Ever wear out a mold?

[brewer12345]

I have a favorite boolit for 45 that I cast by the thousands. The mold is a lee 6 banger and it just rains nice boolits once it is heated up and the resulting loads are very accurate. I always meant to get a spare just in case something happens to it, but never got around to it. Now I either have to get lucky and stumble on one at non-extortionate prices or order a clone from one of the custom makers (MP, Noe, etc., all of whom seem to be backlogged). So:

Ever manage to wear out a mold by heavy use? What does it take, excluding abuse? I'd guess I am nearing 10k bullets from this particular mold and it still casts beautifully.

[ShooterAZ]

Well they don't last forever so being the hoarder that I am, if I find a mold that me and my gun/s like... I will usually get another duplicate one for back up! As an added bonus, getting older helps a lot and I forget that I already had a back up... and end up with triplicates of certain molds. I have a lot of favorite boolits, so I wind up with a lot of molds. To answer your question though, yes I have worn out a couple of the "old style" 2 cavity Lee molds (the ones with no pins). they just don't align well any more. I didn't throw them away though, just waiting to re-purpose them for something else like maybe fishing weights?

[Targa]

Now I either have to get lucky and stumble on one at non-extortionate prices or order a clone from one of the custom makers (MP, Noe, etc., all of whom seem to be backlogged).

Look at Midway, they have an assortment of molds available for backorder without the inflated prices.
I just ordered a 4 cavity aluminum mold from Arsenal but yeh, the turn around is 5-6 weeks.

[brewer12345]

Look at Midway, they have an assortment of molds available for backorder without the inflated prices.
I just ordered a 4 cavity aluminum mold from Arsenal but yeh, the turn around is 5-6 weeks.


I'd like another copy of the Lee version of H&G68. No backorder.

[Mal Paso]

I thought I might have found you something but they are sold out. It's a better 6 cavity. https://www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-452-200-swc-pb-hg68-6-cav/ You can ask for an email when they are back in stock.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Well they don't last forever so being the hoarder that I am, if I find a mold that me and my gun/s like... I will usually get another duplicate one for back up! As an added bonus, getting older helps a lot and I forget that I already had a back up... and end up with triplicates of certain molds. I have a lot of favorite boolits, so I wind up with a lot of molds. To answer your question though, yes I have worn out a couple of the "old style" 2 cavity Lee molds (the ones with no pins). they just don't align well any more. I didn't throw them away though, just waiting to re-purpose them for something else like maybe fishing weights?

I have a 4 cav Iron 35-150 longnose-WC mold marked "Geo Hensley" that would tell you different. It's from '34 or '35 I'm told. Looks like one of it's owners used a hammer to open the sprue plate and missed a few times, hitting the mold, no doubt ...and dragged by a Pickup down a gravel road too, I bet ...and still rains round boolits, though the boolits do have some flashing on the nose, due to some other abuse it has seen over the last 80+ years.

:castmine:

[brewer12345]

I thought I might have found you something but they are sold out. It's a better 6 cavity. https://www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-452-200-swc-pb-hg68-6-cav/ You can ask for an email when they are back in stock.

Yeah, I have a few MP molds. Quality work. I put in for the email notification, why not.

[country gent]

wear on the cavity with clean lead proper heat and technique, it would be very minimal I would think. Where you will see wear is the alignment pins to the mating pins in the opposite blocks.Some aluminum blocks and brass have inserts in them for the alignment holes to reduce this wear.

Another way to reduce this pin wear is to set the blocks lightly on a straight edge when closing them. This helps to prealign the pins with the holes

[fcvan]

I have a Lee 356-125 2R that has cast over 750K and has been rebuilt twice was when it was new. I was teaching a guy to cast, and when I wasn't there he beat it up. Second time was to modify to add a set screw for the sprue plate screw, and to service the mold. Lapped the top of the blocks, and bottom of the sprue plate.

This one gets shot a lot because it feeds my S&W M13 with 38 SP loads, and my go to for 9mm pistols and AR 15 Carbines, and my Wife's pistols and carbines . . . and my SIL's pistol and carbine. Cheaper than 22 lr, and kills tin cans. Worn one out? Hard to do if you use finesse, not cause distress. It doesn't hurt to tune and service on a 10K schedule.

