Which furnace and molds to buy?

[bizyjp]

I am trying to get opinions of what new molds to buy. Other than the style and cavity count, what brand should I get? I am interested in the Lee style, the one with the thinner but more numerous grooves and than using Alox liquid that dries on the bullet. Does it work?
I only used the softer lube for the one grease groove in my old sizer. Is this aluminum mold ok? Also what do you think of Lee's "bullet first" sizing operation?
Lastly for now, is the bottom spigot more efficient than what I used - the ladle for pouring.
Thanks for your input.

 

[bizyjp]

I am trying to get opinions of what new molds to buy. Other than the style and cavity count, what brand should I get? I am interested in the Lee style, the one with the thinner but more numerous grooves and than using Alox liquid that dries on the bullet. Does it work?
I only used the softer lube for the one grease groove in my old sizer. Is this aluminum mold ok? Also what do you think of Lee's "bullet first" sizing operation?
Lastly for now, is the bottom spigot more efficient than what I used - the ladle for pouring.
Thanks for your input.

 

[Bat Guano]

Oh, well. Started casting about 45 years ago, so in addition to my usual opinionated ideas, I am VERY particular about bullet casting.

I don't like the aluminum Lee molds; some people do.I much prefer steel for durability and heat control. . Brand is not critical; I have Lyman, Hensley & Gibbs, have had RCBS. Most are 4 cavity but have some 2 cavities.

I used a Lyman electric drop pour pot at first, but got very tired of fiddling with the pour volume and trying to keep the heat where I wanted it. Many years ago I went to a 20-25 pound lead plumber's pot on a gas burner, with a lead thermometer. I pour with a dipper, and everything can be run exactly the way I want it to.

Every winter I cast up about 4-5000 or more bullets, mostly wheelweights. I lube and size with a Lyman #450 sizer, 50/50 alox lube.

It's definitely an art form and every day casting is different...

 

[arkypete]

I use two RCBS pots. I use, mostly, RCBS, Lyman, Saeco and NEI. I also have Mountain Molds custom.
My best molds are iron/steel, some brass and a couple of Aluminum.
The Lee molds should become beer cans.

Jim

 

[Cary]

Originally posted by bizyjp:
I am trying to get opinions of what new molds to buy. Other than the style and cavity count, what brand should I get? I am interested in the Lee style, the one with the thinner but more numerous grooves and than using Alox liquid that dries on the bullet. Does it work?
I only used the softer lube for the one grease groove in my old sizer. Is this aluminum mold ok? Also what do you think of Lee's "bullet first" sizing operation?
Lastly for now, is the bottom spigot more efficient than what I used - the ladle for pouring.
Thanks for your input.

Good advice by Bat Guano. First off how much money to you want to lay out for this? That has some bearing on what brand and type of equipment you may get. When I started casting around 5 or 6 years ago I was on a budget and didn't want to spend a fortune on getting started. I wasn't even sure I would stick with it. Well I have and as long as I can get alloy to cast with and everything needed to reload with I will probably stick with it. I like casting my own bullets. When I started I bought me a Lee Pro 4-20 Pot and still use it. I also have around 8 or 9 of the Lee aluminum molds and they have served me well. I cast for three different calibers. I did break down and splurged and bought me a new SAECO mold about a year ago and I agree with Bat Guano the steel molds are nice if you want to spring the money for them. I paid well over $100 for the SAECO mold with the handles. If you're on a tight budget you can still get the Lee molds for around $20 with the handles. I have used the Lee sizer kits for sizing all of my bullets. The Lee Liquid Alox is all I have used to lube with and seems to work fine for me. You don't have to buy the Lee alox as there are others who sell alox as well. You will have to decide how much you want to spend on casting. Of course you could also buy used equipment as well.
Cary

 

[High Desert Hunter]

I use a variety of moulds, mostly RCBS and Lyman, but I also use a couple of Lee and one Mountain Mould. I use a Lee bottom pour pot of the 20lb persuasion. I cast for 32, 358, 429, 452, and 458, I only buy 22cal, and 30 cal bullets commercially. I would like to upgrade to the RCBS pot some day. I currently use an RCBS lubrisizer.

