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View Full Version : Cast bullets using my Hardline Industries 130 grain .357 sized mold today



bigarm
11-13-2014, 09:16 PM
I ordered this mold from Hardline Industries for 9mm and 38 Super a little while ago and finally got to cast boolits with it today. This mold casts very nicely. From the first pour I was getting excellent bullets. This is only my 4th time casting and it was by far the best. I had very few culls. I weighed just one and without checking the scale, it weighed just over 130 grains. About as good as it gets I think. I was very pleased and will ask my wife to take pictures of them this evening. I see a lot of threads touting NOE and Accurate molds which I am sure are great, but not so many for Hardline Industries. I am not sure why, maybe because they seem to make a lot of their molds for powder coating. I am no expert caster by any stretch of the imagination, but I have had really good luck with these molds. If I can do well with them, I think anyone should be able to do well. You should check them out.

bigarm
11-13-2014, 11:36 PM
121766

a pic

oldlincoln
11-13-2014, 11:39 PM
Well they are sure priced like premium molds anyway. I would hope that a double cavity mold for $110 + sprue plate would cast as well as could be for a long long time. Not going to make any competitor worry that's for sure. Since they price break at ten sets of molds, I get the impression that this company is directed to serve commercial users mainly.
BTW, what an irritating web site. The navigation is awful. I'm surprised you could find something to order.

popper
11-14-2014, 11:44 AM
Wants extra $ to change anything. Don't have any NOE but Tom just charges for the finished product.

DR Owl Creek
11-14-2014, 02:43 PM
I don't have any molds from Accurate yet, but I'm sure I will some day. My first MiHec mold should be on its way to me now. I have 20 molds from NOE so far, and there are at least 4 more that I want to buy. The NOE molds are all top quality, and I think the prices are very reasonable considering the quality. In fact, if you get into a NOE group buy now, you get a 15% discount from the catalog price. That would actually make an NOE 2 cavity standard type mold no more expensive than buying a typical Lyman or RCBS 2 cavity mold, or maybe less depending on where you buy those.

Dave

Tallbald
11-14-2014, 03:05 PM
The same way one can appreciate the precision and machine work on an expensive finely made watch, one can get pleasure from a finely made, albeit pricey tool like a mold I would imagine. You have something to be quite proud of and I'm sure each time you use it you will appreciate the craftsmanship. And $110 spent at a restaurant on 3 people eating a decent steak and salad with a mixed drink each will result in a smelly brown mess in the toilet that gets flushed away and forgotten. While you and your mold will get pleasure together for many years. Money well spent. Don

Moonie
11-14-2014, 05:53 PM
The same way one can appreciate the precision and machine work on an expensive finely made watch, one can get pleasure from a finely made, albeit pricey tool like a mold I would imagine. You have something to be quite proud of and I'm sure each time you use it you will appreciate the craftsmanship. And $110 spent at a restaurant on 3 people eating a decent steak and salad with a mixed drink each will result in a smelly brown mess in the toilet that gets flushed away and forgotten. While you and your mold will get pleasure together for many years. Money well spent. Don

Your point is well taken, but I guess we are spoiled with having the equivalent of Swiss watches of molds custom made for us at a more reasonable price. I certainly wouldn't say these molds are worth the price as I do not own any. I do however own A.C.E, Miha, Accurate and NOE molds and I can say they are very well made and either many more cavities or HP for similar money.

Hickory
11-14-2014, 06:11 PM
121766

a pic

I enlarged this picture and it appears that there are no lube grooves on these boolits.
If I recall correctly the is a gentleman here that sells lube grooves, does anyone recall who that is? :bigsmyl2:

Tallbald
11-14-2014, 07:30 PM
The three molds I have are Lee. Fine (enough) craftsmanship at rock bottom pricing.....:bigsmyl2:. Don

Side by Side
11-14-2014, 08:10 PM
I ordered this mold from Hardline Industries for 9mm and 38 Super a little while ago and finally got to cast boolits with it today. This mold casts very nicely. From the first pour I was getting excellent bullets. This is only my 4th time casting and it was by far the best. I had very few culls. I weighed just one and without checking the scale, it weighed just over 130 grains. About as good as it gets I think. I was very pleased and will ask my wife to take pictures of them this evening. I see a lot of threads touting NOE and Accurate molds which I am sure are great, but not so many for Hardline Industries. I am not sure why, maybe because they seem to make a lot of their molds for powder coating. I am no expert caster by any stretch of the imagination, but I have had really good luck with these molds. If I can do well with them, I think anyone should be able to do well. You should check them out.

