core mold group buy from Lee

[goblism]

I know that a lot of guys do group buys for various bullet molds but this got me thinking, why not just do a group buy for a core mold to make 224 bullets.
Personally for me I am looking to make 55-60 grain FINISHED weight bullets so a core of 50 grains or so would be perfect. I have not talked to Lee but would be curious if they could have additional cavities made beyond the standard 6.

There is a $175 setup fee unless there are 30 orders. Finished cost would be in the neighborhood of $53 plus shipping fees according to their website. There would be additional shipping fees from the central location of $6 per mold for USPS flat rate.

Just a feeler if enough guys are interested I think we should move forward, could also do one of the sites vendors too if interested

[muzzleblastm38]

Open for that also,i modifier my favorite mold to cas 2 8mm bullet ans Im thé centre 1 core

[newcastter]

It depends, is it a 2 cavity or 6 cavity? It's not difficult to drill it out yourself, curious what kind of deal we could get for blanks and handles?

[tiger762]

If these are to make cores that will be run through a core swage die at some point, then I have to question the need for a sprue for such a small diameter. Surely I want the cores I use for 45cal to be very close to finished weight but that's because swaging 45cal cores is a real pain. For half the diameter, there's one fourth the force needed to get to the same pressure. If you are swaging cores for 224, the starting weights can be all over the place and a compound leverage press will handle it fine. Given that, get two mold halves and drill as many cores as will fit the length of the halves. Put them at 0.5" centers. Eyeball where the molten lead fills up to. Just something to think about.

[fredj338]

Check with BT first. His core mold is well done, 11cav, 50+ gr each. Only thing that makes it better is a machined steel spru plate handle. The stock one is pretty lacking for shearing 11 sprus at once.

[newcastter]

Thanks for the BT plug......unfortunately it has zero relevance to this thread.
So goblism what cavity did you get a quote on?


Check with BT first. His core mold is well done, 11cav, 50+ gr each. Only thing that makes it better is a machined steel spru plate handle. The stock one is pretty lacking for shearing 11 sprus at once.

[goblism]

I am looking into .185 size cavities

[runfiverun]

it would be worth contacting AL at noe and seeing what he can work up.
he should be able to do a 6 cavity core mold that makes a 50+gr core on one of his standard mold sizes.
this would allow a good core swage die to bump up and squeeze off the extra without any stress.
even if the cost were near 100.00 his return time and quality would be worth the extra money, and I doubt he would need 30 orders to get it done.

[goblism]

Al said given his process that it would likely be pretty expensive as he would need new tooling

[Forrest r]

I bought a couple of blank lee molds and just drilled my own core mold. It actually isn't that hard to make them adjustable. Anyway new lee double cavity molds (molds ='s handles, pins to attach the handles, sprue plate with washer and retaining screw, blank die body).

There cave man simple to drill, simply put the spue plate on the mold, put the 2 halves together and hold them closed, close the sprue plate, use a drillbit the same size as the sprue plate holes and lightly drill down into the sprue plate hole. That will mark the centers for you, from there I use a #13 drillbit and drill a hole to the depth I wanted/needed. In my case it was all the way thru the blank die, but I'm sure people could tell you what size/length cores their using to make bullets in the weights your looking for.

The blank lee 2 cavity molds can be found in the $26 dollar range. The last 2 I bought were $25 & change each.

I hope this helps.

[clodhopper]

Hey Forrest r,
How heavy can you make your cores with your adjustable core mold?
Thread hijack now in progress.....I want to use .189 cores and core swage die to make 6mm bullets 105 plus grains. The lee mold with it's short depth does not have enough room for long heavy cores, and still have some metal on the bottom of the mold.

[Forrest r]

Hey Forrest r,
How heavy can you make your cores with your adjustable core mold?
Thread hijack now in progress.....I want to use .189 cores and core swage die to make 6mm bullets 105 plus grains. The lee mold with it's short depth does not have enough room for long heavy cores, and still have some metal on the bottom of the mold.

