Cast bullet weight variance

[AmmoManAaron]

OK, so I have some cast lead bullets for .45 auto. I weighed them because a few looked just a little "different." After weighing 3 or 4, I decided to weigh all 185rds on my digital scale. They all appear to be the same pattern of bullet, no casting mistakes like wrinkles, and are lubed with an Alox-type pan lube (so no big globs of lube). This is roughly the breakdown in grains:

(1) @ 207.5
(2) @ 208
(148) @ 210-213
(1) @ 217.5
(1) @ 218.5
(31) @ 219-221
(1) @ 226.4

Frankly, I think the quality control sucks the big one on these and I'm very glad I weighed and sorted them. What do you guys think?

 

[Six Shooter Steve]

I would steer away from whatever companies bullets you have there. Way too big of swing in weights.

 

[SSGSAD]

I would steer away from whatever companies bullets you have there. Way too big of swing in weights.

I agree, 20 grains, is too much .....

 

[Leadeye]

That's a pretty big swing, 8-9%. OK for just plinking but not much else.

 

[Cynical]

Where did you get them? I cast my own in my garage out of wheel weights with a little soft lead and tin added.Most of my bullets don't vary much about 2-3 grains. I'm just a hacker so to to speak,but those bullets are all over the place. I would question alloyused in casting. Did you mike the bullets? Soft lead will cast smaller and heavier than alloy.

 

[17 squirrel]

Odds are they were cast on a machine that has multiple molds on it, with multiple molds and varied temperature with the molten lead you will easily get weight differences like that.
If you want bullets that have weights that have fluctuations of + or - a couple of tenths, you have to cast your own.
With most non competing shooters you will never see the difference in your shooting. Load away.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

Thanks for the thoughts guys, I suspect it could be one or a combination of things. Either they weren't paying attention and changed alloy as they went along (adding random lead to the pot), or they were using multiple molds (or maybe just a multiple cavity mold?) along with a temperature change. Either way, I'm glad I weighed and sorted them, my accuracy would've gone to heck if I hadn't. I'm going to be weighing samples of all of my cast bullets from now on, no matter what brand they are, which could make for interesting research and reveal either great or crappy brands.

 

[mac45]

Store bought?
Probably a mix from two different runs with different alloys in the pot.
Agree.....that's poor QC.

You should let 'em know. A good company would want that sort of feedback.

 

[Spike_351]

So, I know I'm bringing up an old thread here....but I recently casted my first batch of 45. They are 230 gn TC however I'm getting weights ranging from 230-238....my question is this....would it be safe to start 10% below suggested charge weight for these rounds and work my way up (or down if necessary)? Personally I don't like guess work or experiments with things that could destroy my gun or worse my hands.

 

[NKBJ]

It depends on what you're doing with them and how far your intended target is.
At pistol distances (vaguely referring to what most people shoot a pistol for) you might not notice the differences.
For hand rifle revolver shooters it can matter a lot more.
But like was said, that's disappointing QC.