Which Bullet Molds do you prefer, Why?

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:07 pm

I'm trying to flesh out my casting equipment and I have used both Lee and Lyman bullet moulds for .44 and .357 in the past, but saw little difference, other than the aluminum Lee ones I didn't see any surface rust on after 20 years of storage (the inside of the Lymans were greased well, but the outside & sprue plate rusted a bit

Before I shell out more money to get:

.223 .308 and maybe .280 (for gas check, rifle loads)

and

.45 (for Casull and 45-70 probably gas check, rifle loads)

Anyone have especially bad or good experience with different brands?

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:15 pm

I have Lee, RCBS,Lyman, Redding/Saeco and Hoch molds.
It depends on the bullet design wanted what brand I pick.
If Lyman covered every bullet style and design, they are all I would own.

I cast some RCBS .30 cal 150gr. FP bullets today with a new mold. The mold don`t throw a very round bullet but I think it should shoot quite well.
I may modify that mold and make a plain base out of it for cowboy type plinker bullets.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:24 pm

I have multiple LBT, RCBS, Lyman, Redding/Saeco and Hoch molds. But, only have 2 Lee molds, soon to be 3. It depends on the bullet design wanted as to what brand I pick. 1 Lee is for my 90gr conicals for my .36 percussion revolver. One is a 6-cavity I ordered thru a Cast Boolits group buy for Junior's .30 cal "Soupcan", the last Lee I ordered is also a 6-cavity .452 cal 160grain "Big Lube" mold for cowboy action shooting.
If LymanRCBS/Saeco covered every bullet style and design, they are all I would own.

I find the steel molds provide much better bullets, with lower rejection rates.

YMMV.

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:47 pm

I have a dozen different Lee molds and i'm happy with them all, they're the best bang for the buck in molds.

miestro_jerry · Post by **miestro_jerry** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:11 pm

I have a wide variety of molds, from all manufactures, some are semicustom and other are just hard to find.

Recently, I got a couple of Ranch Dog moulds, which are custom design but made by Lee. One mould is for my 45-70 and the other is for my 44 Mag Super 14 Contender.

The size and shape depends on the weapon and the use. I have a Contender Carbine in 223 and I have a mould from Lyman that works great in it, but I would never put that lead bullet in my AR15. The AR like the M16 can be touchy about fouling.

You also have to look at what alloy you want to shoot, Generally WWs are good for pistol bullets, where Hard Cast is good for faster bullets and Linotype is for very high speed rifle bullets.

Then you have the need for the right lube for the bullet, there is no one lube that meets the needs of all caliber and weapons. I make my own, but commercially you can buy many good lubes, for pistols I suggest what is called 50/50 lube and for rifles, I recommend VooDoo lube.

These are opinions from my experiences, some people may differ with me, but you need to experiment on your own.

Good Luck,

Jerry

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:15 pm

Lee molds are great for the money and I have several of them. I do prefer steel molds and found no real difference between Lyman and RCBS molds in functionality. The RCBS are built a little heavier and will outlast me for sure. Can't say that about the Lee molds, they are kind of like a disposable razor. Use them till they don't work, pitch 'em, and buy another one.

miestro_jerry · Post by **miestro_jerry** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:34 pm

Ted,

My Lee moulds have lasted over 10 years now, with a lot of use during the spring and the summer getting ready for fall and winter seasons.

Plus Lee has many customers that are custom design resellers. I just bought a couple.

So if they break, warp or what ever, I am not out that much with the Lees. Never had a problem with the Lyman, RCBS and the other that I own.

Jerry

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:37 pm

Thanks for the great information. Sounds like none of them are outright 'junk' so that's good to know.

I found a bunch of .357's I'd cast a few years ago, and never lubed, so I tried for the first time the 'tumble' method with some 'alox' and I've only shot about 50 of them, but they don't seem to be leading up my 'micro-groove' barrel (even without gas-checks). That is encouraging.

After reading such good reports on the cast bullets for deer out of the .357 and .44, I may try to use them vs. the factory JSP's I've been using.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:45 pm

Probably 40 Lyman moulds, a few of "this and that" and about a dozen NEI custom moulds. The Lymans are mostly handgun bullets in 4 cavity, and a few in single and double. The NEI aluminum mould are 3 and 4 cavity and are for rifle bullets. They all works fine but............unless you are an experienced caster, I suggest iron moulds as they are harder to bang up and knock out of alignment. I am careful and take great care of my moulds as several I have had since 1974 when I started casting.------------------Sixgun

Below is a NEI 4 cavity 190 gr. 32 Spl/32-40 mould

Jeff Pitts · Post by **Jeff Pitts** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:04 pm

I've got almost 65 moulds from every manufacture you can imagine. Bottom of my list is the Lee. I think of them as Bics.

My absolute favorite is RCBS. Once up to temp, I will get 98 good bullets out of 100 cast.

Jeff

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:46 pm

Unless something happens to change my mind, or a limited run mold such as the lyman for th 45-75, any new molds I buy will be RCBS. I've been buying and using several in different calibers and they are far and away the easiest to work with.
Lee's are good to get someone started in casting, but they don't hold up well, and its anybodies guess as to whether or not the mold you buy to replace the frazzled one will throw anything like what you just got thru with.