Marty's Buckshot Molds

[megasupermagnum]

I found a brand new maker of buckshot molds, and made right in my home state! They are a little expensive, but look to be absolute top quality. Check out that cool toggle and gear hinge. It looks like he will make any size shot or ball, even up to .75". I swear, bullet casting has been the worst thing for my savings account.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPC6YPwfofY

[Rcmaveric]

Pricey is right. Things like this cause an internal struggle. I want that and its priced about right. You want to support the small guys. Then I look at my budget, double check my wallet and life goals. Then go I go cast some more buck shot with my Lee double cavity round ball mold that cost my 20 bucks and try not to think about it as watch Cold Case or Forensic Files.

[6pt-sika]

FWIW you can get a Lee 6 cavity in .380” which is 0000 Buck from Track of the Wolf for about $60 and it has a sprue plate . You can also get it in .395” which is pretty much 00000 Buck . I suspect you can do the same for #1 , 2 , 3 and 0 .

[Hogtamer]

cast an hour and spend the week cutting the nibs off? beautiful work but no thanks.

[dverna]

The price would be fine if it was not necessary to cut apart each piece from the runner and have a rather large flat spot remaining. I suppose they will shoot fine at short range, but it seems to negate all the other precision machining.

I bought the Lee mold but have not used it. Currently using S&B buckshot shells will that I get for $7 a box of 25. Not worth casting or reloading at the price for the few I need. BTW, Midway puts those shells on sale about twice a year. I have been buying them for the local coyote hunters.

[square butte]

Not too much available there at the moment - as has been the case for over a year. Only a .250 version shows as available. I have tried their contact email with no response after a year

[KrakenFan69]

I agree, that looks like a pretty large sprue to trim form each ball. Maybe it is needed because of how it fills?


Kraken Fan #69

[jmort]

Looks like Marty took over Sharpshooter or ripped off the design. The 6 cavity .310 Lee Mold from Track of the Wolf is the way to go for Buckshot.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1202/1/LEE-310-6C
Mihec just ran a .678 and a .730 which is the other way to go big. Or a Lee .600 mold for a Tri-Ball load. The sprue plate makes a superior projectile.
I wish Marty well and may get some of his molds. But the sprue standing proud is suboptimal.
Just like the Lyman molds.
I have a lot of Sharpshooter molds. In everything from #4 to full bore.

[centershot]

cast an hour and spend the week cutting the nibs off? beautiful work but no thanks.

Yes, this is where the 6 cavity Lee mold outshines the others!

[megasupermagnum]

It's definitely not a rip off of sharpshooter molds. No doubt there is a lot of cutting to be done, but you had to cut all the shot from a sharpshooter mold too. I wouldn't order one in BB, but anything #3 and bigger should be no problem.

[RMc]

Looks like Marty took over Sharpshooter or ripped off the design. The 6 cavity .310 Lee Mold from Track of the Wolf is the way to go for Buckshot.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1202/1/LEE-310-6C
Mihec just ran a .678 and a .730 which is the other way to go big. Or a Lee .600 mold for a Tri-Ball load. The sprue plate makes a superior projectile.
I wish Marty well and may get some of his molds. But the sprue standing proud is suboptimal.
Just like the Lyman molds.
I have a lot of Sharpshooter molds. In everything from #4 to full bore.

If, and I say if, enough readers of this and other forums would contact Track of the Wolf asking them to add specific buckshot diameter 6 cavity Lee molds to their line and why...

[Cap'n Morgan]

I agree, that looks like a pretty large sprue to trim form each ball. Maybe it is needed because of how it fills?


Kraken Fan #69

That's probably the reason. A large sprue is necessary to avoid a dimple in the ball. Molten lead shrinks about 5-6% when solidifying and with a small sprue the inlet freezes before the ball and can't draw lead from the sprue to compensate for the shrinkage.

I made a bunch of buckshot molds for a group buy years ago. Using very small inlets the balls could be snapped from the stem using no other tooling than a pair of gloves. I never tested the bucks myself and have no idea how much the roundness (or lack of it) will influence the patterns.

[jmort]

"It's definitely not a rip off of sharpshooter molds."

I fail to see any significant difference. What are the differences?
Not a big deal either way.

