Mold INFLATION

[Mark Daiute]

Some of us bitch about Lee molds. But think about it. 22 dollars for a mold? I've had a lot of fun with some of these molds. I like the new molds better than the old and wanted to replace my 120 grain 30 cal mold with the newer version.

Neither Titan nor Lee have had 30 cal molds for several months now.

Many Lee molds are available on Ebay but not from our normal distributors. Some with "buy it now" prices that are 3 times the normal price.

I found the mold I want for 4 times the normal amout, 88 bucks.

This imsanity sucks bog water.

[StuBach]

I was just commenting to my wife how it’s gotten to the point where Lee molds are no longer competitive. $88 for a used Lee vs $115 (converted with no discount) for a brand new 4cav solid brass mold from MP. I know that $27 matters but 4cav brass vs 2 cav aluminum, I’d save the money and buy custom every time. Also, I think that $27 difference in price is what I paid for my Lee 2 Cav.

Lee will eventually catch up but sucks having to wait for prices to come back down.

[Joe504]

I have been watching those prices, they are already starting to come down. I would expect in the next 4 to 6 weeks they will be back to normal, as the panic buying appears to be over.

Titan, FS and others are just starting to have inventory again.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[beagle]

Still think the best place to buy moulds is on our own "Swappin' and Sellin" section. Our members don't seem to have the gouge mania that's on E-Bay. I've sold a few moulds in the past months since the pandemic and still ask the same prices I did before the pandemic and try to be reasonable. The thing about building a mould accumulation is to have patience and it will come along.
If you just "gotta have it" by Wednesday, be prepared to get scalped./beagle

[Multra]

Panic buying may be slowing down, but material shortages are ramping up.

[zarrinvz24]

I don’t think it’s panic buying, so much as the influx as a stimulus funds are beginning to run out.

[MrWolf]

May have found a site for an RCBS 35-200 that I have had on backorder since December for around $77. Took a gamble it was legit. Ordered it yesterday and already got a thank you and a tracking number. If it is legit, I am going back for some others I have been looking for and will let you folks know where it is. I was kinda shocked they had a few other items in stock.

[downzero]

There's a few Lee molds I'd probably pay double the usual price for. They really are a steal for what they normally go for. It's only in rough times that we realize what a great bargain they are. I've had so much fun with cast bullets made with some of the Lee molds.

[GregLaROCHE]

I think as soon as Remington ammunition starts hitting the shelves again, a lot of gun related prices will start coming down.

https://youtu.be/LQadZyNFLN8

[jim147]

I don't know about aluminum but steel and lumber prices have doubled in the last few months. When stuff starts coming back it will be higher than it was before.

[RogerDat]

I'm just kicking myself that I didn't sell the Lee 2 cavity 9mm when they were selling for $150 on eBay have two and could have sold both, and would have made $250 to set aside for when supply shortage abates.

It will abate is a certainty. As companies put inventory up for sale at regular retail prices it will get snatched by people reselling immediately as long as the eBay price allows for a robust profit. If one can buy two molds for $45 plus shipping and sell for $300 plush shipping it pays to lurk and check retail sites relentlessly. At the more current buy it now price of $50 a mold that effort isn't as lucrative so gradually retail outlets will have items in stock and the demand side will get satisfied at regular retail prices. If history is any guide those prices may have gone up a bit from pre-pandemic panic prices.

I don't find myself concerned about mold prices right now, have what is needed. Would be bad time to decide I needed something in a new caliber because it would be hard to find mold, dies, and brass to load a new caliber. Heaven help you if you also needed a different powder or two to find a load.

Assuming $150 was a price one was willing to pay for a 9mm mold there are certainly options that while they may take a bit longer to receive from those who make high quality molds such as MP, Accurate, and NOE the quality of the mold will be a definite notch up from the $22 mold and cost less than that mold was selling for on eBay. Even at $50 last price I saw a $79 mold of better quality would make sense.

On a totally unrelated "backordered" item not being in stock for months now... I just got an email telling me the plastic cases I ordered to keep shell holders in are still not in stock but I'm next up for when they get more in. Who would think the plastic cases to store shell holders would remain on back order for months? My guess is supply chain issues but I ordered months ago and was about ready to make something.

[RogerDat]

I don't know about aluminum but steel and lumber prices have doubled in the last few months. When stuff starts coming back it will be higher than it was before.

Doubled? $7 sheets of OSB are going for $33 at the big box stores. Understand that saw mills anticipated a low demand due to covid, with harvesting, transport, and mills all having some labor shortages due to people being sick or difficulty with getting steady supply from upstream for themselves. Wood pulp from places such as Brazil are not flowing well. Brazil is in a bad place with covid-19 which is hurting exports. Combined with shipping to retail being impacted AND the demand for home improvement or new construction going up not down (Lowes & HD both having record profits) prices went up pretty rapidly. Frankly to levels that one knows are not sustainable.

