H&G 6 cavity #503

[FISH4BUGS]

Some time back I lamented here the fact that I just paid stupid money for a new in the box, unused 6 cavity #503 with handles.
It was the "cry once, enjoy it for a lifetime" post.
Well, I just finished a run of 1500 .44 bullets in 3 sessions.
I cannot tell you what a pleasure it is to cast with one of those moulds.
The mould guide on the Lee 20 lb pot takes the weight off the mould and your arms.
Running the pot at about 650 degrees seems to the be sweet spot.
Pre heating the mould is an absolute must. Once up to temp, the bullets drop out with a tap from the neoprene mallet.
The only hold back is the mould temp. Too hot, the bullets get frosty. My next session, I'll experiment with the "...Bruce B speed casting" method.
I like a bit of a frost on them but sometimes it goes too far.
The pain of paying stupid money for the mould has gone away, and I will enjoy it for the rest of my days.
I can only marvel at the machine work skills these guys had - don't forget - it was pre-CNC days and they did them on good old fashioned Bridgeport lathes....by hand....with calipers.
Those days are gone sad to say.

[Ozark mike]

Glad ya like it. Never touched a cnc anything but like me a good ole southbend mechanical wonder. Dro does make it a lil easier though

[Don Purcell]

FISH4BUGS, I have an original 8 cavity H&G 503 that is 32 years old and also have a matched pair of 6 cavity Ballisticast 1503 molds that were made around 1999. Even with the age difference I can switch a cast bullet between the molds and the molds nearly close to just bigger than a hairline. Running all three molds at the same time makes a couple of piles of Keith bullets pretty quick. Glad you have yours and are enjoying them. Crack on!

[FISH4BUGS]

FISH4BUGS, I have an original 8 cavity H&G 503 that is 32 years old and also have a matched pair of 6 cavity Ballisticast 1503 molds that were made around 1999. Even with the age difference I can switch a cast bullet between the molds and the molds nearly close to just bigger than a hairline. Running all three molds at the same time makes a couple of piles of Keith bullets pretty quick. Glad you have yours and are enjoying them. Crack on!

I have rounded out my collection of H&G moulds to do every pistol caliber I shoot. The only jacketed i buy are 147 plated 9mm for suppressed, 223 and 308. The rest are all cast.
I have a 10 cavity S55 (.380 bullet) that can also produce a pile of bullets in short order. These are shot in the Mac 380 subgun.
I guess I have become a Hensley & Gibbs casting snob.
It sure does make life easier to use good equipment.

[44MAG#1]

I have rounded out my collection of H&G moulds to do every pistol caliber I shoot. The only jacketed i buy are 147 plated 9mm for suppressed, 223 and 308. The rest are all cast.
I have a 10 cavity S55 (.380 bullet) that can also produce a pile of bullets in short order. These are shot in the Mac 380 subgun.
I guess I have become a Hensley & Gibbs casting snob.
It sure does make life easier to use good equipment.

Which #503 did you get I have two different designs. One with the narrow front drive band and the wider base band than the middle drive band. And one with the equal length bands.

[FISH4BUGS]

Which #503 did you get I have two different designs. One with the narrow front drive band and the wider base band than the middle drive band. And one with the equal length bands.

I'll have to take a look.
I wonder which is considered the "original" Keith design?
The #503 is said by most to be the true Keith designed bullet.
Interesting question.

[Don Purcell]

My very first #503 H&G had the narrow front band, a little wider middle band, big grease groove and then wide base band. That was in 1979. By 1988 the design was like what Elmer wanted with three equal bands and had a meplat of .300.

[FISH4BUGS]

I'll have to take a look.
I wonder which is considered the "original" Keith design?
The #503 is said by most to be the true Keith designed bullet.
Interesting question.

I just lubed and sized a bunch on the Star Sizer.
These #503's have a narrower front band above the crimp groove and what appears to be equal size bands above and below the wide lube groove.
I might put some calipers to it if you need better measurements.
The serial number is in the 6000's so I would suspect it is a later mould?
My understanding was that the serial number is equal to the invoice number when they sold it.
I just sent an email to Tom Dugas, the resident expert on Hensley & Gibbs and asked for his input as to the possible variations on the #503. He is in the middle of a remodeling project so he may not get right back to me.
I sent the link to this discussion so hopefully he will weigh in.

[Don Purcell]

FISH4BUGS, the crazy thing is as much as Elmer complained about mold makers ruining his design by cutting down the width of the front driving band that first H&G #503 that I mentioned shot really well. I remember once shooting my 8 3/8" and my dad's 8 3/8" at 100 yards setting down across my knees with that bullet and his load of 18 grains of 2400 shooting three groups that are the type you will always fondly remember. Have fun.

[Petrol & Powder]

The great thing about crying once and moving on is that the crying part is relatively short compared to the moving on part.

[FISH4BUGS]

FISH4BUGS, the crazy thing is as much as Elmer complained about mold makers ruining his design by cutting down the width of the front driving band that first H&G #503 that I mentioned shot really well. I remember once shooting my 8 3/8" and my dad's 8 3/8" at 100 yards setting down across my knees with that bullet and his load of 18 grains of 2400 shooting three groups that are the type you will always fondly remember. Have fun.

My 3 screw Ruger Super Blackhawk and the 5 screw pre-29 can hit a 24" steel at 200 yards with iron sights from a rest.....amazing when you think these tired old eyes can hit, on a normal day, 1 out of 6, and on a GOOD day, 2 out of 6.
These are the #503 with 9 gr WW231. Not full house loads but very accurate.

[FISH4BUGS]

The great thing about crying once and moving on is that the crying part is relatively short compared to the moving on part.

I have forgotten the pain of paying through the nose for the # 503.
You are right....moving on and I am now enjoying it.
My go to 44 mag/spl bullet.

[Mal Paso]

This is the drawing for the MP 503, the bands are all .1".

[44MAG#1]

[Gamsek]

MP copy of H&G#503, 6cav aluminium

also marked as MP 432-256


https://www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-...6-pb-hp-4-cav/

[44MAG#1]

Wonder how Mr Keith would have done at 600 yards with that MP 432-256? Good looking bullet.

[derek45]

My ARSENAL #503

[Mal Paso]

I have that Arsenal 5 cavity 503, great mold! I got it when I had alignment pin problems with my 6 cavity MP 503. I think the hotplate was too warm and tapping on the hinge bolt to loosen the bullets caused the alignment pins to move out. Suddenly I had huge fins on the bullets. I have since reset the alignment pins and cross pinned them. I was told the new molds are all cross pinned now.

[FISH4BUGS]

I checked my H&G #503. It DEFINITELY has a narrower top drive band. No question.
I tried to measure the drive band but the plastic RCBS Case length Calipers just are not up to the task.
So....I wonder just WHO is the true Keith design?
Minor variations here and there between manufacturers, but someone must have been the true Keith design.
My bet goes with H&G.....

[Gamsek]

Wonder how Mr Keith would have done at 600 yards with that MP 432-256? Good looking bullet.

“Later, in the early 1960s, Elmer Keith was frustrated with the changes that Lyman had made to his SWC designs, so he turned to H&G and commissioned them to reproduce his original SWC designs. The results were the H&G #503 (.44 SWC), the #501 (.45 SWC) and the newly designed #258 (.41 SWC) for the brand new .41 Magnum.”

Link:

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell44SWC.htm

MP 432-256 is allegedly true copy of HG#503. (??)