Used moulds

[Gundogblue]

I’m going to the gun show in Indy this Sunday and I’m gonna keep an eye out for
A mould for my 1911.45 acp. If I run across some used ones in good shape is it worth
It to buy used vs new? And if I see any used moulds what do I look for to make sure that mould is in good shape? As a kid I remember watching my dad cast boolits for his 1911 .45 acp, he told me he got better accuracy from cast lead boolits than copper jacketed boolits, if I remember right he used to size them to .452. Does that sound right?
Thanks,
Paul

[toallmy]

I sent you a p m

[Bazoo]

I've had good luck buying used. A used mould is broke in often times. A new mould doesn't mean a mould that casts easy or the right size. A good used mould that's been taken care of is a sign it worked well, cast the right size, and was cherished.

Things to avoid would be, peening wear of the alignment holes, hammer marks except on the sprue cutter, which can be replaced. Gouges or grooves on mould tops, and dings or dents at the cavity edges are to be avoided.

Now that said, lots of things can be repaired if you are willing to spend the time or money. I aint afraid of an abused mould. If the cavities look okay, I'll take my chances and try to repair the rest. If the cavities are mildly rusty, heck that says "discount", but long as they ain't pitted, it's to the buyers advantage. Rust on the outside is of no consiquence.

.452 is right for a 45 automatic.

[Winger Ed.]

If they don't have obvious damage, and look well taken care of-

A used mold is like Grandma's old cast iron frying pan. It's better than a new one.

[truckerdave397]

Just remember that bullet molds are also part of the feeding frenzy when it comes to reloading. They are also going to be overpriced. But you could still find a deal.

[Bazoo]

A quality mould is a lifetime investment. Paying a bit more is not an issue for an RCBS, Lyman, SAECO, or the like. I wouldn't pay a premium for a lee, but those aren't a lifetime investment, more like a disposable.

I have a Lyman 31141, that I bought with some damage, it does cast decent though. Well it's in Eric Ohlers hands currently, having the pins refitted and the top shaved if he thinks we can get away with it (to remove damage). So after it's all said and done I'll have over $100 in it, not all at one time though. But I won't be selling it, nor selling my 30-30. I want a pre 64 winchester 94 too, so the mould is an investment in both firearms I currently own and firearms I plan to own in the future.

[beezapilot]

Sometimes people will use a wire wheel to clean the moulds that have gotten a bit rusty, this makes the edges of the cavity a bit "rounded", you may want to avoid those as well. They will cast with a pronounced flash line on the bullet. Check to see that the sprue plate closes snugly and parallel to the mould top, sometimes they are bent up and away from the block, they can be replaced, but the plates are getting expensive as well - sometimes you can salvage them by re-bending and lapping the bottom of the plate. Make sure the alignment pins are snug and that the mould itself lines up when closed with no "play" between the halves. Do a little research on molds, some designs are not all that popular for a reason, is there a bullet weight that you are comfortable with? Remember too, that handles between brands may not be interchangeable, if you purchase a non-mainstream mould, you may have to pay premium for the handles to fit.

[Bazoo]

A wallowed out alignment pin hole is often easily cured by putting the pins in the other half of the mould.

[missionary5155]

If I was up north I would sure enjoy seeing that Indy 1500 Gun Show again !!
First time ya heat up a new old it becomes used.

[porthos]

i bought a used mold on this site about 4 years ago. lyman 314299. it was advertised as new. nose cast .303 and body cast .3145. both sections are .0015-.002 eggy. i really don't think that it was new. i will always remember who sold it to me. going to sell it some day; but, will state the issues with it. so,beware of some molds. any new mold that i buy will be NOE, Accurate or perhaps Saeco. never a lyman. had too many bad ones besided the one stated above.

[45DUDE]

Hold the mold up to the light and you should see no light. If the pin holes look good it should cast ok. <most pins are adjustable in an iron mold>. Make sure the sprue plate is straight.<you can straighten these>make sure the screws are not frozen. Iron molds have 3 different sizes for the handles. A Lee 6 cavity handle can be filed to fit almost any 2 or 4 cavity iron mold. <you can do this with a grinder in a short while.>Make sure the cavity's are smooth and not rusty or scratched. I have bought molds on this forum with good luck.

