Choosing Mold Material (Accurate Molds)

[just_shooter]

Just reserved answer to my inquiry from Tom (Accurate). This time I'd like to try different material else than aluminum. What do you think I should choose brass or iron and why? I'm gonna cast about 5-7k boolits a year with this 4 cavity 9mm mold.

[C. Latch]

What's wrong with aluminum?

[just_shooter]

Nothing wrong. Just want to try something different this time. So far all my molds are aluminum.

[bigboredad]

In my opinion you can't go wrong with any material that tom offers I've used them all. My personal favorite is brass. I like the way it holds the heat but it is heavy. For a 4 cavity if you don't want alum. I think the brass would get way too heavy to early and would go with iron

[TXGunNut]

Brass is pretty but I like 4 cavities or more whenever possible, not sure if I'll notice the weight difference but I've been very happy with my aluminum moulds.

[Southron]

The problem with aluminum is that it loses HALF of its strength at casting temperatures. Get it hot enough and it will actually catch on fire! But, of course, that won't happen at lead casting temperatures. Aluminum moulds are easily damaged and I don't like to use them.

One of the problems with iron moulds is that they tend to rust in humid climates unless they are oiled down. Then for the next casting session, you have to get all of the oil out of the mould unless you like shooting wrinkled bullets.

BRASS is the best mould material period. I have several brass moulds and I like them very much.

[RickinTN]

I'm in sort of the same boat. I have several aluminum molds from Tom and others and get pretty good results from them. I also enjoy my iron molds from RCBS. I just ordered a 2-cavity 30 caliber mold from Tom in brass thinking it will hold the heat better and maybe be a little easier on me. I did order the smallest block available in the bullet I wanted. I'm thinking it should be delivered this week and I'm looking forward to breaking it in.
Rick

[C. Latch]

I recently bought my first brass mold. It's pretty. It cast nice bullets. But it's ridiculously heavy, and I'm getting tired of 2-cavity molds and hoping to stick with 3-5 cavities in the future, and I really don't look forward to holding a 3-cavity brass mold for an hour at a time....or even 10 minutes at a time.

I am signed up for a group buy for a brass-only mold, and may stick with it, but other than that I am quite content with aluminum.

[dragon813gt]

I have to wonder why you say "hold the mold for an hour? I don't hold the mold until the sprue has hardened and then it's in my hands for a few seconds until it's back under the pot. Don't get me wrong, brass is heavy. But I live in a humid area so iron molds are not an option. Aluminium molds don't hold heat well enough and I prefer to cast at a relaxed pace. I do see where the brass weight will be an issue as you get up there in age. I'm starting to order rifle molds in two cavity, should be less variation between bullets and I don't need as high of a quantity. Time will tell. But a master caster is looking better every day.

[longbow]

I'll add my $0.02 worth.

if I had to choose one material it would be iron. I have moulds of all materials and love my brass moulds but if I had to choose one iron gets the nod.

Maybe I am nostalgic but I think iron has terrific casting qualities and is lighter than brass. Iron is also tougher than both brass and aluminum. If a mould is handled properly toughness shouldn't be an issue but it doesn't hurt to have it either.

Yes, iron rusts but so do the sprue plates and alignment pins on brass an aluminum moulds. See how long an aluminum mould lasts if you let the sprue plate rust then you use it.

I always oil my moulds, yes, even brass and aluminum so that the sprue plates and alignment pins are protected. No, I do not ever have problems with wrinkled boolits and I normally do little more than wipe off the oil with a rag or paper towel then pre-heat the mould on a hot plate until the sprue plate lube smokes, then start casting.

Longbow

[just_shooter]

Just because of the toughness I'm likely prone to iron. Only bothers me that everybody talk about rust. Is this really that much of an issue or if I oil (with some gun lube for example) the mold after each and every casting session this will guarantee protection? Does the rust appears because if the heat exposure of the mold and contact with the lead alloy or only when it stays unoiled on the shelf?

[bigboredad]

I wouldn't worry about rust in unless you go long periods of time between casting sessions with that mold. Otherwise you'll catch it before its a problem. Like I said you can't make a poor choice with Tom's product. If you are used to alum. Getting another would make sense since you are used to casting with it also the 4 cavity brass and iron molds can get a bit spendy for me but I'm a poor white boy.

[longbow]

Well, I do have to agree with bigboredad on the downside of Accurate Molds iron moulds and that is cost. iron is the most expensive by quite a bit (or at least was last time I checked). Lyman, RCBS, Saeco and others in iron are not as expensive but then they are not produced to your specs either.

No rust is not a big issue unless you use the mould then leave it "raw" in wet or humid conditions. Rust is not going to form in a few days except maybe in coastal conditions. If you put the mould away in a relatively dry environment you do not have to oil right away. I certainly would recommend oiling if you are finished casting for at least a few weeks or longer.

The blue on the mould will resist rust to a certain extent so no immediate panic required right after casting.

Again, I do little but wipe my moulds off then pre-heat until sprue plate lube (or remaining oil) starts to smoke and have no problems with fill out. I use plain old engine oil, automatic transmission fluid or whatever oil I have around at the time. Never had a rusty mould when oiled down.

