New to casting or thinking about it....please read.

[Burnt Fingers]

First off welcome to our club.

Second, PLEASE don't pay stupid prices on eBay for a old beat up mold, or overpay for a Lee.

Take a look at NOE, MP, Arsenal and Accurate.

For the going price on a Lee six cavity mold you could have a mold from any of the four listed above. You'll also have a MUCH better mold.

Thanks.

[JM7.7x58]

There is nothing wrong with a Lee six cavity mold, if you can find one at a reasonable price. I wouldn’t pay anymore than $60.00 for a Lee six cavity however. I do own custom molds from the vendors you mentioned above, and they are very nice. But I also shoot a lot bullets cast from Lee and “old beat up” Lyman molds.

I do agree that if you are willing to spend over $100.00 dollars to get a mold, that a custom would be a better option. If you don’t have $100.00 to spend then you might do better with a WTB ad here in the swapping and selling section.

JM

[bedbugbilly]

Burnt Fingeres - I don't take this post as a slam on Lee molds or any others - what out is very true. I take a look at the molds once in a while on the auction sites and while it's a case of supply and demand during a shortage - the prices that some - let me rephrase that - MOST of the molds are going for is crazy. BUT - something is worth what a willing buyer is willing to pay for an item at a given time I guess.

Anyway - was looking at another thread and though I would just add the link to it as it kind of goes with what you express.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...e-boolit-molds

[Targa]

When you can buy two cavity Lee molds for $25 or so with handles and six cavities with handles for a total of $60 or so, they are an outstanding bargain that cast outstanding bullets, at least the twelve Lee molds I have do. I do agree that with some of the ridiculously inflated prices I have seen lately for Lee the previously mentioned mold manufacturers are a better choice.

[GasGuzzler]

All prices are too high right now and as stated there is nothing wrong with a Lee mold for 99% of us but $100 for a Lee is dumb even for Lee fans. I don't wanna pay $100 for any mold from any manufacturer. We are all different in out needs and what we are willing to pay.

[robg]

lee 2 cavity molds work fine and are cheap .if you cast for several calibres then use 2 molds .

[Burnt Fingers]

Many of you are missing the point of this post. I'm not bashing Lee.

I doubt that many of you have NO idea what Lee molds are selling for on eBay.

[JM7.7x58]

I’m fully aware. I just sold one. The auction ended at $157.00. Plus shipping.

Like I said I would not pay over $60.00.

Midway is allowing you to back order Lee molds. So wait a few months.

JM

[onelight]

I had no idea that Lee molds were getting jacked up so bad. I would not pay $50. For a Lee 2 cavity mold and I like Lee molds and have several they are a great bargain at the normal markdown from retail . And I don't see panic buying molds makes much sense when a big pile of cast bullets with no primers or powder to load them is only good for the folks selling the over priced molds.
All the components have to come back or the molds are pretty much paper weights.

[Green Frog]

BF, I saw you made some good points and agree pretty much with all of them. I followed the path of many here and shopped for bargains, bought used, but sometimes may have paid too much to get what I wanted when I wanted it. That's just the nature of the game. Also, some people have different experiences with the same equipment. I started with the old 10# Lyman pot (well used) and was somewhat experienced with dealing with the dipping spout phenomenon, so I have been quite satisfied with the results I've gotten from a couple of Lee "Drip-o-Matic" 20 pounders. OTOH, I had always had my best results with older, Ideal marked bullet moulds, so until I discovered the current crop of custom moulds, avoided aluminum moulds and even iron moulds by other manufacturers for about the first 25-30 years of my casting career. Now I'm an equal opportunity caster and buy moulds from whoever has a pattern I like in pretty much whatever material they have available.

One thing most of us have probably experienced is that we buy equipment and tools that "seem like a good idea at the time" only to discover they don't work out or do what we expected. Some of us collect those (guilty) and others, perhaps more pragmatic or intelligent, let somebody else own them. Again, it's all part of the game!

To the very good original post here I would add the following suggestion; try to find someone who is already casting, preferably someone with grey hair who has been doing it for a while. Ask him to let you observe and learn at his feet. He will probably do things a little differently from others here, since we are all individuals, but if you see what works for him, you can start to learn what will work for him. It is a good idea to learn the rules well so you know how to break them when need be!

Finally, if you want to save money, do something else... it will be a long time before those promised savings roll in. You have to buy and amortize a lot of stuff, and even if you buy it on the cheap, it will cost money. On the other hand, this afternoon I will be able to go to my basement lair and load ammo that would cost a couple of hundred dollars (if I could find it at all) using components I've squirreled away over the years and tooling that has long since been amortized to just about nothing as well. I figure $3-5 a box for pistol ammo that is fully as good as any available anywhere. That's what casting and reloading are all about.

