat hanger and twist it around.
hang the edge over your pot.
put your pin in the little hole you made in the wire and let it dangle in the lead.
if the lead is sticking your pin isn't hot enough to cast a good bullet anyway.
jus sayin.
but i don't use hollow points unless they say gold dot on the side of the box.
hang the edge over your pot.
put your pin in the little hole you made in the wire and let it dangle in the lead.
if the lead is sticking your pin isn't hot enough to cast a good bullet anyway.
jus sayin.
but i don't use hollow points unless they say gold dot on the side of the box.
Reloader762
Active Member
I cast HP bullets for all my handgun and one rifle calibers, I have one NOE clone of the Lyman #358156, but all my other HP molds are made by MP. I think the MP HP pin system is superior, and I find no difficulty casting HP bullets than non HP bullets, other than just running my pot a bit hotter.
I cast up around 200 MP .312" 160 gr. HP bullets for my commie caliber rifles last weekend, the first four bullets dropped out perfectly, as did the last. I had a couple culls that were caused by operator error, but once you get the hang of it and know what your mold likes temp wise, it's no different from casting with any other mold.
I cast up around 200 MP .312" 160 gr. HP bullets for my commie caliber rifles last weekend, the first four bullets dropped out perfectly, as did the last. I had a couple culls that were caused by operator error, but once you get the hang of it and know what your mold likes temp wise, it's no different from casting with any other mold.
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They work fine and cast good, but you have to run them fast and they don’t make a big pile of bullets. Only reason I mess with them is accuracy testing to one day hunt with. I cast about 100 on my last batch and I think I have shot about 20-25 of them with some initial load tests.
RBHarter
West Central AR
I have 1 HP and 2 HB moulds .
The HP t bought here , a single 454424 home mod to HP . I cast 150 , 135>< keepers . I still haven't shot any of them .
I have a factory 454416 (I think) it is listed as a hollow base 255 gr RNFP but this one is a victim of the Lyman number recycle and casts a .454 285gr Minie' . I cast 100 pours kept 80 or so and shot about 5 of them for proof of concept. They were just marginal in the ML with 1:60" , they do patch up nicely for 45-70 .
The last is a brass MP MiHec 462-420 PB HB I've cast it several times with great success, after a rocky start . 60 pours nets 100+ 417 gr PB or 380 gr HB or 50/50 as it's a 2c and you have the option to mix pins .
I've had a couple of Lee HB moulds also that would probably make nice HP moulds as well .
The attached sliders are way easier to run than the separate pins .
I haven't had or used an NOE RG type but as I understand it the owners either love them or don't.
The HP t bought here , a single 454424 home mod to HP . I cast 150 , 135>< keepers . I still haven't shot any of them .
I have a factory 454416 (I think) it is listed as a hollow base 255 gr RNFP but this one is a victim of the Lyman number recycle and casts a .454 285gr Minie' . I cast 100 pours kept 80 or so and shot about 5 of them for proof of concept. They were just marginal in the ML with 1:60" , they do patch up nicely for 45-70 .
The last is a brass MP MiHec 462-420 PB HB I've cast it several times with great success, after a rocky start . 60 pours nets 100+ 417 gr PB or 380 gr HB or 50/50 as it's a 2c and you have the option to mix pins .
I've had a couple of Lee HB moulds also that would probably make nice HP moulds as well .
The attached sliders are way easier to run than the separate pins .
I haven't had or used an NOE RG type but as I understand it the owners either love them or don't.
burbank.jung
Active Member
I own and use MP 2-cavity brass molds. The hollow point pins are interchangeable, so I'll use a round pin for one cavity and a hex pin for the other. This way I have a designated cavity per hollow point bullet. The weights are pretty consistent. As mentioned, I use a hot plate. I also prefer to turn my mold with the pins facing down when I open and drop my bullets. I think that if I open the mold face up and turn my mold while dropping the bullets, the soft lead becomes oblong as it falls out from the pin.
358156 hp
At large, whereabouts unknown.
On a Lyman single, it works best for me to first twist the pin a half turn or so and remove. Then cut the sprue and drop the bullet. If you cut the sprue first you risk having the bullet spin in the cavity when you're trying to turn the pin and remove it.
Very important! Especially if the mould or pin is not at full casting temperature.
Very important! Especially if the mould or pin is not at full casting temperature.
I do similar, for the same reason.
I actually found an even easier way to avoid this- stop casting HP bullets.
Yep, I said it. Out loud. On purpose.
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
But I still cast hollow base ones for the 455 Webley.
I found that to be true for me (the hard way).
358156 hp
At large, whereabouts unknown.
Buzzkill....
Rally
NC Minnesota
I have several of the NOE RG4 moulds with the Hp, Dp, and Fp pins. Not that I’m crazy about Hp bullets, but because the Dp/ shallow Hp are the most accurate in my guns. Maybe they stabilize the bullet, maybe it puts the weight where it needs to be, I’m not sure, but they work for me.
Casting with the Rg series has a learning curve, like most moulds. One thing I do to get a better bullet release when casting with the Hp or Dp pins in, is run them pretty hot until I establish a good steady rythme. I usually cast fast to start, and keep the first fifty or so bullets separate , and usually end up putting them back in the pot once I see how they compare to bullets cast later in the session. I like a large spruce at first also, to heat up the spruce plate and add more heat to get the pins up to temp. Another thing that has helped me get the bullets to release much better, is to polish the pins. I chuck one pin at a time in a chord less drill and polish the entire pin with fine steel wool and synthetic 2 cycle oil. Doing so has worked quite well for me, especially on the deep Hp pins.
Casting with the Rg series has a learning curve, like most moulds. One thing I do to get a better bullet release when casting with the Hp or Dp pins in, is run them pretty hot until I establish a good steady rythme. I usually cast fast to start, and keep the first fifty or so bullets separate , and usually end up putting them back in the pot once I see how they compare to bullets cast later in the session. I like a large spruce at first also, to heat up the spruce plate and add more heat to get the pins up to temp. Another thing that has helped me get the bullets to release much better, is to polish the pins. I chuck one pin at a time in a chord less drill and polish the entire pin with fine steel wool and synthetic 2 cycle oil. Doing so has worked quite well for me, especially on the deep Hp pins.
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
There is ZERO difficulty.
JUST GET & KEEP THE PINS HOT.
I have cast countless HP bullets. ZERO issues associated. UNLESS the pins are cold.
No sprays or snake oils. Buy and use a hot plate. Allow the mold to get up to temp.
CW
JUST GET & KEEP THE PINS HOT.
I have cast countless HP bullets. ZERO issues associated. UNLESS the pins are cold.
No sprays or snake oils. Buy and use a hot plate. Allow the mold to get up to temp.
CW
