mktacop
02-13-2012, 09:52 AM
I’m still fairly new to casting, but have been making up for lost time by casting a lot of boolits.
I’ve been casting for my .45ACP pistols and have Lee molds, a 2-cavity 228gr RN, and 2 200gr SWC (a 2-cavity and a 6-cavity). I have been happy with the boolits I’ve been producing, but have had my eye on a Saeco #265 (210gr RNWC) mold since I got started casting. MidwayUSA had a 2-cavity Saeco #265 listed for almost $100 and I had it on my wish list. Over the past several weeks, the price had been slowly going down. They said that it was the only one left in stock and they had it on clearance. I made up my mind that if the price went below $75 before someone else bought it, I would get it. Last Monday, the price went below $75 and I ordered it. The mold arrived Friday.
Friday afternoon, I cast my first boolits with this new mold. Being an iron mold, it is obviously heavier than even my 6-cavity Lee mold, and takes longer to heat up to the proper casting temperature. Once hot enough, the mold casts some VERY nice boolits that practically jump out of the mold. Friday I cast about 85 boolits in half an hour. Sunday I decided to cast some more and in about 1.5 hours of casting managed to cast 280 using this mold. The boolits consistently weigh 213 grains, +/- .3 grains with the alloy I’m using (11 BHN according to my Lee Hardness Tester) and drop out of the mold at .4515
Having only used inexpensive Lee mold previously, I am impressed with how much easier a higher-quality mold casts. My next mold may be a custom mold in Brass from one of the makers listed on this site. I’d really like to find someone who could make this same boolit design in a 4-cavity brass mold so that I could REALLY increase my production rate.
I’ve been casting for my .45ACP pistols and have Lee molds, a 2-cavity 228gr RN, and 2 200gr SWC (a 2-cavity and a 6-cavity). I have been happy with the boolits I’ve been producing, but have had my eye on a Saeco #265 (210gr RNWC) mold since I got started casting. MidwayUSA had a 2-cavity Saeco #265 listed for almost $100 and I had it on my wish list. Over the past several weeks, the price had been slowly going down. They said that it was the only one left in stock and they had it on clearance. I made up my mind that if the price went below $75 before someone else bought it, I would get it. Last Monday, the price went below $75 and I ordered it. The mold arrived Friday.
Friday afternoon, I cast my first boolits with this new mold. Being an iron mold, it is obviously heavier than even my 6-cavity Lee mold, and takes longer to heat up to the proper casting temperature. Once hot enough, the mold casts some VERY nice boolits that practically jump out of the mold. Friday I cast about 85 boolits in half an hour. Sunday I decided to cast some more and in about 1.5 hours of casting managed to cast 280 using this mold. The boolits consistently weigh 213 grains, +/- .3 grains with the alloy I’m using (11 BHN according to my Lee Hardness Tester) and drop out of the mold at .4515
Having only used inexpensive Lee mold previously, I am impressed with how much easier a higher-quality mold casts. My next mold may be a custom mold in Brass from one of the makers listed on this site. I’d really like to find someone who could make this same boolit design in a 4-cavity brass mold so that I could REALLY increase my production rate.