casting 185" cores

[Gamsek]

Swagers,
I opened a discussion on Gruop buys to see if there is any interest (beside mine) in a 8cav mold for casting 185" cores - for swaging 224" bullets. I have Corbin's adjustable mold but simply to complicated with electric furnace I have.

I can get a blank and ask someone to drill it for me, but I rather see it done by mold maker. If we get enough interest he (MiHec) will do them. I had a chat with him and he is willing to do and since no special pins and special design etc...wait should not be long.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url...8&share_type=t

[Hickory]

I think NOE might have what you need.

[Gamsek]

I think NOE might have what you need.

Thanks, but before I get stuff here to Europe postage and 20% customs tax double the price...

[ohnomrbillk]

What grain are you thinking?

I have the NOE. It casts a 75gr core.

The biggest bullet I use 0.185" wire is with is my 224 caliber 8 ogive using a 0.930" jacket. Max Bullet weight with no lead exposed uses about a 63gr core. 12 grains is a lot to squirt. I've resorted to cutting them with my core cutter to 65gr and then using them.

I like the fixed core weight idea, but I think you'll have a hard time getting enough people in agreement for Miha to do a group buy in a single weight.

if he would do a Cramer style with different pin lengths, you could have adjustment of weight by changing the pin...

[Gamsek]

What grain are you thinking?

I have the NOE. It casts a 75gr core.

The biggest bullet I use 0.185" wire is with is my 224 caliber 8 ogive using a 0.930" jacket. Max Bullet weight with no lead exposed uses about a 63gr core. 12 grains is a lot to squirt. I've resorted to cutting them with my core cutter to 65gr and then using them.

I like the fixed core weight idea, but I think you'll have a hard time getting enough people in agreement for Miha to do a group buy in a single weight.

if he would do a Cramer style with different pin lengths, you could have adjustment of weight by changing the pin...

For me 55grs core would be ideal, since 62 grains is max for my jacket length.
If you check link to discussion you can see options, 45,55,65grs- and they are not fixed. That can change. That's why it is still in discussion thread. If there is enough interest for some different weight (75) Miha will do it. We just need total amount of molds to be interesting to Miha, 3 fixed versions max.

Fixed is simple. No special tooling and pins to wait for.
Yes he could do adjustable with 3 pins, but price and wait time would go up. He can do Crammer style in brass only. It means less cavities and higher price again.
Lets see what interest fixed version(s) will get. As I said, I can drill my blank, but rather see if mold maker does it.

[runfiverun]

I use the 4 cavity adjustable corbin mold too.
how I worked it out was to mount it on the edge of my bench.
then I put a stool under it and a small metal 1 gallon bucket with some water [@3"] in it to catch the cores.
I raised the bucket up with a box to get the lip about 5" under the mold.
then I ladle into the mold and lift the bottom by gloved hand and use the other gloved hand to tip and guide the cores into the water.

right about now your asking why water in the bucket?
it's so when I miss the mold a little with the ladle the alloy just cools off in the water and doesn't just pour all over the cores.

to get the sprue off the plate I ground a flat blade screw driver that slides down the channel and I just flip the sprue into my hand and return it to the pot as I reach for the ladle.

it took me a bit to work everything out but now that I got it down I can make a big ol pile of cores in a couple of hours.

[clodhopper]

The water in the bucket. Solved my biggest problem with corbin core molds. But still gotta love multi cavity molds and a 20# bottom pour.
I don't love the ladle.

[Gamsek]

I have few reasons for that kind of fixed mold:
- I cover 99.9% of my needs with 55grs
- 8cav versus 4cav
- Easy, fast casting
- 80€
- quality MP mold with thick sprue plate
And my last reason is:


For rest of swagers, reasons can be:
Mold Price, speed, easy casting, mold is not modified Lee but built by MP Molds, we don't need 20 to happen (I think 10 in total would do), you can choose 45,55,65....and since its still in discussion you can propose your weight, ......remember, we just need total amount of molds for MiHec to set his drill. And why 8cav and not 11? As I understood, 8 holes sprue plate are made already....so waiting would not be long...

I love my electric furnace and love my 6cav MP molds, I make piles in no time, but can't use adjustable Corbin, except with laddle. I am spoiled now. I will have mine, even if I myself drill that blank.

We have 4 now, jump on...

[runfiverun]

I don't love the ladle either.
I'm actually going to chop the handle down on mine to make it easier to operate.
I already ground a little slot in the rib on the ladle so it butts up against the side of the mold itself and I can get a good consistent pour.
by doing the above I can run the 4 cavity mold almost as quickly as I can move the 11 cavity mold I have cut in the LEE 6 cavity blocks.

before that I was surely wishing for a 55 gr core mold I could just cast with and swage to weight.
especially since I only had a 1 cavity adjustable mold that was not cooperative in the least.

[Gamsek]

Topic is in active group buys so few of those beauties will be made...

[Sasquatch-1]

If you are having a clearance problem and have a Lee 10 lb. bottom pour you can reverse the base plate and the clamp it to a table. you could then get anything you wanted under the spout. Not sure if this will work with the 20 lb. pot.

[Gamsek]

If you are having a clearance problem and have a Lee 10 lb. bottom pour you can reverse the base plate and the clamp it to a table. you could then get anything you wanted under the spout. Not sure if this will work with the 20 lb. pot.

Thanks for advice, but;
- my furnace is 20kg (40lb?) custom made one, no changes wanted even if I could do it (see my photo in thread)
- still PITA to cast with adjustable 4cav
- I have addiction to new molds
- I want 8cav mold from MiHec.
- will sell my Corbin adjustable mold and will buy almost two MiHec's core molds for that money
- anyone in need for 185" mold is foolish not to pay only 80€ (86$) for new core mold -delivered. Based on his new 8cav design, its special run
-I saw modified Lee 11cav selling for 195$ and 150$ so....
They gonna look like this....yep, blanks are ready


And my furnace looks like this