H&G molds

[selmerfan]

A couple of years back I stumbled into a gift that prompted me to buy a S&W k38. (Local police chief needed to dispose of 100 pounds of once fired 9mm brass, 5 pounds of Bullseye, and a couple thousand Rem 1 1/2 primers). He couldn't sell it and it would have cost the city hazmat fees to dispose of it. So he gave it to me. Looking at .22 LR prices at the time, I realized I could reload .38 Special cheaper than buying .22 ammo. So I sold the 9mm brass and bought the gun. (Brass Paid for most of it).I was already setup for .357 Mag/Max, but not a high volume mold. I found an H&G #51 155 gr. SWC. BB in good condition for sale here. 10 cavity. Are all H&G molds like this one? By that, I mean that in order to throw 100% perfect boolits, I simply preheat the mold and my pot and start casting. No rejects. They fall from the mold like rain. And they're perfect. I don't even inspect them any more. My Lee molds don't do this, even thought they're good. My NOE mold does this. But I can cast so many so fast! What are your H&G experiences? I love casting with mine!


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[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I kind of wondered the same thing. I bought this long nose WC back in 2012 from FTF meet up with a member here. It's real old (1930s or 40s?), Kind of in tough shape, but it casts beautifully...just like you mention about your 10 cav mold. I really like the venting on the top. I posted about it back then. Photos below.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?188491-Very-Very-early-Two-Cavity-Geo-A-Hensley-(Hensley-amp-Gibbs)-9-Wadcutter-Mould


http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/4leftsidecavities.jpg


http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/1markingside.jpg


http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/2fullview.jpg


http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/7boolits.jpg

[selmerfan]

Those are beautiful, Jon! I'll take some pics of my beast tomorrow. If these are .358" and you ever want to trade, I'm game.


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[JonB_in_Glencoe]

They are .358 or maybe a hair larger, and right at 150 gr, and the long nose is .350
I'm not up for that trade, sorry to say.
I'm not man enough to cast with a 10 cav iron mold.
In fact, I recently sold a 4 cav brass mold, just because it was too heavy :sad:

[LenH]

I have 3 H & G molds: an 8 cavity S242 .45 AP mold (160 gr. LSWC)that rains bullets and drains the pot real fast, it is a beast to cast with, but with that aluminum mold shelf it isn't too bad.
I also have a 6 cavity #73 .38 SWC mold, this is the newest of the bunch, it takes a slight tap with a lead hammer to get them to fall, this is a 145 grain bullet. It is also a pot drainer.
The last one is a #50 4 cavity 148 GR WC mold it rains bullets also but just a bit slower.
The S242 mold was in excellent shape as is the #73 mold, the #50 was in not so great shape, I had to lap the cavities and polish the bottom of the sprue plate it was a bit abused but I got it on FleeBay and will stay
away from there from now on. The other two molds I bought from members on the swapping and selling page. 186849186850

[oger]

I have a bunch of H&G molds. All I do is put the mold in an old little roaster oven to warm and go at it, it is not unusual to have zero rejects from the first fill. The biggest problem with them is that spoil you there is nothing else quite as good.

[OS OK]

​JonB...those casts look like little 55 gallon oil drums...I'll bet they hit HARD!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

​JonB...those casts look like little 55 gallon oil drums...I'll bet they hit HARD!
I've read your posts on HPs with interest, but I have done NO testing with these long nose WC...just plinking.

[paul h]

Nothing like casting from a good cast iron mold and IMHO H&G is as good as it gets.

[Jack Stanley]

I've cast with six cavity molds for some time now . I once belonged to a gun club that had four six cavity wadcutter molds and a pot with about a seventy pound capacity . I would ladle cast all four of them at one time . Now that I don't shoot wadcutters that much I still use the six cavity molds I do have with the pro-melt . I drilled a couple small holes in the bottom plate and made a guide block out of a couple 2x4s and screwed it to the plate with wood screws . Screwed flat steel to each side to align the mold and go after casting . If I even need to cast marathon style I have a ten pound Lee pot that I melt with . When the pro-melt gets low I pour hot lead in to top it off .

One of the members here recently had a six cavity 38 round nose bullet I would have liked to bought . Sadly the cash is short right now and I have a Lyman four cavity that does work after all .

Jack

[stu1ritter]

JonB, I also like those long nose wadcutters. These molds are from Accurate in 32, 38 and 44.

Stu
http://tinyurl.com/gur4pat