Little PO'ed about my new to me H&G #50BB mold

[Valley-Shooter]

I'd have to say you paid to much and you got got cheated. The details are in the pictures. Zoom in and check the details.

Also know your prices. Do a detailed search and check the completed items block.

I buy a lot of my molds on eBay. Set your max price and keep to it. I bought a H & G San Diego 50 last month for $56. It has some surface rust on it, but I know how to deal with that. I'll treat it with evaporust and it will look great very soon.

[reddog81]

$200 is not an unreasonable asking price, but most of the stuff priced that high sits for months or longer. Typical selling price is probably closer to $100 with out the box. I have no idea what a box would be worth.

I purchased a nice looking early San Diego #50 4 cavity off a guy on thefiringline forum last year for $75. Unfortunately the alignment pins are slightly out of whack and the mold won't close all the way. I'd much rather have a newer mold that cast good bullets...

[Mytmousemalibu]

Thanks for the advise guys! I'll make an effort to get out to the shop tonight after the USPSA club match and pour some hot ones. It's nice and cool out this afternoon/evening so its prefect casting weather to be nestled up to the workbench with a bunch of molds. I have a couple of new ones to test drive anyways.

[Mytmousemalibu]

Well, just a little update... I did go take the mold for a spin around the casting pot, it's a pretty good runner, it drops some really decent bullets for the most part. Cavity #3 consistently has a little fin on the bevel base which on closer inspection is that one side on the block has a tiny chip or ding on that edge that is allowing lead to flow into it when pouring but it is pretty small, not enough to really worry about. This is a Murphy Oregon mold but the designation is hand lettered and it has nice patina so my best guess it is an early Oregon production mold. And another surprise, it appears to be an unmarked Special Order #50BB. It doesn't have an "S" stamped in it but all four cavities drop a consistent .360 dia boolit. According to the H&G website, many special order molds didn't get the "S" stamp but the standard #50 was a .358 or had it been one for a Clark conversion they were marked .356 so that's kinda neat. The seller was really didn't want to bother with a return as he had no use for it nor wanted to hassle with trying to resell the mold so he said name the price I was comfortable with keeping it. So looks like I have a #50BB Special Order in good condition and a San Diego H&G box for $120 as he accepted that offer. I thought that was fair for what I got and since he was very accommodating, i'm okay with that amount. So it worked out in the end!

[DerekP Houston]

Very nice! That's a decent price i just paid similar for a plain #50 , looking forward to getting home from this trip and giving it a try. My lee 6-cavity did some decent work while I had it, but the aluminum has gouges in it now and the handle snapped off. Upgrade!!

[Mytmousemalibu]

I forgot I had a bid in on another H&G #50 plain base, 6-cav that I also won a few days ago, it showed up today too! It is an earlier production Murphy Oregon mold and other than some small cracks in the wood handles, this mold is spotless! The condition it is in... seems unreal! It doesn't appear to have been restored or anything, just who ever owned probably didn't use it much and took really good care of it.

[Mytmousemalibu]

Won a near-new RCBS LAM II tonight too! With DIY heater, .357 & .358 dies, top punches, filled with red carnuba plus a little crock pot with/for lube that still has carnuba in it! Pretty close to what a new LAM II goes for just by itself so all the add-ons are great and the sizer dies are just what I needed anyways. Before this, any conventional lubed boolits I have done were all tumble lubed with 45-45-10 and Lee push-through sizers. I have gone the way of powder coat for the most part and it has served me very well but I still value tradition and have wanted a lubrisizer for some time and finally happened on a good enough deal. I would love to have the pinnacle of lubrisizers, the Star-Magma but I never see any for sale at the times I happen to look which I have heard some of you boast good deals on them. I would be all over one for some of the numbers I have heard but again, I don't see'em. For the probably small amount of conventional lubed bullets i'll do, I can't justify buying a new Star. The RCBS seems to get good reviews and is reasonably priced and more readily available dies so I think it will serve me well. I love the smoke & smell of a good conventionally lubed cast boolit sent downrange! Can't wait to run some of my beautiful #50's and 158gr. NOE SWCHP "FBI load" slugs through the LAM and down the bore of a .38!

