Interest in a core mold for swaging

[u.p. north]

What kind of interest would you guys have in a core mold for swaging sizes? I was thinking a aluminum mold with sprue cutter. What are the common sizes on lead wire? I think with a little effort i could make them adjustable for different weight also.
Thanks,
U.P. North ( Tim )

Looks like nine different sizes of wire can be bought. I guess i could check on making nine different sized molds. Also how many cavities (5?-9?-14?) would you all think would benefit you? I could run a group buy on these and start production on lets just say six moulds of each different size.

[MIBULLETS]

My guess would be 3/16"(22-25 cal cores), 1/4"(30 - ? cores), and 5/16"(9mm-38 cores) might be common sizes. Again just a guess and the 40, 44, and 45 shooters would need one a bit bigger.

[blaser.306]

.365 diam . for .429-.452-.458

[BwBrown]

I would think a 5 core mold would be a reasonable compromise between efficiency and economy?

Core sizes for:
44/45
30 cal
22/243/257 cal

Bob

[plus1hdcp]

I would think a 5 core mold would be a reasonable compromise between efficiency and economy?

Core sizes for:
44/45
30 cal
22/243/257 cal

Bob

I agree with Bob

[Toobroke]

Corbin has a recommended wire size chart for caliber in his book "Rediscover Swaging". He recommends:

3/16" for .224 thru .270

1/4" for .284 thru .338

5/16" for .358 thru .375

3/8" for .400 thru .458

These are for commercial jackets only. Drawn or otherwise jackets are probably going to be different

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

My thoughts...

I'm guessing with the popularity of BT's one step swage
dies for 40 cal. using a 9mm case.
a .355" @ 115 gr. actual using WW alloy
I'd like to see a 4 cav. mold. using the Lee handles.
Jon

I'm quite happy with the Lee TLTC 40 cal. 175 gr. mold
for the BT's 44 cal one step swage dies.
I can't see much improvement there.
Jon

[MIBULLETS]

Toobroke has it right. These sizes will work with most all swage dies and jackets, better to make them work for the standards than to get too specific.

[Dframe]

I'd be interested in an adjustable core mould in 3/16.

[u.p. north]

I checked midways price for a blank mold and it was quite expensive I thought. I am thinking aluminum for the material (or would steel work for you guys?????), and a steel sprue plate and the customer could use their existing lee handles.

[Doby45]

You can check with Lee and get a group buy up for blank mold blocks. Then drill them to whatever size you want. That's what I was thinking of doing for 223 cores.

[ANeat]

Lee sells blanks for $45 plus shipping. I was thinking about getting a few to drill out for some members. The only rub is they would be 6 cavity.

The nice thing about the Lee blocks are they have sprue plate, locating pins and everything, just need holes added

[Doby45]

That's the ticket, even with it only being 6 cavities it is cheaper than lead wire and I got the dead soft lead just sitting in a bucket. ;)

[gvanzeggelaar]

Put me down for a 3/16" core mould. Is there an accurate way to cut the cores later?

[uncleskippy]

A 3/16" core mould sounds good to me.

[Dframe]

I checked midways price for a blank mold and it was quite expensive I thought. I am thinking aluminum for the material (or would steel work for you guys?????), and a steel sprue plate and the customer could use their existing lee handles.

Aluminum or steel would be fine with me. I'd need the "adjustable" feature though. Using existing Lee handles is a good idea as they are readily available.

[sly mantis]

Id be interested in in a 3/16" to make cores for 224

[uncleskippy]

Tim

Any more thoughts about the core molds?

[u.p. north]

uncleskippy,
I have been pretty busy but i think i can put something together in the next couple of weeks.
Thanks,
U.P. North

[michiganvet]

U.P. North; my wife brought one home from a garage sale with a single ajustable cavity. I'm in da Soo, eh.

[DukeInFlorida]

I would think that a blank mold, drilled out to "max length" for cores would be fine.

Then, run those raw cores through a lead wire cutter to get to ballpark weight, and use the core seater (with bleed hole) to get to final seating/ weight.

I, too, have been struggling with how to get cores. I could buy lead wire, or make my own cores with the blank mold method.

I'm happy with the .380 castings (105 grains) as the cores for the 9's to .40 one step. And, I have the Lee mold for producing bullets to use as cores for the .44 mag one step.

I need, however, solutions for the 30 cal (.308) process and the upcoming .224 process.

I could create a wire/core cutter, but don't have a great way to drill out blank molds. Or, maybe I do, and just too afraid that I would mess it up.

