Poll: For your dream handgun mould, what material and how many cavities?

[Swede44mag]

Brass, any number of cavities, but brass is my preferred material.

Agree that there's a limit to the weight after a certain point. My 10 cav H+G is a bear after 45 minutes or so, but by that time I've got about 1K of great boolits!

My 10 cavity H&G is a Bear to start with.
Once it gets to heat and if I can keep enough lead in the pot is sure will make a lot of boolits. I like 4 and 6 cavitys more not so heavy.

[theperfessor]

4 to 5 cavities in steel/iron, 5 - 6 in aluminum. That's based on my comfort level for fatigue for a 2-3 hour casting session.

[noylj]

My ideal might just be a ceramic or titanium mold.

[Floydster]

I wish Lee would come out with 4 cavity molds in some calibers,I think it would be a good seller for them.

[singleshot]

My ideal might just be a ceramic or titanium mold.

noylj, wow! You're patient. Ceramic production rates might be in the single digits per hour. LOL!

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

TWELVE CAVITY??? You sir, are a rugged man?
Us mere mortals would have a hard time lifting and working a 12 cavity by the time it came up to heat...

May I suggest two six cavity molds worked simultaneously as a less physically demanding approach?

I'd take two sixes in a Ranch Dog profile for .30-30. 265gr or 45-70 350gr, brass like Mihec's molds. Or perhaps a copt of the RCBS 45 long colt SWC (45-270?)... or perhaps a six cavity in each.

Here is a 10 cav AL . . . depends on the caliber!

22-055 FN GC 55Gr

As soon as we get 5 orders this will go on the scheduale.
We will keep the buy open until 2 or 3 weeks before the date on the schedule.
At that time we will close the buy and send out a PM with
a request for payment. We don’t require payment before then.
Prices will be as follows:

This buy will be on our SB (Small Bore) moulds.
This is a down sized mould for better heat control.
We will also offer it in a 10 cavity double sided mould (DS10-SB)
The DS10-SB can not be hollow pointed.

Prices will be as follows:
Single cavity mould (Standard Size mould) $68.00 Ea. Brass $90.00 Ea.
Double cavity mould (2CSB) $72.00 Ea. Brass $94.00 Ea.
Three cavity mould (3CSB) $79.00 Ea. Brass $101.00 Ea.
Four cavity mould (4CSB) $85.00 Ea.
Five cavity mould (5CSB) $92.00 Ea.
Ten cavity mould (DS10-SB) $160.00 Ea.
Plus $10.00 Shipping/Handling.
Foreign orders are a additional $10.00
Prices are subject to change at any time.

You can mix number of cavities in an order to make 15.
We will offer gas check only on this bullet.

Use LEE Commercial 6-Cavity handles (not included).
Lyman, RCBS type top punch furnished with each mould
as well as a sample of Bull Plate sprue plate lube.
Moulds are machined from 2024 Aluminum
Used for high strength structural and aircraft applications.
Tensile strength range 30,000 to 63,000 psi
Brass is C360 Free-Cutting
Sprue plate (blued), alignment pins, and hardware will be
carbon steel.

Hollow pointing one cavity and furnishing a double
ended pin would be $35.00 Extra.

We will accept Checks, Money Orders and Pay-Pal
Pay-Pal requires a 3% sir-charge.
Pay-Pal acount:
pbsco1@qwestoffice.net
Make checks and money orders out to:
Night Owl Enterprises

Our mailing address is:
Night Owl Enterprises
1645 W 150 N
Provo, Utah 84601
801 377-7289




Thank you for your interest in this buy.
Swede Nelson

I have one of his 5 cav AL molds, and I'm waiting on this GB for a 3 cav BRASS!

I like my BRASS MiHec molds I have!

[noylj]

I want a high-speed spin casting set-up.

[turbo1889]

8, 10, or 12 cavity molds actually aren’t all that impractical provided the mold is a double sided mold with sprue plates mounted top and bottom with rows of cavities in both top and bottom. Fill one side . . . let the sprue just barely skin over solid . . . flip it over and fill the other side . . . let the sprue just barely skin over solid . . . flip it over and cut the first pore sprue . . . flip it over and cut the second pore sprue . . . then open it up and drop your boolits . . . repeat.