Boy, that's a tough one.

I'm casting a .7" long by .185" round core that weighs 60g.

The lee blanks I got are the new style molds (round/traditional alignment pins) and they are 1 1/8" long (1.125"). You could easily cast a 1" core with them. You'd have to weigh some of your .189" diameter cores and see what you come up with. With the .185" diameter cores evey 1/10th of an inch .1" ='s 8.5g of lead so a 1" long core will weigh 85g.

[303british.com]

Another cheaper option is Richard Corbin's adjustable 4 cavity mold. I have one and it works fine.

http://rceco.com/MN.asp?pg=products&specific=93&from=37

[goblism]

What's your casting rate per hour with that RCE mold, I looked at them and wasn't sure of the design

[303british.com]

I've never timed myself. Probably four every 15-20 secs. I usually cut my cores using a cutter, but melt all the bits that are left over from various diameters of wire. These are pictures I took when I got it. The core weight is adjustable and I lay the mold on a one element hot plate.


http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/WIABFFE_zpsc1c30ecc.jpg

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/WIAC914_zpsb5194160.jpg

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr179/S_Redgwell/Bullet%20Making/WIAC4C0_zpsfd7ca68d.jpg

[clodhopper]

I have a corbin core mold, picked up in an estate sale. The cavities are to large diameter for .22 cores.
The whole idea of screwing the mold to the bench and ladle feeding it just seems weird to this bottom pour boy.
Still looking at other options.
The lee group by should work for the 55 grain shooters if somebody will be a honcho.

[fredj338]

Thanks for the BT plug......unfortunately it has zero relevance to this thread.
So goblism what cavity did you get a quote on?

Wasn't really a plug. Just why reinvent the wheel, he already makes such a mold, probably nicer, 11cav? So it kinda is relevant?

[tiger762]

Also, for 0.19" diameter cores, it's not really critical how much heavier the slug is to the desired weight. It's easy enough to bleed off the excess. Now, cores for 45, on the other hand, are a whole 'nother matter :D

[303british.com]

I have a corbin core mold, picked up in an estate sale. The cavities are to large diameter for .22 cores.
The whole idea of screwing the mold to the bench and ladle feeding it just seems weird to this bottom pour boy.
Still looking at other options.
The lee group by should work for the 55 grain shooters if somebody will be a honcho.

The cores do not come out too large. WRT fixing it to the bench, there's no need. You just don't like the idea of using a ladle. It works fine.

[tiger762]

You just don't like the idea of using a ladle. It works fine.

I don't because the lead has too much time to cool down unless one rushes the delivery which is something I definitely do not like to do with molten lead :)

[clodhopper]

Cores from my corbin mold measure .215 diameter. would be great for .257, 6.5 .277 and such.

[goblism]

Price from Lee would end up being something like $63 to your door after shipping to me and me shopping to each of you. They can only do a 6 cavity. If 15 guys would be interested I will pursue this otherwise I will be ordering a blank and drilling my own

[fredj338]

JMO, 6cav, 20cal, gonna take all day to get a bunch of cores. See if they'll make 10-11 cav. It's custom anyway?

[goblism]

They won't do an 11 cavity, I asked and they said it would be more tooling, I think they make them just like noe and other mold makers

[u.p. north]

Price from Lee would end up being something like $63 to your door after shipping to me and me shopping to each of you. They can only do a 6 cavity. If 15 guys would be interested I will pursue this otherwise I will be ordering a blank and drilling my own
I have been following your thread on a group buy on the molds. You could order my adjustable core mold as a group buy. If they are all the same. I would need ten orders.... Tim (U.P. North)

[fredj338]

They won't do an 11 cavity, I asked and they said it would be more tooling, I think they make them just like noe and other mold makers

I would expect that, but the cost should be minimal. Why I suggested contacting BT, he's already got the design & process down. I like mine, it's just the cheap Lee sprue handle isn't up to the task of shearing 11 sprues at once IMO. I went with a steel one after I broke the Lee.