I also have Hardline Molds, 10mm and 9mm, these are great molds, made to your order for bullet weight and diameter. I have used Lee, RCBS and Lyman molds over the years, Hardline is far Superior in my opinion . You would have to try one before knocking them.

bigarm
11-14-2014, 08:16 PM
I guess I didn't know this post would generate some of these responses. I am just pleased with them and thought I would share. No, they are not cheap, but if a guy like me can use them to make great bullets, they must be okay.

Tallbald
11-14-2014, 09:47 PM
I'd be proud to have a mold like yours bigarm. You enjoy the handsome results. I only wish I too could afford to buy the same thing. Don

Echo
11-15-2014, 11:21 AM
Good looking boolits, bigarm. PC, I assume???

bigarm
11-15-2014, 11:35 AM
Yes, they will be powder coated.

Hardline
11-18-2014, 07:36 PM
Very nice looking bullets bigarm!

Thank you everyone for the constructive criticism. All of your comments are taken into consideration. We recently revamped our website trying to ease browsing, inquiring for more information, and ordering products. Any and all suggestions about the new layout are appreciated.

The clause about charging $5/cavity on bullets 3/4" and over has been removed. It takes significantly longer to cut the long bullets, but loosing an order due to the increased cost is not effective either. For the month of November we are offering free custom designs and design alterations in order to build our design catalog up.

We are aiming for both commercial casters as well as individuals. Cast iron was chosen as our primary block material because we are aiming at both markets. While being a higher quality block material it isn't as quickly or easily machined as aluminum or brass. The commercial casters require cast iron because it doesn't easily overheat and is durable enough to stand up the millions of cycles they put the molds through. Before passing judgment on our pricing please compare our prices with those of our competitors cast iron molds. Now consider that each of our molds are custom cut to your specifications and hand tested before being sent out the door. Whether you are casting commercially or just for your own personal use, we are confident that if you try our products you will enjoy using them and find the investment worthwhile.

Thank you,

Hardline Industries, Inc.
sales@hardlineindustries.com
701-757-4273

P.S. Keep an eye out for our advertisement in the December issue of Handloader magazine!

Love Life
11-18-2014, 07:46 PM
Hardline Industries bullet moulds ARE premium bullet moulds. I have several NOE moulds, and while they are quality, they are not cast iron. I have been selling my NOE moulds off as I prefer Iron moulds and Hardline sells them.

It's all about what a customer prefers. For the longest I only bought NOE because they were the only custom mould maker who has unlocked the masonic puzzle that allows them to make round nose bullet moulds.

No I can get iron moulds with round nose designs. I get my cake and get to eat it as well.

Leadmelter
11-18-2014, 09:08 PM
Yes saw your advertisement in Handloader.
Leadmelter
MI

Moonie
11-19-2014, 10:34 AM
Very nice looking bullets bigarm!

Thank you everyone for the constructive criticism. All of your comments are taken into consideration. We recently revamped our website trying to ease browsing, inquiring for more information, and ordering products. Any and all suggestions about the new layout are appreciated.

The clause about charging $5/cavity on bullets 3/4" and over has been removed. It takes significantly longer to cut the long bullets, but loosing an order due to the increased cost is not effective either. For the month of November we are offering free custom designs and design alterations in order to build our design catalog up.

We are aiming for both commercial casters as well as individuals. Cast iron was chosen as our primary block material because we are aiming at both markets. While being a higher quality block material it isn't as quickly or easily machined as aluminum or brass. The commercial casters require cast iron because it doesn't easily overheat and is durable enough to stand up the millions of cycles they put the molds through. Before passing judgment on our pricing please compare our prices with those of our competitors cast iron molds. Now consider that each of our molds are custom cut to your specifications and hand tested before being sent out the door. Whether you are casting commercially or just for your own personal use, we are confident that if you try our products you will enjoy using them and find the investment worthwhile.

Thank you,

Hardline Industries, Inc.
sales@hardlineindustries.com
701-757-4273

P.S. Keep an eye out for our advertisement in the December issue of Handloader magazine!

Time to eat crow, I was unaware these were Iron molds. That would certainly justify the higher cost. When my hobby money gets built back up after the recent mold purchases I very well might try one. I currently only have 1 iron mold (an Ideal) but have owned many in the past. Most of mine are aluminum, some custom some Lee, and 1 brass. I do like Iron but for higher cavity count molds they (and brass for that matter) can get heavy during long casting sessions.