Good luck!
Froggie

[Rcmaveric]

Yeah... I have seen some messed up prices on molds on Ebay. I dont buy from them any ways. If I do I let my mom do it. Ebay is like her sixth sense. She can find a good deal from a reputable person in 10 minutes. Then bid snipe it. She lives for that now.

I wouldn't pay more the 30 bucks for a Lee 2 cavity mold and 60 for 6 cavity mold. While not always easy to cast with a little TLC and the arent bad. I have personally always though Lyman and RCBs molds are over priced. But I do have have a need for a mallonite (most likely misspelled, mellonite? Maybe? ) 9mm mold. Lyman and RCBs are the only two that I know of that still make mallonite molds. So I might have to buy once and cry once. That's a specific need though for a future projects (zinc casting).

NOE has my heart on molds. For 80 bucks a mold its a great price point and easily saved up for.. I only have 2 but they are like family heirlooms like my Lyman 50 great plains mold (got it here for cheap). Dreams to cast with and rains bullets.

Haven't had the luxury or need for the other manufactures like Accurate or MP. From what I hear from others I expect just as good quality and easy as NOE mold.

Maybe I should start asking for bullet molds for Christmas.

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[P Flados]

This is a good thread and provides great advice for those new to the game.

I am pretty much a "Lee lover". The only non-Lee molds I have I made myself.

However, now is not the time to overpay for a Lee.

Now is a great time for supporting the "better" mold makers.

I will also say, that iffn we boolit making veterans were just a little smarter than a rock, we would all dig through our stockpile of molds. We would dig out the decent molds that we do not use on a regular basis and put them up for sale. This would help satisfy this crazy appetite and help get this mess to settle down again. The cash obtained from these sales would help offset purchases from the NOE, Accurate, MP & Arsenal.

[Jgrus]

I am a noob. Been reloading for a few years now and just looking to start casting my own boolits now. I have been looking all over including eBay for the past few days and eBay is absolutely insane with the prices right now for Lee. I am looking to buy a 356-120TC if anyone has an old one they no longer use because I am not about to pay those ridiculous prices on eBay.

[Mal Paso]

Some of you cretins just have no appreciation for the words Rare and Vintage.

[Mk42gunner]

Some of you cretins just have no appreciation for the words Rare and Vintage.

Especially when the "Rare and Vintage" item is still in production.
Remember folks, it takes at least two bidders to run prices up at an auction.

Robert

[fcvan]

Finally, if you want to save money, do something else... it will be a long time before those promised savings roll in. . .
Froggie

Well, for most I would say this is true. I found a way for it not to be so. I got my lead from the range at work, cast 2000+ a week, and horse traded with friends who reloaded. 500 boolits, 1k primers. 500 boolits, pound of powder. I shot over 1k rounds per week with friends from work. Imagine a new shooter who brings his new pistol to the range, opens his fluffy padded case, and sets down his two boxes of factory as though they were jewels. Some guy says 'put that store bought stuff away' as I pulled a 5 gallon bucket of loaded rounds out of my truck. Try as we could, we didn't empty the bucket that day. Yes, 'the first one is free, the next time your an addict.'

Next thing I know, these guys and ladies soon wanted to learn to reload, some to cast. All were invited, many were converted Booliteers, only 2 actually wanted to learn how to cast. All of those new reloaders soon needed boolits . . . Do the math. I told the wife I will not spend a dime of household money to feed my hobby. I kept my word.

There were other revenue streams, such meal tickets from overtime. Money from the shift went to the bank, meal tickets were worth cash in value. Once, the first wife (yup, not the current one, there's a reason for that) pitched a fit over a gun purchase. I explained for every shift I worked, I got 2 meal tickets but only spent 1. Incidentally, 6 bucks could feed 2 people at the snack bar at work.

Anyway, I pointed out that in the time I had raised the money for the gun, I had put $6000 in the bank, taken her to Prime Rib Dinners once or twice a month, and flowers out of the blue. Had I eaten all of the meal tickets I earned I would be as big as a house. She was silent for 2 hours or more. When she finally spoke, she asked 'what do you have picked out for your next meal ticket pistol?' I told her 'I would let her know.' She never bothered me again about guns, gear, reloading supplies, but she did ask from time to time had I seen anything interesting. The only time she ever questioned me about meal ticket money again was on prime rib night. I replied 'pack the kids, I'm hungry for prime rib.' Biggest smile from her that week. No need to go into why that didn't work out, old history.

