Need help, nose pour bullet mould

[gregg877]

Hey guys, new to the forum, and still pretty new to bullet casting. Up til now, been using standard lyman base pour bullet moulds, and the most common thing I'm casting is a 457124(.385grn FB) for my Pedersoli 74 Sharps. I'm also casting .54cal gas checks for my NM1859 Percussion sharps, and I've got a pretty good grasp on that.

However, my shootin buddy Jsnover just aquired some kind of a 400grn nose pour bullet mould, which I have never seen before. There is a removable base, which I think is set up to produce flat bottoms, and the rest is pretty much like what I'm used to.

What I don't understand, is: am I supposed to remove the base every time I chuck out a bullet, leave it in, what? Doesn't seem like the removable base clips in or anything, just falls off when we open it. If I do that, would seem like it would take too long and it might cool down and I'd start throwing lead turds.

like I mentioned before, this is a new thing to me, got no instruction from the previous owner, and I'm still pretty new to casting. Would appreciate some advice.

Thanks, Gregg

[Buckshot]

................Hi gregg877. Welcome aboard. Lyman (actually Ideal) made moulds like that. However the base adjuster (base pin?) was threaded and passed through a plate on thebottom of the mould. It did not fall out each time you opened theblocks to shuck a slug. What a PITA THAT would be :-).

http://www.fototime.com/025DBFFE3B48D69/standard.jpg

The above is a core mould I made for swaging. And, if you wanted a smooth DEWC I guess it'd be a boolit mould, ha! Anyway, the adjustable moulds were similar to this in that as you can see, the threaded spindle goes through a baseplate that is attached to one of the blocks. The nut locks the adjuster in place. If your mould doesn't have a baseplate, how does the base pin remain in the cavity? Is the cavity blind on the bottom?

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

[Trez Hensley]

Can you post pictures?????

[JSnover]

Morning, folks.
Greg877 is a good friend of mine, we're both new to casting.
I don't have pictures of the mold but I'll make an effort to get the camera and the mold together.
Just to clarifly, it's a Hoch (Farmer) 459400. The base pin has a round nub to produce hollow base boolits. The nub is very short; it only extends into the cavity about .075-.100" Don't know if it means much but the thickness of the skirt on a finished boolit would be about .050-.075"
It would be simple to tighten the retention screw and leave it in place but I'm sure the boolit would be damaged when shucked because it would have to get over the hump in order to escape from the mold.
So whaddya think? Should we modify the pin to make flat bases, buy a proper replacement pin or put this one up for sale? I got it for nothing but the guy who gave it to me paid quite a bit, I'd hate to chop it up.

[Buckshot]

..............So is it an actual old Hoch mould made that way, or someones idea of a fix when they lost the real stuff :-)? Might call Hoch and see what he has to say about it (fixes, alterations remedies, etc).

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

[JSnover]

Ha! You sure do see some odd "solutions" don't you?
This is original. We'll get a picture up here soon. I'm thinking the best idea is to make a flat base pin and see how it casts. If that doesn't work, clean it up and trade it.

[gregg877]

Buckshot, thanks for the welcome, and sorry bout the delay. Jsnover pretty much put up the pertinant info, however it is an old mould, and not even listed on their website. However, given what it is I'd be doubtful if it is a custom order. Gonna give em a call and see what I can find out. As far as pics, if you can PM me instructions on how to post em, will be happy to.

Gregg

[44man]

The base plug should be held in with a SCREW on Hoch molds. You do not remove it. Just dump boolits normally.

[gregg877]

Hey folks, sorry for the late reply. Yes, this is a REAL Hoch Nose Pour Mould, it's a custom 459400. Talked to someone at Colorado Shooter Supply, tried explaining the deal with the bottom plug, but they really couldn't tell me anything about it other than it was theirs, and it was a custom job. The numbers indicate the finished bullet diameter, and bullet weight(I.E. 459 dia-400grn weight). Offered to e-mail pics to them, but they told me they did not have a working e-mail address, though I could print out pics and snail mail em' and discuss it later. A little too much trouble for me, better to just ask here.

As far as just leaving the bottom plug it, the bullet is designed with a semi hollow bottom as previously mentioned, my concern if we leave it in during casting is that we will will damage the bullet when shucking it out with the plug in, as it will be between the bump on the bottom plug, and the opposing bottom ring portion of the mould. Another suggestion was to hold the wooden handle of the bottom plug, snap open the mould and drop the bullet on to our soft surface, but then the time to re-assemble it and pour again may cause it to cool and start throwing lead turds.

Anyone actually have one of their moulds in this configuration? Are they all like this?

Thanks, Gregg

[Buckshot]

...............If you e-mail the pics to me I can put them up on the board. E-mail addy:

Tunell@Verizon.Net

Make the capitols lower case and send'em to me.

