Striking out with H&G moulds!

Dpmsman

Active Member
My RCBS ladle will just barely make the fill on 8 , 200 gr 45s . I think about half of it stays in the H&G sprue plate .
Well if my math is correct then the RCBS should work for my 146 gr. wad cutter mold. 8×200 and1600 grains And 10×146 is 1460 gr. Will have room to spare!
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
FWIW, before I got the Rowell I wanted to experiment with a large ladle. I bought an old soup lade at a flea market, the oblong, shallow kind, not the "ball cut in half" kind. I bent it a little to give me more of a spout and made a wooden handle out of a broom stick and hose clamp. Yeah, sounds beautiful, eh? Anyway, it worked great! You have to have a big enough pot opening, but you might be able to lash up a ho'made ladle of some sort with a lot more capacity than a standard ladle and see if that helps.
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
I just thunk of something... When you preheat your mould, is the sprue plate getting really hot too? I have an MP mould that demands preheating of the sprue plate as well. Not just warm, but hot. I learned to hate this mould because of this little tidbit. If I cast with it in the winter it would never fully fill out. Much of my alloy seemed to freeze on the top of the plate and not even get into the cavities. I started preheating the sprue plate separately from the blocks and it settled right down.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I typically preheat the blocks and then dunk the tip of the sprue plate in the melt until the oil on the pivot screw starts to curl smoke, then start casting.
 

popper

Well-Known Member
I cannot imagine handling a 10x steel mould. Flat glass plate & fine clover the sprue plate. Only have Al. moulds but the fill out part I had trouble with, Lee bottom pour. Sprue plate must be up to temp. Make sure the vents are open, break the top edge just so it isn't sharp. Flow rate makes a difference, too fast closes the hole and too slow doesn't fill good. Don't like the trough plate as it will flow into the next hole. Took 5-6 trials with the 31-165A to get good base fillout - would get a nick in the side of the GC shank until I figured it out. Oh, another trick, gently drop the mould on a hard surface after the pour - pushes the sprue into the mould. Your wadcutters look like a venting problem and too hot an alloy. Venting is through the sprue, should be between the halves.
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
I typically preheat the blocks and then dunk the tip of the sprue plate in the melt until the oil on the pivot screw starts to curl smoke, then start casting.

I do pretty much the same, except that I start casting when the molten alloy will no longer stick to the tip of the sprue plate, and I can wipe any residual lead off the plate with gloved fingers.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I do pretty much the same, except that I start casting when the molten alloy will no longer stick to the tip of the sprue plate, and I can wipe any residual lead off the plate with gloved fingers.

Same same. I used to do the no-stick test by wiping with my finger but the dross stops sticking about the same temperature that the lube haze on the pivot bolt starts to smoke.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
Yep 30 pours in a 8 is 200+ keepers probably only 160 or so in a 6 hole ......I say that for self encouragement and support .....
 

Dpmsman

Active Member
Well I’m not striking out anymore! I have the 12A up and running! Thanks to my neighbor and new friend down the road with a CNC machine. Randy trued up the top of the blocks and ended up surface grinding the sprue plate flat. Now I know why people like H&G moulds, it casts wonderful! Boolits wieght between 145.5 and 146 grs.
 

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popper

Well-Known Member
Had a 6x lee, by the time I poured all holes, sprue was solid on the other end. Steel is probably better holding heat. Bad rotator cuff means no heavy repeated movements or it's a bottle of meds for the day.
 

Dpmsman

Active Member
So to get the mold up and running other than truing up the top of the mould and sprue plate. I had to tapout the sprue plate bolt and replace it. Also tap one of the alignment pins out a little. Now I’m ready to go!
 

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fiver

Well-Known Member
I think you can work with those.

if that #50 mold keeps working you over, get in touch with me next fall and I can mess with it over the winter.
I have found if I keep picking and poking I can usually get one working.
that or they get round filed after 50-60 tries... LOL.
 

Dpmsman

Active Member
I think you can work with those.

if that #50 mold keeps working you over, get in touch with me next fall and I can mess with it over the winter.
I have found if I keep picking and poking I can usually get one working.
that or they get round filed after 50-60 tries... LOL.
I appreciate the offer. Hopefully I’ll get it figured out soon!
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Glad to hear you got it figured out. They really are incredible moulds!
 

alamogunr

Member
Interesting to read about solving problems w/H&G multi-cavity molds. I have a 4 cavity and 6 cavity H&G 50.. The 6 cavity is more weight than I want to deal with. Weight is one problem that has to be solved with guides, etc. IIRC, one of the NRA Cast Bullet annuals has an article with pictures that shows how some have dealt with heavy iron molds of up to 10 cavities.

My 4 cavity produces some of the best bullets I have ever cast. Someday I'm going to get rid of the 6 cavity if neither of my sons is interested. Since they are both approaching 50, that is somewhat remote.