A note on mold storage

[TxBaylea]

When I retired and started our move I packed up my molds and knew when I did it that I probably wouldn't touch them for almost 10 years while we cleared the land and did the necessary building. I am now thinking about getting active again and came across the boxes of molds.

They are all OK. I had packed the recesses with wheel bearing grease and coated the outside also. They were packed in paste board boxes that closed tightly. The kind where the top slides over the bottom so that they are nearly air tight.

They will take a lot of cleaning to place in use again. The first I will use are the .357 and .401 molds. I have several others but those I won't be using again I will put up for sale here in a few months when I have a chance to sort them out and clean them.

These all date from the 50's and 60's and are Lymans.

I will be looking for Lyman 245498 and 245499 molds as I plan to work up loads for my original Winchester Lee Navy 6mm.

Vernon

[Buckshot]

...............Go to a garage and pay'em $10 to let you use thier parts washer :-)

..............Buckshot

[geargnasher]

...............Go to a garage and pay'em $10 to let you use thier parts washer :-)

..............Buckshot

In fact, bring it to my shop and I'll have your moulds squeaky-clean and back to you in just a few days, of course I might have to make sure they still work....:D



Wipe the grease off with newspaper and soak them in a mason jar full of mineral spirits overnight and finish off with brake cleaner and a toothbrush.

Gear

[dominicfortune00]

I will be looking for Lyman 245498 and 245499 molds as I plan to work up loads for my original Winchester Lee Navy 6mm.

Do you have the full military model, the civilan sales rifle, or the sporting model?

Been looking for a military rifle for a while.

This August I saw a sporting model at a gun store. It was drilled an tapped, (scope and mount missing), the sling swivels were missing, and the stock looked like it was dragged behind a pickup truck down a dirt road. They had 799$ on it, I offered 600$ (as that was all it was worth to me it that condition); and they passed on the offer. So I walked away with no regrets.

[TxBaylea]

Do you have the full military model, the civilan sales rifle, or the sporting model?

Been looking for a military rifle for a while.

This August I saw a sporting model at a gun store. It was drilled an tapped, (scope and mount missing), the sling swivels were missing, and the stock looked like it was dragged behind a pickup truck down a dirt road. They had 799$ on it, I offered 600$ (as that was all it was worth to me it that condition); and they passed on the offer. So I walked away with no regrets.

I have a original military rifle in very good condition. I also have a few rounds of commercial 6mm Lee Navy cartridges that are part of my collection. I will use them to verify measurements but will use 220 Swift cases for my loads. I acquired the dies some time ago thankfully considering the prices asked for hem now.

One of my favorite rifles is a customized Lee Navy in 7 x 57. It was stocked by John Dubiel but I am not sure who did the rebarreling. It also has a bolt mounted peep sight. I don't remember how many Texas White Tails I have taken with it.

Lee Navys are uncommon but also there is not much demand for them. Like you I have walked away from over priced Lee Navys.

I had heard that the west coast was the best place to look for them but I never turned one up in the many trips I made out there

Vernon

[TxBaylea]

In fact, bring it to my shop and I'll have your moulds squeaky-clean and back to you in just a few days, of course I might have to make sure they still work....:D



Wipe the grease off with newspaper and soak them in a mason jar full of mineral spirits overnight and finish off with brake cleaner and a toothbrush.

Gear

Gear

You know how it is in Texas, the 100 miles to Houston for an evenings entertaiment is no big deal but you are a little far.

I thank you for the offer anyways.

Vernon

[dominicfortune00]

TxBaylea

Thanks for the info!!

[Cadillo]

If they were mine, I would remove the handles, separate the block halves and then just boil the grease away with hot water in pot. Once they are clean, remove them from the water and blow them off with compressed air and then let the internal heat dry them. Then just to be safe, spray them down with WD-40 to remove any last traces of water. I would then remove the WD-40 with carburator cleaner prior to short term rust prevention.

I have had to remove cosmoline from several Garands, and I have tried everything. Boiling water works better than anything I have tried and will do no harm if applied as I've described.

I recently boiled my Lyman 4500 to remove some old stiffened bullet lube. Works like a champ.

[Shiloh]

They are all OK. I had packed the recesses with wheel bearing grease and coated the outside also. They were packed in paste board boxes that closed tightly. The kind where the top slides over the bottom so that they are nearly air tight.



...............Go to a garage and pay'em $10 to let you use thier parts washer :-)

..............Buckshot

If that is how you store them, then Buckshot's suggestion of the parts washer is great advice.

Shiloh