Shiloh Rifle Forums

Getting ready to finally start using my reloading equipment. Been watching a lot on seasoning a mold a lot of different ways what do you guys recommend ?? And how often do you have to do it. Thanks

Mine get de oiled, heated on a hot plate brought up to casting temp ,good to go. When done a piece of canning wax is used to melt all over the mould and left to cool in the closed position .l have never ‘Seasoned’ a mould before using.

I oil my moulds with Eezox after casting bullets for the year. When I get ready to cast the next year, I degrease with brake cleaner (not the CA version), with a final splash of acetone; then preheat and cast.

Clarence

In my early days of casting, (last century sometime), i tried all the recommended products and techniques. Now I just degrease and cast. I don't use anything special to release the bullet. When done, and the mould has cooled, I spray with Rem Oil and put away. To degrease again, I spray with Gumout Carb cleaner and done. Very similar to Clarence. Keep it simple. I just finished casting match bullets for this year. I have enough match grade bullets cast to shoot every match for this next shooting season. 1121. Now I'm casting a few plinking bullets in .30-40 Krag, and 38-55. I have also prepped all of my 45-70, and 45-90 brass for my Shilohs. Puntched enough wads for the season also. Running out of things to do this winter. Must mean spring is just around the corner.

Woody

So just degrease do I let it air dry or wipe off with clean towel?? Thanks again

Your degreaser is a flammable solvent. Wipe the excess and the rest will evaporate during the preheat.

Woody

Can't remember the source, but once saw a recommendation of applying a gun blue solution to a new mold's interior followed by buffing with a q-tip and the finest grit obtainable. Premise was it would smooth out the microscopic but rugged imperfections within and subsequently produce smoother slugs.

When coming out of storage I apply acetone, heat, and cast.

My cache of molds resides in three GI ammo cans with good seals abd a sheet of VPI rkust inhibetor paper.in each can.
When done casting, The molds go into a can soon as they are cool enough to handle, still warm
IN 70 yrs of casting, I have not had any corrosion form on the molds.
AND they are ready to warm up and cast w/o having to dunk them in acetone or whatever to degrease them
beltfed/arnie

All I've ever done with new molds is spray with brake cleaner, and let them dry. Then put them on top of my lead pot to preheat them as the lead melts. Once the lead is ready I pour the mold and let it soak for several minutes before opening it. That's enough heat to get the mold fully warmed up, and then I start dropping bullets.
I have a milk crate full of molds that sit in my basement gun room all the time. Never coated, or prepped in any way. I leave the last bullet in each mold in case I need to check weight or diameter, and it goes in the pot when I cast later.

after casting, I leave the last bullet in the mold, then put the mold in a kitchen plastic food bag. I use a tight elastic band around the handle to seal it off. then just leave it be. never a rust problem, and I live in Florida and keep it in the garage with the casting equipment. put oil on, and you'll have a bear of a problem cleaning it next session. Ken

put oil on, and you'll have a bear of a problem cleaning it next session

It's obvious you have not paid attention to the previous posts. Oil removal is not a

bear of a problem cleaning it next session

Your solution works for you, that's your choice. I choose oil.

Woody

Ken,

Obviously you've never used oil and a solvent to remove it...

Clarence

Glad I live in Arizona, no humidity to cause rust and when I pre heat my mold...I just put it on the hood of my truck
Dennis

Dennis Armistead wrote: ↑Tue Jan 10, 2023 5:50 pm Glad I live in Arizona, no humidity to cause rust and when I pre heat my mold...I just put it on the hood of my truck
Dennis

On the hood of the truck! Doesn't that melt the mold

Chris.

Woody wrote: "Running out of things to do this winter." You could divide your time between shoveling snow and making saw dust?

Yes Chris, hood of the truck. But, Dennis forgot to mention to remove the wooden handles first lest they become charcoal.