Ebay Insanity - Price for H&G 68 mould

[gravely]

I found a H&G 4-cavity mould on ebay yesterday that was incorrectly described as for a 38-super bullet mould. The mould looked to be in very good shape and with 1.5 hours to go the high bid was about $80. I bought 2 of these for $185 and $215 about two years ago and don't need this mold but I thought if I could get it for $125 or so it would be a good investment. With 45 minutes left on the auction, the bidding got to over $200 so no more good buy opportunity. For curiosity sake, I watched the end of the auction and to my great surprise the final selling price was a whopping $415!!!!!

that's not a typo. Originally, I was thinking that the bad economy would lower casting equipment prices but I know think that economic conditions are causing a lot more shooters to get into reloading and casting thus driving up prices.

archer gravely
asheville, nc

[Blammer]

wow! that's nuts!

gravely, where in Asheville are you?

I'm in Arden near the airport.

oh yea, welcome! There are 3 or 4 others that are local who are also on this site.

[Texasflyboy]

For curiosity sake, I watched the end of the auction and to my great surprise the final selling price was a whopping $415!!!!!

that's not a typo. Originally, I was thinking that the bad economy would lower casting equipment prices but I know think that economic conditions are causing a lot more shooters to get into reloading and casting thus driving up prices.

It was a plain base #68 in pretty darn good condition. Based on over 10 years of eBay auction data my notes speculated this mould would close at $450.00

If anything (my opinion), the high bidder got it at a discount. The supply of Hensley & Gibbs moulds is forever fixed. Prices will probably continue to increase but I think we've hit the point of diminishing returns. At some point, only fanatical collectors (yours truly) will pay insane prices when viable alternatives exist.

[ANeat]

Funny a friend of mine that casts recently had someone give him a H&G 78 4 cavity with handles, still in the box, never used, postmarked Oct 1965.

I about fell over when he pulled it out of the box,

[hammerhead357]

Wow! 415 dollars for a 4 cavity mould... I could see that for an 8 cavity or 10 cavity mould. But for a 4 cavity.......But Texasflyboy knows more about this than I do....Wes

[a.squibload]

I thought I was being extravagant spending $100 on the NOE group buy 38 mould. Dang...

[Blammer]

You could get a 10C from NOE for cheaper than the H&G!

wow is right.

[littlejack]

Yesterday, I won a saeco/redding #458 double cavity w/handles barely used for 63.00 + 8.00 shipping. It looks real nice in the photo. I thought that was a good buy. I should get it in a couple of days.
Jack

[MtGun44]

Wow, I bought my H&G 68 on eBay a few years ago for about $115 IIRC.

Bill

[bdutro]

I watched one H&G ebay auction and promptly bought a Mihec mold.

I'm happy.

[captaint]

I was watching that auction. It was a beautiful piece. Trust me when I say this - your gun will not know the diff between that one and one of our good clones!! I quit looking when it got over like 225.00 enjoy Mike

[Rocky Raab]

People will pay what they think an item is worth TO THEM. What it's worth to somebody else is irrelevant.

Watch "Antiques Roadshow" a few times and you'll marvel at what "auction prices" will fetch for items that I'd consider nearly worthless. Nearly worthless to ME is clearly not true for everyone!

[Hip's Ax]

I watched one H&G ebay auction and promptly bought a Mihec mold.

I'm happy.

Ditto.

[Adam10mm]

Haha, a local guy here showed me his collection of H&G molds. He's got 38 molds in total and about a dozen of them are the 10 banger gang molds. He's sitting on quite a little rainy day fund. All were bought new between him and his two brothers.

[hammerhead357]

I have 16 8 and 10 cavity H & G moulds, I think, they are only worth what someone else is willing to pay. But right now it appears that some of them are worth a lot. Who knows what will happen in the future....Wes

[FISH4BUGS]

[QUOTE At some point, only fanatical collectors (yours truly) will pay insane prices when viable alternatives exist.[/QUOTE]

Hey Tom....I'll remember that!
Donald in NH

[FISH4BUGS]

I found a H&G 4-cavity mould on ebay yesterday that was incorrectly described as for a 38-super bullet mould. The mould looked to be in very good shape and with 1.5 hours to go the high bid was about $80. I bought 2 of these for $185 and $215 about two years ago and don't need this mold but I thought if I could get it for $125 or so it would be a good investment. With 45 minutes left on the auction, the bidding got to over $200 so no more good buy opportunity. For curiosity sake, I watched the end of the auction and to my great surprise the final selling price was a whopping $415!!!!!

that's not a typo. Originally, I was thinking that the bad economy would lower casting equipment prices but I know think that economic conditions are causing a lot more shooters to get into reloading and casting thus driving up prices.

archer gravely
asheville, nc

One thing I have noticed.....when a mould goes for an insane price (like this one appears to have) the buyer suddenly remembers that he has a mortgage payment, a car payment, etc,. and the bidder backs out. The item is relisted two weeks later.
I would not be the least bit surprised if that happens here.