[Mk42gunner]

I'm glad the deal on the original mold worked out for you. I have only had one San Diego H&G mold, but it was an absolute joy to cast with, too bad yours wasn't as advertised.

I too would like to have a Star; but it is hard to justify the cost of a new one, especially after figuring the cost of buying all new sizing dies. I have only ever seen one used one with a bunch of dies at a gunshow at an affordable price. Of course that was on my way out after I had already spent all of my disposable income.

I rethink not getting one every time I have more than a hundred boolits to size in my Lubamatic.

Robert

[Mytmousemalibu]

I'm pretty happy with the outcome. At the end of the day, it's still a nice H&G and being a Special Order mold makes up for it not being a San D mold. I have added 2 Hensley & Gibbs molds to the shelf in as many weeks, i'm sure these aren't my last either!

I'll still keep my eyes peeled for a Star. If I come across a good deal, I'll adopt it. If I end up doing more conventionally lubed boolits than I anticipate... well maybe i'd consider buying one new. I really value the finer things in life and putting quality gear on the reloading bench is no exception. I would love to one day have a Hollywood bolted down too but what they often go for....ouch!

[pete501]

I looked at the completed auction and I see from the pictures that Murphy Oregon is stamped on the mold and San Diego is printed on the box. He claims the mold is from the S.D. period but it is the miss matched box that is the San Diegan.
I would request a return. Not as described.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I looked at the completed auction and I see from the pictures that Murphy Oregon is stamped on the mold and San Diego is printed on the box. He claims the mold is from the S.D. period but it is the miss matched box that is the San Diegan.
I would request a return. Not as described.

You are right! I was going to return the mold but the seller was apologetic and basically said name a price that I might be willing to keep it for. He would have still taken it back had I just decided no but we came to an agreement as I still liked the mold, it makes good bullets, it was a Special Order #50BB, he accepted my much reduced offer to keep it so all it well. Yes, it was sold not as described but made it work in the end.

[FISH4BUGS]

the #50 is the least valuable H&G mould because it is the most common, in every size. I agree you paid to much for the mould, but the box may be very valuable and make up for the difference.

I disagree. The box adds little except for the desirabilty in the collector's eyes. I have a few that are in their original shipping box and did not feel I paid a premium for it.
I have bought many (probably over 20 or more) H&G moulds from eBay and have never been disappointed. I have paid stupid money for extremely rare moulds (like the mint #51 2 cavity factory dual hollow point with handles) and been happy with them.
In my humble opinion, the #50 is by far the most common mould in the entire H&G line. They come up all the time on eBay. Because they ARE so common, the price tends to stay low, $100-$125 for a four cavity. Since you wanted a San Diego mould, and got a Murphy mould it was not what you wanted nor bargained for.
Personally, I would get a full refund and start watching eBay for a #50 that you want.
...but that's just me.

[Ed in North Texas]

Not much you can do about it now; at least you got a decent mold, even if it isn't as advertised.

From what you say, you would have a hard time getting your money from the scam artist, um I mean seller.

Learn your lesson, leave him some nasty feedback and move on.

Robert

This is not true at all. Go through the e-Bay Dispute Resolution process. If the seller wants to do business on e-Bay in the future, he'll pay up on return of the mould and box. IF he doesn't pay, e-Bay will usually pay for him while blocking him from e-Bay.

I recently had an item which was actually the guy having Sears send me something as if I had ordered it. I thought it was a scam and I went through Dispute Resolution. Don't know if e-Bay refunded, or the guy did, but I received a PayPal notice of refund and don't care who paid.