Longbow

[C. Latch]

I have to wonder why you say "hold the mold for an hour? I don't hold the mold until the sprue has hardened and then it's in my hands for a few seconds until it's back under the pot. Don't get me wrong, brass is heavy. But I live in a humid area so iron molds are not an option. Aluminium molds don't hold heat well enough and I prefer to cast at a relaxed pace. I do see where the brass weight will be an issue as you get up there in age. I'm starting to order rifle molds in two cavity, should be less variation between bullets and I don't need as high of a quantity. Time will tell. But a master caster is looking better every day.

I assume that you use a bottom-pour pot. I use a ladle and hold the mold in my hand. Different strokes.

[dragon813gt]

I assume that you use a bottom-pour pot. I use a ladle and hold the mold in my hand. Different strokes.

I always forget that people still ladle cast. I understand now.

[bones37]

I'll add my $0.02 worth.if I had to choose one material it would be iron. I have moulds of all materials and love my brass moulds but if I had to choose one iron gets the nod.Maybe I am nostalgic but I think iron has terrific casting qualities and is lighter than brass. Iron is also tougher than both brass and aluminum. If a mould is handled properly toughness shouldn't be an issue but it doesn't hurt to have it either.Yes, iron rusts but so do the sprue plates and alignment pins on brass an aluminum moulds. See how long an aluminum mould lasts if you let the sprue plate rust then you use it.I always oil my moulds, yes, even brass and aluminum so that the sprue plates and alignment pins are protected. No, I do not ever have problems with wrinkled boolits and I normally do little more than wipe off the oil with a rag or paper towel then pre-heat the mould on a hot plate until the sprue plate lube smokes, then start casting.LongbowI agree with Longbow, MY preference is iron molds as I have replaced the majority of the "other" molds with two cav. iron from Accurate. However, I have 4 other molds from NOE, two brass, two aluminum. I live in TN, so I get my share of humidity, but I oil my molds and have never had a problem with rust.

[RG1911]

I just spent a weekend casting 2000+ bullets from a nice Ballisti-Cast 4-cavity iron mold. The arthritis in my hands is killing me right now. I'm giving serious thought to replacing the mold with an aluminum one from NOE.

Past a certain point, I wish the iron mold *didn't* hold heat as well, because I have to slow way down to let the alloy solidify enough. (If I turn my RCBS pot any lower, it stops pouring.) So I would hope that aluminum would let me maintain a bit faster pace.

Many years ago, I oiled my iron molds. Then I read about preventing rust by leaving the mold full before putting it away. Have not seen rust in my molds, including those I haven't used in many years. I currently live in a dry climate, but I also spent several years in Illinois within spitting distance of the Mississippi.

As always, YMMV.

Richard

[mold maker]

Overnight rust to unprotected iron is normal here. Summer temps of 90-95 with 80+ % wet will rust SS . Cement floors collect moisture. I run dehumidifiers and still get rust.
The inconvenience of extra weight, in brass molds, is the lesser of the evils. Brass doesn't need oil removal to cast good boolits, and what is on the sprue plate and pins is of no consequence.
Besides, the golden colored molds are just plane beautiful.

[OuchHot!]

I have some very fine molds in brass and aluminum (from accurate as well as LBT, NEI, Noe, MiHec and so on) but iron is my favorite. I find iron molds seem to have a broader window of operating temperature both for the alloy and the mold. The down side as others point out is cost. I have to carefully choose the design, but if I use vpi products, they last longer than I will. The accurate mold in iron is breathtakingly expensive and worth it to me.

[Deep Six]

I started with aluminum and have several. I just tried my first brass mold, a 45-270-SAA from Mihec. While the quality of the mold and boolits was awesome, that thing was heavy! My hand was killing me after a few hundred boolits. I also didn't like how long it took to heat up. Then it started to get too hot, forcing me to slow down. I'll probably try an iron mold at some point if I ever buy a gun that's a good match for one of the mass produced molds, but it will only be a 2 cavity. Aluminum is the best in my opinion. Also remember that Tom's aluminum (or NOE for that matter) is a heck of a lot better than Lee's aluminum.

[LeadBrain]

Just another hat in the ring, I vote Iron, Holds up well, easy to use and not as heavy as Brass. Brass looks good and does nice job but heavy-this comes in to play when doing extended casting sessions- Darn things seem to get heavy after an hour or two with multi cavities!

My opinion is that a caster needs to own at least one GOOD mold of every material just because! If I were starting out today I would buy one of each and use them for awhile till I decided which I preferred.

[Echo]

I recently bought my first brass mold. It's pretty. It cast nice bullets. But it's ridiculously heavy, and I'm getting tired of 2-cavity molds and hoping to stick with 3-5 cavities in the future, and I really don't look forward to holding a 3-cavity brass mold for an hour at a time....or even 10 minutes at a time.

Build a little stage from 1by, or whatever scrap you have laying around, so you can place the mold on it and slide it under the spout at the right elevation. Works for me...

