Got my first steel mould

[Beaverhunter2]

Well, I'm trying the other side. After using 10 different Lee (aluminum) moulds, I finally bought a steel one- a Lyman 20 gauge sabot slug mould. Probably shouldn't have picked a hollow base for my first one, but I got it going. It sure takes a lot more time to get them up to heat- especially with the hollow base plug.

All in all, they seem nice to work with. Now I have to send a few of them downrange and see how they shoot.

John

[Razor]

Like you I have mostly the LEE aluminum moulds..
But I did splurge and get a couple of steel.. Lyman 314299 and Pedersoli .54 ringtail..
After Lee-menting the heck out of nearly every Lee mould.. they work great now.and.
like you said ..they come up to operating temps a lot quicker than either of my steel ones.
But, once up to temp..the steel are a pure joy to use..I generally run two moulds at once..
I find that if you let them sit for a few seconds, most times the boolits just fall out..
No need for beating the hell out of the handle pivots pin...

I still ain't decided which is more fun.. casting bee-you-ti-fulll boolits or launching them downrange..Hmmm.. Just have to do some more research huh ?

Razor

[runfiverun]

just get that post hot, it will help a ton.

[dubber123]

just get that post hot, it will help a ton.

One of the best ideas I have seen for helping keep the heat in a HP or HB mould was a piece of coat hanger bent around the nozzle of a propane torch to form a little holder for the pin. The pin sets in the holder, (and flame), while you are dropping the boolit. It keeps the pin handy, and HOT. I think it was one of BruceB's posts that showed it. It really buys you some time.