No More Ranchdog...Now What?

[wtfooptimax200]

All of this time I'd been planning to jump on the RD bandwagon when funds allowed. After seeing the recent news about RD shutting down, I have a bit of a conundrum....RD molds seem to be wildly popular for lever action calibers such a 30-30, 32, 35, and 45-70, but it seems by the time I can purchase them, they will be out of stock. With my wedding one month away and the purchase of a house in the few months after that, funding for molds is non-existent. Thinking ahead, how should I go about surviving in the Post-RD world? Who else makes great molds for the above calibers in lever actions?

Thanks,
Branden

[runfiverun]

lee made them for him and,michael said they should be adding them to thier line-up,some of them anyway.
r-dog had also been designing some molds for the rossi leverguns.
he has a websight set up to discuss rossi frearms and stuff.
you can link it from the mold sight.

[Bullshop]

He was kind enough to give me one of each design as of a couple years ago so I could supply samples for folks wanting to try before they buy.
I still have them and will still cast from them.

[Frozone]

Darn, RD is just about the Perot of the mold makers :-}

[JJC]

I had a NOE copy of the RD 45 cal 425 gr. Did not like it to much. Check out Accurate molds, I would think he can make what you want or recreate a design. He may already have something in the catalog you like too?

[WilliamDahl]

Darn, RD is just about the Perot of the mold makers :-}

So, you're saying that he is short and obnoxious?

[captaint]

Take heart folks, this is not the first time the Ranchdog has retired from the mold business. enjoy Mike

[Moondawg]

Let not your heart be troubled. There are plenty of good mold makers out there that will turn out a quality mold to fit your needs. Whats more they will do it in iron or brass.

[1Shirt]

Yep, agree with Moondawg! The difference however will be in price!
1Shirt!

[youngda9]

I just snatched up one a few days ago. Glad I did ! Now if I could only predict which ones I'd wish that I'd buy in the future...hmmm.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

All of this time I'd been planning to jump on the RD bandwagon when funds allowed. After seeing the recent news about RD shutting down, I have a bit of a conundrum....RD molds seem to be wildly popular for lever action calibers such a 30-30, 32, 35, and 45-70, but it seems by the time I can purchase them, they will be out of stock. With my wedding one month away and the purchase of a house in the few months after that, funding for molds is non-existent. Thinking ahead, how should I go about surviving in the Post-RD world? Who else makes great molds for the above calibers in lever actions? Thanks, Branden

It has been said before, We are currently in the golden age of cast boolit mold manufacture. The number of custom manufacturers producing "to spec" molds is higher than anytime in history...as well as many, many production manufacturers producing near spec molds.

If there is a market (even a small one) there will be someone to make you a RD style mold.

Good Luck to you RD, have some fun, life is short.
Jon

[Moondawg]

RE: the price of an excellent custom mold: give your money to your favorite mold maker, or give it to our president and his government. Your choice.

[40Super]

unfortunately you have no choice but to give it to the government, hence no funds to buy the molds in the first place.

[Murphy]

What a shame, he offered some great designs. I was shopping for a good mould for my .380 boolits in a 6 cavity. His design and weight were just what I was looking for.

With any luck, LEE will be smart enough to pick up some of the most popular ones and run with them.

Murphy

[runfiverun]

i know of someone that is setting up a cnc machine that will be making molds here shortly....
he can most likely be persuaded to do the r/d design programming....
he will need a bit of time to get everything worked out..

[rainy191]

+1 for accurate molds. i have 2 made of brass and are the best i have. by far supiorior to ranchdog or lee. lee worked well to learn on but once i started getting lyman and my 2 accurate molds, i wont buy or use any lee again

[Roundnoser]

Bullshop is back??? When did that happen??? I must have been sleeping!

[timbuck]

where did you get that idea?
his website is up.
Was there a notice that I missed?

[Char-Gar]

All of this time I'd been planning to jump on the RD bandwagon when funds allowed. After seeing the recent news about RD shutting down, I have a bit of a conundrum....RD molds seem to be wildly popular for lever action calibers such a 30-30, 32, 35, and 45-70, but it seems by the time I can purchase them, they will be out of stock. With my wedding one month away and the purchase of a house in the few months after that, funding for molds is non-existent. Thinking ahead, how should I go about surviving in the Post-RD world? Who else makes great molds for the above calibers in lever actions?

Thanks,
Branden

Relax..We were shooting cast bullets in leverguns long before Ranchdog saw the light of day and we will continue to do so long after he has gone dark.

[turbo1889]

It is of course up to Ranch Dog himself, and I can certainly respect his wishes if he doesn't want to do this but it seems to me that it would be an incredibly nice guesture if he (and other great mold makers who decide to close up shop) would post their boolit design diagrams on the cast boolits server on their way out so that the knowledge isn't lost and those designs can still be made via group buy or other custom means.

Could be sort of a continuing heritage for the next generations so to speak and a continuing name recognition to the original designer. What better credit can be given if people still refer to a design you came up with by your prefered screen name or other designation long after you are gone? Just think of some of the names for some of the BPCR boolits that the last names of their original designers are now the inserperable name of that kind of boolit long after they have passed on sometimes multiple generations ago.