What would you charge for supplying core molds (6 cavity?). I know it's $45 for the blanks. Plus double shipping (them to you, and you to me)

[mold maker]

I just watch LEE close out and pick up molds (2nds) that are a cal. less than what I need. You can always drill the design shapes out to increase the weight. Just add slight perssure with a C clamp to keep it round. Soft lead cores don't have to be pretty to work.

[Southron Sanders]

The way I solved my "Core Problem" was to buy some old Lyman bullet moulds and then drill them out to produce the size and length of core I desired.

I literally "Drilled Them Out" (i.e., enlarged the cavity) using a standard drill on a drill press.

Then I set the moulds up to work on my Master Caster casting machine. The casting machine makes a world of difference when it comes to producing a LOT of cores quickly.

HINT: Never, never, never try to use an ALUMINUM MOULD on a Master Caster-the machine will literally "Eat and Aluminum Mould Alive!"

[u.p. north]

Was thinking of doing a group buy on some lee core moulds (blanks with handles and sprue plates). I would machine in the size core needed and make them adjustable for weights. Lets see what kind of interest I get from you's to do it this way. Price I got so far for one blank mould with handles would be about $70 and that does not include shipping to me.

Question for you's Do the blanks come with sprue plates?

Thanks,
U.P. North


Here is the link on what I have to offer so far. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=1418862&postcount=1

[u.p. north]

Any interest from you guys for a six cavity core mold that is adjustable? I am going to put in a order for some blanks and I can pass the savings if I get 12 or more orders.
U.P.

[Guardian]

I would be interested in an adjustable mold or 2 in 0.356-in diameter, or something close. What do you expect pricing to be?

[u.p. north]

Here is the list so far: I can start on these in approx 2-3 weeks. I will let this run for two weeks. Just trying to save you guys a little money.
Here is a link to a Custom Mold I made for a fellow member here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?172450-Core-Mold
1 - Guardian .356 diameter (Paid) 1
2 - Dframe .185" diameter (Paid) 1
3 - IllinoisCoyoteHunter Size? (Paid) 1
4- IllinoisCoyoteHunter Size? (Paid) 1
5 -
6
7
8
9
10
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12

[Live2Ride]

656546565565656 I have three of Tim's molds and can attest to their quality. I highly recommend his work and molds.

[u.p. north]

Guys post 27 will have your names and what you ordered.
U.P. North


Here is the list so far: I can start on these in approx 2-3 weeks. I will let this run for two weeks. Just trying to save you guys a little money.
Here is a link to a Custom Mold I made for a fellow member here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?172450-Core-Mold
1 - Guardian .356 diameter or close
2 - Dframe .185" diameter
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

I'd be interested in 2 core molds that would work well for BT Snipers 9 to 40 cal dies and the 40 to 45 dies. I am a newbie so I would be looking for guidance on the proper sizes. ( I saw the recommended sizes from Corbin, but these are not commercial jackets [obviously LOL!]). Thanks in advance for any advice!

Tony

[Wayne Smith]

If the price is right I'll spring for one in .356" or .355".

[GRUMPA]

After asking about something like this recently I would be interested in 1 of those in .356 or there about. A 6 cavity would be real nice to have and being able to adjust the weights of the cores to me would be just perfect. Only thing is the price of the end product, I was trying to find a junky 6 cavity mould that I could alter myself, experience in this type of project I have it's the machines I lack.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

This was some info U.P. North sent me in a PM (for those that are using 9mm cases for 40 cal jackets and 40 cases for 45 cal jackets):

For 9mm (.335") slides right in to the bottom of the case. For the .40 S.W. case (.375") slides right in to the bottom of the case.

I plan on seating my cores and not using the one step dies, so not sure how these sizes would work with the one-step die.

Tony

[toolz568]

I want one for the 45. Please put me down for one. I have a single by hawk bullets and it works great, but I like to cast 100-150 at a time and it is time consuming. Having one that will drop 3-5 would be great.

[toolz568]

Found this on another forum. Made by Stealthshooter. Something like this would cut out the seating step, but I have a feeling it would have to be a custom fit.



65987

[u.p. north]

I am wondering if you would get a amount of flashing arould the top with the outside of the case being smaller towards the top.And also how would you control the amount of lead for in the case? Unless you just filled it to the top everytime or above. I can do it but I am not sure how it would work out.
Found this on another forum. Made by Stealthshooter. Something like this would cut out the seating step, but I have a feeling it would have to be a custom fit.



