Ballisti-Cast

[Labanaktis]

Well that don't sound good.... So you sent in moulds that didn't work for you, they tried them and said they are fine???

did they give you any ideas or helpful hints?

[MGnoob]

That sucks. i would make sure you have the right handles for the mold, or properly modified.

The molds i just sent them had "fin" issues....i got it from midway and it is a saeco.
All the saeco molds i have are great but i'm not paying 50+ for handle and waiting for backorder. i assume the handles i am using are causing the problem.although they seem to be perfect when i modified them...

Dirty alloy will also cause a buildup that will then keep the mold from closing all the way. and seems like misalignment.

Clean the molds up and try again.. if they don't work i'd send them back and ask for a refund. good luck

[youngmman]

I bought it with handles so they should be ok for the mold. Keith said they had two experienced casters and three newbe's use the mold and they had no problem. He suggested I hold a tighter grip on the handles. Of course! I have six original H&G molds, and several LBT, some Lyman and a SAECO and I have no problems producing good bullets with any of them, so I won't venture comment.

[6bg6ga]

As an owner of a MArk IV I can attest to the fact that you have to have things adjusted correctly in order to produce good bullets. You can make an adjustment in order to obtain a good tight match up on the mold. Yes, it does take time to arrive at good bullets. In just a few minutes I came to the conclusion that I don't need to look at the PID's temp reading. I adjust the PID temp in order to obtain good bullets. Lead that is too cold will never warm the molds up correctly and you will end up with scrap time after time. It also takes time and a feeling in order to obtain all the sprews on the operator side of the machine instead of with the finished bullets.

I can produce more bullets per hour with this machine than I possibly could have with 6 cavity molds. One of the best secrets lie with setting the temp correctly to obtain proper results. Once this is done the machine almost runs itself. Yes, you can blame the machine when in reality the problem lies with the operators understanding of the machine and the proper temp adjustment of the machine.

Someone mentioned Magma and well they seem to work fine and they adapt themselves well to modification that results in automatic operation. Part of this reason is they only deal with one mold block and not 2 like the Mark IV or 4 like the Mark X does. They are a lot simpler and they will produce far fewer bullets per hour. But to each his own.

[MGnoob]

I think it would be easier to automate my 4 mold mark 10 than the magma. do to the mold being rotated 360 deg rather than the 90 of the magma...most of the auto magmas conversion i seen use little tampers or a "double tap" to ensure boolit release. i'll probably use the tampers on mine to ease the process but now that it's warn-in it can just smash them for all i care....other than possible mold damage, but the projectile is still so pliable at the point of release i doubt it will damage a mold.

I heard from keith today and he received my molds and samples and says as far as he can tell they match his drawing so i told him to proceed. i've notice much better comunication as of recently....the few issue i do have with there product are not that big of a deal.. for example the punches for the sizer should be more caliber specific and less universal.I tryied to order the secondary lube heater and was told it didnt really work and would just make a mess and just setting at a high tempurate will help. I just don't think enough volume is pre-warmed to keep up with even a modest pace. i have yet to use my own lube which is softer and lower melting point. If the secondary heater didn't work and made a mess i don't see how going hotter with the primary won't do the same thing. The magma star sizer headed base is a joke with little control and huge temp swing and it works much better. since i plate and don't lube often it doesn't matter to me.

[finishman2000]

I tried to add a second heater on the tube of my ballisticast sizer and yes it did make a mess. it would work if you set it up on it's own pid which I might do one od these days.

[MGnoob]

interesting, i am glad to hear from someone who owns one rather than just the manufacturer..i assumed it had a separate pid....
i bet it would work great with the primary set to the right temp for the lube and the 2ndary preheating the lube in the tube to 5-10f lower than the primary.....

[youngmman]

Regarding my post of 7/8 regarding my return of #634 mold to Balisti-Cast. I just received it back and frankly it looks like ****. The bullets they said were ok, cast by them as a test by several people, are not ones i would use except as melt. One of the mold faces is buggered up looking like it was battered with something that left tracks across it.

So to those who may be thinking about a mold from them: Buyer beware. I will have nothing further to do with them and don't even want a refund.

[Labanaktis]

Regarding my post of 7/8 regarding my return of #634 mold to Balisti-Cast. I just received it back and frankly it looks like ****. The bullets they said were ok, cast by them as a test by several people, are not ones i would use except as melt. One of the mold faces is buggered up looking like it was battered with something that left tracks across it.

So to those who may be thinking about a mold from them: Buyer beware. I will have nothing further to do with them and don't even want a refund.

Really sucks to hear. BUT THANK YOU for the update. There is nothing wrong with telling it how it is.

Matt

[MGnoob]

It's pretty lame to send you their "test" boolits and have them not have them be of shooting qualilty.....
i get them saying it works fine and just sending it back type tactic....but to say they're fine and mail you projectile that are not fine seems moronic.
Do you have some photos?

[youngmman]

I don't have photos now but will in the next day or so. I don't understand this at all, they didn't even secure the two mold halves together with a tie for shipment in a flat rate box so they were banging around togather. Please excuse me for just not wanting to deal with it any further just now.

[6bg6ga]

I don't have photos now but will in the next day or so. I don't understand this at all, they didn't even secure the two mold halves together with a tie for shipment in a flat rate box so they were banging around togather. Please excuse me for just not wanting to deal with it any further just now.

Did you contact them after receiving the molds back? I doubt it. It would seem to me the proper way of handling this would be to pick up the phone and call them instead of running your mouth and putting them down. No pictures? Seems strange to me. Try calling them and telling them the molds have damage now as a result of shipping. My bet is they will replace them.

[youngmman]

6bg6ga,

Let me say it is not particularly important to me what you think. I have no ulterior motives here except wanting a good mold. They NEVER contacted me after sending it back nor prior to that in contacting them by e mail. Additionally, there was nothing whatsoever in the box with the mold explaining their view.

I do not call and bitch to anyone particularly after TRYING to communicate as I have. It is nothing more than an indifference on their part at this point. My way is simply to NEVER even consider doing business with them again. Now I know why the Hardline Industriies people split from Ballisti-Cast over a year ago. It seems sistemic.

So, pal, if you don't like my way that's too damn bad.

[6bg6ga]

My point pal...

Instead of running your mouth here put your mouth up to the phone where it surely will do some good.

[Labanaktis]

That's his point...it won't do any good. He has voiced his concerns to Ballisti Cast. They did not fix his problem. He has chose not to do business with them again. Ive had similar issues as well.

not that my opinion counts as anything but I value someone's feedback whatever it is. If you don't want to read it....don't.

[MGnoob]

Youmman, When i initially started dealing with these guys over a year ago it got to the point where i just gave up and was done with them, a week later i got the call that they could fill my order.I almost didn't go through with it due to how bad the experience was.....i've been happy with the products, but almost didn't reorder due to the handle of the entire affair...it does seem things at ballisticast have drastically improved, that's why it was disheartening to hear a so recently that there is still problems.I am glad to hear they may be a resolution's to your issue.

Unfortunately there initial response of "it's fine" was pretty weak.....i am glad to see they can accept responsibility for this..... no one perfect but excuses really piss me off.
You should probably also note that any communication with them is confidential...so giving the jist of what they said may be more appropriate than cut and past from an email..

[youngmman]

I do understand about the confidentiality. I just there wasn't anything threatening in it and, indeed it may improve the views of some about the company and I think it has, Oh well, good news is always welcome.