Two different boolits in one mold

[vincecyr]

Is there any reason not to get a 2 cavity mold with two different cavities? I am planning on getting an Accurate 31-135 for my S7, and I was thinking I might order a 2 cavity with a WC for the second one(my small game load for the S7 is a 32S&W Long WC). I'm not looking for speed casting, more interested in maximizing versatility without having to purchase multiple molds. Is there any problems with this plan?

And if it turns out I'm not crazy, what 32 WC molds do people like from Accurate?

[bishopgrandpa]

I have a lyman mould with 2 different size cavities. Deliberate or custom I don't know but it makes sense if you want to stretch the casting dollar,

[vincecyr]

I have a lyman mould with 2 different size cavities. Deliberate or custom I don't know but it makes sense if you want to stretch the casting dollar,

So I'm not crazy(about this, at least)

[oldhenry]

I think if you'll read Accurate's web info you'll find that they offer this @ $15.00/ per cavity that is changed.

[popper]

It's not a problem but best to pour both cavities at once. Large difference in cavity size may be a problem keeping the cavity up to temp. Pick the bloc size based on the larger.

[44magLeo]

NOE makes molds like that. Not two different bullets but 1 with a gas check and another without.
So I don't see any reason that it can't be done.
I some ways I like the idea. With two cavities in the same one may be just enough different it may shoot to a different impact point than the other. This will open group size. So trying to keep them separate will not be easy. I guess you can mark one cavity some how.
With two different bullets sorting would be easy.
Only problem I for see is that you unless you shoot the same amount of each bullet you will end up making a lot more than you need of the one you don't use as much. That in itself would keep me from doing as you suggest. I don't like casting good bullets just to recast them later.
Leo

[Dragonheart]

Molds like this have been around for a long time. I have a mold that drops 2 and 2, but personally I prefer blocks with all cavities identical. If you do this will you load just as many rounds of one bullet as the other? Because if not it is going to be a pain to just fill one cavity and a single cavity is slow production.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I had a 303 boolit mould made for two different sizes, 314.190gc and 314.220gc - no extra charge.

https://i.imgur.com/6G6lxFel.jpg

[725]

I did it for a 6.5 Jap. Thought I'd "experiment" with different weights & GC vs PB. It's a little PIT# to have different bolts in the same pile, but otherwise it's like having a single cavity mould.

[BP Dave]

Just make sure the designs are not too similar (like, maybe RN and Wadcutter), or sorting becomes a really big PITA.

--DJ (owner of a 2-cavity mold that casts .320 RN for Nambu and .330 RN for Lebel revolver)

[John Boy]

Vince, it pays to read the FAQ’s
Can you cut different designs within the same block?
Yes, each additional design adds $15 to the price of the mold.

[Bent Ramrod]

I have several of that type of two-cavity mould. Some gun writer (Venturino?) dubbed them “the thinking man’s mould,” because the two different cavities suggested an experimental turn of mind.

In practice, I generally find that I’m always running out of the more-favored product of one of the cavities while piling up a surplus of the less-used other. Casting just one cavity of a closely-spaced two cavity mould requires more skill than I possess; picking half-formed spillovers from the other cavity out of the pile of castings quickly becomes a drag. The sight of even inadvertent bad castings is depressing to me.

The one exception to the rule, for me at least, is an Ideal mould that casts 452374 and 454190 boolits. This came to me with a S&W Model 25-5 with .45 Colt and .45 Auto/Auto-Rim cylinders. By a simple cylinder switch, I can send these downrange at pretty much the same rate. For some reason, both shoot closely enough to the same sight setting to work. Definitely not a routine occurrence with two-cylinder revolvers; maybe a previous owner took the outfit to Lourdes and had it blessed.

If you want to get a “thinking man’s mould” simply to save money on moulds, you might keep that extra “sweat equity” that you may wind up paying in mind.

