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Thread: Molds should ALL be like this...

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

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    Molds should ALL be like this...

    I purchased a new 2cav RCBS 22-55-SP mold in 2017, oiled it, and "circumstances" left it to sit in the drawer with all of its mold buddies, unused, until last month. I didn't make many boolits or shoot very much over that period of bereavement. Just the way it worked out.

    When the wife got the itch to shoot in January, I got off my idle butt and made several thousand 4 cav Mihec 360-159 SWC and SWC HP boolits (quite the mold). We are still shooting those.

    Since January, several thousand 22 Bator boolits have been formed in a Lee 2cav aluminum mold. Its continued 100 yd. inaccuracy is frustrating. So, out came the "new" and unused RCBS 22-55-SP.

    That is one SWEET mold, cleaned vigorously with a nylon bristle toothbrush in warm soapy water, dried, then the cavity halves smoked with a candle. The melt temperature was mistakenly left at 825*F (quickly getting the alloy melted). The spru plate and mold halves were dipped in the melted alloy for about two minutes each.

    The boolits drop out of that mold LIKE THEY SHOULD, at 58 grains (alloy is 49-49-2 Pb-WW-Sn). No knocking the mold handle. Just open it up and they fall right out. Repeat. SWEET. Rejects went to practically NONE (20 +/- in the first 600). I promptly branded my left knee with the hot mold (a senior moment, mental mistake, and another thread) and gave myself something to remember these days of the 22 cal.
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Bad Ass Wallace's Avatar
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    I bought that same RCBS mold back in 1971, it cost a whopping $11.95!
    Hold Still Varmint; while I plugs Yer!

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    Now you are just bragging - and rightly so! Good mold for certain. Care to share a load or two? Powders I have include IMR 4227, IMR 4895, Win 748, SR7625, and Unique. Sure would like to find a decent "fit" with SR7625...of which I have a bunch.
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
    Mk42gunner's Avatar
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    I have that mold, but haven't managed to heat it up yet.

    I will say that the other three RCBS molds I have used act like a junior grade Hensley & Gibbs, in that the boolits usually fall right out.

    I just wish at least some of them were available with more than two cavities.

    Robert

  5. #5
    Boolit Master


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    RCBS molds have always been top shelf for me as well.

    CW
    NRA Life member • REMEMBER, FREEDOM IS NOT FREE its being paid for in BLOOD.
    Come visit my RUMBLE & uTube page's !!

    https://www.RUMBLE.com/user/Cwlongshot
    https://youtube.com/channel/UCBOIIvlk30qD5a7xVLfmyfw

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Bad Ass Wallace's Avatar
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    My most used RCBS mold is the 145gn Silly-wet boolit, with 29.5gn of 3031 it is very accurate.



    I powder coat them black so critters can't see them coming at night time

    Hold Still Varmint; while I plugs Yer!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check