Experience with new NEI molds ?

[Wayne S]

Anyone have first hand experience with the new {post Walt} molds, good or bad

[Boz330]

I got one last summer and it wasn't too bad after a buddy of mine put a couple hours into it fixing what should have been caught in the most rudimentary inspection.
He also bought one by model number and the dimentions were different from the ones Walt made. He called and asked and they told him that wasn't the same cherry they were using now and he was basicly out of luck.
They have an extremely wide selection of moulds in lots of different calibers but neither of us will buy a mould from them again.

Bob

[Glen]

I got one about a year or so back for my 9.3x57 Mauser and it casts and shoots just fine.

[Char-Gar]

We did a group buy (311284 clone) with them about a year ago. Mine came out just fine, but some of the guys were unhappy.

[GLL]

I have several old NEI moulds that are outstanding BUT a recent custom mould was very poorly done ! The first try was so far off spec it was not recognizable as what was ordered ! The second try was closer but no cigar and the machining was poorly done ! No more for me !

Jerry

The rounded edges are not bad fill-out ! They are in the mould !
http://www.fototime.com/65C7B7B0908F077/orig.jpg

[targetshootr]

I talked to him a couple of weeks ago and got the feeling he was stressed out.

[bishopgrandpa]

They are not what they used to be. Had to send a few back. Mountain molds is no more expensive (maybe less) and very reliable. He did my last one and am very impressed. Do specs online and there is no confusion as what you want.

[Wayne S]

I talked to him a couple of weeks ago and got the feeling he was stressed out.
WELL, they may be at it 24/7 like Lee, and the J bullet makers, BUT % the posts above aren't showing them in a good light at the moment

[revolver junkie]

wayne i have an NEI mould that i orderd within the last year and i am very pleased with it

i got a 330grn keith design in .452 it casts at exactly .452 has less than .001 runout as cast run them through a sizer and there you have it

when i water quench them for my 45 colt the weight variance was less than 5 grains i sorted them to 2 grains and only thru 12 or so back in the bucket out of 100 or so

[Blammer]

I will not be getting any more "new" NEI moulds.



Ever.

GLL's pic says it all; and then some.

[fatnhappy]

We did a group buy (311284 clone) with them about a year ago. Mine came out just fine, but some of the guys were unhappy.

My results mirrored Chargars. My mould was exemplary, however I know some were not, and I saw pictures of a couple that were abysmal.

caveat emptor

[targetshootr]

I bought two of them in the last two years and they both make nice boolits.

[madcaster]

I like the ones I have bought very well.

[GLL]

I was always very pleased with older NEI moulds before recent problems with the mould posted above ! The second bullet from the left is from an early 4-cavity NEI #256. It makes beautiful bullets and is a favorite !

It is simply a crap shoot now ! Some are apparently very nice but some are very poorly done !

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/5D2B912208F49F5/orig.jpg

[Wayne S]

i want to thank one and all for your comments, with what GLL said about "Being a crap shoot" and considering the $ 140.00 + for what I was considering [ .224 Cal }
where any errors in the mold show up 10+ times what the same error in a 30 cal mold would, I'm going to pass, espically since they haven't answered two of my E mails about Dia.'s & Dem.'s

[SwedeNelson]

It was a four cavity 22 cal. NEI mould that got me started on looking for some one to machine moulds.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i80/swedenelson/Picture087-1.jpg

The machine marks that they use for vent line were so deep it made jagged parting lines. Sent it back and took four or five weeks and three phone calls to get it back. Now the nose is oblong and I dont think it is any good.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i80/swedenelson/Picture088-1.jpg

My last one from NEI. Will use the blocks for something else.

Swede Nelson

[Wayne S]

Swede,
thank you, I was looking at one of their 62 DD or the Loverin .224, BUT NO MORE, sad , because we as a community have lost a source for good molds untill they prove they can produce good molds 100% of the time.

[Dan Cash]

wayne i have an NEI mould that i orderd within the last year and i am very pleased with it

i got a 330grn keith design in .452 it casts at exactly .452 has less than .001 runout as cast run them through a sizer and there you have it

when i water quench them for my 45 colt the weight variance was less than 5 grains i sorted them to 2 grains and only thru 12 or so back in the bucket out of 100 or so

5 grain variation for a 330 grain bullet is horrible. Casting a 550 grain .45 bullet from a Hoch mould produces less than 1 grain (+-.5) variation. A 250 grain .41 two cavity LBT yeilds less than .5 grain variation. Reject rate is dependent upon temperature, aloy and technque.
Dan

[OLPDon]

It was a four cavity 22 cal. NEI mould that got me started on looking for some one to machine moulds.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i80/swedenelson/Picture087-1.jpg

The machine marks that they use for vent line were so deep it made jagged parting lines. Sent it back and took four or five weeks and three phone calls to get it back. Now the nose is oblong and I dont think it is any good.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i80/swedenelson/Picture088-1.jpg

My last one from NEI. Will use the blocks for something else.

Swede Nelson


That is a horror I guess they (nei) recut the 2 faces of the mould that is why you have a oval shape on the nose I would bet a dollar to a donut the rest of the boolit is the same shape. Shoemakers at best I for one will not get involved with NEI.

Such a shame that they take little pride in there work, forget customer service. Sorry you got beat. I would try to beagle it although the workmanship is so poor the parting lines would be realy bad, but it would iron out with sizeing or running down the bore. Beagleing the mould couldn't hurt who knows it might work.
Don

[Cap'n Morgan]

Looking at the pictures... words fail me for once.

[sundog]

What Blammer said in post #10.

I sent a 4 cav mehanite back three times! It still is not a quality mould.

[felix]

22 boolits HAVE to be perfect to be worthwhile, especially when checks are applied. The cost of making the finished small boolit far exceeds that for the revolter boolits. Talking about checks, throwing back those which are not within 0.0 grain total variation. Accuracy DOUBLES in the BR gun (222 ackley) when each naked boolit weighs EXACTLY the same. ... felix

[runfiverun]

beagling a mold to make it round??
you wouldn't have a 223 anymore, with those you would have a 243.
i think i could get that good ,and i only have a drill press.

[Bret4207]

Darn shame. Walt s moulds were fantastic, absolute top notch. Too bad this is the way things turned out.