Iron Mold Makers

[justindad]

Who do you buy iron molds from?
Lyman has 4-bangers, but quality is not the best.
RCBS only makes 2-bangers.
Saeco seems to have good reviews.
Accurate gets the best reviews.
Who else is out there making iron molds?

[HWooldridge]

I have two SAECO iron molds but they are over 40 years old. Can’t speak to current quality but my old ones are great.

[square butte]

NOE is just starting to make some in iron

[Bent Ramrod]

Buffalo Arms (BACO) makes all theirs of iron. Custom made to order. Their catalog lists almost everything as “Out of Stock,” but orders called in get filled pretty quickly.

They cater primarily to the BPCR shooters, but have a lot of designs available. Red River Rick’s moulds are iron, but they’re all paper patch designs.

[Rapier]

All of my bullet moulds are iron, except two, I do not use very much at all. The Irons are RCBS, Lyman and Saeco.

[truckjohn]

I've been happy with my Lyman molds.

[jsizemore]

I look no farther than Accurate. Alloy, and bullet size are considered to match your gun. When you receive it your ready to cast.

[gc45]

Most all mine are iron; old molds acquired thru gun show finds and several from my Dad and G.Dad both of who were casters in their day..Many of their molds were made before 1900 and for the early Win rifles and colts revolvers. These old molds cast wonderfully, giving quality bullets over-sized enough to require sizing them for my barrels. My recent mold is an Arsenal 44 Keith in alum. Also looking to buy a 311008GC from NOE if ever I can get ahold of them to order. I do prefer iron molds but also have three alum molds as well that while not iron, cast very nicely.

[gc45]

Who do you buy iron molds from?
Lyman has 4-bangers, but quality is not the best.
RCBS only makes 2-bangers.
Saeco seems to have good reviews.
Accurate gets the best reviews.
Who else is out there making iron molds?

Today we have Arsenel, Accurate, V. Smith, Saeco, RCBS, NOE and a few others. Buffalo Arms are very expensive, why I do not know. Not everyone makes iron molds these days. Were I looking for a new mold and not wanting to wait forever, Arsenal or Accurate seems to be rather quick at delivery. NOE makes really nice molds, a one man shop that can take awhile but worth the wait too.
Getting what you want in Iron might be an issue but Alum or brass makes very good molds and cast nice bullets too!

[wwmartin]

Lyman molds are steel. RCBS are cast iron. I like the RCBS the best but even the inexpensive Lee cast usable bullets that are hard to falt.
Bill

[justindad]

Is V. Smith the same as LBT?
*
I know this will be taken as sacrilege here, but I’m a little apprehensive about an NOE iron mold. I’ve spent too much time removing too many burrs from aluminum and brass NOE molds. I wonder if iron will not have burrs, because you cannot reasonably work burrs out of an iron mold… but I seem to be getting all of the NOE unicorns, so no iron NOE for me. The burr-free hope for a mold is a big reason I want to try more iron molds.

[Cord]

I think the Lyman, RCBS and SAECO molds are made of ductile cast iron, not steel. They are soft.
Some old Carpenteria SAECO molds used a type of cast iron called Meehanite that contained copper, giving them a golden color.

I just bought a NOE steel mold during the sale and it appears to really be steel, not iron.....haven't used it yet.
The only other true steel molds I have personally seen are the ones Miha Previc made when he first started out.
.

[Walks]

In the past 45yrs, I've had only one problem with a new iron mold. Lyman fixed it. Never had a problem with either Saeco or RCBS.
Wish all My molds were solid as iron, as light as aluminum and rained bullets every time I opened them.
Be patient and every mold can be made to perform.