Ever wear out an aluminum mold?

[brewer12345]

I have been on a tear with the 6 banger Lee copy of the HG 68 45 SWC lately. Must be closing in on 5000 boolits cast with this mold. Once it is up to temp it casts nice boolits fairly quickly and empties the pot in a hurry. I was wondering if I need to be on the lookout for the mold wearing out. Anyone ever worn out an aluminum mold? What should I be looking for as signs of trouble? All my other molds simply do not get the volume that this one sees, and I suspect that the old school steel molds probably will never wear out unless I let them rust badly.

[Wayne Smith]

Not yet!!

[rancher1913]

does it look like its wearing out, only you can be the judge, but I believe as long as you dont warp it, it should last your lifetime.

[country gent]

The big differences between Aluminum and steel blocks are the heat distribution and how rough they can be handled or the abuse they will take and survive. The aluminum need to be handled a little mire carefully than steel does. But with proper care and handling both will last several lifetimes

[KCSO]

My oldest aluminium mould has been in use since 1972. Just don't drop it on the concrete floor.

[Phlier]

does it look like its wearing out, only you can be the judge, but I believe as long as you dont warp it, it should last your lifetime.
Yup, and aluminum molds can actually be warped pretty easily. I warped one on a hot plate. If you pre-warm your mold on a hotplate, use something as an intermediary layer between your hot plate and your mold. I use an old circular saw blade, now, as I warped a mold pretty badly by just putting it right on the hot plate. This wasn't a bare element hot plate, either, but one where the elements are down below some sort of glass surface.

One of my Lee molds has over 50k boolits cast, and it's still chugging along. It's not much to look at, but it still casts a pretty boolit. The top of the mold has some pretty deep grooves cut into it, yet it keeps on ticking.

It's mostly retired after I bought a new MP 9mm mold two weeks ago. :)

[vagrantviking]

Some of the old style Lee molds, particularly single cavity, had steel on aluminum mating surfaces and would get loose or difficult to align after enough use.

By the time that happened Lee had come out with better multi cavity molds with steel pins and bushings so an upgrade was in order anyway.

[Springfield]

I have a couple of LEE 44 moulds that have a few hundred thousand bullets through them. The moulds themselves are not worn out but the hinge pins and sprue plate pins are no longer the originals. Those self tapping screws LEE uses are really not intended to be used that much, IMHO. The locating pins often move also, very frustrating. I have mostly switched to an Accurate mould for my BP 44-40's, but eventually will rebuild the 2 LEE's someday, as they do work better in some situations.

[Kraschenbirn]

Old style alignment pins and sprue plate pivot are the only two issues I've ever encountered on Lee molds and I've got a couple that have dropped 30-40K boolits. Sprue plate is easy enough to fix but alignment pins are enough of a PITA (and the 'new style' so much of an improvement!) that I just bought a replacement when one fell out of my 312-155-2R after 10K+.

Bill

[Dusty Bannister]

I have not worn out a mold, but have repaired the threads by installing heli-coil thread repair kits for attaching the mold blocks, and thread repair for the sprue plate hinge bolt. If you have a favorite bullet form in a Lee mold, buy a spare.

[Petander]

I have been on a tear with the 6 banger Lee copy of the HG 68 45 SWC lately. Must be closing in on 5000 boolits cast with this mold.

My one and only Lee 6 -banger 358158 RF is 15 years old and going strong @ 75 k bullets. To avoid warping, I put my molds on a cold hotplate, then turn it on. I also let them cool down on a plate that is cooling down. No fast temp changes like putting a mold corner in molten lead. :o

[Walks]

I've got 3 2cav's that were passed on to me. A couple of years ago. They were beat to death.

On the other hand I have 3 2cav's that My Dad bought at a gun show 30yrs ago. Passed them to me, so I could cast .44cal Bullets for our Colt SAA's to get into Cowboy Shooting.
I cast 10,000+ from each of those 3 molds bought 30yrs ago. They still cast fine bullets.
I have always handled them gently, as I handle every mold I own.

Those 3 "dead" molds, I'm going to drill and tap them for lock screws for the sprue plate screws. Soon as I get time this spring.

