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I'm thinking about moving up from Lee molds to something of a little better quality. Tired of bullets not dropping and such. So.....what brand of mold should a semi novice try next? Bear in mind, I'm on a budget, so it needs to be affordable. Also, please tell me what material the mold you suggest is made from and why you are suggesting this brand.
Thanks,
Milrifle
I don't buy Moulds by brand, I buy a design that fits a particular need.
Buy what fits the needs of your shooting style. I have had good luck with many bullets, I have preferences but am hardly a snob.
Agree with Btroj! If Lee has a design I like and it will shoot, that's what I will buy.
Classic example is the 310 lee GC 44! Hard to beat for a heavy 44.
1Shirt!:coffee:
If you're on a budget, the Lee molds can do a fine job for you. Are there better molds out there? Certainly. I have molds by Lyman, RCBS, NOE, Accurate, Lee, and Mountain. My favorites are Accurate, NOE, and Mountain. But I do cast some very fine bullets with the Lee molds. Mine work just fine without smoking or mold prep sprays and they drop the bullets easily. I have however worked on them to make them perform. Search this site for information on "Leementing" your molds. With a little effort you can turn a problematic mold into a real workhorse.
Tons of praise for Accurate Molds, though I haven't yet taken the plunge. I went the next level from lee with a couple of Lyman/ideal moulds and they both work pretty well for me. Not night-and-day difference from my lees... Some of the lees drop pretty darn nice.
I'll go with btroj, pick a design that you are leaning toward, maybe even one you have had success with (by buying commercial cast or being given by someone) and see which brands make a mould in that shape. ON that note, Accurate molds has a huge catalog.
Rifle,Quote:
Originally Posted by milrifle
I have been casting almost 60 years.
I have owned and used Lyman, Lachmiller, RCBS, H&G, Saeco,
Ballisti-Cast, and yes - Lee.
These companies all make good molds. BUT. None of them will reliably drop the bullets easier than the Lee.
If you can afford it, and if you just want to play around with a new mold, try one of the custom mold makers here on the forum. If you want a commercial mold try Ballisti-Cast.
Otherwise, select your bullet design, then look for the mold.
.
If it's just a matter of the boolits not dropping readily, the Leementing process should remedy that. Too, that's not a Lee-only issue, as other moulds, unless properly prepared, can be troublesome.
While I've, yet, to made the leap to a custom mould, I do have my eyes on some. I agree that name brand is of secondary importance, with boolit design taking presidence. That said, the majority of my moulds are Lyman, then comes Lee.
I own a wide variety of molds and the majority of them are custom designs from virtually every maker out there and some who are no longer with us. I have a new mold being shipped and it is a Lee.
I go for the design, and not the name on the blocks.
I would suggest starting with Saeco and from there going to H&G (if you can find what you want) or Ballisti-Cast same as the H&G in my book. I have one brass Accurate mold that has been very reliable also. All in all, however, I have found that if I want to cast a large number of boolits in a short period of time that one of the older Saeco multiple cavity molds with a trough or an H&G or Ballisti-Cast set up the same way will get up to temperature and can be more easily maintained at a good casting temperature than any of the others, particularly aluminum molds that I have ever tried. Just my two cents worth.
LEE MENTING and lapping will take care of the problems with your LEE moulds in most cases.
MIHEC and NOE make excellent moulds, BUT you pay for the superior quality..and they are worth every dime of the increased cost.
For MY ultimate choice, I like the brass moulds from MIHEC. I haven't tried the NOE in brass, but have the ultimate confidence in Swede and his elves. The aluminum moulds from both are excellent, but old habits die hard and I like something more durable.
I'm a couple week short of 64 and had a good paying job that bought a lot of toys over the years. My retirement is pretty good too. BUT a younger guy with a family has different priorities than I do. I'd do some reading and work on the LEE for now...and save as I can to up-grade later....IF emergencies for my family don't require dipping into the cookie jar.
FWIW, I save the state quarters as I get them in change. It doesn't seem like much and you don't miss the coins, BUT you can accumulate a bunch in a short time.
:redneck: :cbpour: :guntootsmiley:
I have settled on accurate molds. Tom has great customer service and his delivery times can't be beat. He does excellent work and his molds will be the size you order so no guessing what it will drop. also if he doesn't show what you have in mind he will make it and it will turn out how you spec it. and the bullets will fall out just fine. For me I need look no further to find a top notch mold and I don't have to wait for a year to receive it
I have to take this question in a different direction than is being answered. Ask friends that cast what moulds they use that they like, and if they would share a few boolets with you to try. Buying a mould that doesn`t work for you is a loss of money that could have bought a mould that does work for you. I have 40+ moulds that I have success with and some that didn`t work out. I have the gammet of names of mold makers, and some that have shut their doors sadly in my casting stable of molds. So get a good recommendation first hand and try a sample first before jumping into buying a custom or semi-custom made mold.Robert
Hardcast
makes a very good point trust me spending a bunch of cash on design that doesn't work can really rain on your parade. If you can try a design and ask yourself what makes this bullet work or not work. Also if you choose to go with accurate mold ask Tom any question you have and for his advice he has lots of knowledge and will share it if you ask
Thanks for the advice. I may give the Leementing process a try. I don't have any mold release to use for the marking. Do you think Dykem (Blue layout fluid) would hurt anything? I have that on hand.
No need for mould release, you'll be able to see the results just fine.
Go slow, clean, cast anew, measure, repeat as necessary.
having the ability to lap a mold is essential.
it comes in handy when you don't quite get what you want from a maker.
you can take out burrs to make boolits fall from a mold.
open a gas check shank.
just square things up a little better.
make a couple of thousandths bigger boolits
round out a nose or get it that extra thou you need.
all with a little careful lapping.
The next step up from a Lee is a Lyman or RCBS from a discount house like Midsouth Shooter's Supply. Lyman has been having trouble with diameters the past few years. I think iron molds are my favorites and these two are iron.
The next step "up" from Lee would be Lyman or RCBS, which are iron or steel. Most of the Lyman molds are around $60 from the typical sellers while RCBS runs closer to $90. I have purchased two new RCBS and one new Lyman. The Lyman was a 30 cal which casts to size but needed lapping to cleanly release bullets. Both RCBS molds (35 rifle and 40 pistol) dropped cleanly and were properly sized.
IMO, RCBS is the best of the large scale mold makers until you get to custom or limited production guys like Miha Prevec....IF they offer a design you want, and if you only want a two cavity mold. Having said that, I would take a Lee in a design I want over an RCBS in a design I don't.
I really don't have any thing to say that hasn't been said but I have found taking a sticky mold whether metal or alum and casting as hot as I can get the lead for up to maybe 20 pours has cleared up the sticky problem (assuming all burrs are removed) every time I have had an issue.