[casterofboolits]

Goodness! That's a bundle of of cash for a four cavity!

I think I paid $125.00 brand new with handles for mine. But that was 25 years go.

Luckily my inventory of H&G molds were purchased about that time:

Two four cavity #68 ( One is the old style with the .060 bevel and thin front driving band.. Milled .045 off the mold to produce a 185 grn # 68)

Two new style eight cavity #68

One old style eight cavity # 68 converted to 185 grn.

One ten cavity 38 mold

six assorted six cavity molds

Too bad they went out of business.

[hammerhead357]

You can still buy moulds that are like H & G moulds from Ballisti-cast. But you can not get the 8 and 10 cavity ones. However most people don't need that much production anyway. I only have mine because I used to cast commecially and sold only hand cast boolits, I needed the production of running two at a time....Wes

[squirrellnuttz]

Well, it looks like I scored big time- I got one H&G in .45-195gr.(4 cav.)
1 .38 wadcutter Lyman (4 cav.),
1 Lyman 9mm 124 gr. (4 cav)
1 Lyman .45 roundball mould
1 2 cavity .38 158 RN (a little beat)
Plus handles for H&G moulds, Lyman 4 cav.
2 ingot moulds
1 RCBS Bottom Pour Pro Melt furnace
.356,.357,451 sizers + top punches

All stuff in used but very good condition, except .38 roundnose mould, which need a little TLC
All for $500 Canadian plus shipping-so just over $600.

What do you guys figure? Good deal?

I had no idea H&G moulds were so pricey

[NGC-1911]

I guess my first post here will be fessing up that I ended that auction with the second highest bid I guess I where driving the price up on that mold. I had hoped it would stay low after the incorrect description, no such luck.

I picked up a nice one Sunday for $204.00 so I guess I saved a little on that one (1/2 price).

I have an H&G #130 that casts some nice bullets and feeds reliably even in older GI 1911's with narrow feed ramp. I hope the #68 will be as reliable in in that gun since the aluminum mold clones don't feed well in that gun.

I found this thread searching for H&G mold pricing and estimated value on the #68 mold and the #X68BB that is up for sale on flea-bay right now.

A lot of great info here, thank you,

Nils

[chris112]

If an "auction" gets what the seller considers to be the right crowd you can count of everything going high. It's why I don't buy any thing on ebay that doesn't have a "Buy it Now" price that is resonable. Quit going to regular auctions a long time ago because there always seemed to be some one who seemed to try to run the price up on anything I bid on. So I started letting them outbid me. And get stuck with the item at a price above what they could get for it elsewhere.

[Paladin 56]

At a gun show a month or so back, a guy had two H&G four cavity molds. One was for a #68 bullet and the other was for a #251, but I didn't know what the profile of the #251 was and couldn't open the mold or cut the sprue. I needed another .45 mold anyway and at time didn't know the H&G #68 was the holy grail of .45 bullet molds and ended up buying both for $300.

When I got home, I opened the #251 to find it was a .38 wadcutter mold, which I didn't really need or want. I guess I could sell the #251 to help pay for the cost of the #68.

I paid $300 for both. Maybe more than some would have paid for the #68, but less than others would have by the sounds of it. I can look at it like they cost $150 each and I got a good deal on one and a bad deal on the other.

David

[Le Loup Solitaire]

$150 for either of these molds is a fair price; that is what they should be worth. H&G molds are getting more and more scarce with H&G out of production for around 20 years now. If not now, then soon, you should have no trouble getting your $150 back, or more, for the mold you do not want; the #251 is a popular mold for the 38 special especially in the S&W model 52 auto. It wasn't a bad deal. The same mold designs from H & G are now in the hands of Ballisticast who will sell anyone a new one with handles for well over $200. If your molds are in good shape and you take good care of them, they will continue to cast good bullets and will last a long time. Peculiar things sometimes happen at gunshows and on E-Bay as well, but I doubt that either of these molds would have gone for anything significantly less than what you paid. You can get more expert information if you contact TexasFlyboy who is the resident expert on H & G molds; he is a member of this forum and also maintains a separate website on H&G that can be searched-up here. LLS

[casterofboolits]

I just checked the Ballisticast site and they will sell you what appears to be an H&G four cavity clone for $195.00 with out handles.

Does anyone have any experience with these Ballisticast H&G clones? Are they worth the price?

[Skipper]

I use this one:

http://leeprecision.com/graphics/bullets/452200sw.gif


25 bucks from Lee

[Doby45]

I use that same one from Lee X 6..