Balisti-cast 1445 405gr .475 mold

[M4bushy]

I started playing around with this mold the week. The jury is still out on weather i like this mold. It cast an ok bullet but so did the Lee it is replacing.
The mold blocks are to light for this 2 cavity mold. Getting the optimum mold temp is quite a challenge. I'm getting unfilled cavities then straight to filled out frosty bullets. The sprue plate mounting screw sucks! There isn't a wavy spring washer, just a screw with a locking screw. I can't get it to stay tight, the sprue plate is either so tight it won't move or it flops around like a wet fish.
For a $160.00 mold i expected more. The handles cost 50.00 i think the Lee 6 cavity handles for $20.00 are as good or better. For what i payed, i could have bought 8 Lee molds i'm sure one of them would cast as good a boolit.

[MT Chambers]

Put a small pc. of copper between the locking screw and the screw, your Ballisti-cast mold will outlast 8 lee molds.

[M4bushy]

Emailed Mike about my displeasure with the mold, no response yet!

[M4bushy]

I guess once you buy one of these molds, your on your own. It's sad that a 20.00 mold will cast more consistently than a 100.00 mold. Defiantly not an MP mold!

[ballisti-cast]

I was out of town here for a week and didn't have cell phone or internet reception. I'm not quite sure what's going on with the mold, but I will definitely get you fixed up. I also don't believe I received an email from you so give me a call (701-360-1145) or send me another email.

The sprue plate should be loose on the top of the mold or just a little bit of resistance. They are designed that way and have a screw on the top with a chamfer that the sprue plate slides up against that holds it tight to the top of the mold. This is different from any other mold out there and the reason the sprue plate doesn't need to be tight. I'm also concerned to why your having trouble casting good bullets with it as I don't want anything other then fantastic molds out there. Please get a hold of me ASAP.

Thanks,
Mike

[M4bushy]

Thanks mike i'm glad it was a lack of connectivity not that once you buy it it's not my problem. I did get the sprue plate to work somewhat but it still won't stay adjusted. I feel the blocks don't have enough mass to dissipate the heat so the mold gets hot after 2-3 cycles. I'll get back to you as soon as i try a couple more things.

[white eagle]

that is the trouble with aluminum
IN MY OPINION
personally don't care for them
sounds like you are at least having your problems addressed
that's a plus

[M4bushy]

This is a cast iron mold bit it is 2 big cavities in a fairly thin block.

[MikeS]

Is the block smaller than Lyman blocks? Unless the Ballisticast moulds have a much different size block than the H&G blocks, I don't think they can be too small.

Mike: IMHO even thou your moulds have a screw to hold the plate tight when closed, you probably should include a wave washer under the plates hinge screw so that customers can adjust the plates tightness the way they're used to with other moulds. Even if this isn't really needed, you'll save yourself lots of trouble with customers asking this same question. Wave washers are cheap, and they're easily removed by customers that understand how your moulds are supposed to work. I think it would be better to supply something that's not needed, rather than having people that think it should be there being upset that it's not. Just my .02¢.

[M4bushy]

I took some measurements of a few of my molds.
1. Balisticast 2 cavity .477 dia 405 gr
Width 1.25 width of mold in handle slot .600 this leaves a .061 wall thickness on the driving band of the boolit.

2. Lee .476 405 gr
Width 1.26 width at handle slot .770 this has a wall thickness if .147 at the driving band of the boolit.

3. MP .452 dia 200 gr 4 cavity
Width 1.50 width at handle slot .730 wall thickness of .139

I am by no means a mold expert but i think a boolit at .477 dia would be better in a 1.50" wide block to help dissipate heat better.

[ballisti-cast]

Is the block smaller than Lyman blocks? Unless the Ballisticast moulds have a much different size block than the H&G blocks, I don't think they can be too small.

Mike: IMHO even thou your moulds have a screw to hold the plate tight when closed, you probably should include a wave washer under the plates hinge screw so that customers can adjust the plates tightness the way they're used to with other moulds. Even if this isn't really needed, you'll save yourself lots of trouble with customers asking this same question. Wave washers are cheap, and they're easily removed by customers that understand how your moulds are supposed to work. I think it would be better to supply something that's not needed, rather than having people that think it should be there being upset that it's not. Just my .02¢.

This is the first I've heard of them getting too hot, too fast. They are a cast iron block that is pretty standard size as far as molds go. It's the same block size, design, and material that H&G cut their molds from and H&G was without a doubt one of the best if not the best. The .45-70 bullet I cut for him is a big bullet though and will heat up a block fairly fast.

The wave washers are going to get added. Thanks for the idea! I've never really heard of people having trouble with the sprue plates, but we've been selling to a lot of new customers and people having trouble figuring out a mold style they aren't used to is to be expected.

[M4bushy]

To be clear, this mold is making dimensionally perfect boolits. It is the bullet finish in having problems with. The first bullet that comes out fully filled out is frosty. Maybe this is par for the course for such a big bullet.

[ballisti-cast]

What alloy type and temperature are you casting at?

I also came up with a new oil treatment and heat treating process that I've been doing on all the new molds I've been making. Yours was the last one to ship that I did not do the new process on. I saw improvements on both bullet release from the mold and reducing frosted bullets. I have a 250 grain keith style 44mag bullet that I cast a lot for. I was getting frosty bullets before after casting for a while, and after the new treatment I can't cast fast enough for the bullets to get frosty. If you want, send the mold back (USPS small flat rate box) and I'll do the treatment on it. I'll reimburse you for the shipping.

[LAH]

I have several BC moulds & find they aren't any different than Lyman or RCBS in that bullet appearance is controlled by heat [alloy temp & cadence]. I have fought this with all my moulds including those used in the Master Caster. To cast perfect bullets temp & timing must be found for each mould. If you're casting small bullets thing move faster but with large bullets the area between the cavities is less, so cadence must be slower. I find with out the use of a second hand I cannot maintain that shinny all over look even though I've probably hand cast close to 10 tons of bullets.

As for the sprue plate I think the design of the BC plates are perfect. They are designed to be tighten down to the point of not moving & backing the tension bolt out just enough to release the plate from the mould & allow it to swing freely. You will find the bases of the bullets will fill out much easier this way. Most all my other moulds are set up this way also. I call them "swinging sprue cutters" & they are so easy to use as they will close with only a tilt of the mould. If I purchase a new BC mould with a wave washer it will be the first thing to go. These moulds are perfectly machined across the top of the mould & the sprue plate lays on the mould with no daylight showing. It doesn't get any better than that.

I do hope this helps. The larger the bullet when using a multiple cavity mould the longer the learning curve but they can be learned & a second hand will help as much as anything.