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

[44man]

Yes, that sounds different then mine. Please post some pictures.
You can also make a new plug for a flat bottom boolit so you can interchange them.

[gregg877]

Hey guys, Jsnover has the mould right now, so haven't been able to post pics, however, as a solution, he just went and machined up a new flat base that attaches to the buttonhead under one of the blocks. Think we're gonna try it next week when we get together to do some casting. We will post pics when we get a chance.

Thanks, Gregg

[Black Prince]

While we are on this subject, will a Hoch mould fit on the constant mould pressure handles or locking handles from Cabine Tree or Buffalo Arms without modification? I have a set of the handles coming from Buffalo Arms just to try them out cause they claim more consistant bullet weights using them and it looks like they are drilled for the Hoch mould, but since I've never used those handles before, I don't know that. Anybody here know?

Buffalo Arms says they will fit Lyman, RCBS, Saeco and "most" custom moulds. That covers a lot of territory. As you probably know, the Hoch nose pour moulds will not fit standard Lyman or RCBS mould handles with out drilling an extra hole in them and that is a PIA that I'd just as soon avoid if possible with the new handles.

Dang all this new fangled stuff. I'm just now getting used to the BIG handles on the "new" style Lyman and RCBS mould handles. Now when I cast with the "old" style small handles, they feel funny like the big ones did when I first started useing them. Now Cabine Tree comes out with this new locking handle and here we go again. Just cause most ah my stuff has Ideal on it ain't no cause fer anybody to call me an old goat even if I do smell like one. It all still works, so I ain't gonna fix it no.

So am I gonna hafta clean alla that stuff out around my drill press so I can get to it er not? Last time I hadda do that I dern near got snake bit but I found a casting ladle that sumbody stuck back there about two yeras ago. I been looking fer that thang. I wuisht people would leave my stuff alone, or I could remember where I put it so I could find it easy.

Sumbody give me sum good news here, but doan lie dang it.

[Gussy]

While we are on this subject, will a Hoch mould fit on the constant mould pressure handles or locking handles from Cabine Tree or Buffalo Arms without modification?
Buffalo Arms says they will fit Lyman, RCBS, Saeco and "most" custom moulds. That covers a lot of territory. As you probably know, the Hoch nose pour moulds will not fit standard Lyman or RCBS mould handles with out drilling an extra hole in them and that is a PIA that I'd just as soon avoid if possible with the new handles.

Sumbody give me sum good news here, but doan lie dang it. Sorry BP,

Short answer, no, they will not fit Hoch.......BUT......... If you cut a small notch where the pivot pin is on the side of the mould, they will fit. Hold the mould in place, mark where the notch will go and cut or file it out. If you know someone with a mill, it is really easy.

With a new set of holes farther out, and a bit of filing near the pivot point, they will also fit the large multi cavity Lees.
Gus (CabineTree)

[JSnover]

Hey folks, sorry for the late reply. Yes, this is a REAL Hoch Nose Pour Mould, it's a custom 459400. Talked to someone at Colorado Shooter Supply, tried explaining the deal with the bottom plug, but they really couldn't tell me anything about it other than it was theirs, and it was a custom job.
[edit]
As far as just leaving the bottom plug it, the bullet is designed with a semi hollow bottom as previously mentioned, my concern if we leave it in during casting is that we will will damage the bullet when shucking it out with the plug in, as it will be between the bump on the bottom plug, and the opposing bottom ring portion of the mould.
[edit]
Thanks, Gregg


Tried to get some pictures today but ... I'd be a lot thinner if I made my living as a photographer. Anyway, the base plug came out nice.
I have a Lee HB mold with a centering bracket that holds the plug steady while both halves swing away from it. A much better idea!

[Black Prince]

Thanks Gus. I figured that I was gonna hafta to clean out my dern work shop so I could adjust the handles to the mould anyway. Uhhhh, now where'd I put that dern snake bite kit so I could find it easy? I betcha tha dang thang is back thar somewhur around the drill press and I'll probably die ah snake bite before I can get to it and it'll be all yer fault fer not drilllin' them handles so's I cud put them Hoch mould blocks on'em. Whydoancha fix that Gus? Them Hoch moulds are the bees nees ya know and anybody that wants them fancy new fangled handles ah yers will also want a good mould like a Hoch. These here BPC & R's is particular about what they like to shoot gud, so we need gud handles and gud mulds. Some of us need a new pair ah eyeballs too. Cataracts ain't gud no they ain't as I've discovered. But these golden years are supposed to be the best right? If I ever find the liein' rascal that said that, I'm gonna wring hiz neck like he wuz a Rhode Island Red rooster I wuz fixin' fer Sunday dinner.

Thanks fer tha information Gus and all the best to you. Yer Cabine Tree stuff is reel gud and if any ah you boys ben wonder'in about that, quit wonder'in and git ya sum ah it. It's slicker than snot onna door knob!