[Cherokee]

I've got a Lee 6c 356120TC (lube grooves) that has cast more than 50k and still going strong. Just be careful with them and lube to sprue plate hinge.

[dtknowles]

I have an old Lee single cavity mold I wore out. I have peened the alignment slots back into shape a coupe times

[stubshaft]

I still have my very first mold bought in '69 I believe. It is a single cavity 150 gr., 30 cal boolit for a 30/30. I has easily had a couple of hundred pounds of lead thru it and is still going strong.

[Shopdog]

Got an old Lee 358-140 SWC that has over 20k on it. Isn't all that tight but,it'll still throw a good bullet.

[cwlongshot]

Not completely but YES! LEE 145g 10mm

BUT to its benifit I cast ALLOT WITH IT and I wasnt easy on it! Im on my second mold now.

CW

[lightman]

I haven't owned an aluminum mold long enough to know. My first mold, 40 some years ago, was a 2 cavity Lee. I quickly got tired of tinkering with it and went to Lyman and RCBS iron molds.

I've only recently, like this year, bought my first and 2nd Accurate molds.

[Chill Wills]

Like said above, the alignment is what goes if handled roughlly. I don't think the cavities can be eroded by liquid lead in our lifetime.

How careful we treat our molds when opening and closing, whether aluminum, brass or iron, will govern how long the two halves hold their register.

[mdi]

I believe it the mold is "lubed" and not mistreated it will last a lifetime. I use a Q-tip dampened with 2 cycle motor oil to put a light film of oil on the top of the mold and bottom of the sprue plate, where they rub on each other. A dab on the alignment pins/bars. My first Lee mold was purchased in '88 so I don't have any "old" molds...

[Rich/WIS]

Lee 452-200 cavity, threads went and I rebuilt it several times. Biggest issue was wear at the sprue plate pivot do to galling that made it tough to keep it tensioned and level with the top of the blocks. Was still casting okay but replaced it with a new one, and expect this one to last using lessons learned on lubing while using the first one. Probably cast 45-50K bullets with the first one before I retired it.

[Hickory]

I bought a new Lee mould 20 some years ago and it was worn out when I got it. After prepping it and heating it the boolits would not drop from the mould from the get-go. Had to use a mallet everytime to get them to drop. Several years after that I was given a Lee mould that cast perfect boolits with ease.

[Conditor22]

IF you treat them nice, keep them lubed, don't water cool, loan or beat the heck out of them they will last a long, long long time.

[waksupi]

Just keep them properly lubed.

[waksupi]

I bought a new Lee mould 20 some years ago and it was worn out when I got it. After prepping it and heating it the boolits would not drop from the mould from the get-go. Had to use a mallet everytime to get them to drop. Several years after that I was given a Lee mould that cast perfect boolits with ease.

When you get one that won't drop, take some 0000 steel wool, and lightly polish the edges of the cavities.

[gwpercle]

I've seen more Lee moulds beaten to death by heavy handed caster's than worn out .
A little TLC will extend the life of any mould .

I got my first Lee single cavity mould in 1970 , $9.99 I believe , and by treating it gently , I'm still using it .
Gary

[wnc435]

I am still trying to wear any of them that have. I have purchased some that took some serious tlc to get back in shape. But they still cast good bullets and some cast very good bullets. I still buy them for something to do.

[flint45]

I have had aluminum molds since early 70's none are wore out all still going fine. last count 15 aluminum molds no problems Mtn.,Acc.and lee all good. Ithink the biggest problem with them is some of the people using them.

[Slugster]

Aluminum molds with proper care, will outlive you and your grandkids. I have used a Lee .44 215gr mold since about 1983 that I got secondhand that is still chugging away. Many thousands of boolits have dropped from this mold. Only aluminum mold that has given me problems is a Lee .45 225gr mold that had mold release used in it and the release agent got squeezed under the old style alignment pins and caused the mold to not close tightly. Used mold. I don't use release agent. Kroil on a Q tip for cavities. Two cycle oil for sprue plate screw and hinge bolt. A little smoke if needed. All my molds will outlive me by decades.