I'm not doing projects simply because lumber prices would make them a lot more expensive than I'm guessing the project will cost in a few months. Bet I'm not alone but apparently there is still enough demand to get those prices on lumber.

Same with molds, or other reloading items. Since I can wait I will wait. Much of this I will only buy one time, might as well not pay so much more than the regular price.

If the prices are high enough that it would kill demand then the price will only stay there as long as demand is willing to pay that price. Building industry can't support $33 OSB for long. Reloading can't handle $400 a thousand primers or $150 for basic quality molds for very long. Too much of the market will simply not buy. Casino's can make all tables have minimum $50 bet but only if there enough people in the casino willing to play at that level. If not then $20, $10, $5 and $2 minimum bet tables will be available as required to get demand up.

[StuBach]

Follow up on the demand/supply chain delays, interesting sign of the times. Just had a random though to upgrade my 45 ACP dies to Dillons like I’ve been planning for years but never had the thought to do till last night...28 week back order...I’ll keep going with my old Lyman set .

I know another thread pointed out that Magma stopped taking orders as they are currently 2 years backlogged.

[MrWolf]

I know another member and I had discussed the exact mould i had on backorder. He had a duplicate and was going to put it up on either GB or evil bay for $150. No idea if he got his price but do not doubt he did.

[Gator 45/70]

Ha, a 2x4 is what 10 bucks now? My house is worth more taken apart than standing.
Back on topic, I was able to find a 30 cal mold on here from a good member at a price I could live with, Thanks again man !

[daloper]

Mold are hard to find. I have been checking every day for about 3 weeks trying to find a mold for a new .40 SW. I guess that I can wait for them to catch up. No Lee or M-P molds. Not much selection at NOE either. Have not seen any on the site here. Did finally find a set of dies at Midway.

[John Boy]

Best place to find available molds now with decent cost is Accurate Molds ... plus if you want a custom mold with a quick delivery, send Tom the dimensions or a couple of bullets
https://www.accuratemolds.com/

[ReloaderFred]

Doubled? $7 sheets of OSB are going for $33 at the big box stores. Understand that saw mills anticipated a low demand due to covid, with harvesting, transport, and mills all having some labor shortages due to people being sick or difficulty with getting steady supply from upstream for themselves. Wood pulp from places such as Brazil are not flowing well. Brazil is in a bad place with covid-19 which is hurting exports. Combined with shipping to retail being impacted AND the demand for home improvement or new construction going up not down (Lowes & HD both having record profits) prices went up pretty rapidly. Frankly to levels that one knows are not sustainable.

I'm not doing projects simply because lumber prices would make them a lot more expensive than I'm guessing the project will cost in a few months. Bet I'm not alone but apparently there is still enough demand to get those prices on lumber.

Same with molds, or other reloading items. Since I can wait I will wait. Much of this I will only buy one time, might as well not pay so much more than the regular price.

If the prices are high enough that it would kill demand then the price will only stay there as long as demand is willing to pay that price. Building industry can't support $33 OSB for long. Reloading can't handle $400 a thousand primers or $150 for basic quality molds for very long. Too much of the market will simply not buy. Casino's can make all tables have minimum $50 bet but only if there enough people in the casino willing to play at that level. If not then $20, $10, $5 and $2 minimum bet tables will be available as required to get demand up.

I have close friends who own a lumber yard, and they're suffering, plus they feel sorry for anyone doing any building right now. They told me there have been days when they've received up to three price increases from their suppliers in one day! And that's for studs. The wholesale price of plywood and OSB, which we call "Oregon Sponge Board", has gone through the roof on the wholesale end, and the retailers have no choice but to pass it on to the consumers. Between the Wuhan Flu issues, all the fires last summer across the nation, plus flood and storm damage, combined with environmental restrictions, the lumber market is crazy. Here in the U.S., most of the lumber is coming off privately owned land. I'm looking out my window as I type this at several thousand acres of Forest Service timber that is off limits to harvesting, due to continuous lawsuits and unrealistic regulations. My friends have also told me there have been recent times when certain wood products haven't been available at any price.

These issues don't only apply to lumber. The items we use in our chosen hobby are also subject to some of the same problems. Copper and lead mines have been forced to shut down, along with the mills to turn the ore into usable products. Steel mills have been forced to close over the last several decades, along with the mines that used to produce iron ore.

All these things have consequences, and we as the end users are the ones who will pay for it.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[GregLaROCHE]

As has already been said, if the prices of Lee molds stay high, you are better off going for a top quality custom mold.

[Tar Heel]

Fleabay prices are fleabay prices. I have seen $20 goods selling for $140. A lot of the problem is that idiots who know nothing about the merchandise they are selling are trying to sell stuff. Other times it is an iron mold so it must be an "antique" mold. It's actually very entertaining to see that kind of crap. Unfortunately folks who know nothing about the merchandise pay those prices and feed the greed. Oh well.