RCBS 9mm-124-RN

[layusn1]

OK, so I got my first two molds in the mail today. One is a Lee 6 cavity that is marked 90457. One site give another code 356-125-2R associated with it. It is a 6 bullet mold, I'm guessing 125gr. I'm a little intimidated by that one. The other one is an RCBS 9mm-124-RN. That one looks really promising but discouraging at the same time. It looks like it would be a lot easier to try to learn to use the two bullet mold and a ladle but the guy I got the molds from said the RCBS was a gas check mold. Do I have to use gas checks? Does this complicate the whole process? Is it worth it for 9mm? I was thinking if I was ever going to cast I would want to use the Lee resize kit that you just screw the die into your press and push the bullet through into the plastic container. Would that work with the gas check if I had to use those? Last question, for now, would the $20 RCBS mold handle they sell at Sportsmans Warehouse be the handle I need for this mold? Thanks guys.

[JohnH]

Regardless of which boolit you use, you will have to lube it, many here report good to exellent results with Lee's Liquid Alox on both Lee's tumble lube design bullets and with conventional lube groove bullets. There is no problem with seating the gas check on the bullet with a push thru sizer like Lee's, the check will "snap"on by hand and the sizing process will crimp the check into the bullets gas check shank. The working rule of thumb is "If the bullet has a gas check shank, use a gas check"

You prolly will have better luck learning the knacks of casting with the 2 cavity mold with a ladle, unless you have a large capacity ladle (one that holds at least 1 pound of metal)

It is time consuming to bring up the mold to casting temperature by casting alone. With either mold you may want to let the bottome of the mold sit on the melt for a few minutes prior to casting, this will bring up the mold temp more quickly.

[layusn1]

I was thinking I would start out with a smaller pot, a ladle and the 2 bullet mold because I figure that would be the least challenging of the two molds and I wouldn't have too much invested. I also figure it would force me to take my time and do things slowly and deliberately. I don't think one should rush when working around molten lead. Which gas checks do I need to buy? Does using gas checks eliminate the need to use normal lead bullet powder charges or is that still the safe practice?

[carpetman]

layusn1--I have used all my gas check molds both with a gas check and without one and have never had a problem from it. I have both ladle cast and used a bottom pour and I much prefer the bottom pout though many will disagree. You can get a pot and a heat source such as a Coleman stove and do fine,but the price of a Lee electric bottom pour furnace is the way I'd go. I use a RCBS sizer/luber and have no experience with the push through Lee or with the liquid alox.

[layusn1]

Lovely San Angelo..the second stop in my Navy career...Anyway, I was thinking about getting an Iron pot and ladleing it into the mold. I have heard people say you can get the side burner on a propane grill hot enough to melt lead? If I did that I would only be out the price of a ladle and a pot. Are there any electric hotplate type setups that get hot enough to melt lead? I'm really trying to keep the "getting my feet wet" costs down as much as possible. So far everything has been free.

[cohutt]

Lovely San Angelo..the second stop in my Navy career...Anyway, I was thinking about getting an Iron pot and ladleing it into the mold. I have heard people say you can get the side burner on a propane grill hot enough to melt lead? If I did that I would only be out the price of a ladle and a pot. Are there any electric hotplate type setups that get hot enough to melt lead? I'm really trying to keep the "getting my feet wet" costs down as much as possible. So far everything has been free.

The side burner will be hot enough i am pretty certain. wally world hootplate not quite hot enough to keep a good melt in my experience. a cheap camping stove of coleman variety would work....

I use that Lee mold for 9mm with a bottom pout pot. pretty easy to catch on with. I also use the Lee push through sizing dies with it, as unsized there are issues feeding my lone wolf g17 barrel. dies are cheap- $12 each maybe. the tumble lube is easy and effective. I cut the alox by 1/3 with mineral spirits as akeeps it fromm gumming up dies etc and is still more than adequate to avoid leading.