Seasonal Price Fluctuations?

[Devon]

I'm fairly new to the cast bullet world. My question is there seasonal price fluctuations for used molds? When is the best time to buy/sell? Do high end mold prices fluctuate? What about rifle & pistol molds? Is the market the same, or different?

[RogerDat]

I have never noticed. Might be a bit more demand for sabot and muzzle loading bullet molds coming on toward deer season? If there is a time of year when a lot of estate sales take place that might influence things a bit. Thing is a mold is a mold. Has a certain value which is always pretty relative to the cost of replacing it with a new one. Some out of production molds with designs that are highly valued are premium all the time. An inexpensive Lee mold used will probably always be close to the same price. A NOE or Accurate mold in good condition will only be a small amount less expensive than new most of the time.

Seems to me price of the specific mold is more a function of how quickly the seller wants to sell that mold vs. the normal value. People might offer a mold that new is $80 + shipping for $70 or $65 with shipping, or maybe go down to $60 if they want someone to jump right on it. Season is not terribly important. NOE and maybe others have Christmas specials

[toallmy]

It seems as if the ebay sellers are trying to move mold price up , but I still find something interesting once in a while .

[Garyshome]

sometimes e bay sellers try to get more then someone say midsouth or natchez will sell and ship a mold for.

[rototerrier]

I've never seen any fluctuations, especially here in the forums. I've bought some and sold some. They tend to hold their value fairly well as long as they are in good condition.

I suppose prices might go up a little in the winter as that's when most people cast more so demand might be higher since interest is higher. Just a guess, but I've never paid close enough attention to know if that's true. I just know I do way more casting in the winter when the weather is bad. Also do more online shopping and forum classified lurking.

[dragon813gt]

Price fluctuations are caused by the seller. They either want maximum profit or to move it quickly and price accordingly. The only other time there has been a fluctuation was post Sandy Hook when everything disappeared from the shelves. That was a simple case of supply and demand. I unloaded all my Lee molds for a tidy profit

[toallmy]

I noticed when new saeco mold price increased the ebay asking price went up as well . It is nice to have all the new mold manufacturers that will make what you want at the size you are looking for . But My curse is I prefer the harder metal molds .

[dbosman]

In my experience there are fluctuations that seemed seasonal but more accurately reflected political seasons, and not just presidential seasons.
I find eBay to be frustrating and sad. Sad for the people who don't know enough to know they are being cheated. Lee molds with "Buy It Now" for over Lee's retail price, for instance. Current Lyman single cavity molds being advertised as vintage with prices over the current suggested retail for double or quad cavity.

[RogerDat]

Probably key to getting a good price is not seasonal but knowing the market value of molds you have an interest in. It starts with knowing what that item can be purchased for new. I too am amazed at used Lee molds listed for almost the price of new if not more. Or several dollars over commercial prices they can be purchase for from well known stores. Know if it is a $20 mold, or a $100 mold.

Know what it is you want. Allows you to do the pricing up front so you know a good deal when you see it. Compare and research allows you to determine what the item is worth to you. Some are better quality (for a price) and some are better bargains (with potentially lower quality)

You know that stuff is what you should do for anything casting and reloading. If you don't know market price and actual price/value trade offs you won't be likely to get a good deal.

[gwpercle]

The season of the year doesn't seem to affect the seller's price.
I used to watch Ebay for used moulds and could never see a pattern. Some were priced insanely high while others were a good deal. You just have to keep looking , know how much you are willing to spend, be able to recognize the damaged/rusted ones and sooner or later you will find something.
When Lyman stopped making 41 magnum moulds I decided to get two or three more , I searched Ebay but could never find any reasonably priced double cavity 41's. Bought one new mould from Lee , two new 3 cavity 41's from NOE and with the two Lyman's I already owned I'm set . The model 58 in my avatar is the 41 magnum I enjoy shooting .
As for pricing , if a new mould sells for $100 I try not to pay more than $50.00 for a used one.
Discontinued moulds are another story. I have discovered NOE makes several of the discontinued designs , can be ordered for sometimes less than Ebay bidding war used. I'm sure the other custom mould makers recreate old designs also. A lot of times these wind up being better and cheaper.
Gary

[MT Gianni]

Election season is the main movement for price tracking.

[TexasGrunt]

Probably key to getting a good price is not seasonal but knowing the market value of molds you have an interest in. It starts with knowing what that item can be purchased for new. I too am amazed at used Lee molds listed for almost the price of new if not more. Or several dollars over commercial prices they can be purchase for from well known stores. Know if it is a $20 mold, or a $100 mold.

Know what it is you want. Allows you to do the pricing up front so you know a good deal when you see it. Compare and research allows you to determine what the item is worth to you. Some are better quality (for a price) and some are better bargains (with potentially lower quality)

You know that stuff is what you should do for anything casting and reloading. If you don't know market price and actual price/value trade offs you won't be likely to get a good deal.

You're right on eBay. I check the listings every day. I bid on a lot of molds but win very few. I see a lot of "new" molds listed for much higher than what Amazon or Midway would deliver them for. But it's not limited to molds. It's the same on the entire site.

[ACrowe25]

sometimes e bay sellers try to get more then someone say midsouth or natchez will sell and ship a mold for.

This has always been my experience too... I simply stopped looking. First stop here in the classifieds then natchez or midway.