[beagle]

Never have seen one worn our (that's an iron mould). I have seen abuse, neglect and accidents. I've seen the index holes bushed, I've seen sprue plate pivot screws and locking screws in bigger sizes that they came with. I've seen sprue plate stop pins replaced by spring pins. You just won't wear one out if you take decent care of it,/beagle

[brewer12345]

Well, you all are making me feel better. I cast carefully with this mold and try to treat it well. Probably will still keep an eye out for a spare.

[fcvan]

Well, you all are making me feel better. I cast carefully with this mold and try to treat it well. Probably will still keep an eye out for a spare.

Always a good plan, I have 2 of almost everything, except for specialty things, as I have 2 houses, and like to do my thing when I am in the mountains or by the sea. It works out ok, but for the specialty things, I just cast those and restock the primary abode and process the empties at the beach house. I can reload at both houses, but do most when I am out west visiting my parents and brothers, older daughters and their families.

Laugh, but one time my little 'commuter' car was so loaded down that going uphill to go home was a challenge, 'she sat very low to the ground, man.' Much better gas mileage going west than east :)

[rototerrier]

4-6 weeks sure sounds good compared to miha 2-3 year group buy waits!

[Walks]

All my iron molds are in really good shape. Some are marked Ideal, so I know they are OLD. But they still work like champs. All the Ideals came from Gun Shows or My Dad, in particular the 1cav or the Ohaus 1cav. The RCBS and Lachmiller are all in great shape, even if the "Lach's" are 45yrs old or more.

I do have 3 old Lee 2cav molds that My Dad bought at a Gun Show we attended shortly before He passed in 1988. The Old Gentleman that sold them told me to treat them gently. Combined they've probably given me 25,000 plus bullets. Still look and work great.

I also have 3 old Lee molds that I was given that have been beat to death. They still put out bullets, but it takes careful manipulation and patience to get those bullets.

I've never worn out a mold, but then I was taught to respect my tools.
Treat them well and they will serve you well.

[Lloyd Smale]

Im what i guess would be called a volume caster. Ive got a drawer full of wore out molds. Yup even steel. Quit buying lbt molds years ago because there nothing but glorified lee molds. At least lee molds when they wear out are at least cheap. Matter of fact i think a 6 cav lee holds up better then a lbt. Only molds that seem to hold up to my routine are brass and steel and even the lyman steel molds are about throw always. When i buy a new mold i about always buy two of them or at least i buy one try the bullet and if i like it immediately buy a second. Only molds i baby are the group buy molds because getting a second isnt always an option once the buy is done.

[stubshaft]

I still have the very first mold I ever bought in the late 60's. It is a single cavity Lee 150 gr flatpoint and it has cast thousands of boolits. Never did wear out though...

[Burnt Fingers]

Noe and MP really aren't custom makers. They just make stock molds. Accurate is more like a custom maker as he will make a single one-off mold.

MP has the H&G 68 clone in stock in a six cavity brass.

It pays to check before you type.

[cwlongshot]

I "wore out" a LEE 2 cav 401-145. But I did cast a ton and I wans not easy on the mold. I bought a second one! It woulda still cast OK but ya had to be careful to align and completely close.

I ground one cavity, on the mill and sent ut to my buddy to use it as a LEE hardness test bullet mold.

CW

[Rich/WIS]

Wore out a Lee 6 cav 452-200 SWC mold, although the problem was galling on the pivot and stripped threads on the bolt that holds the sprue plate. Repaired it a number of times but after over 45K bullets decided to just replace it rather than fix it again. Learned from it and expect the replacement to last longer than me.

[ShooterAZ]

I have a 4 cav Iron 35-150 longnose-WC mold marked "Geo Hensley" that would tell you different. It's from '34 or '35 I'm told. Looks like one of it's owners used a hammer to open the sprue plate and missed a few times, hitting the mold, no doubt ...and dragged by a Pickup down a gravel road too, I bet ...and still rains round boolits, though the boolits do have some flashing on the nose, due to some other abuse it has seen over the last 80+ years.

:castmine:

Ya, the iron molds are pretty much bullet-proof. I was referring to the old style Lee aluminum molds with the v-groove instead of the alignment pins. Even so, it took me many years to ruin them!