[MT Gianni]

I find it to be an advantage on bullets that I shoot slowly and a disadvantage on those I shoot repeatedly. For a handgun I take to the range and shoot 100+ rounds I prefer 4 cavities or more just to speed up casting. For a gun I shoot single shot I think it works OK but it is mainly a money saver. I prefer to go without and get more of what I want.

[vincecyr]

Vince, it pays to read the FAQ’s
Can you cut different designs within the same block?
Yes, each additional design adds $15 to the price of the mold.

Oh, I saw that. What I was wondering is whether or not it would be a bad idea to have two drastically different boolit styles in the he same mold.

[DHDeal]

I have a 4 molds that Tom @ Accurate made for me a few years back. I had them made so I could find that perfect style bullet without buying many molds in the process. I found there aren't any perfect style bullets and I bought too many molds anyway. None of mine where very much different, just slight variations except for one that had 2 44's and 2 45's in it. Good idea that has run it's course.

When I get around to it, I'm going to put them in the Classifieds here.

[Thin Man]

I used to think about these mold styles as the frugal shooter's answer to several needs at minimal expense. Years ago I acquired two H&G sets of mold blocks and both had one each of different cavities cut in them. The cavities in these include: #47 - .229" 47 grain pointed GC (22 Savage High Power), #20 - .314" 170 grain pointed GC (.303 British+/-), #76 .323" 176 grain pointed GC (8mm) and #84 - .458" 405 grain RN plain base. These cavities tell a story about the user who probably had surplus military rifles and needed boolits for each, also the vintage Savage and Winchester calibers for domestic rifles. I would have to dig through my molds to find these molds and report which 2 cuts were in each of the same blocks together, just cannot recall offhand. I got both sets of blocks at the same time from the same source and am trying to recall this was an estate environment. Wish I could have met and talked with the previous owner.

[Bookworm]

One of my first NOE moulds was a RanchDog designed 180gr for 38/357. It's a 4-cav, 2 GC, 2PB.

It's something of a pain to sort out after casting, and I find I have too many of one or the other whenever it comes time to load.

I won't buy another multi mould.

[Gunslinger1911]

I'll raise you, I have an NOE (i think) that casts 4 different weight .50 boolets for my 500. John Ross design - 275, 350, 425, 475 g .

[MT Chambers]

With that type of mold it never fails that I want a lot of one bullet and none of the other!

[vincecyr]

Pulled the trigger. Got a 31-135S/31-100D on the way

[lotech]

I've found it sounds good in theory, but doesn't work that well in actual use. I'll stick with moulds that have identical cavities.

[Bent Ramrod]

I wonder about the guy or guys who ordered these moulds. But of course, I picked them up, so who am I to wonder?

259324259325

The three-cavity is a nose-pour .38 Keith-style, a base-pour .32 SWC and a gas-checked .25 (whether for rifle or pistol, I don't know.)

The four cavity is a .32, a .30, a .50 and a .33 caliber.

Somebody's gun collection was eclectic, for sure. Can't imagine he'd get those .50's shot up at the same rate as the others.

[Abenaki]

I have a 38 caliber mold from Tom at Accurate Molds, that has both semi wad cutter and wad cutter cavities.
It is a great mold! Would I do it again? Not sure.

Take care
Abenaki

[Oyeboten]

Here's another example yet of a two-fer, an old "IDEAL" from before their having factory Vent Lines, though someone added their own evidently for the .38 Special Cavity...has provisions for Sprue Cutters on both ends...and I added the second one since this picture was taken.

https://media.fotki.com/2v2Hc7vBqx9J4Vm.jpg (https://private.fotki.com/PhilBphil/loading-and-whateve/img-3253.html)Hosted on Fotki (https://www.fotki.com)

[GLynn41]

For what it is worth SSK used to offer their molds like a 275gr .41 cal and a .41cal310? two different weights in the same block. Close to the discussion

[lightman]

I've found it sounds good in theory, but doesn't work that well in actual use. I'll stick with moulds that have identical cavities.

This was my experience the only time I tried it. There was enough difference that it messed up my rhythm, or cadence. I remember being thankful that it was a borrowed mold and not mine.