Flash forward 30 years, my now wife knew about how bad things were during the last 'primer crisis' and so encouraged me to 'catch up' when things got better. She was buying primers and powder when she found them, firearms occasionally. By that I mean when there was something she wanted, she would buy 2, and I did the same for her, every purchase a surprise, just because. Well, not every one a surprise as sometimes we shopped together and each got the same of what we picked out. I supported her drag racing habit, she supported my Harley addiction.

When AR 15s were 'unobtainium' I built one my wife for Christmas and boy was she ecstatic about that. My parts were on order at the time. She got a 300 BO when I was looking at them, neighbor found 2 at a gun show and came by with the rifle. My parts, and hers, were on order. My brother ended up with those parts.

My wife is a keeper, the first one, not so much.

[Land Owner]

If you are new to casting, as we ALL were at one time, starting fiscally responsibly with a 2-cavity Lee mold is almost a No Brainer. I still have my first mold, a 2-cav. aluminum Lee #35891, purchased here, a full WC, dropping my alloy at 155 grs. for 357 Magnum, that I LOVE to endlessly pour. It is smooth as silk.

If you go slow, which you have to with only 2-cavities, and somehow manage to ham hand a $25 mold getting your first boolits out, you're out beer money for a couple of days, which is recoverable. Just go slow. You will learn to love this hobby.



just to add context, sometimes we let ourselves do stupid stuff. Early on I (and another fellow) requested the same "free" Lee mold as Pay It Forward from someone having trouble with it. I negotiated to receive it with the understanding that I would tame and use it, send some boolits back to the previous owner, and when done, pay it forward to the other guy. No big deal I thought to try some new to me boolits. I thought I could tame it (couldn't) and did a full gambit trying from lessons learned here. In the end I unintentionally beat that mold into an oblate spheroid - then took out my frustration and crushed it to smithereens with a sledge hammer! I felt better and real bad at the same time for doing that. So, I did what I thought was right. I bought a brand NEW mold from Lee, tamed it, poured some for me, completed my obligation sending some boolits to the previous mold owner (along with the story of his mold), and sent THE NEW ONE to the other guy. Lesson learned...why did I get into a deal like that? Perhaps just to get some of the "stupid" out of my system...is all I can think.

[Burnt Fingers]

If you are new to casting, as we ALL were at one time, starting fiscally responsibly with a 2-cavity Lee mold is almost a No Brainer. I still have my first mold, a 2-cav. aluminum Lee #35891, purchased here, a full WC, dropping my alloy at 155 grs. for 357 Magnum, that I LOVE to endlessly pour. It is smooth as silk.

If you go slow, which you have to with only 2-cavities, and somehow manage to ham hand a $25 mold getting your first boolits out, you're out beer money for a couple of days, which is recoverable. Just go slow. You will learn to love this hobby.



just to add context, sometimes we let ourselves do stupid stuff. Early on I (and another fellow) requested the same "free" Lee mold as Pay It Forward from someone having trouble with it. I negotiated to receive it with the understanding that I would tame and use it, send some boolits back to the previous owner, and when done, pay it forward to the other guy. No big deal I thought to try some new to me boolits. I thought I could tame it (couldn't) and did a full gambit trying from lessons learned here. In the end I unintentionally beat that mold into an oblate spheroid - then took out my frustration and crushed it to smithereens with a sledge hammer! I felt better and real bad at the same time for doing that. So, I did what I thought was right. I bought a brand NEW mold from Lee, tamed it, poured some for me, completed my obligation sending some boolits to the previous mold owner (along with the story of his mold), and sent THE NEW ONE to the other guy. Lesson learned...why did I get into a deal like that? Perhaps just to get some of the "stupid" out of my system...is all I can think.

Two cavity Lee molds on eBay are going for almost as much as a 2 cavity from NOE or Arsenal.

[Rcmaveric]

Lee molds have always been that price on Ebay. Then they tack on 20 to 30 bucks for shipping

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[Rickf1985]

I just paid 70.00 for a Lee 6 cavity 225 mold on Ebay, Total price. They are out there, you just have to be in the right place at the right time. I have been watching the classifieds here on CB and it is flat out nuts! Anything of any value is sold within 15 minutes!!!!! Molds and lead generally go in 5-10 minutes. How the hell do people do that!? I have not looked at molds from NOE or Arsenal in .225 but I will bet they are both very hard to find and very expensive.