[curioushooter]

No, I have not worn out an aluminum mold from use. I HAVE had steel sprue plates rust to the point where they don't work thinking that oh "aluminum moulds don't rust." Yes they do and now I wrap my AL and Brass molds in the exact same VCI paper that I wrap my steel/iron molds in. Also, it's important to realize not all aluminum molds are created equal. There are Lee's offerings, where even the new 2-cavity and 6-cavity are more durable than the old 2-cavity ones without alignment pins, though they all seem to be made out of chewing gun aluminum. And there is everybody else's Aluminum molds, which are made out of ideal aluminum alloys.

[fcvan]

I believe it the mold is "lubed" and not mistreated it will last a lifetime. I use a Q-tip dampened with 2 cycle motor oil to put a light film of oil on the top of the mold and bottom of the sprue plate, where they rub on each other. A dab on the alignment pins/bars. My first Lee mold was purchased in '88 so I don't have any "old" molds...

I too use the 2 cycle oil, but prefer a wooden chopstick over a q-tip. The stick doesn't need a bunch of oil, in fact I hardly use any. The oil in the wood fibers wicks enough on the hot surfaces and makes it easier (for me) to control where I want to oil. As an added benefit, I can use a little pressure on the underside of the sprue plate to clean of any possible lead deposit while still avoiding the part of the plate that covers the boolit base. What part of SO/OR? I spend half my time in NO/CA in Crescent City. Frank

[ACC]

I have been on a tear with the 6 banger Lee copy of the HG 68 45 SWC lately. Must be closing in on 5000 boolits cast with this mold. Once it is up to temp it casts nice boolits fairly quickly and empties the pot in a hurry. I was wondering if I need to be on the lookout for the mold wearing out. Anyone ever worn out an aluminum mold? What should I be looking for as signs of trouble? All my other molds simply do not get the volume that this one sees, and I suspect that the old school steel molds probably will never wear out unless I let them rust badly.

I have a LEE mold that my brother bought in 1970, that he was cast out of just before his death, and that I shot some of yesterday. It is a two cavity model.

ACC

[Wally]

I have many that are from the 70's. If you get lead build up on the top of the blocks, when casting, the mold is a bit too hot. When you see any lead smearing, wipe it away immediately with a slightly oiled old rag. To prevent it, count the no. of casts before the smearing starts: Wipe it away....invert the mold and touch the sprue plate to a damp sponge. That will cool it slightly. Repeat after so many casts and you will no longer have any lead smearing. This works with iron molds as well. Or do what Mike Ventrino suggests...cast with two molds allowing the one to cool so it won't have lead smearing.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I have two Lee 6 bangers that I bought new in '95. They were both for my .38's/357's. I bought another in 2005 for my Ruger P-90 in .45. All of them have been used a lot and cared for carefully with Bullshop's Bullplate Sprue lube applied on the alighnment pins, top of mold and underside of sprue plate and hinge. I heat them up prior to use by dipping an end corner into the hot alloy and I also control the temperatures with a wet sponge in a saucer if the temps rise too much. A pid controller on the pot and in a drilled hole in the mold keeps me on top of the temperatures instantly as I set an alarm to go off if the mold temps rise too much. The pid controller keeps the pot's temp within a decent range for casting.

For the money you spend on a Lee mold you get fantastic value. They are easy to use, light in weight and can be maintained easily. However all that being said NOE and Mihec's molds are just the best around although more expensive. For my rifles: Two Garands, a custom Mauser in 6.5x55, CZ 547FS in .223, 8MM commercial mauser, .30 Carbine, 2 38-55's, a pair of 303's and a 50-90 Sharpes I splurged for the best molds as accuracy is very important to me. In the 38's and 45's the Lee's are good enough. For the 9mm's, 327 Mag's, 357's used for silleywets, 41 Mag's and 44's I went for the best molds I could find and I use Dillons Dies on Dillon equipment to assemble them.

The PC thing had got me good and almost all of my boolits get PC'd as it makes the lubing a thing of the past and keeps my equipment clean and usable for a longer period of time. It takes more steps and requires more attention than lubing but the results are worth the effort and anything that I do in the reloading room is fun for me and it seems that I spend more time there than out shooting. Isn't that normal for us...……..