Bullets getting smaller ?

[stimpylu32]

I have some .429 that I cast a few weeks ago , now their running .422 , any ideas ?   
The mix was 50% WW and 50% soft lead .
 
This one has me stumped .
 
stimpy

[Land_Owner]

That seems counter-intuitive.  According to LBT, air-cooled 50/50 usually increases in diameter.  Can you squish them in a .429" sizing die?  Not too elegant a solution.  They could also be recast.  Not too elegant either come to think of it.

[Nobade]

You sure you're reading those mics right? That just doesn't happen.

[PowPow]

Or the mic could have drifted out of calibration.
Mine drifted off zero once.
Calibrate my scale every time I use it, never thought check the mic til I saw it not land on zero.

[stimpylu32]

You sure you're reading those mics right? That just doesn't happen.

Thats what I thought too , so I checked some of the bullets that I cast last year using the same mold . The older bullets all check out good , yet the new ones will drop right down into a sized 44 case .
 
This one has me perplexed , as for the calibration , have replaced the Batt. checked them on known OD bullets of different sizes and all good .
 
stimpy

[Land_Owner]

Check the "sized 44" case dimensions.  Maybe it isn't the mould.

[briarpatch]

obviously the .422 is correct as you have probably mic,ed a million. I would guess you have already poured other molds to check. If that is the case the alloy is drawing down when it cools.

[mechanic]

Flux in the mix that burns out in the mold?  Beats me, never heard of this one.  I've had them seem to grow a bit, but never shrink.
 
Ben

[res45]

The size and weight of a given bullet  can change depending on the temp the bullet was cast at.  A bullet cast at a higher temp will shrink more an weigh less as it cools than a bullet cast at a lower temp from the same alloy/mold.  Even more so as the softness of the alloy an bullet dia. increases.

[.22-5-40]

Hello, You didn't happen to lube them with a formula containing Preparation H did you?

[stimpylu32]

Hello, You didn't happen to lube them with a formula containing Preparation H did you?

Now thats funny 
 
Just going to toss them back into the pot , add some Tin and see what happens , this one has me stummped . 
 
stimpy

[LAH]

You sure you're reading those mics right? That just doesn't happen.

From .429 to .422. Never heard of such.

[Lloyd Smale]

never heard of such a thing either. you might see some shrinkage but ive never seen it more then .001

[stimpylu32]

This one has me stummped , the only thing that I can think of is that there is something else in the mix , by that I mean some other metal , can't see zink causing this .
What other metals could melt in that temp range and still return to a solid without being noticed ? Any ideas ?
 
I think I'm going to take a couple over to the chem plant and have a buddy in the lab run them to see just what their made of .
 
stimpy

[gypsyman]

stimpy, Catfish is sneaking into your loading room, and switching bullets on ya. He doesn't want you to shoot real good at next years Ohio shoot. gypsyman

[Steve P]

I am going to put this in my reloading records.
 
Stimpage - "The uncontrollable loss of cast bullet diameter occuring over time."
 
Steve