[Echo]

Well - I imagine it isn't all that rare, but I have a DC San Diego Hensley 50 - not H&G, just Hensley. On display on my bookcase...

[zubrato]

I'm sorry to say, but that mold is going to cost you way more than what you paid for it.
H&G is addictive, friend. once you catch the disease it becomes more and more difficult to talk yourself out of buying more.

I've paid too much for H&G myself, and made sure I could return some molds before I had purchased. Be glad yours is in excellent condition, I've had to extract broken screws from both halves of an otherwise pristine mold, and fabricated my own screws using button head socket screws(easier to use with a bottom pour, and preheat to temp.
Small tip: I replace the (hard to adjust)original set screws with socket set screws (10-36 I think..) Keep the originals in a baggie, they can be a pain to tighten especially if the mold is up to temp.

An ebay story:
Once thought I had a great deal on a #50 6 cavity, and bought it. Turns out some half-wit had been using a steel hammer on the sprue plate, mold faces, hinge screws and tops of the mold blocks. Holes for the alignment pins were egged out to unbelievable proportions. There was no saving this mold, and I wouldn't have been surprised to hear it was used to drive nails or break rocks.
Luckily I was refunded my cost, and I made sure I could return it before purchasing.

More than mad, I was incredibly disappointed someone had ignorantly destroyed something beautiful, and that another had tried to pass it off hoping they could screw someone new to casting.

I'm glad you were able to get in contact with the guy and renegotiate a better deal, enjoy casting with your new mold!

[Texasflyboy]

There will never be another new Geo. A. Hensley or Hensley & Gibbs mould made. Period.

The fixed number that are out there in circulation is forever fixed, and dwindles day by day, week by week, year by year.

I have lost count the number of newly damaged Hensley & Gibbs moulds that I have been asked to value when they are discovered as part of an estate and they find the website and then ask me for help to value them. I've come to expect that at least 20% of the time the moulds will be newly cleaned....usually with a wire wheel or something similar.

In my humble opinion, there is no such thing as paying too much for a Hensley & Gibbs mould. We are all caretakers. The moulds can be eternal, but we are not.

I hope one day to liquidate my collection to someone who will take care of them, use them, enjoy them, and then pass them on to the next generation to enjoy.

I have personally paid what many would consider to be crazy money for some moulds. Money I can find. Rare Hensley & Gibbs moulds are harder. I've never regretted buying any of them after using them.

FWIW.

[lightload]

We can expect dishonest people to stamp and re-stamp molds and other equipment that has become valuable. I had a couple of real nice molds with collector's value given to me years ago. I never used them and sold them to other folks who would use and care for them. In each case I priced them way below market value. One was a nice Saeco sold to Brassmagnet; the other was a 8 cavity H&G .38 wc mold sold to a young man in Wisconsin. Selling either on E Bay would have been like selling my dog's puppies at the flea market. I just could not do either.

[jms1911]

There will never be another new Geo. A. Hensley or Hensley & Gibbs mould made. Period.

The fixed number that are out there in circulation is forever fixed, and dwindles day by day, week by week, year by year.

I have lost count the number of newly damaged Hensley & Gibbs moulds that I have been asked to value when they are discovered as part of an estate and they find the website and then ask me for help to value them. I've come to expect that at least 20% of the time the moulds will be newly cleaned....usually with a wire wheel or something similar.

In my humble opinion, there is no such thing as paying too much for a Hensley & Gibbs mould. We are all caretakers. The moulds can be eternal, but we are not.

I hope one day to liquidate my collection to someone who will take care of them, use them, enjoy them, and then pass them on to the next generation to enjoy.

I have personally paid what many would consider to be crazy money for some moulds. Money I can find. Rare Hensley & Gibbs moulds are harder. I've never regretted buying any of them after using them.

FWIW.

I agree completely. I've bought never used S.D. #68 and #51 four cavities that I paid a lot for and never regretted it. Like you said money is out there, and going down in value, but there will never be any more H&G molds made.