[rmark]

I hope to live long enough to wear out a mold. Not even close to wearing one out yet.

[country gent]

I rate the mould makers as standards semi custom and custom. The differences being.
Standard= a mould made and on the shelf ready to go. Yo get it as s no means of changing size shape or block materials. Lee RCBS Lyman saceo
Semi custom= A mould where you may have a choice of block materials but might not. Yo can specify the as cast dia with a given alloy though. Accurate, noe
Custom= a mould where you can specify block material, options on the sprue plate, size and form. This mould you can send a drawing to the maker and its what you get. THese can be long on wait time and are expensive to have made. Brooks, Old west Tom Ballard

[brewer12345]

Noe and MP really aren't custom makers. They just make stock molds. Accurate is more like a custom maker as he will make a single one-off mold.

MP has the H&G 68 clone in stock in a six cavity brass.

It pays to check before you type.

Can you post a link? I find MP's site to be a little challenging to navigate and don't see it.

[Targa]

Here you go sir https://www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-452-200-swc-pb-hg68-6-cav/....Considering people are selling 6-cavity Lee’s on EBay for $150 and other people are naive enough to buy them that mold is a great price.

[brewer12345]

Here you go sir https://www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-452-200-swc-pb-hg68-6-cav/....Considering people are selling 6-cavity Lee’s on EBay for $150 and other people are naive enough to buy them that mold is a great price.

Out of stock when you select either option.

[David2011]

I’ve seen a couple of worn out Lee molds. As said, the mold cavities were ok but the alignment pins/holes and handle attachment areas were really sloppy. I’ve cast many thousands from the 170 grain TC Lee mold and it’s still going strong.

[flyingmonkey35]

I wore out two lee molds. The just wouldn't align anymore.

Sent them back to lee with a broken press and got the next set half off.

I'd love to start getting some of the nice steel rcbs / lyman molds. Once those are up to temp pure pleasure.

My mp molds are also awesome.

But you can't beat the lee price.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[Targa]

Out of stock when you select either option.

Ah, I see. Sorry about the bad info, I didn’t actually try to select the options.

[marek313]

I have a Lee 356-125 2R that has cast over 750K and has been rebuilt twice was when it was new. I was teaching a guy to cast, and when I wasn't there he beat it up. Second time was to modify to add a set screw for the sprue plate screw, and to service the mold. Lapped the top of the blocks, and bottom of the sprue plate.

This one gets shot a lot because it feeds my S&W M13 with 38 SP loads, and my go to for 9mm pistols and AR 15 Carbines, and my Wife's pistols and carbines . . . and my SIL's pistol and carbine. Cheaper than 22 lr, and kills tin cans. Worn one out? Hard to do if you use finesse, not cause distress. It doesn't hurt to tune and service on a 10K schedule.

Thats my go to bullet for 9mm right now so its the most used mold in my inventory as well but I'm nowhere near 750K thats a lot of lead right there. The only thing I managed to do is to scratch up top of the mold when I didnt notice tinning on the sprue plate if few small spots. Now I pay more attention to that and run little oil on the bottom of the sprue plate to prevent it from happening.

Never wore one out though. I'm pretty sure with proper care they would last a very long time. Can anyone beat 750K on a single mold? I know I cant.

[farmbif]

never wore one out, a well cared for mold is like a claxton fruit cake, made to be passed down from generation to generation

[bobthenailer]

No! my highest bullet count mould has made 79 thousand bullets or 9875 cycles, a 8 cavity Saeco and with almost no wear

[gbrown]

Back in 2009 I ran across a GS whose owner was retiring. I ask about casting equipment, as I was getting back into it. He had bought another GS stock whose owner had died, and whose widow just wanted to liquidate. He had about 3boxes of molds plus about 3-4 presses and various lube-sizers. Now, few people in my area cast. I ended up buying it all. I sold a bunch here, some on Ebay, and some of the machines locally. Kept some of the nicer molds. A few of the molds seemed old, new stock, such as the Saeco 68 8 cavity. There were Hensley-Gibbs, Lyman, RCBS, all in good shape. I have boolits cast from those that I count by the pound. The molds are still as new. Its like any thing else, take care of your things. Don't bang your molds around, open and close them easily. Bring 'em up to temp before casting, etc. They'll last.