It's best to carefully examine a bullet mould on eBay before bidding

[Texasflyboy]

As a public service I want to remind folks that you should carefully examine any bullet mould you bid on, or think of bidding on on eBay.

Any damage can be difficult to spot. In my experience, the most common form of bullet mould damage is damage by cleaning, with an agressive method like a wire wheel.

Before you bid on any mould you should carefully examine the edges of the cavities to ensure they have not been damaged or rounded by a too agressive cleaning method.

Another good method is to ask the seller to take a photo of the top of the mould blocks with the blocks closed and the sprue plate moved out of the way. This allows you to see that the bases are perfectly round, with no corner rounding.

As a coincidence, there are several moulds for sale on eBay that may meet this criteria. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

:razz:


82160

[Buckshot]

Get a load of this winner!!

http://www.fototime.com/2590925BE1C06DE/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/72A0FE1718A1AF5/standard.jpg

Check out the 'Excess' metal along the top of the blocks.

http://www.fototime.com/1881C8FA74A4F2D/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/84F0CEAC707E28F/standard.jpg

Ditto along the side of the cavity, and at the top of the cavity in this photo. The base of the blocks is similar. Needless to say there was considerable daylight between the blocks when closed.

http://www.fototime.com/B83E3AB955DEAC4/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/2D86CCE23F9512B/standard.jpg

The above is on a Lyman 12 ga slug mould. Worn corners and also expressed metal. You sure won't get a balanced slug otta this set of blocks.

............Buckshot

[NoZombies]

A few years ago, I bought a mold on gun broker. It had a little surface rust in the photos, but nothing that would have been a problem with a few minutes worth of steel wool wouldn't have fixed.

It arrived a week later. The seller was 'kind enough' to clean the mold before mailing it. He had used some rough sandpaper, and a course wire wheel. When he shipped the mold, he didn't bother securing the blocks together. The mold arrived nice and shiny, and totally useless.

[bobthenailer]

A few years ago i got a 2 cavity Saeco bullet mold with the cavities only being cut in the left side of the mould block while the right side was a blank. the seller refunded my funds as well as shipping both ways . HE said he really did not know anything about bullet moulds! he was helping a widow sell some of her husbands possesions .