Need new mold suggestions!

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Let me just start by saying I don't want a Lee. I have four and one is a disaster, One is almost a disaster (remains to be seen whether it will be replaced), One needs a good sprue plate, and one is perfectly fine after 3,000 rounds. But 3 out of 4 is not good for what I am trying to accomplish and finicky does no justice for the troubles I have had. FurthermoreI have no issues with Lee and I am not a Lee basher. I have a Load Master, All Lee reloading Dies, and All Lee resizing dies and all are perfect. The Lee Molds on the other hand are a different story FME and I don't wish to haggle over the issue, I just do not want another one.

So on to what I need:


A mold that can produce a high volume of bullets (Speed cast) over a period of several hours without breaks ( 3-8 hrs).

A mold that has a steel sprue plate.

A mold that is not finicky or easy to damage.

A mold that is preferably steel/cast. I may consider a brass one but I need pros and cons!

A mold that is in production preferred, but not mandatory.

A mold that is low maintenance.

Bullet mold specs:

Caliber .356 (maybe .355..depends on how they drop)

4 cavity or more

Bullet shape can be TC, RN, SWC, or RNFP

Bullet weight between 120gr and 125gr

Price: No more than $150-$160 Preferably closer to $100-$120

Suggestions with pros and cons verus would be so helpful!?

[1Shirt]

NOE!
1Shirt!

[country gent]

Put a want ot buy on swapping and selling see whats out there. Also look at accurate and noes moulds. Lyman and Saeco ake 4 cavity iron moulds but are well above the price range you stated. A good used mould will last a lifetime if cared for and save some money also.

[bhn22]

SAECO. Lymans quality can be iffy at times anymore. SAECO will be higher than your budgeted amount, but it will pay you back by outliving you. Sometimes you can catch them on sale.

[tazman]

An NOE mold is never a mistake. If you have a problem, they will take care of it.

[geargnasher]

Accurate, 5-cavity aluminum. You WILL get what you pay for. Brass is too heavy for long sessions. Also, you won't have to fight the binding alignment pins in the NOE designs and you won't be stuck with the size NOE thinks you need, you spec it exactly on your Accurate order form with exactly the alloy you intend to use. If you don't see a design that you like in the catalog, request a new design that modifies an existing one, or start from scratch with your own design. The cost is the same either way.

Don't worry about the aluminum, both Accurate and NOE use much better material than Lee and it lasts much longer.

Gear

[jmort]

Accurate

[therealhitman]

You will never regret buying a SAECO. I have also had great luck with Lyman 356402 TCs, but would choose a SAECO first for 9mm also if they had a smaller meplat TC design like the 402 available.

[runfiverun]

I would recommend the HM-2 5 cavity 9mm mold I use but they don't make them anymore.
[too bad too I'm closing in on 10-k boolits with this one]
I picked up one of my 4 cavity Lymans right after using it and the lyman felt like I had an anvil hanging on the end of a stick.

I would look at accurate or NOE if noe doesn't have what you want in stock or just don't have it then I'd call Tom and explain what you want.
either way you'll have a quality, working, long lasting, mold in your hands in about 2 weeks.
put some time in breaking the mold in properly, take care of it, don't abuse it when casting with it, and you can cast with either one for a lifetime.

[Old Scribe]

Another for NOE moulds. Quality material, workmanship, customer service.

[Wreck-n-Crew]

I guess I have a question based on many suggestions. Aren't Alloy molds temp sensitive? I was trying to get away from Lee because of that. I need something that can Speed cast. Never got to that point with the Lee's because of it's temp issues. I plan to cast 12,000 out of the 9mm as soon as it arrives. I will be casting this on a yearly basis.

Also I need a quick turn around on delivery (like a week or 2 at most).

[Hardline]

Hi Wreck-n-Crew,

Our four cavity molds meet all of the criteria you have listed. They are cast iron, manufactured to your alloy and specified diameter, have a thick steel sprue plate and we have a large selection of 38/9mm designs to choose from that are currently in production. A four cavity mold will cost $140 + $15 shipping with insurance. The one criteria you listed which we cannot meet is the week or two lead time. Our current lead time is 8 weeks. Send me an email or give a call if you are interested.

Thank you,

Derek Roppel
Hardline Industries, Inc.
sales@hardlineindustries.com
701-757-4273

[Wreck-n-Crew]

The one criteria you listed which we cannot meet is the week or two lead time. Our current lead time is 8 weeks.

Thanks for the info. I do need to be running fairly quickly. I have to return to work in about 8 weeks and I need them done well before then. Thanks again.

On another note I just got off the phone with NOE Molds. They missed my call and called me back. I learned more in 10 minutes than I have in a year of studying bullet casting from books and internet. Let me just say if you like Old school honesty, they have it! Really stand up! Thanks NOE for all your time, you went the extra mile for me today!

My search is done and thanks to all those that responded I appreciate it as usual.

[RayinNH]

Sounds like another satisfied customer.

[geargnasher]

Have fun with those alignment pins! Give all a call and he'll tell you how to sorta fix them where the mould is usable, after you get it. Al and I have been around and around for about four years on this, he's bent over backwards to help me, even gave me a set of handles he makes to try, and ultimately the only thing that helps is to spend some time with a drill and tapered lap (I used a tapered alignment punch and valve lapping compound) tapering the sockets. The handles were no improvement. Get that fixed and you'll love the mould.

Gear

[tazman]

Have fun with those alignment pins! Give all a call and he'll tell you how to sorta fix them where the mould is usable, after you get it. Al and I have been around and around for about four years on this, he's bent over backwards to help me, even gave me a set of handles he makes to try, and ultimately the only thing that helps is to spend some time with a drill and tapered lap (I used a tapered alignment punch and valve lapping compound) tapering the sockets. The handles were no improvement. Get that fixed and you'll love the mould.

Gear

Interesting. From your description, it sounds like the 2 that I have cast over 4000 boolits each with are some kind of fluke. They still work perfectly and I have no problems with the pins.
My other three only have between 1 and 2 thousand each through them so they don't count as heavily used yet.

[Bigslug]

LBT and Accurate are my current favorites:

1. You get the diameter YOU want with the metal YOU want in the profile YOU want, and most importantly, pretty close to when YOU want it. 2-3 weeks seems to be the norm for both.

2. LBT as standard and Accurate as an option have grooved sprue plates - much better for puddle control.

For the price, NOE rocks. They spec diameters for wheelweight and you're limited to what's currently on the schedule. Within those confines, they're great molds. If what you want is in stock, you'll have it in DAYS. I always spend the extra two or three bucks to have their molds drilled for their thermometer probe. I don't always use it (usually don't in fact), but it's handy for finding the sweet spot if you start having trouble with one of the variables. Educational, at any rate.

Aluminum is nothing to be afraid of. You need to watch your sprue a little more closely and apply Bullplate or other similar lube from time to time, but it casts fast. For the range price you want, you'll probably get a better behaved mold in aluminum.

4-cavity blocks are fast becoming my favorite size. They fit my Buffalo Arms vise-grip handles with a little more space at the back for lead runoff, and it just generally seems easier to get a perfect 4 for 4 than 5 for 5.

[h8dirt]

Have fun with those alignment pins! Give all a call and he'll tell you how to sorta fix them where the mould is usable, after you get it. Al and I have been around and around for about four years on this, he's bent over backwards to help me, even gave me a set of handles he makes to try, and ultimately the only thing that helps is to spend some time with a drill and tapered lap (I used a tapered alignment punch and valve lapping compound) tapering the sockets. The handles were no improvement. Get that fixed and you'll love the mould.

Gear

Ha! I thought I was the only one doing this. I have a bunch on NOE molds and like them but a couple had problematic pins. So, I used some drill stock and 320 grit lapping compound to taper the holes a bit. They work fine now. I will say that I am quite a fan of NOE (and especially Al), but I like Accurate's pin configuration better.

[jmort]

"I will say that I am quite a fan of NOE (and especially Al), but I like Accurate's pin configuration better."

True. Tom is The Man

[MT Chambers]

I like the Noe and Accurate 4 cav. molds like the rest of you, Lbt are great as well, I cannot complain about any of the Lyman 4 cavity molds and I have most of them, they should last forever.