[RogerDat]

You're right on eBay. I check the listings every day. I bid on a lot of molds but win very few. I see a lot of "new" molds listed for much higher than what Amazon or Midway would deliver them for. But it's not limited to molds. It's the same on the entire site.

I had someone on this forum mention that part of that higher price is intended to make sales to places where official stores won't send reloading equipment. International sales of some reloading stuff eBay private party sellers will do and stores will not.

On eBay along the left there is a check box to see same search in sold items. This can tell you what the range sold prices have been. Which can be useful in setting a bid. It might also allow you to spot pricing trends that are seasonal. But I tend to think politics and mass shootings tend to drive prices more than seasons.

The few items I have bid on I decide what I am willing to pay, then bid that amount in the last few minutes with some funky odd cents that will beat 50 or 75 cent bids that match mine, using 56 cents or 78 cents on my bid. Figuring out what I am willing to pay is key, I'm not there to bid against you, I'm there to buy the item as long as it costs less than my price. eBay will only use the portion of my bid required to beat other bids. I can bid $23.56 and if you bid $21 eBay will only use $22 of my bid to beat you. And if you bid $23.55 I will still win because mine is that odd penny higher bid.

Honestly in my opinion just posting in the Wanted to Buy sub forum of Swapping & Selling will often times yield an offer of the item you seek at a good price. With I think less chance of someone here selling you a rust bucket mold with cavity dings as "needs some cleaning and showing some wear from use but very good overall". People have reputations to protect here, it is a community. eBay is a flea market. Also folks here will often times bend over backwards to help a fellow caster out with a good price.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Ecclesiastes 3

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

If by season, you mean "market condition"...then I can say I've seen a few.

One was just after Obama was first elected (but before he was sworn in)...which also coincided with the commodities/metals market peak. While this may not have effected the mold market nearly as much as the guns and ammo market, there was a rise in demand for reloading and casting equipment also. Oh and besides guns and ammo, there was a sharp rise in 223/556 brass and 9mm brass, which had always been priced at or below scrap prices because there was always more supply than demand, but that changed in 2009.

The big one was in early 2013, a month or so, after the sandy hook shooting and Obama making some gun control talk in the MSM. AR-15's and 556 milsurp ammo flew off the shelves for stupid high prices, then the 22LR ammo went, then 9mm ammo and other common pistol caliber ammo. THEN, strangely enough, reloading dies in 223 and 9mm flew off the shelves and were found on ebay for scalper pricing ...That is when I started seeing 22 cal molds (suitable for 223/556) on ebay for 4 or 5 times their retail value.

But, other than those type of events, the used mold market is pretty stable.

[bedbugbilly]

used molds - like anything else that is "used" - guns, cars, tools . . . . the value is determined by what a willing buyer is willing to pay a willing seller at a particular time on a particular day.

y may find a "general price range" but I have sold used molds of less than what I considered "worth" because the buyer was on a tight budget and I could help them out. I have also paid more than what I felt a mold was worth due to having looked for a particular mold for a long time.

Seasonal pricing? I have never noticed any. I have noticed the increase of used items as Christmaswhen funds are needed for other things.

Now I rarely buy a used mold but prefer to buy a quality one such as NOE, etc. that
i know will cast well and give me a boolit that
i know is what I want size wisw and weight wise.

I have purchased molds off of flea bay and the prices seem nuts at times - plus you are buying a pig in a poke. I have been stung several times by buying a mold with an issue - i.e. buying someone's problem.

If you are going to buy used - figure out what iy is "worth to you" and then don't get carried away as there are lots of good used molds out there. It's a "hobby" and IMHO waiting for a "seasonal pricing" that will probably not occur is only preventing you from enjoying your hobby - but again, let your budget dictate what you "need" as opposed to what you "want" and don't get carried away.

[georgewxxx]

My son sells model train parts on eBay, and has sold a few things for me. He says to get the most out of your items, always have the sale end on Sunday night when most people are around to follow whatever your selling. I sold a couple of Kerr slings and was dumbfounded when they went for over $200.00 mostly because the sale ended on Sunday.

[rintinglen]

When it comes to molds, the time to buy is when you have the money.
NOE and Accurate have drawn me away from the used mold market. Now for a common mold, say a Lyman 358-311 or a 429-421 you can still find deals, but the rarer the mold, the bigger the price. Thankfully, you can get just about anything you want from one of the custom mold makers these days at prices that are not too bad. NOE has sales every so often and if what you want is on sale, SWEET.

[Strtspdlx]

I've bought a handful of used molds. Most that where still being produced where only 25-30$ less then new. So it was my fault that I didn't buy new. But I haven't bought a used mold yet that has met my expectations as far as condition for price paid. So I buy everything new now. They come with a warranty. I'll spend the extra 25-30$ for that and then I don't have to struggle and weed through all the bs to get a good mold. If I where to buy used I wouldn't pay anymore then 50% of the molds cost new. Just because it is used and doesn't have a warranty. I've bought a couple off here that where so bad I couldn't get them to work without extensive repairs. And when I brought it up to the seller I was told "it's a used mold I never cast with so how should I know it isn't casting right". To me if you're selling something. You should know it's condition. I bought a mold for casting. Not a mold for a paperweight. Sorry for the rant. After the handful of used molds I bought and what I got. I won't buy used again.