Just getting started

[bcr]

Hi everybody,

I'm new here on this forum, but I've already read a lot of interesting info, and it's so exciting that I have decided to start casting!

I will be starting out very slow, as I am in grad school with a family and can't afford to sink a lot of money into it right away, so I am just starting to pick up a few things. I have two five gallon buckets of wheel weights, one 100% full and one about 80% full. I ordered a #4 Rowell casting ladle and picked up a 10.5" dutch oven last Saturday. I still need a hot plate, and then I've got to get some ingot molds, which I'm going to try to make myself out of channel and angle iron. Then I'll be ready to smelt!

For casting, I am planning to start with .44 Magnum, since I have both a rifle and a revolver to feed, followed by .45 ACP, then probably my BRAND NEW Marlin .45-70 GBL, then .357 (Ruger DA), then last but not least my Ruger .35 Whelen.

As I said, I can't afford a lot of equipment, but I do try to get good equipment. E.g., my reloading press is a Forster, which is a masterpiece of engineering.

So if I'll just be getting a few molds, at least initially, what are the considerations of the nice custom molds like Mihec or LBT versus Lee or RCBS? It looks like a lot of people here are pretty happy with the Lee molds?

[cbrick]

Hi everybody,

As I said, I can't afford a lot of equipment, but I do try to get good equipment. E.g., my reloading press is a Forster, which is a masterpiece of engineering.

So if I'll just be getting a few molds, at least initially, what are the considerations of the nice custom molds like Mihec or LBT versus Lee or RCBS? It looks like a lot of people here are pretty happy with the Lee molds?

Mihec, I just got two 4 cav, I have about 60 molds and these two are without question the finest, highest quality of any of them.

LBT, high quality aluminum molds, I have a few of them and they are excellent.

RCBS, as standard production molds they are the best you can do. RCBS has really stepped up the quality of late, not that they were bad before.

Lee, what can I say, they are Lee's. Yes, some people here are in love with them but some people believe the best thing about a tool is how cheap can it be made. Then on a daily basis you can read post after post on what do to fix them and/or make them work.

Here is a perfect example, a thread on recent purchases: It is the first thread I read after posting this so I edited this post to include this.


I just treated myself to a Lee 20 lb pot, 22 Bator mold and checks, a couple of top punches and parts to fix my Lee 10 lb pot. -HF

I suggest as someone just starting out yet would like decent tools/molds to start with to start with RCBS molds. The quality is high and the warranty is even higher. I also believe that a quality iron 2 cavity mold is the easiest to learn to cast with. I have about 25 RCBS molds and wouldn't trade a single one of them. They also have an exceptional selection of bullet styles and calibers to choose from. My one and only complaint with RCBS is that they won't make a four cavity mold.

Hope this helps and welcome to the forum. Keep in mind that the only dumb question is the one you don't ask. Lot's of folks here that will help with any casting question that you have.

Rick

[HangFireW8]

Here is a perfect example, a thread on recent purchases: It is the first thread I read after posting this so I edited this post to include this.

I'd like to point out that the Lee 10 lb pot I'm fixing is almost 20 years old, and I'm the second owner. Parts are very inexpensive and I want to have two working pots, so fixing it is a no-brainer.

-HF

[cbrick]

I'd like to point out that the Lee 10 lb pot I'm fixing is almost 20 years old, and I'm the second owner. Parts are very inexpensive and I want to have two working pots, so fixing it is a no-brainer. -HF

Don't get me wrong, I didn't mean that you shouldn't fix it. My only point was that I had just posted that daily there are posts on how to fix Lee stuff and get them to work. The very next thread I read after posting that was yours ordering Lee parts. I thought that kind of funny.

I also don't mean to imply that those that like Lee stuff shouldn't use it. Of course they should, have at it.

I am hardly rich, I work for a living like everyone else but for my money I would much rather save up and get as good/quality a tool as possible, as opposed to as cheap as I can, then spend my time trying to figure out how to make it work.

I have a few Lee molds and can honestly say that the last one I bought was just that, the last one. Life's too short for the aggravation. If you however like them that is for one thing none of my business and I don't really care. My posts are nothing more than me posting my opinion and thoughts. You can probably tell what my opinion of Lee stuff is.