65987

[ARKANSAS PACKRAT]

I bought a Lee 6 hole blank from Titan Reloading and drilled it with a .177 drill then reamed it to .185. I read a post somewhere here that said to put a sheet of paper between the blocks and the drill would follow it down, I used a piece of 3X5 index card and it did indeed stay centered.
Measure the length of a finished core to decide how deep to drill, mine is .575 deep now, gives plenty of material to finish a core for a 55gr rf jacket bullet.
All done with a drill press, it works just fine and makes a pile of cores fast!
Nick

[u.p. north]

The object of this thread was to make a adjustable mold you could control the weights with. Not a fixed cavity mold. Maybe you got one to work out by building it on a drill press,but do 12 of them all correctly on that same drill press. I would like to see that. ?Maybe instead of offering the best of both worlds by offering it adjustable, maybe a guy should do a 12 cavity fixed. Sure you have a chance of it coming out right with the paper between but that is just a maybe. As far as fast I would go on reliabilty over maybe any day. Time to go get some work done now.... (U.P. North)
I bought a Lee 6 hole blank from Titan Reloading and drilled it with a .177 drill then reamed it to .185. I read a post somewhere here that said to put a sheet of paper between the blocks and the drill would follow it down, I used a piece of 3X5 index card and it did indeed stay centered.
Measure the length of a finished core to decide how deep to drill, mine is .575 deep now, gives plenty of material to finish a core for a 55gr rf jacket bullet.
All done with a drill press, it works just fine and makes a pile of cores fast!
Nick

[u.p. north]

Here is who is in on the group buy so far. Anybody else that wants in, I am running this till April 12th.
Here is the list so far: I can start on these in approx 2-3 weeks. I will let this run for two weeks. Just trying to save you guys a little money.
Here is a link to a Custom Mold I made for a fellow member here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?172450-Core-Mold
1 - Guardian .356 diameter
2 - Dframe .185" diameter
3 - IllinoisCoyoteHunter Size? (Paid) 1
4- IllinoisCoyoteHunter Size? (Paid) 1
5 - toolz568 .45 cal. size
6
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8
9
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12

[u.p. north]

You can either post in this thread if you want a adjustable core mold. Or you can go in the Vendors Sponsor section and post there,or send me a Private Message. Titan is out of handles as of now and have only 13 blanks left. Might have to order these earlier than the date I posted to get the savings.....U.P. North

Here is the link to Vendor Sponsor Core Mold thread: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?193840-Adjustable-Core-Molds

[u.p. north]

Just got a email from my vendor on the blanks and they are limiting orders of the same thing to two. You can use this Vendor Sponsor link to order core molds from me. The Vendor is also out of mold block handles. Sorry about any inconveinience.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?193840-Adjustable-Core-Molds Just put a call in to Titan and am waiting for them to call me back. Lets see what happens after the call then we will see if we need to shut down the group buy.
Thank You,
U.P. North

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Any word yet if you can get the materials?

[u.p. north]

I am going to put a order in on Friday for the core mold blanks. The handles will be on back-order and I will have them shipped to you directly. If anybody else wants a core mold it would be a good time ....... U.P. North



Any word yet if you can get the materials?

[u.p. north]

Going to be starting on these in a few days. If you are interested in a adjustable core mold it is not to late to get in on this. I know we didn't hit the 12 number on the group buy,that is the way it goes. If interested post a reply here or Private message me...... U.P. North

Here is the list so far: I can start on these in approx 2-3 weeks. I will let this run for two weeks. Just trying to save you guys a little money.
Here is a link to a Custom Mold I made for a fellow member here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?172450-Core-Mold
1 - Guardian .356 diameter
2 - Dframe .185" diameter (Paid) 1
3 - IllinoisCoyoteHunter Size? (Paid) 1
4- IllinoisCoyoteHunter Size? (Paid) 1
5 -
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

[u.p. north]

All core molds have been shipped as of today.Now time to work on some dies....... U.P. North

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Sweet! Thanks!

[Dframe]

Good news.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Got my core molds from Tim (UP North). WOW! Can't wait to try them out. The attention to detail is amazing and they truly are works of art. The finish on them is top notch. Thanks Tim, and I will most definately be buying more of your equipment in the future.

[Dframe]

Recieved mine today too. Excellent! Can't wait to try it out. Thank you Tim

[u.p. north]

Dframe & IllinoisCoyoteHunter,
Glad to hear you both received your core molds. I am also pleased you are happy with them. One thing you guys can do is once you have a core to the weight you can save one as a Master setting gauge for your cavities. Also on a note of caution don't adjust the adjustment screws with the mold clamped shut, cause you risk damaging the cavities if the adjusters make contact with the cavities.
Thank You,
U.P. North

[Dframe]

Thanks for the caution. I can't wait to start making cores.