[Gtrubicon]

Most of my molds are 2nd hand, I have been fortunate. My new molds are all MP. No worries on being dissatisfied.

[Harter66]

I have a mould that I paid next to nothing for . $30 bucks is a giant risk on a mould that looks like it laid in a tractor cowl for the last 10 years but the rust was mostly dirt and not flaky so I took a chance .
278689
278690

$12 for a pint of Evap o rust some steel wool and two 3/4" copper sweat couplings and viola' , a perfectly serviceable H&G 8 Cav #130 . It weighs about 6# and take close to 3oz to fill it up but ......... Where ya gonna get one for $50 ?

Look for sharp edges , round alignment pins and holes and obvious abuse damage and pits .

Coming out of the last train wreck , shortages , I often found opportunities to buy 3-4 moulds at a time pretty cheap . Sometimes 5 for $25 was a lot to give . Who knew I could have sold a dozen .54 cal 400 gr SWC moulds if I'd had 10 more . Occasionally you buy one that should be the next weight like a Cramer B4 . B is like a .279-110 , B2 is a .279-120 , B3 is a .279-130 . B4 should be a .279-140 or 150 right ? Wrong it's .286-130 .......

H&Gs had their own paired handles and I've read are all different as the grooves were cut to match the available handle flat stock .

Lyman 4 C have their own needs but the handles are consistent . If they are on the mould they're a $30 bonus .

[GregLaROCHE]

You need to be more careful with buying an aluminum mould than a steel/iron one. However, a used Lee mould should probably be pretty inexpensive, so worth taking the risk.

[Bazoo]

I've seen both used and new Lyman moulds that had the vent line right at the cavity nose. The resultant bullet had a rib on it's nose.

[smithnframe]

If they don't have obvious damage, and look well taken care of-

A used mold is like Grandma's old cast iron frying pan. It's better than a new one.
If they’ve been properly cared for!

[farmbif]

might be just my opinion but I think anyone that advertises a new or unused mold on this site for sale and it is actually a mold that is damaged from abuse or otherwise not perfect, that seller need to be called out and asked to make it right or be identified as less than trustworthy.

[gwpercle]

It all depends on three things :
1.) Availability
2.) Condition
3.) Price

Don't buy used abused and beat up for three times the MSRP price . Place an order with a maker at regular price and wait .
Patience is a virtue ...
Gary

[pan957]

I buy new Lee molds and "Leement" them. Do a search for the term on this forum. I drill and tap for the sprue cutter set screw and inspect for burrs and other obvious flaws. Lee molds are aluminum and don't take the abuse like cast iron ones can. Get a good lead thermometer and run the lead a little hot as the Lee molds cool down quickly. I've had good luck with Lee molds in .30 cal rifle, .41 Mag and 9mm Luger.

[autogun]

"A used mold is like Grandma's old cast iron frying pan. It's better than a new one."
Yes. Just look it over for signs of abuse. .451 v. .452 just depends on what your gun likes.

[Conditor22]

IF the cavities aren't sharp and clean (don't mind smoke) I won't even consider it
If the alignment pins/holes are buggered it had better be cheap because it has been neglected/abused but most likely fixable with some work and possible expense
If the top is scared it had better be cheap
Sight between the top of the mold and the sprue plate, there should be no light visible. IF the sprue plate is higher off the top of the mold away from the hinge the someone has overtightened the sprue plate/ didn't lube enough and the top of the mold will look like this and better be cheap
https://i.imgur.com/K2u3KRO.jpg

this too can be salvaged by having some material taken off the top of the mold and either replacing the sprue plate or sanding it flat

[John Boy]

First indication to avoid buying a used mold are dents on either sides of the mold indicating the user used a metal ‘whacker’ to open the cavities to drop the bullet
Second indication is the cavity grease groove ridges are rounded, not sharp angles