Rick

[HangFireW8]

For casting, I am planning to start with .44 Magnum, since I have both a rifle and a revolver to feed, followed by .45 ACP, then probably my BRAND NEW Marlin .45-70 GBL, then .357 (Ruger DA), then last but not least my Ruger .35 Whelen.


I suggest you find a bullet weight and profile that best meets your needs, then look at who makes it. For example your unnamed .44 rifle may or may not have feed issues with a big flat nose, or may be constrained to a certain cartridge O.A.L. If it is a self-loader you may be constrained to loads with a certain amount of energy or pressure. That my influence your first mold choice much more than brand name. Likewise just saying 44 Magnum revolver doesn't mean much due to greatly varying cylinder and throat configurations and barrel length.

You can research here, or ask a question on the forum, about your particular gun(s) and what works best with them, be sure to define "best" to your pleasure (accuracy, leading, low recoil, high power, etc). Then sit back and watch the fireworks, um, discussion.

-HF

[Eagles6]

Lots of quality stuff out there. Some manufacturers have quality control issues from time to time and you just have to deal with it.
I don't have many molds, old Lymans and Lees, RCBS press and dies, Redding powder measure stuff, Lyman pot and fixins'.
All are fine and work very well, I've haven't blown anything up yet and generally hit pretty close to where I aim.
For my present income it's hard to beat Lee's prices and I've never had a problem with his stuff.

[BSkerj]

I use Lee, Lyman and Mihecs moulds ...by far my favorite moulds are Mihecs. Most of his molds turn into 2 or 3, i.e. rounded HP's, Hex HP's, FN. All of his molds use Lee handles which are very affordable and he sends them with the appropriate top punch for the lubrisizer and a bottle of sprue plate lube. Right now I am waiting on one for my 45/70 that has been in the group buy forum for 15 months...the 459122..he has it on the machine as we speak. I know it will be worth the wait. You can also go to his website and check out his store. He usually keeps a couple extra moulds to sell after he produces them. JMHO

[HeavyMetal]

bcr:
Welcome to the site.

From your post it looks like you've got a good start on the basics of casting.

Not sure if your planning to use a hot plate to smelt those WW but if you are do small batchs

Most hot plates are not intended for "industrial" use so use good judgement when you turn these into ingots. Now if you run into a turkey fryer at a yard sale you can change those requirements.

As for molds.. well I have owned or used almost all makes and, with few exceptions, they all performed as designed.

I have Lee molds and am Happy with them. Are they the quality of the old H&G molds??

No Way! They are also not in the same price range either!

I pick a mold based on what I want it to do, what I want it to work in and how easy it looks to cast with.

I will tell you right now the name on the side of the mold has nothing to do with how easy it casts, Thats a design issue.

For the doubting thomas's amongst us I will suggest you try casting a 429303 and see how easy it is to use!


As for easy learning I think the Lee 452-230-Tc #90290 is the easiest mold to learn with and the least expensive to buy.

I will tell you to stay away from tumble lube designs as they can be annoying to dial in. For lubing a good pan lube set up can be made cheaply from the Goodwill store.

You can use just about any lube seen on a ton of web sites catering to thie reloading industry but I think you'd have a real hard time beating any of Lar's lubes and you can find a link to his site right here at the bottom of most start pages.

This is my idea for a fast trouble free start up for a newbie caster!

Let us know how it goes!

[Charlie Two Tracks]

As a newbie caster, I have two Lee molds and two Mihec molds. The Mihec are light years better than the Lee but I do like my Lee molds also. The Lee's are light and easy to learn on. If I messed up and dropped them or something like that, I wouldn't have been out a whole lot of money. I am sure there are many good molds out there and also by people on this board. I just got a Lee to start with and learn some stuff. After I found out that I could actually cast good boolits, I got the Mihec molds. Just tonight I cast a 20lb pot into a bunch of Lee 158 RNFP. They look good. I did have a real fit with the Lee TL mold though. Finally got it to work after many casting sessions with it.