 

[bizyjp]

Thanks for your input so far. To answer someones question, I am willing to spend the money for quality products. But at some point there are diminishing returns, only higher costs. I called Midway today and found that a lot of "stuff" is out of stock. I am not aware of any shops that specialize in casting equipment but I am sure they are out there. The bottom line is that with the time and investment involved, I want to get pretty good results. I know there is a learning curve but I did this years ago when Ruger .44's were $125.
A lot of guys like that "nose first" sizing and that liquid media has a good following. We'll see, I'll continue to solicit thoughts and go from there. Thanks.

 

[Igiveup]

Interesting this topic should come up. I, too, would like to try casting. I have called four sales outlets in the last two days trying to find some casting things. I am on a budget and am specifically looking at the Lee Pro IV, and Lee moulds. Absolutely no one had anything I needed, nothing. If anyone knows of a supplier that has any of this stuff, please let me know.

 

[john traveler]

Hi, bizyjp!

I've been bullet casting for more than 30 years and have gotten sorta opinionated about equipment too.

I started out with the Lee lead melter, went to the 20 lb production pot, and ended up with a SAECO bottom pour melting pot after using a friend's RCBS melter. Lee molds at first, and then gravitated to SAECO, Lyman, RCBS, and Lachmiller. Lyman 450 lube sizer. I must admit the initial low cost of the Lee equipment was what attracted me, but then discovered that while serviceable, quality was lacking. I still have and use a number of Lee molds, but I consider them light-duty, and simply not in the same class as the other brands. If you intend to get into and stay in this activity, I would recommend starting with the better quality equipment. You might search your local Craigslist for used equipment. There should be lots of used equpment out there, at least there always is at the various local gunshows.

 

[High Desert Hunter]

Once in a while you can pick up some of the more common moulds off of ebay, and a turkey fryer with a cast iron pot will melt lead, until I got a lubrisizer, I pan lubed, and used a piece of 300 win mag brass cut off to cut them out. I really like being more involved in my whole shooting experience. I really like the 358156 SWCGC mould for the 357, the 429421 for the 44, and the RCBS 270-SAA for my 45 Colt.

 

[Paul5388]

Back in the 1980s I used a propane burner and cast iron pot with a ladle to cast. Now I use a Lee Pro 4-20 and added a set of hemostats to the screw that stops the drips. When the drip starts, I just bump the hemostats, which turns the screw, and the drip stops.

Drips happen, even with Magma melters, so it isn't a big deal, especially with something to catch the drips, like an ingot mould.

I cast 600 358429s the other day from a Lyman 4 cavity. I can cast almost as many in only a little longer time with a Lee 2 cavity, like the H&G #68 clone. I rarely have a reject with the Lee mould, but can't say the same from Lyman, RCBS and NEI moulds.

As you get older, the 4 cavity iron moulds will get heavy pretty quickly. A 2 cavity Lee won't wear you out like the iron moulds do.

Here's a picture of my casting table with the hot plate and melter both on. The hot plate will preheat the mould(s), so you have less rejects waiting for the mould to get up to temperature.

Sprues go in the pan and bullets are dropped on the shop towels.

The 2 cavity Lyman 429421 on the hot plate has a set of Lee six cavity handles on it. Usually they only take a slight bit of sanding for them to work with 2 cavity RCBS or Lyman moulds.

When the level gets down in the melter about 5# (3/4 full), fill it back up and the heating elements will last longer.

Quality doesn't have to cost more. I buy RCBS and Lyman just to get the bullet design I want, since Lee doesn't offer any Keith designs.

Here's a picture of the hemostats on a Lee melter.

 

[Frank237]

I've started back into casting again after a hiatus of about fifteen years. Been casting pistol and muzzleloader slugs since I was in my teens.

I'm not a big fan of the LEE products. They are made to sell at the cheapest price point and the quality shows it. But I will admit for the money the six cavity moulds ARE a bargain.

My moulds are mostly IRON and from either LYAMN or one of the Custom makers. I do have a few Aluminum moulds and they are more finicky than iron.

I use a gas burner for smelting alloy and a 20# WAAGE electric pot for casting. I've always used a ladle ,though I have tried a bottom pour pot. A bottom pour is somewhat faster but my single LEE bottom pour either leaked or froze up, so I canned it. DO try bottom pour though as it is conveninet.

I'm an old dinosaur and just like a ladle.

