20-1 lead/tin mix
Sprue plate came loose after about 80 bullets. The sprue plate loosening got handled today in 20 minutes with drilling and tapping a set screw. Something that could easily have been done at the factory. I think because I followed all the instructions in the manual you get with the mould, especially smoking the blocks, I got no lead where its not supposed to be. I even smoked the sprue cut off plate and it looks fine. The bullets drop out on their own half the time, the other half will require a little, very little, tap on the handles and the bullets just fall out. Temperature is important. I had my melt at 750 most of the time and that was perfect. Too hot and you get frosted bullets, too cool and you get grooves not filled out. Just like any other mould. This mould is fragile. No idea of how many seasons of casting before the aluminum succumbs. Now, on to the range, known as the Laboratory. 25 rounds for the BPCR Browning, and 25 rounds for the BPCR Pedersoli Sharps. At 200 yards off the bench, iron sights, this is what went down. No keyholes. Grease marks of bullet passing through on the paper target were perfect. After 25 rounds no signs of leading in the barrels at all. Theres plenty of lubricant. Browning first, then Sharps, all are 5 shot groups. The vertical dispersion was pretty tight. When I got a flyer it was always horizontal to the right. I think its my shooting. Browning: Load is 55 grains FF. Bullet touching lands. Average moa for five, 5 shot groups = 1.6moa Sharps: The load for the Sharps was 63.5 FF as opposed to 56 FF for the Browning and the increased recoil was substantially noticeable for the Sharps. The Sharps got an average of 1.9 moa. Because Im shooting iron sights, these numbers could be somewhat different if I had a scope on these rifles. It appears the Browning shoots these bullets very well. So is this inexpensive mould good enough for Black Powder Cartridge Rifle competition? Yes, on a local level I think it is, especially for the new guy just testing the waters. Based on all the data Ive accumulated over the years with the Money, Postell and Creedmoor bullets from expensive mould manufacturers, the Lee is hanging right in there.