I'm getting an Accurate Mold

[hondo1892]

I found a bullet that will fit my Winchester 92 44 mag. The Accurate 43-240L gas check bullet will work. I sent an email to Tom and he said this style functions well in lever guns. It will be a bit bigger though. I ask if I could get it in 255 grain instead and he said no problem. Now I have to decide brass or iron. I also just picked up a Ruger 44 spl so I need to get a mold for it also. Anyone here have an old Lyman four cavity 429421 they want to get rid of. I had one years ago but sold it when I traded off my super black hawk. Sometimes I can kick myself for such things.

[onesonek]

Personally I haven't tried Tom's iron molds, but have 3 and soon to be 4 brass molds. I like them a lot. Haven't cast with iron before so I can't tell you my thoughts between the 2. But would get another brass mold from him in a heart beat. In your situation,,,,I would get a 2 cav. brass, one design for the Winchester and then another design for the Ruger. But that's what I would do, the choice is yours. The second cavity will cost you less in the long run. It's what I did for the .45-70 and .454

[white eagle]

brass and iron are similar in casting
techniques and mold values
it will be hard to choose between the two

[geargnasher]

Not hard for me to choose.

I only have brass moulds from Tom, but I don't have much interest in owning any other kind or make unless he can't make it (.30 caliber or smaller, or spire point) and make it from brass.

Gear

[turbo1889]

There are only two reasons I would choose an iron or steel mold over a brass mold:

1. ~ Stainless Steel - Enough said, unfortunately such molds are as rare as hens teeth. From my understanding this is mainly due to SS being a PITA to machine especially to very tight tolerances.

2. ~ I will be casting from that mold with a high tin content alloy. Brass and tin love each other and the more tin in your alloy the more chance the casting alloy will stick to the mold as good or better then it does itself and you can end up soldering your mold halves together. Alloys with 3% or less tin are considered completely safe to use with Brass molds, but once you get up above 5% tin the odds of having this problem start increasing exponentially. From what I understand 10% or more tin content and it’s almost a sure thing you will end up soldering your mold together.

[nicholst55]

Take a look at the group buy for an NOE clone of the Lee 430-310 RF (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=100849).

My Winchester 94AE Trapper slugs .432", and I think this boolit should be just about ideal! Perhaps the best thing is that it's available in both aluminium and brass!

[cajun shooter]

The brass and iron moulds run close in heat and how they cast. When I first purchased moulds from Tom I decided to try the brass and my only regret is that I did not buy brass years ago. The only thing is that they will not take any abuse like a iron mould. If you treat your moulds as you should then they should still look new after years of service.

[white eagle]

I am actually not liking casting boolits with aluminum molds anymore
tried them after ridding myself of them and find them more frustrating and fickle than brass and iron

[Heavy lead]

Once you get the knack of brass, you can cast a lot. I have too many good aluminum moulds to rid myself of them, from NOE, Mountain Molds, and NEI, but I believe most of my new ones will be 4 cavity from Mihec and 3 cavity from Tom. NOE will still get business as well as his aluminum are just too good. Pretty sure even though RCBS has been my favorite over the counter mould for me I won't be buying any more of them as for a few bucks more I can have a custom done in brass. Lyman and Lee won't even get a look anymore.

[hondo1892]

Thanks guys. I will probably try a brass mold and see how it works out.

[EDK]

I'd use the mould you ordered from ACCURATE for the 44 Special also.

I just received my 429421/H&G503 clone from MIHEC in four cavity brass; got the six cavity aluminum mould awhile back and MMA10MM's version in a LEE...great very similar design. See if MIHEC has any over-runs of his...lots of discussion and no complaining about it that I've seen.

You might also see about getting in on the hollow base 44 wadcutter mould from MIHEC going on now. A full wadcutter 44 makes some impressive holes in your targets.

There are some really great moulds available now AND MIHEC and NOE are producing them promptly, with excellent quality and reasonable prices. BRP and ACCURATE have designs I like...only thing I need is some yankee dollars to send them.

:Fire::cbpour::redneck: