If you could have ONLY two moulds... which ones and why?

[TomBulls]

I've found most of my casting needs have been met by two moulds from Lee': The 312-185-1R (for the .303 Brit) and the 324-175-1R (for the 8mm Mauser).

The .312 mould can be sized down for a .308 bore, and is easily paper patched up to .316 for my Mosin-Nagant. In a pinch it can also be paper patched up to .325" for an 8mm.

The .323 mould sizes down to .314" with a little bit of effort, but it shoots really well in my Mosin-Nagant. It shoots reasonably well from my M48 8mm Mauser, and the .323" bullet can be easily patched up to .330" for my M95 Steyr in 8x56r.

These two moulds have been so good for me that I'm planning on getting an extra mould for each and having a machine shop remove the gas check. RCBS makes a really mean looking .338 flat point mould, and I'm half tempted to buy it in spite of the fact that I might not even need it if I can get the accuracy I want with a paper patched 8mm Mauser bullet.

[Hardcast416taylor]

The LEE 338 - 220 gives yeoman service in about all the different .338 cal. cartridges currently used and made.Robert

[fredj338]

It would be sort of caliber specific???

[TomBulls]

It would be sort of caliber specific???

I don't think it needs to be calibre specific, just which two moulds you pick if you could have only two, and why.

[Springfield]

A 9mm/38 and a 45 acp/Colt. So I guess the LEE 125gr 38 6 cav mould and my HM2 45 200gr 4 cav mould.

[Smoke4320]

Mihec 312 159 FP/HP ....O so many things I can do with this mold
NOE 459-350 FP/HP ...for all those big things I like to knock over

[texassako]

#1 would be my 358156 4 cavity because I have made it work well in several handguns and rifles. #2 would be my NOE 311331 since it works so well in several of my favorite rifles. I would have a lot of safe queens with only 2 molds.

[georgerkahn]

This is indeed a tough question for me to answer. Some of my moulds are for target shooting in calibers with j-bullets and cast boolits available. E.g., I'd be sad without my H&G50, H&G130bb for competition. However, there's a big "BUT", as for several calibers with bullets not readily available to me, that I cast is a necessity for my desire to shoot 'em. These include the .30, .32, and .35 Rems -- just as one group. Then there's my .44-40 Uberti Model 66...
You have asked a simple enough question, but I guess for me it's a tough one to answer.
BEST!
georgerkahn

[crawfobj]

158gr .358 SWC and 230gr .452 TC, unless I could come up with some kind of mold that soul make other molds.

[Bazoo]

358156 and 452374

Ive trimmed my guns and my desires down to a ruger blackhawk and a marlin 1894c in 357 magnum. The 358156 is the most versatile bullet for it. It has 2 crimp grooves, so you can load 357 loads in 38 special casings. It has a gas check groove for heavy loads.

On the other mould, I carry a 45 automatic, 1911A1. I like 230 grain ball ammo.

[geargnasher]

Cabin fever much?

Gear

[country gent]

If we could only have 2 moulds then friends would really become important so as to swap around for more selection. LOL

[18Bravo]

crawfobj nailed it for me also. The .358 SWC lets me shoot the .38's and the .357's while the Lee 230gr .452 TC still allows the use of the 45ACP and 45 Colt. Guess I'd have a boat load of weapons to sell......

[WALLNUTT]

if I could only have 2 molds I'd have to sell several firearms.

[georgerkahn]

That is indeed a great observation, country gent! The operational questions for me, though, imho, involve the myriads of different firearms out there; plus, to be frank, the level of "care" which may be -- or not be -- given to loaned moulds. A friend is a librarian, and she oft' comments re books returned which look better than when signed out -- and, the "others" . IF this was a "perfect world", perhaps; but, even still, often encountered is the same model firearm with different throats and barrel groove diameters. Again, though, I do respect your observation, and wish it would be do-able!
BEST!
georgrkahn

[country gent]

I routinely have friends over when I cast ( for saftey reasons as well as company) My casting pot is big enough for 3 people to sit around it casting. We routinly swap moulds back and forth with no issues. It can be done and it works well to "try" a new bullet with out buying the mould. Several times I have sent bullets to memebrs on here to test before buying a mould.

[dragon813gt]

if I could only have 2 molds I'd have to sell several firearms.

I'd be selling firearms and safes. This question is an impossibility for me since I shoot to many different firearms.

[altheating]

What am I going to do with the rest of my guns?

[flylot]

I think .45acp for the 1911 and 9mm for wife's gun and my UZI.

[kweidner]

this makes my crazy eye start to twitch lol. Don't really want to think about it. One would have to be a 41 mag. Inside 100 yds I can take anything I want even if it gets a little messy. Can I leave it there for now cause to decide wich one in …41 would have situational reasons. The other would be a one -of 30 cal that is MOA to as far as I have shot to 150 now but Will stretch it out farther soon. I would have to sell a ton of daggum molds and weapons though..........wait a minute do I get to keep my swage press and dies?