9mm mold up grade ?

[Boaz]

I have a 2 cav Lee 115 gr RN mold but would like to step up to a 6 cav . Any suggestions on a source/brand ?

Would also appreciate any input about going on and getting a 124/125 gr instead of the 115 . Just loading target , plinking rounds with this one , no self defense or match . Thanks for any comments !
Boaz

[MT Gianni]

Lee is the only ones making 6 cavity AFAIK, but the NOE 5 cavities do a great job. I like the Lyman 356402 and the Ly 358242 and it's clones in the 124 gr size and the NOE 135 gr has done good work for me in 9mm.

[tazman]

As MT Gianni said, Lee is the only one making a 6 cavity mold currently. They don't make one in 115 grain for 9mm. The 120 TC with the standard lube groove is an excellent choice. The 125 grain 2R round nose in standard lube groove is also a good choice.
With the NOE molds, anything they make for 9mm is a good choice. My best results come with the NOE 358-135-Rf, but they are all good.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Check out Tom's products at Accurate Molds.

Good product and good turn around.

A 9mm - 5 cavity mold was one of the two I recently ordered.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Boaz]

Thanks for the recommendations I looked at the NOE page after the first comment , I will check out Accurate Molds and Lyman today .

[captaint]

The NOE 135gr RNFP comes in 5 cav. I have one - and it makes very good boolits.

[straight-shooter]

I just received a NOE 158-155 for 9mm. It casts FP and two sizes of HP. I have yet to cast with it but NOE puts out some good juju. The HP casts out at 147gr.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd56/straightshooter44/Casting/NOE358155_Mold%20Custom2_zpsgopfuhrk.jpg

[Boaz]

Very nice looking mold straight shooter !

[tazman]

I just received a NOE 158-155 for 9mm. It casts FP and two sizes of HP. I have yet to cast with it but NOE puts out some good juju. The HP casts out at 147gr.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd56/straightshooter44/Casting/NOE358155_Mold%20Custom2_zpsgopfuhrk.jpg

I have one of those on the way and I have great hopes for it.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Tom, at Accurate Molds will also cut more then one style in a single mold. Hmmmmmmmm?

Being the Ol'Coot that I am, I look at that in the same way as I look at having multiple loads for one hunting rifle. Poor thinking.

I like to maximize my casting production and with one mold divided into two or more bullet styles/weights, I'd always end up with half or more of my effort being wasted on a bullet I didn't want to use. But Like I say, that is just the Ol'Coot's way of looking at things.

Then with cast Hollow point bullets always being dependent on a narrow window of impact velocity for proper performance, I choose to use the more reliable jacketed hollow points for situations where such expansion is needed while using the cast bullets to cut the cost of practice to a reasonable level.

Now, with cast bullets in say the .44 and .45 dia. sizes, a large meplat or Wide Flat Nose is awesome in it's game taking ability - yes I've been there, I'm a 45/70 hunter - so a cast hollow point would clearly take a poor second place in the larger calibers.

Interesting watching this topic and seeing the fine examples of the mold makers skills.

If Tom at Accurate Molds wasn't making me such a fine product, I'd be tempted to order from NOE. But only in a 4 - 5 cavity mold, of a single, non- hollow point style.;-)

Ol'Coot's are such a pain, this is shooting, why must we be reasonable? :kidding:

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[fredj338]

Check out Tom's products at Accurate Molds.

Good product and good turn around.

A 9mm - 5 cavity mold was one of the two I recently ordered.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

^^THIS^^ Both Accurate & NOE are great quality but the Accurate allows customization. The NOE are often available in HP though. IMO, 5cav is just as fast as 6cav. There is a point where filling cav & emptying starts a diminishing return.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Other then when casting for my 45/70 where I want a higher level of consistency, I run 2 - 3 molds when casting by myself.

Using the Rowell bottom pour ladle and a big pot on the old Coleman stove, I get along great with the 4 - 5 cavity molds. Do OK with the Lee 6 cavity, but their mold selection sucks and I have some of their molds that I wish I didn't.

Have a couple of old rattle bang Lyman 4 cavity molds that cast fine if you like to have the mold in one hand and a screw driver in the other to keep em tight. :lol:

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Boaz]

I should have been more clear in the opening post , a four to six cavity mold would work just fine .

[fredj338]

I should have been more clear in the opening post , a four to six cavity mold would work just fine .

Something else to keep in mind is that the more cavs,especially with the cheaper Lee molds, the more variation from bullet to bullet. You have to find a balance though. 2cavs are too slow, except on a magma machine, & 6cav offers more variation. I have everything form 2-6cav & am liking 4cav designs best for volume & consistency.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Fred points out a really good reason to go with a quality mold maker.

Lee although many people like their products, are way down on the level of quality products.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[srd]

Just received the same NOE 158-155 in Brass yesterday from the group buy. VERY nice looking mold.

[Dragonheart]

Something else to keep in mind is that the more cavs,especially with the cheaper Lee molds, the more variation from bullet to bullet. You have to find a balance though. 2cavs are too slow, except on a magma machine, & 6cav offers more variation. I have everything form 2-6cav & am liking 4cav designs best for volume & consistency.

I agree completely. In 9 mm I run two 4 cavity Saeco #115 molds and I get 8 quality bullets. By alternating my molds I have no wait for cool down. My Saeco molds have cast thousands of bullets and will far outlive me. I have one Lee 6 cavity mold I quit using because of bullet variation. My Lee mold for buckshot works just fine.