After years and years of LYMAN sizers; first a 45 then a 450 I recently bought a STAR sizer. I really like the STAR for pistol slugs. VERY fast and high quality.

Visit the CastBoolits.com forums tooo.

FN in MT

 

[Skip Sackett]

My setup is much like Paul's. One exception, his is cleaner and I don't have any of those Corpsman gripper thingys on my pot. I have a screwdriver handy usually.

It helps in "turning of the flow" which from time to time seems to want to drip.

Hensley and Gibbs molds are the only way to go, in my opinion. Lee quality is like buying a car on a Monday or Friday at times. You hope to get something made in the middle of the week!

I have some of their molds. The "square" ogive types seem to work better than their round nose designs, again, in my opinion.

I have used one Lyman mold and to be honest, they are fine too.

p.s. Paul, what is that blue and black thing in the background that looks like it came from Dillon? A PROGRESSIVE PRESS?

 

[bizyjp]

I looked at the H&G Mold website and found it poorly constructed and difficult to navigate. A bunch of mumbo jumbo writings but yes, a mold chart was found. No pricing or ordering instructions either. Not terribly impressive.
Moving on then, so folks here rather use a Lyman 450 or similar resizer and lube and forget the liquid Alox?

 

[Paul5388]

Skip,

You were observant enough to notice that Dillon, but you missed the fact of it not being me or my casting setup.

I just got through loading a box of .38 Specials with 358429s and 5.5 gr of Unique on a Lee cast iron turret.

BTW, Unique doesn't meter very good. It varied between 5.38 and 5.62 gr and I caught two that bridged in the powder thru die.

bizyjp, I use LLA (Lee Liquid Alox) on quite a few regular bullets that I shoot as cast. The 358429s and some of the others I use a Lyman 4500 on. Since I buy my Lyman sizing dies on the large size, I use a Lee sizer if I want to reduce the size further.

Here's the 4500 set up.

I keep my sizing dies in glucose test strip containers and leave the one I'm using out to remind me what's in the lube sizer. Drat! That picture has two Lee moulds on the hot plate.

The 1" chip brush is for "All Hands, clean sweep down fore and aft, empty all trash cans on the pier".

 

[Skip Sackett]

H&G Mold website

Well, they have been out of business for several years now so .......

At any rate, you will have to purchase them used or go to Ballisticast for new production ones. Don't worry, they cost about the same!

Still, they are the best molds. You will get good bullets sooner and keep more as you go. I can get as many good bullets from an H&G 4 cavity mold and a Lee 6 cavity in the same amount of time.

FWIW

p.s. Paul, I thought you had jumped the fence on me brother!

 

[walnutred]

With the Lee molds it helps to use two at once. I typically cast 9mm Makarov and 32 Long projectiles at the same time. The molds don't overheat as quick when you alternate. When my old Lyman Mold Master died a friend gave me a Lee Production Pot someone had thrown away because it was not working. I sent it back to Lee for repair and they sent me a brand new one for 1/2 price.

If your new to casting the one thing not mentioned yet is it's best not to use your lead pot for smelting lead. I use an electric hot plate I bought at Goodwill and an old small cast iron frying pan I found in the trash at a flea market. With welding gloves I can pour the processed lead directly from the frying pan into my ingot molds. This helps keep contaminates out of your production pot.

 

[Cary]

Originally posted by Igiveup:
Interesting this topic should come up. I, too, would like to try casting. I have called four sales outlets in the last two days trying to find some casting things. I am on a budget and am specifically looking at the Lee Pro IV, and Lee moulds. Absolutely no one had anything I needed, nothing. If anyone knows of a supplier that has any of this stuff, please let me know.

Igiveup,
Have you tried these guys?
http://www.factorysales.com/company.html
Cary

 

[Skip Sackett]

www.kempfgunshop.com


He has a personality that lends itself to internet business!

But he will also have all of what you need.

Good prices too.

 

[Igiveup]

Cary, thanks for the link. I haven't heard of those folks, but will try them. I took a quick look through of their site, and it appears their prices are significantly higher than anywhere else, almost double on some items. But if they have what I want, I will have to determine how bad I need it now. Thanks

smith crazy, I'll give that shop a call, looks like their prices are more in line with the bigger places. Thanks