[square butte]

The hinge is the main difference - Go to Marty's Arms website and look at the video showing the manufacture of the molds. Moot point though since they are not really in production yet

[megasupermagnum]

As far as I can tell, the Sharpshooter molds were made with blanks bought by Do-It Molds (fishing molds). Their hinge was just a couple roll pins, and the cavities were stacked on each other. This new mold has a totally different hinge, individual cavities, the guy even mills his own blocks and handles. The only thing similar is that they both do not use sprue plates. Not that it matters at all, but it's about like saying MP molds is a rip off of NOE. I'm just glad to see somebody making buckshot molds. I was bummed when I was ready to buy a few, and the next week Sharpshooter quit making them. I'm thinking of seeing about a combo #F (.220") and .315". I already have a #2 buck from Sharpshooter, then a 000 from Lee should round out my buckshot collection. I could get a .310" from Lee, but I've got one of those dumb ideas to try some round balls in my 327 federal.

[GhostHawk]

Well I had been wishing I had bought a .20 mold from sharpshooter back when they made them.

So I just pulled the trigger on a .20 mold from Marty.

Me I don't mind clipping sprue's. If you use the right set of nippers at the right location you don't get much of a flat spot.

Mostly these will be used to make my own airgun pellets for my Sheridan Blue Streak.

The Sharpshooter .22 cal mold is the most accurate out of my .22 caliber air rifle of all pellets I've tried.

I LIKE being self sufficient. And I WANTED a .20 cal round ball for my blue streak. In my case, worth the cost.

We'll see how to mold pours and shoots, but that will be another story for another day.

[RED BEAR]

Well that is a bit pricey but in all honesty i wouldn't turn on a machine for $95 when i was working. I know mass production brings the price down . I think the hinge is way ahead of the sharp shooter . I had a lot of problems with the sharp shooter hinge freezing up and finally getting loose. Had to install line up pins. You are right about having to trim a lot i watch tv and do it. But i see it has the same problem as the sharp shooter and that is the handle. It gets very hot after a while. I had to put a spacer inbetween the mold and handle so there was an air space so the wood handle didn't get hot as fast. And talk about trimming i got a #4 buck sharp shooter.

[trapper9260]

I had got a mold from Sharpshooter of 00 Buckshot and works for me. I did some testing with my 410 with the buckshot of not roll the shot and roll the shot to take off the sharp edges and see that the roll shot pattern good but the none roll shot did not pattern at all . I also had got there T shot mold but did not spend much time to cast with it.It looks to work when shot is not able to get and it is rough times. Glad I did get that molds. I did get some Lee buckshot molds also.

[Markopolo]

Nice looking mould.. good find MSM... defiantly not a sharp shooter design other then at a glance at profile. Major difference as I have one of those Sharp Shooter types.

I appreciate you keeping your eyes open...

Marko

[jmort]

I rewatched the entire video
Impressive
Clearly the hinges are really nice, as is the entire mold
Again, I wish him well
I prefer a sprue plate over the Lee/Sharpshooter/Marty style gang-molds
The MP molds turned out really nice
Also the HM2 molds turned out really nice

[megasupermagnum]

Just so everyone is aware, he had problems with his original hinge design, and had to stop production. He now has a new design, and has resumed production. It looks like he has most sizes available. He lowered the price to $90 too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHFx2pibXks

Don't miss the 10% discount code "BubbaRountree"

[Blood Trail]

I just bought a #3 buckshot mold from Marty. Same design as the Sharpshooters. I spoke with My buddy Wade at Bubba Roundtree Outdoors and he likes them.

Haven’t cast with mine yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[megasupermagnum]

I've got a 000 buck on the way.

[Newtire]

I bought a Sharpshooter mold for buckshot. For sure were just a Do-It mold. Alignment and fill-out was not up to my high standard of at least being round. Handles were too short and burned my hands. Sure got talked up good on some Websites.? This one looks like it has a better hinge.

I love the way the Lee round balls turn out from their 6-cavity and 2-cavity molds but alas, no .330".

Just wondering how the buckshot molds from Lee work out as far as making round balls?

Don't mind trimming off the sprues but can't have a ball with a seam line all around it.

[Blood Trail]

I bought a Sharpshooter mold for buckshot. For sure were just a Do-It mold. Alignment and fill-out was not up to my high standard of at least being round. Handles were too short and burned my hands. Sure got talked up good on some Websites.? This one looks like it has a better hinge.

