PDA

View Full Version : Best .530 Round Ball Mold



Mike.44
03-10-2013, 06:44 AM
Need to start casting RB's for my Lyman GPR .54. What is athe mold you guys have had the best luck with?

mainiac
03-10-2013, 08:54 AM
everybody makes good molds, but the lee roundball molds are exceptional,IMO. I own a bunch of them,and never had a problem.For the money,,theres no possible way to beat them......

Maven
03-10-2013, 10:01 AM
"Everybody makes good molds, but the Lee roundball molds are exceptional IMO. I own a bunch of them and never had a problem. For the money, there's no possible way to beat them....."

mainiac's right, the Lee RB molds are an excellent value. You'll discover almost all RB mold manufacturer's products, including those of custom mold makers, will drop a RB that may vary a few thousandth's of an inch from the nominal dimension (assuming pure Pb). You adapt to this by choosing the thickness of your patching material v. actual or "as cast" RB diameter to get the best fit for your bbl.

Marvin S
03-10-2013, 01:37 PM
If your not trying to supply an army the LEE makes excellent round balls. They have next to no sprue and are very smooth.

Mike.44
03-10-2013, 10:12 PM
Thanks for the info. Just what I was looking for.

451whitworth
03-10-2013, 10:27 PM
last fall i ordered 2 Lee round ball moulds from MidSouth, a .530" and a .535". Both had deep scratches in the cavities, like someone used an awl to carve them up. Called MidSouth they sent a call tag for return. A few days later a lady called from customer service to advise me that they opened several dozen mould boxes of the .530" and .535" and they were all had scars in the cavities and were no better than what i returned. I ended up finding a new old stock RCBS .530" RB mould on the 'net for $30.

59sharps
03-10-2013, 11:00 PM
Need to start casting RB's for my Lyman GPR .54. What is athe mold you guys have had the best luck with?

one name for round ball jeff tanner. you will not be sorry

fouronesix
03-10-2013, 11:12 PM
I have quite a few molds of various kinds including Mountain Molds, RCBS, Ideal, Lyman, Italian?, a couple of bag molds and some Lee. Lee molds are ok for what they are. You just have to go into it with both eye's open. There is a certain allure to cheap. Since you asked for 'Best .530 RB mold', then to be blunt- of the readily available factory types, I'd rank Lyman and RCBS at the top and Lee at the bottom- my experience.

mooman76
03-10-2013, 11:33 PM
Lee I believe is the only one that currently makes a dual cavity .530. RBs are pretty simle as far as moulds go and there is less difference than in a bullet mould.

Fly
03-11-2013, 05:44 PM
Hell you can't beat Lee molds, cost & there just dam good.I have had most, & Lee is
as good as any.
Fly

GARD72977
03-11-2013, 07:25 PM
I really do not like lee molds. I cheaped out and bought a Lee .530 RB mold form TOTW. The mold is a pleasure to use. I guess the round balls just drop easier than a bullet. I cast up a few hundred without any trouble. The only thing I did was chucked a wood dowel in my drill and went over the cavity with it. I will be buying more lee molds for round balls. My mold did not have any scratches or defects when I got it.

Mike.44
03-13-2013, 09:28 AM
Do you guys use single or multiple cavity molds? Seems like you would get better uniformity from single cavity. What do you guys use?

OverMax
03-13-2013, 12:43 PM
When it comes to ball molds there's not much difference in there dropped cast. So it then becomes a matter of preference, iron verses aluminum verses brass and a molds cost. A caster can go the way of just getting by. Or have the satisfaction knowing they bought the most expensive. I myself started out with iron molds at the behest of other more experienced casters. So over the years I very seldom strayed from products lines I have experience in using. With the advice from others. It's a win /win for you no matter which brand your about to choose Mike.44. Like so many others here. I hope my opinion was helpful also. As far as cavities.

Almost all the molds I have are two cavity but I do happen to have a couple that are 0ne cavity. I prefer the two cavity overall though.

O/M

Fly
03-13-2013, 02:16 PM
Ya I use a two cavity & it works for me.Once your mold is up to temp, I see no differance.

Fly

Mike.44
03-14-2013, 06:50 AM
I appreciate the input. 2 cavity seems to be what I see most of out there for sale.