RepackboxTitan ReloadingReloading EverythingWideners
Load DataLee PrecisionMidSouth Shooters SupplyRotoMetals2
Inline Fabrication
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 21 to 22 of 22

Thread: 44-40 mold

  1. #21
    Boolit Grand Master
    rintinglen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Orange, VA NOW
    Posts
    6,492
    Get the 6 cavity LEE. You will find that culling the losers from an hours worth of casting from the 6 banger production will still leave you with hundreds of usable boolits, whereas the two-holer will leave an appreciably smaller number to use after you pick out the baddies. And there will be baddies.

    With the 6 banger, start by pre-heating the mold, either on top of your pot or on a cheapie hot plate, Then, when you start fill only the first cavity farthest from the sprue handle, do that twice, then fill the two farthest and do that twice. Ignore the boolits, just fill and cast at a comfortable rate, allowing the sprue to just freeze before you cut and dump. Continue to fill the mold, increasing the number of cavities every other cast, until you are running on all 6. Then go to town, place an ingot or two on top of the pot to preheat and then you can prolong the sweet-spot production by adding more lead to the pot without having to pause and wait for the temperature to recover. You will easily make a year's worth of boolits in an afternoon, with time left for mowing a small lawn. {At least if you only plan on shooting 500 rounds a year.}

    I tend to roll my eyes at some of the claims of casting excellence, with flawless boolits raining endlessly from their chosen molds. Well, sometimes it does happen that way. I have a 4 cavity 358-311 that casts like that, but I have about 100 others that don't and a couple that are just evil. Don't get discouraged if you have a few hickups, come on back and pick our brains. There are probably 10,000 years plus worth of collective experience here, somebody will have an answer.
    _________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.

  2. #22
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana
    Posts
    9,251
    Quote Originally Posted by Froogal View Post
    I got the Lee 2 cavity, 200 grain, RNFP, .429 diameter. Smoked it per instructions and commenced to making bullets. First few bullets got recycled, and then I easily made about 200 more perfect bullets. I like the 2 cavity because of the price, and also because it sets nicely on top of the Lee lead pot for heating the mold.
    Would like to add ... if you are getting up in age ( I'm 72 ) just normal getting old makes casting with a Custom (NOE in my case ) 4 cavity alumin. hard ... the NOE 4 cavity is heavy for an extended casting run and I'm not disabled ...just old ... The 2 cavity Lee moulds are such a joy to cast with , not near as much wear and tear on hands and arms ...and casting with a lyman ladle is easier with light Lee moulds . I sometimes cast with two Lee moulds , letting one cool while filling the other .
    If you hands are aged ... think about weight .
    I thought a 4 cavity NOE would be only twice as heavy as a 2 cavity Lee ...Whooo Boy was I wrong those custom moulds have a lot of metal in the blocks ...whatever you do watch out for Brass moulds ...they are Heavy-Heavy !
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
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