Quality of equipment

[GONRA]

Rcbs

[gwpercle]

I was thinking about this thread ... it has been a while since I started casting .
Let me add ... Buy the best you can afford at this time .
Don't be afraid to buy a new Lee 2 cavity mould to use for testing . Buying used moulds off Ebay is tricky ... I bought a Lee C309-170-F for 30-30 and a C312-185-1R for 303 British years ago ...they work just fine and I still cast with them . Have several Lee 9mm moulds and 38/357 's too ... that drop great boolits .
So don't be afraid to start with a Lee 2 cavity mould ... they are so economical that you won't loose any money . Read the stickies on how to prep your mould (hand finish ) and get with the casting game . I have several NOE and they are nice but more Lee moulds ...that are like work trucks .
Gary

[Bazoo]

The lee moulds that I have, that cast good, cast really good. But I have had several that didn’t cast large enough. Some will have a small section that is undersized. Not an issue if you powder coat. But I don’t PC. Maybe that’s why everyone is loving their lee moulds, they overlook that .002 small section and it gets “fixed” when coated.

[ILostMyGoat]

So it sounds like y’all have a collection of different molds, no brand loyalty?


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[Winger Ed.]

Like different brands of gasoline-- I have preferences, but not some huge amount of loyalty.

The closest I'd come is a strong preference for Lyman molds,
just because they have their reloading books to go with them.

If I'm going to cast a small amount (1-2,000) of one boolit over a long time, I'll get a Lee.
For mass production, I'll get a Iron mold.

[Land Owner]

So it sounds like y’all have a collection of different molds, no brand loyalty?

Starting out, buy the inexpensive molds. Learn how to cast.
Inexpensive means every brand that suits your wallet.
Eventually, you will volunteer to buy mid-grade molds.
The Cast Learning Curve is not steep. Old molds still pour well.
You may, in time, wish to try one of the "Cadillac" molds,
to "see what others are talking about". Are they "all that"?
I can say, in an HP mold, MiHec brass molds are VERY good.
Brand Loyalty to Lee, Lyman, RCBS, and MiHec - so far.

[Soundguy]

Lee. Lyman / ideal, MP..etc. Anything I can't to pour lead in. Have a few un named antiques too.

[Bazoo]

I’m not brand loyal. Even with the problems I’ve had with lee and Lyman in the past, I still look there. I have lee, Lyman and RCBS currently. I’ve had accurate but sold it and am looking at a couple others. Never tried a saeco yet. I have little to no desire for hollow points though so I likely won’t ever get an MP.

[gwpercle]

Like Winger Ed ... I have preferences , but no one brand/maker makes everything you want or need ...
or your preferred brand may be out of stock .
Lyman makes No 41 magnum / 41 cal moulds any longer , I called Lyman and was told ...all are discontinued , when they did that I bought a couple off ebay ...then the prices got stupid high ... Lee made one I wanted and NOE makes three ...ordered them all . Having a mould is more important than brand loyalty ! I have a model 58 S&W 41 magnum that I wanted a good selection on moulds , who made them was not that important .
Don't get all hung up on brand ... even Lee moulds will cast ... the higher priced ones are just "nicer" .
Get whatever you can get and cast ... experience is a great teacher .
Gary

[Targa]

Hey guys I just got into casting, my first mold is a Lee 309-200. I’m casting for my 30-30. My question is do Lyman or ideal or any other “hi end” mold really perform that much better? What is it that makes them so much better? Thanks for the input!

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I have molds from NOE, Arsenal, MP and H&G. All of them are higher quality as far as workmanship is concerned but none of them actually cast a better bullet. The reasons I picked up the higher end molds that I do have is due to 8 cavity offerings from MP, hollow point molds from MP as well as NOE and different designs that Lee does not offer.

[robg]

my wrists prefer aluminium molds ,lee molds work well,so do my rcbs molds but they get heavy quick.

[super6]

Gotta go with Gonra, RCBS If i can't find A Hensly and Gibbs.

[jsizemore]

Buying quality casting equipment is like buying quality firearms. The better either is points to operator error when it ain't working right. When you have the skills to use either, then you can make mediocre equipment or firearms work like the good stuff. There is no substitute for hands on experience and not settling for mediocre results.

[Wayne Smith]

BTW, iron molds are just that, Meenhite or something like that - and high lead content ductile iron.

[justindad]

A new caster shouldn’t put themselves in a position where they have to learn what is wrong with the mold - first learn what is wrong with your technique & process.
*
I bought an NOE 2-cavity brass and an NOE 5-cavity aluminum to start. I figured I’d start with something of quality so that I would learn about casting and not mold repair. I learned about both (still am). My recommendation for a first mold: 1) a bullet profile you actually want to shoot, 2) avoid sharp corners and square lube grooves, 3) 2-cavity maximum.
*
It would be great if you could buy a used mold from someone of good repute, who can tell you what they have “rains bullets”. Who can be trusted?

[Soundguy]

To avoid all square corners you may be stuck buying ( regular production models mind you.. not custom stuff ).. older ideal/lyman and lee micro groove.

To be honest.. a 20$ lee 2 cavity aluminum mold is a great learning tool.. and then once you learn.. just keep using it. The bulk of my molds are lee 2 hole.. I make some great shooting and looking ammo.

[rbuck351]

I have molds from Lyman, lee, rcbs, NOE and even an old winchester. The only molds that don't do what I expected were the Lee bore riders. I have three or four and all have bore rider noses that are too small, from .002 to .005 to small. All Lee pistol molds have worked very well.

[Static line]

First, pick the profile of the bullet that you want then choose the mold that offers it and go from there. Iron or Aluminum makes no difference. It's all good.Only you can decide how much you want to spend and how many cavities you want per mold. Most of the time for me, two cavities is good enough and much lighter to work with.

[Soundguy]

Bore riders might be ok if you like really slow rifle bullets.. I tend to prefer gas check and faster rifle bullets. If too small..maybe too soft and shrinking? Some molds like a certain alloy.. Ie.. A mold for Lyman #2 that is fed softer range lead around #10bhn is going to drop smaller bullets...

[Land Owner]

First, pick the profile of the bullet that you want then choose the mold that offers it and go from there. Iron or Aluminum makes no difference. It's all good.Only you can decide how much you want to spend and how many cavities you want per mold. Most of the time for me, two cavities is good enough and much lighter to work with.

Very good point(s), particularly in first choosing a boolit PROFILE. The 30-30 is a hunting round. I enjoy a LOT of trigger time shooting feral hogs. I like "Keith-style" boolit profiles and purchased a pair of Lyman molds, a steel, 2-cavity, 311-041 FV that drops my alloy at 173 grains and a steel, single cavity, 309-170. I am awaiting my kids availability to test accuracy in their micro-groove Marlin 30-30's.