I love the way the Lee round balls turn out from their 6-cavity and 2-cavity molds but alas, no .330".

Just wondering how the buckshot molds from Lee work out as far as making round balls?

Don't mind trimming off the sprues but can't have a ball with a seam line all around it.

Give Lee a shot. They’re cheap and just might live up to your “high standard”.

But like any multicavity mold, if your lead or mold isn’t hot enough, it still won’t fill out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[megasupermagnum]

I bought a Sharpshooter mold for buckshot. For sure were just a Do-It mold. Alignment and fill-out was not up to my high standard of at least being round. Handles were too short and burned my hands. Sure got talked up good on some Websites.? This one looks like it has a better hinge.

I love the way the Lee round balls turn out from their 6-cavity and 2-cavity molds but alas, no .330".

Just wondering how the buckshot molds from Lee work out as far as making round balls?

Don't mind trimming off the sprues but can't have a ball with a seam line all around it.

The Lee buckshot molds drop balls every bit as good as the 6 cavity molds.

[GhostHawk]

Well I was pretty sadly disappointed when I tried casting with my new marty's .20 caliber, and got .24 caliber balls. Those might work in my .223rem but sure do not work in my Sheridan Blue Streak. Its marked .20, but every ball I cast measured .244 or bigger. Threw it on the shelf in disgust and there it sits.

No I did not even bother to complain about it. Not worth my time.

[Newtire]

Give Lee a shot. They’re cheap and just might live up to your “high standard”.

But like any multicavity mold, if your lead or mold isn’t hot enough, it still won’t fill out.


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkI hear you on having to get the lead hot enough. I use a Coleman gasoline stove (much hotter than propane) and iron pan. It works better for me when making big boolits.

I will "bite the boolit" and lay down the money on a Lee buckshot mold then. If it doesn't work, I can always get my money back. We will just have to find out!

For trimming the sprues, Harbor Freight sells a small set of side-cutter pliers that will cut off the bottom part of a .36 maxi-ball to make a kind of collar button boolit. Tough metal, whatever it is.

[pashiner]

I've been tossing around the idea of a poor-man's ball mill for making cast lead balls more perfectly round. At the moment it's just an old freon tank with a hole in it. I pour in a load of balls, seal the hole and let it crash around in the back of my truck while I drive to work for about a week. I'm getting good results with lee .690 balls. .445 balls for the flintlock take longer, maybe two weeks. I'd imagine common buckshot sizes need quite a bit more. Eventually I'll build a motorized stationary tumbler to do the job.
Perhaps one of the teeny little harbor freight rock tumblers would do for 00 and smaller.
With the big .690 balls, the sprue and mold parting lines disappear entirely, and they measure out much more evenly when I take the dial caliper to them.
.445 never seem to get perfect, but they get shot with a patch anyway, so i'm not yet sure it's worth it with this crummy setup.
earplugs are recommended if you take the truck route.
bonus points for anybody with the beans to do it in a cargo van.

[megasupermagnum]

I tumble buckshot in the HF rock tumbler. some of them get a little nub of sprue left, and tumbling knocks this down. This makes them stack in the shell easier. I have not noticed it helping roundness, as they are already within .002" round anyway, most of them less than that. Lee makes a phenomenal ball mold.

[Hamish]

Well I was pretty sadly disappointed when I tried casting with my new marty's .20 caliber, and got .24 caliber balls. Those might work in my .223rem but sure do not work in my Sheridan Blue Streak. Its marked .20, but every ball I cast measured .244 or bigger. Threw it on the shelf in disgust and there it sits.

No I did not even bother to complain about it. Not worth my time.

Thank you for posting this, I was waffling about ordering one to try.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I just ordered a .680 and .720 mould. We'll see how it goes. If it's much larger than stated I wouldn't hesitate to make him make me a new one.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

I have what is likely a complete set of Sharpshooter Buckshot Molds. Yes, the handles need modification. Even gloves don't entirely solve the issue. I dislike the clipping individual balls, but there was nothing else available in the smaller buck sizes like T and F that I like for coyotes. Hinges? They are what they are. Perfect alignment, no, but there was nothing else like it available. Can a mold be made for buckshot smaller than #4 that cuts off the sprues? If so, I'll buy them. I'm a mold-aholic. Bring 'em on!

