MiHec / MP Molds - anyone using their 200 SWC H&G68 mold ?

[Cherokee]

The pic's look like the MiHec molds work just like the Lee with the sprue cut lever, which I like. I am wondering, is the quality is higher than Lee, how well they cast, and what the as cast diameter is from COWW or COWW+2% tin ? Any comments ?

[MtGun44]

It is wonderful, like all MP molds it is highest quality all the way. Not a Lee copy, they
are not in the same league, and I own a bunch of Lee 6 holers, too.

And - H&G 68 is just about the best all around boolit for the .45 ACP. There are some
contenders, but IMO they all are just a half a step behind at the finish line.

Bill

[btroj]

Bill is underselling the Mihec mould. Mine is wonderful to use and the bullets shoot great.

The Lee 6 cav is a nice mould but Mihec is head and shoulders above them.

[Cherokee]

Thanks for the quality reports, sounds good to me. Now, is anyone using their H&G68 mold that can say what the as cast diameter is from COWW or COWW+2% tin ? I am using the Lee 200 SWC but the boolits drop too small from COWW+2% tin, more like .451 and I want at least .452.

[geargnasher]

As I recall the group buys offered either .454 or .452 diameter as well as choice of bevel or plain base. Mine's a .452 and casts a fuzz over that with clippy weights and 2% tin.

Gear

[btroj]

That's an English fuzz, not metric.

Get a mould from Mihec, you won't be disappointed. My only gripe in the weight of a 4 cav brass mould.

[mikedp]

Can anyone tell me how long it should take to receive an "in-stock" mold ordered direct from Mihec-not part of a group buy?

[DLCTEX]

I don't remember what mine drops them at but a. 452 die sizes them some. Casts beautifully. I have opened some Lee mould by putting valve grinding compound on a steel plate and pressing on a flat bar while rolling the boolit between the bar and plate to embed the abrasive only in the drive bands. Then spin the boolit slowly in the cavities with a drill driving a screw sunk into the boolit base. Search Leementing a mould. You can gain a thou. or two easily in the aluminum mould.

[btroj]

Depends on how soon he gets it out of the shop but not over 2 weeks in my experience.

Mine were shipped requiring a signature so it took a day longer to go to PO as I want home at delivery time.

For the distance it travels I felt it was pretty quick.

[mikedp]

OK thanks, may be here next week then.

[Dale53]

mikedp;
We are blessed on this forum to have access to a number of fine mould makers. Mihec is the best of the best, in my view. I ordered my Mihecs (I have both brass and aluminum) to drop WW's+2% tin at .454" so that they would size to .452" (gives me a bit of leeway with somewhat different alloys. I got EXACTLY what I ordered. Mine shoot well under an inch at 25 yards off a rest out of both my target 1911 and my two 625's.

When I took delivery of my aluminum (six cavity) mould, I cast a number of moulds full and when everything was running smooth I set aside one bullet from each cavity. Afterwards, I measured the bullets with a precision micrometer. They were not only round but each bullet from six different cavities only varied in diameter by .0002" (two tenths of a thousandth). Further, they weighed within .0002" (two tenths of a grain). That is phenomenal performance.

FWIW
Dale53

[Cherokee]

Thanks gentlemen - that is the kind of info I wanted. The mold shows out of stock now so I sent an email to see when they would be available.

BTW, I don't feel like messing with the Lee if I can get what I want from MiHec.

[dragon813gt]

Miha and Lee both make molds. That's where the comparison ends. Mine drops them at .454 like all the other 45cal molds of his that I own. Weight is right on the money at 200 grains w/ 96/3/1. It's worth the wait.

[geargnasher]

Just order one from Accurate Molds. You can get one made in brass, aluminum, steel, whatever. Your choice of cavity count, diameter you want with the alloy you use, and the designs are already on file and are closer copies of the H&G #68 and 69 than Miha's just by looking.

Tom's moulds are as good or, in some cases better than, MP moulds. Tom puts a capture -type sprue plate stop on his so the plate doesn't ride up off the blocks. Miha uses a roll pin. I've pulled the roll pins on my Miha moulds and tapped for a bolt, bushing, and wave washer like they should have been in the first place. I also prefer Tom's style of sprue plate pivot bolt locks. From a machining standpoint, they're both excellent but I still give Tom the edge because he doesn't use cherries and his lathe tooling is always sharp. Miha does the vent lines a little better IMO, but really there is no functional difference between the two craftsmen's designs.

Gear

[Cherokee]

Gear - I really like the sprue cut method that Lee uses over the conventional Lyman style. It is easier on my old hands and wrists. Thanks for the comments.

[gefiltephish]

There was some talk not too long ago of Tom looking into utilizing the Lee type sprue plate cutter. Anyone know what became of that idea?