Why do my Lee molds cast so much easier than my MP’s?

[Drew P]

MP offers aluminum molds. They work better than Lee garbage on a bad day.

[M-Tecs]

Different equipment and different techniques will affect the outcome. I have had great results with any quality mold and good results with Lee 6 bangers. Brass is my first choice with steel being a close second. Aluminum is a close third. Some people grumble about the weight of brass and steel but I started with 4 cavity steel and moved on to 10 cavity H&G's so weight has never been an issue for me.

[Mal Paso]

Heavy Molds are Good for You! How are you going to hold a gun steady without muscletone? I'm going to hoist brass molds until I can't anymore!

[Fernando]

Brass is always my first choice.
Preheating is no problem - on the hotplate while the pot heats up.
I have a cheat sheet for every mould - preheat temp, casting cadence, and alloy
Most times I hit it right and no rejects right from the start.
I have alot of iron ($$) and they are nice but still prefer brass.
AL is my last choice - always seem to have problems of some sort.
But I don't use gang moulds and stick to single and two cavity.
Try them all and whatever works the best go with - this game would be pretty
boring if there was only one way to skin a cat.

[farmbif]

if you have difficulty adapting to using molds made of different materials I guess it all has something to with past experience and patience. the first bullet mold I ever used was a brass one that came with an Italian made cap and ball pistol back in about 1970. It was that experience that got me hooked. my next molds were Lyman then RCBS.
but the first piece of functional art I ever got off a group buy I think was Miha's 4 cavity copy of the 503 mold and I have not used any of my Lyman 429421's since getting that brass one. after that one I would get his brass molds as I could afford them.

[Soundguy]

Did you follow the instructions and heat cycle the MP mold MULTIPLE times so that it builds up a patina? That patina is critical in getting that mold to release easy. A little candlind and a good wipe out don't hurt either.. but do make sure it is clean.. like with a toothbrush so the air will vent properly. Also.. the MP molds like to be warm.. and they are alot slower to warm than an aluminum lee.

Lastly.. weight and size have alot to do with alloy. many molds are calibrated for a size and weight at a specific alloy, lyman #2 for instance. Harder=bigger
Lead shrinks 1.13% Linotype shrinks .65%

[Papercidal]

MP offers aluminum molds. They work better than Lee garbage on a bad day.

Mp aluminum molds have two extra cavities and are made in a lot better bullet profiles but the Lee 6 cavities cast as well and often better.

On the subject of the brass hp molds they need about 3 casting sessions before they develop a good patina. And they need to be preheated and run very hot.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Each mold has it's own quirks. I up the preheat and alloy temp if a mold won't fill out nicely. You can also try holding the mold firmly against the bottom pour spigot though this slows things down some.

[dogrunner]

I dunno....I own a LOT of moulds and I've experienced issues with every brand, from Lachmiller/Lyman/Lee and RCBS....but once you figure out the 'personality' of each they all do a credible job. Like the man said a lot is just simply technique. Still, I picked up a 200 gr. Lee .30 last fall that is easily the quickest handling of any brand I've fooled with in over 60 years. Took it out of it's box, wiped it down with solvent, smoked it, and the very FIRST bullet I dropped was good to go!

Yeah I know, they are regarded as bargain basement and don't look so pretty smoked and used but it is hard to argue with that sort of performance....anyday!

[Soundguy]

Proof is in the pudding as they say.