[just_shooter]

Thank you guys, appreciate your help and opinion! I ordered iron mold from Accurate. Great communication with Tom. Can't wait to get it.

[white eagle]

I have had more of Tom's molds than I care to admit
my personal favorite is brass but a close second is cast iron then aluminum
sure brass and iron toke a bit longer to heat and weigh more but those are offset by my ability to produce quality boolits
aint sayin I can't make good boolits with aluminum (or anyone for that matter) but I can tailor the temp. of the mold easier

[rintinglen]

I'm with White Eagle. I likes my brass molds from MP, NOE and Accurate. Once up to temp it is no trick to rain piles of perfect boolits. I use iron and aluminum molds as well, but I do my best work with brass.

[just_shooter]

Thank you for the help guys. After all I bought 4 cavity iron mold from Tom with my custom design. I'm from across the ocean, but received it in only 16 days after payment! I just can say it's a wonderful mold, built in no time, and worth every penny.

[just_shooter]

I already did a few casting sessions with this excellent mold, but there is one question that doesn't give me a break. Why these two holes are drilled:

119590

I'm sure a lot of you folks know, but I have no idea.

[TomAM]

Large hole is for mounting a Lee type lever if you are so inclined.

Small hole is use by me to attach the plate to a fixture during machining. This allows me to offer sprue plates with unfinished pour holes. Some folks like to do the finish work themselves so that they can have a really tiny hole or different funnel angle.

[just_shooter]

Thank you, Tom for the explanation. Thanks once again for this wonderful mold! The bullet works just great in my CZ Shadow.

[waco]

I've become a fan of brass. My next Accurate mold will be for the 45-70.

[Tar Heel]

My favorite is Aluminum........no wait.......steel...........wait.....brass......oh heck. I can't decide.

[Tar Heel]

Thank you for the help guys. After all I bought 4 cavity iron mold from Tom with my custom design. I'm from across the ocean, but received it in only 16 days after payment! I just can say it's a wonderful mold, built in no time, and worth every penny.

You will love that mold. Tom does excellent work!

[Dale53]

I keep hearing (actually reading) about brass moulds being too heavy, etc. Others complain that it takes too long to heat up iron or brass moulds. I have a rather simple solution for some of these complaints.

1 - Too long to heat the iron and brass moulds:
It has been said before but obviously it needs repeated. Get a small hotplate (the expense is minimal) and pre-heat the mould while your metal
is melting. Problem solved! NOTE: Take care to not overheat. I heat my moulds until I have to use one fill to bring it up to perfect casting heat.
That way, I insure that I don't overheat my moulds that CAN cause them to warp.

2 - Complaint of moulds getting too hot while in use. Target and Wal-Mart has a manicurists fan (a small 6" fan that sells for about $7.00 that
women use to dry their nails). Mount it so it blows on the top of the mould to speed up the sprue setting. While it is doing that (reduces sprue
hardening to 2-3 seconds) it also cools the mould slightly so that you can continue to cast until the pot is empty or you want to quit:
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/Castingfan-3723.jpg (http://s269.photobucket.com/user/Dale53/media/Castingfan-3723.jpg.html)

3 - Weight...
I am 790 years old and am anything BUT a weight lifter. I can handle a six cavity aluminum mould without issue or a four cavity iron or brass
without issue. I CANNOT properly handle my six cavity iron H&G gang mould. So, I don't worry about weight if the mould is four cavities or less.
I must admit that one of Mihec's six cavity aluminum moulds or NOE's five cavity aluminum moulds are a genuine pleasure to use and you can
really produce with them. However, I also have GREAT respect for the Mihec brass moulds that I have, including the two cavity brass hollow
point moulds. NOTE: Because of the extra manipulation of hollow point moulds, I prefer the two cavity brass ones over the four cavity ones. The
extra gymnastics required of the hollow point moulds make this ol' man fatique too early if I try the four cavity ones. Otherwise, I am good to
go with the four cavity moulds.

FWIW
Dale53

[GLL]

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/Castingfan-3723.jpg (http://s269.photobucket.com/user/Dale53/media/Castingfan-3723.jpg.html)


I am 790 years old and am anything BUT a weight lifter.

Damn Dale you are MUCH older than I thought ! ;)

That bench could be mine right down to the linotype, fan, iron pot, blue towel, and Pro-Melt ! :)

Jerry

[Cadillo]

Large hole is for mounting a Lee type lever if you are so inclined.

Small hole is use by me to attach the plate to a fixture during machining. This allows me to offer sprue plates with unfinished pour holes. Some folks like to do the finish work themselves so that they can have a really tiny hole or different funnel angle.

So, do you market the Lee type lever, or suggest a source? And would it work if that sprue plate were reversed so that the hinge was to the front rather than the rear as in the photo?

[TomAM]

So, do you market the Lee type lever, or suggest a source? And would it work if that sprue plate were reversed so that the hinge was to the front rather than the rear as in the photo?

Check out Red River Rick here for well made levers. Lee also sells their original.
Mold's gotta be facing the other way, though... The pivot must be away from the caster.