[gpidaho]

Ghosthawk: Close to #4 buck. Powder coat them and send them from your shotgun. Gp

[megasupermagnum]

Well I was pretty sadly disappointed when I tried casting with my new marty's .20 caliber, and got .24 caliber balls. Those might work in my .223rem but sure do not work in my Sheridan Blue Streak. Its marked .20, but every ball I cast measured .244 or bigger. Threw it on the shelf in disgust and there it sits.

No I did not even bother to complain about it. Not worth my time.

You should at least send marty an email so he knows he made a mistake. It would help everyone in the future.

[fcvan]

I have a single cavity Lee 310 RB mold that sat on the shelf of a local mom and pop gun store for at least 30 years. $12 bucks, what the heck. Sometimes I use it when cadence casting using 2 molds. I was surprised how quickly I cast 5 pounds of buckshot. I have contemplated the Lee 6/18 cavity but I just don't shoot that much buckshot. I know with the 3 round balls per cavity are easy to separate with canine toenail clippers, and then running them in the Lyman case tumbler to smooth the sprues.

Might as well tumble with PC powder in the Lyman but sounds messy. The plan is to buy some see through/opaque hulls and load some red/white/blue buckshot, and fold crimp with a clear plastic over shot card, my brother's request. The 69 cal RBs will be loaded with special cup wads and roll crimped. 69s will be PCd Zombie Green (and black) just because. Hey, every Zombie I have shot were DRT, um already dead, but stopped right there. I might even make some Barbie Pink ones for the Wife. I just need to order the see through hulls.

[RogerDat]

If you wet tumble putting the shot into the tumbler with a bit of graphite not only coats the shot so it doesn't stick together with age it also pounds the nib off at least somewhat.

I have only used Lee 6 cavity round ball and some group buy buckshot molds from MP molds to make buckshot. I have toyed with the idea of buying one of Lee's "string of pearls" in #4 since I don't have that size and do load 20 gauge. Haven't taken the plunge yet. Guess since it is a commonly available mold I don't feel any rush.

[barnabus]

I got a #4 buck handle screw burn the crap out of ur hand. I wouldn’t buy another

[ackleyman]

I have Marty's molds in T, F, #4 Buck, and #1 Buck, love them.

Have Lee in the #4 buck and 00

50/50 wheel weights and range lead makes for some very hard buckshot that patterns very, very well.

A coffee can full of T shot is some serious work!

[trapper9260]

I have Marty's molds in T, F, #4 Buck, and #1 Buck, love them.

Have Lee in the #4 buck and 00

50/50 wheel weights and range lead makes for some very hard buckshot that patterns very, very well.

A coffee can full of T shot is some serious work!

I hear you on the T shot. When I have some time to make for to cast some I will get more done also. How dose yours shoot ? Do they pattern good ?

[Barry54]

I have Marty's molds in T, F, #4 Buck, and #1 Buck, love them.

Have Lee in the #4 buck and 00

50/50 wheel weights and range lead makes for some very hard buckshot that patterns very, very well.

A coffee can full of T shot is some serious work!

I was curious to see how casting buckshot smaller than number four turns out. I see it can be done!

[Shanghai Jack]

Have one, hate the handles.

[pipehand]

I was curious to see how casting buckshot smaller than number four turns out. I see it can be done!

Will let you know as soon as I try mine. Won a bb (.180) mold on evilbay lastweek. Looks like I'm going to have to wear asbestos gloves to run the mold hot enough to fill those tiny cavities. Snipping the pellets is go a be fun too.

[Barry54]

Will let you know as soon as I try mine. Won a bb (.180) mold on evilbay lastweek. Looks like I'm going to have to wear asbestos gloves to run the mold hot enough to fill those tiny cavities. Snipping the pellets is go a be fun too.

Looking forward to your report. I used Klein brand cable cutters for cutting apart the Lee string of pearls. I would like to know if they are too large to use on Marty’s molds?

[pipehand]

I usually use tiny side cutters from the diy/craft jewelry section of wallyworld. I grind them a bit so they get between the pellets. There looks to be more room on the Marty Molds, as each ball comes off the common sprue and not in a chain with each other. During the same week I went in the complete other end of the spectrum- got a good deal on a .735" Lyman ball mold. Maybe I can find time to play with them over the holidays.