NOE H&G #34 220 gr RN clone

[FN in MT]

Been away from casting for about a year. Cast so many in 2013 that I only did a few sessions last year.

In the mean time I bought a new NOE , Night Owl Enterprises, five cavity aluminum, 220 gr .45 acp RN design. Basically a H&G #34 clone of their 230 gr RN, though the front driving band is a bit narrower...maybe that's were the 10 grs went?

I took a chance on an aluminum mold as it was so much cheaper than brass. I've been quite happy with the MIHA brass molds I have accumulated, but have NEVER done well with the LEE aluminum molds.

The instructions recommend heating the mold to operating temperature 2 or 3 times to break it in a bit. Last night i sat it on a hotplate then cast enough to get good bullets. Then stopped and let it cool. Did the same this morning, then started breaking in another NOE I have a 2 cav, brass .358" 160 gr flat point, similar to an LBT type.

I eventually came back to the .45 mold and I guess the 3rd time IS a charm. It started turning out beautiful bullets almost immediately. Maybe my cursed past with LEE's aluminum blocks has been purged?

BOTH NOE molds turning out nice, round slugs.

FN in MT

[Yodogsandman]

NOE makes a nice aluminum mold!

I recently got the NOE 454-230 RN mold. Mine casts at 227gr using a 50/50 mix of range scrap lead and COWW's+ 1 1/2 % tin. The 220gr bullets might be resulting from the alloy you're using. The mold weight is based on WW alloy (see bullet sketch).

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/images/N.O.E._Bullet_Moulds_454-230-RN_(PB)_228_gr_Sketch.Jpg

[Jupiter7]

I also cast the same NOE mold, mine come in at 225grs.

[dromia]

Comparing Lee to NOE is like comparing apples to cricket balls.

The problem with Lee is isn't the fact that they are aluminium but that the QC is non existent, they are also made to a very low price point so the savings are made all round the manufacturing process.

They are rarely good to go from the box and will inevitably need some sort of fettling to get them to work as advertised, look upon them as mould kits rather than ready to use moulds.

People like NOE and Accurate make real moulds that do work as advertised and cast to specification, they cost more but I would buy them any day over a Lee if they have the design I want.

I have aluminium, iron and brass moulds and they all work very well. They just have their own foibles which you need to learn at the pot, my preference is for aluminium for its lightness.