Such a mold holds heat very well and I prefer it to casting with two separate molds since you don't have to go as fast to keep the mold block temp up. Namely that you don't have problems with the other mold cooling down too fast if you don't cast fast enough with the one you’re working on alternating your pores in rotation with two separate molds. Plus you’re not constantly setting the molds down and picking them back up but can just keep one mold in your hand all the time and just keep spinning it over to the other side with a flick of your wrist.

[357shooter]

I just posted some additional charts with the results at http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=108703

The charts are a snapshot right at 100 total votes. The last votes aren't included yet, but will be when I post an update in a few days.

Check it out.

[Heavy lead]

Well I could only vote 2 , so it was the 4 cavity Mihec brass and the NOE 5 cavity aluminum, really though I have a couple 4 cavity iron you could not get me to part from, also a few 3 and 4 cavity brass and aluminum either.
To me the quality is more than anything, no offense to anyone, but no more Lee 6 cavities will reside with me. Moreso than the blocks, the sprue plate and handle situation that it has I find nothing more than an unruly hassle.
My current favorite mould is a Accurate mold that Tom designed what I described to him via email, it is perfection, both in function and in craftmanship.

[steg]

allready have mine, it's a H&G ten cavity that dropped a 141 Gr WC, I wasn't really satisfied with the boolit and had a friend work on the mold, I was hoping for a 200Gr .38 cal boolit. He made up the reamer and we used the time proven method of guessing that actually works sometime, on the depth to go, and came up with a 190Gr( alloy weight) boolit, thats close to being a bore rider, with a full meplat, except for a small radius or the tip, loaded in front of 10 Grains of 2400, it does everything I wanted it to do. The buddy of mine that did the machining is retiring, and I'm trying to talk him into making a set of .410 dies using 7/8 threads, still working on him.............................steg

[fastgun]

If only Hensley & Gibbs were still in busness. You younger bullet casters have no idea how great their molds were.

[XWrench3]

I voted for a 6 cavity brass mold. I have yet to try a brass mold, but for some reason, they just seem like a perfect match. I have several 6 cavity lee molds, and i simply love how many bullets you can make in a short period with them. I know steel or cast iron molds would hold up the best, but i am a worrier, and really do not like to worry about corrosion. Brass and aluminum are far less likely to corrode without special attention. I would end up storing steel molds in a container filled 1/2 with 50 wt. Motor oil, and 1/2 with stp. Then i would have to spend 2 hours getting them clean enough to cast with on every session.

[BulletFactory]

That would be just too heavy.

I had ordered a 2 cavity mold from accurate thinking it would be lighter, but I think that they just use the same block for the 2's and the 3's. Turns out, the 2 cav is actually heavier. Lol, my mistake.

[Ugluk]

I'd love to have two 5 cavity brass molds of the Lee 105gr swc. The boolit is great and deserves a great mold such as one from Mihec.
Cut for such a small boolit it should be possible to make the mould out of lower profile brass stock, making it lighter.
Groupbuy?
Edit: Second thought: Make'em both cramer hp's..

[Mikael]

I'd love to have two 5 cavity brass molds of the Lee 105gr swc. The boolit is great and deserves a great mold such as one from Mihec.
Cut for such a small boolit it should be possible to make the mould out of lower profile brass stock, making it lighter.
Groupbuy?
Edit: Second thought: Make'em both cramer hp's..

Was that you offering to start one?
Not that sure about HP, but perhaps that would be neat

[Ugluk]

Was that you offering to start one?
Not that sure about HP, but perhaps that would be neat

Nope, not me. Too many things could go wrong and the last place I want to end up is the deadbeat section.

I'd jump on a GB as a buyer if there was to be one though.

[murf205]

I have already answered my dream mold question. It is a 44 cal 264 swc NOE. It throws a 270 gr boolit and it is a dream to cast with and all my 44's love it. No GC to put on and it doesn't need one.Attachment 251394

[Rich/WIS]

Already have it, Lee 452-200 SWC that I milled down to remove the bevel base. Drops 190 gr with range lead and sized in a Lyman .451 sizer die made first thing in the AM after a long weekend to .4517.

[cupajoe]

I started with RCBS equipment, both reloading and bullet casting because that is what the closest gun shop sold. I have since bought several aluminum molds over the years and still use most of them. That being said the last 3 molds I bought were 2 cavity iron. I seem to have a lot more spare time these days. Life is good!