Multiple cavity molds?

[jabilli]

Howdy folks :-)

Curious- I am aware that there are molds with 6 Cavities out there- How about molds with more? Is there a mold that has a great amount of cavities, like 50 or whatever, maybe used by bullet companies? I don't imagine places like the Missouri Bullet company have a bunch of guys in the back with 2 cavity molds cranking them out. Anyone know where to find larger molds?

[cheese1566]

There have been some larger molds in past history many years a go. Ten cavities that used to be called "armory molds" I think. (Someone here has more knowledge on this than I.)

Yes, bullet companies use two cavity molds....but they are in automatic machines, some machines will use a multiple molds in a revolving circular production.

There were some good video links posted the last few days on some of these machines. Pretty cool.

Magma even makes a smaller machine that a serious home caster can get that is semi-auto.

[runfiverun]

those magma machines use 8- 2 cavity molds, the home version uses one 2 cavity mold.

[Casting_40S&W]

18 Cavity Lee BuckShot Mold (#4, 000, 00)

[Ickisrulz]

http://www.msgunowners.com/t11488-100-cavity-38cal-bullet-mold-not-for-sale-yet

100 cavities.

[theperfessor]

I have a ten cavity H & G #258. Casts a wonderful .41 mag bullet, the original Keith style 220gr SWC. It's as heavy as all get out and not at all fun to use. I supplied the sample bullet for, and got in on the Group Buy for a four cavity Miha brass mold. Even in brass it's a much lighter proposition, and I can still cast them faster than I can shoot them, and at a much lower fatigue level.

Machine casting has reduced the economic practicality of huge gang molds fed by humans.

I do like my six cavity Lee molds for the most part, but they are aluminum and pretty light.

[MtGun44]

AFAIK, nobody is producing more than 6 cavity molds today. RCBS max is 2, Lyman max
is 4, Lee makes 1, 2 and 6. Custom makers usually stick to 2 or 4 cavity models.

Bill

[boltons75]

http://www.msgunowners.com/t11488-100-cavity-38cal-bullet-mold-not-for-sale-yet

100 cavities.

That's pretty slick. Would have to ladle pour out of a big smelter to keep up with that mold.

Always carry, never tell.

[FISH4BUGS]

I have a 10 cavity S55 H&G mould that is use in my 380 Mac submachine gun. It takes a while to come up to temperature (about 10 full casts) but once it does, the production is awesome.
Very heavy mould. The mould guide is a must when using this one. However, the bullets fall out of the mould like rain when you get it up to temp.
But trust me when I tell you it doesn't take long to shoot 1000 rounds out of a Mac buzz gun. I am glad I use a 10 cavity mould!

[bobthenailer]

I have 5, Saeco 8 cavity bullet moulds they all are excellent casting moulds and work as well as the 4 cavity moulds.

[fredj338]

Howdy folks :-)

Curious- I am aware that there are molds with 6 Cavities out there- How about molds with more? Is there a mold that has a great amount of cavities, like 50 or whatever, maybe used by bullet companies? I don't imagine places like the Missouri Bullet company have a bunch of guys in the back with 2 cavity molds cranking them out. Anyone know where to find larger molds?

There are some 8cav hand molds around, quite heavy as they are iron. Mst commercial casters use machines w/ (8) or so 2cav molds. Casting by hand, I find there is a trade off filling multiple cav molds & waiting for them to cool. A 4cav seems perfect for max production. Faster to fill than a 6 or 8cav & bullets set up a bit quicker.

[mooman76]

I used to have a slingshot mould that did 40 at a wack. 20 on one side and flip it over for the other 20. It was a fairly crude mould though.

[jabilli]

Holy moly, That 100 cavity mold is a beast- I wonder how much it might sell for?
Yeah I suppose 6 cavities works well enough- I'm looking at these semi-auto molds that go for 1k$ http://www.magmaengineering.com/products/master-caster/ They claim to put out about 800 smaller caliber bullets out per hour....which the operator still has to sit there mindlessly cranking it. With a 6 cavity I reckon I could beat 800 and hour without too much huff and puff. The fully auto ones run like 10k$.

[MT Gianni]

I would be worried about keeping things at an even temperature from one pour to the next with 100 cavities. Maybe with a 50+ lb pot and an automated running track for the pot.

[sewerman68]

I have a 10 cavity H&G for the m1 carbine, it feels like it weighs 25 lbs when you are casting with it, It should have come with wheels.

[Springfield]

If you have a pot that will keep up with it, like a Magma 40 pounder, then one LEE 6 cav can do about 8-900/hr. With 2- 6 cav's running at once 1200 is the norm. But I find that the bullet weight must be 200 grains or heavier or keeping 2 moulds hot enough can be very difficult.

[jabilli]

Springfield, I don't quite follow how you mean..."With 2-6 cavities running at once"....It would be nice If I could go Vishnu style and have an extra set of arms but how do you mean? Am I missing something ?(Only other thing I can imagine you mean is fill one, set it down, fill the other, set it down, as the second one cools clear the first, repeat)

I've got a 10 Lb Lee bottom pourer- Usually I run it at about setting level 6, that makes it so it is in liquid form only for the moment before I whack the sprue plate.- I tried my fastest for giggles and I can run about a cast every 7-8 "One thousands"...At this speed level 6 keeps the mold temp just right. I normally don't go at that speed for sustained periods of time I was just doing it to see how fast I could do it... One thing I have noticed is that if I don't alternate which of the cavities I fill first, the side of the mold with the cavity that I fill last is colder than the one I fill first due to the hot lead not contacting it for as long as the other side...Thus making that bullet not fall out of the mold quite as easily.

[casterofboolits]

I have both H&G and Saeco eight cavity moulds. The Saeco's are definatly easier to use due to the weight difference, but I consider the Saeco blocks too small for any bullet weight over 158 grains. YMMV