Using one cavity in a two cavity mold ?

[kyron4]

I have a Lee 2 cavity mold, round ball and REAL bullet. I just want to cast round balls right now so is it okay to just pour round balls or do I need to fill both cavities to keep the mold at proper temperature ? Thanks

 

[Whitworth]

You'll be fine, just watch for the bullets starting to appear frosty the sign of an overheated mold. When they start frosting let it cool down a bit. YMMV

 

[TDM]

Agree with @Whitworth

 

[Rifleman1776]

Yep. OK. I fact I'll betcha they were intended to be used that way.

 

[Sidney Smith]

My Lee .311 mould for some reason seems to only cast balls in one hole. I think I know why. The hole closest to the handle winds up with just a nub at the sprue. I think because it's closest to the handle which acts like a heat sink and this hole is consistently colder than the outer hole. As such I usually just use the outer hole to cast balls.

 

[centershot]

Sidney Smith hits on a good point! Sometimes your two cavity mould produces two different sized balls or bullets. I cast bullets for my smokeless unmentionables, so far I've not noticed this aberration in any of my moulds, but it is a well known problem in the casting community. One cavity might produce a bullet, or ball, that is 0.001-0.002" larger than the other. Shoot the one that works best in your gun. The real bummer is the mould that just won't fill out one cavity, or, has surface defects that are always present.

 

[IanH]

The number-one problem all inexperienced and a lot of experienced but still ignorant bullet casters have is by far not understanding how important it is to get, and keep, the bullet mould hot enough to cast proper bullets.

BTW, @Whitworth , pure lead will never make frosty bullets, and a light, even frost on bullets with a little tin and antimony in them never hurt anything. If they look sandblasted and it takes ten seconds for the sprue to solidify after pouring, then yeah, the mould is too hot.

 

[Iceman]

My Lee .311 mould for some reason seems to only cast balls in one hole. I think I know why. The hole closest to the handle winds up with just a nub at the sprue. I think because it's closest to the handle which acts like a heat sink and this hole is consistently colder than the outer hole. As such I usually just use the outer hole to cast balls.

I think you're on to something. I have a lee 440 mold that the outermost ball is perfect and no matter what I do the other hole can't make one acceptable ball. In answer to the original question casting in one hole is fine.

 

[Dave Dworshak]

I fill both until the mold warms up. I want round balls 99% of the time.

 

[Rob M.]

I have a Lee 2 cavity mold, round ball and REAL bullet. I just want to cast round balls right now so is it okay to just pour round balls or do I need to fill both cavities to keep the mold at proper temperature ? Thanks

Yeah , just casting round ball only youll be fine