I think we disussed this one before, but thought I'd start a new thread to discuss the various molds out there. Here are my musings on the various factory and custom molds out there. I've used between a few and dozen or more from the makers I'll mention. I think it's also good to start with mold block materials.

Aluminum, it's light, it heats up fast, it's inexspensive and it's one of my favorite mold materials. The downside it if abused it'll wear out quickly, and some of the heavier bullet designs seem to overheat the smaller mold blocks.

Brass, I've cast from a few brass molds and I've found that it seems to be the most sensitive to temperatures, ie either too cold or too hot. Costs more than aluminum but not the benefits of steel, my least favority material.

Steel/Cast iron. These molds take awhile to heat up, but once hot, hold consistant temps, cast great bullets, and if you don't let them rust up, will last many life times. The only downside is they cost more than aluminum.

General note, most molds drop heavier than the stated weight when cast from wheelweights, 300+ gr molds often go 10 gr over, an lbt 450 gr I have produces a 470 gr bullet. Mountain molds is the only maker I've found that is within a few grains of design weight.

Lee: Pro’s, they are the least expensive mold, come in a large selection of diameters and styles, and I’ve yet to have a factory lee design that doesn’t shoot well. For the money the best deal out there bar none. Con’s there’s a reason they are inexpensive, the one and two cavity molds have a tendancy not to full close and the alignment pin recesses can get bits of lead in them which keeps the blocks from closing. The sprue plate screw tends to loosen up with use, and the mold blocks should be larger for the larger bullet styles. If lee offers a design for an application, it’s my first choice, you just can’t beat the price. Oh yeah, the 6 cavity molds are very high quality, and cost the same as most companies two cavity molds.

Lyman: Pro’s, they’ve been out forever, and they offer a lot of bullet designs. Con’s they’ve discontinued many of their best designs, and keep producing some mediocre designs. Some folks complain about quality, but my only real gripe is I’d like a thicker sprue plate.

RCBS: Pro’s a nice steel block, and so far the ones I’ve cast shoot great. Con’s, can’t really think of much other than they don’t have as extensive a line of bullet styles and there molds are a bit more expensive than others, but worth it IMHO.

Ballisticast: Pro’s a very nice cast iron block with a thick sprue plate that opens and closes like a swiss watch, totally smooth with no slop, when at the right temp it’ll cut a sprue simply by turning the mold on its side and tapping it. The best quality mold I’ve used to date. Con’s, there’s a reason they are so good, and a reason I only have two, they’re expensive!

LBT: Pro’s, Veral popularized the ogival wadcutter, and they are as good as claimed in handguns and rifles. A well made mold that casts great. Con’s, his new pricing is simply too high for what you get, and other mold makers offer the same or similar designs at more reasonable prices.

NEI: Pro’s they have a large selection of bullet designs and make a nice solid aluminum mold. Con’s, I haven’t used their molds since the company was sold so can’t comment on the quality.

Mountain Mold: Pro’s this is basically a custom mold (within the constraints of the design software) at a production mold price. No one else that I know offers a custom mold under $100, some are nearly double that. I’ve used about ½ dozen mm’s and they’ve all cast very well. If I want something I can’t find, mm is the place to go. Con’s, hmm the only thing I can think of is they originally used an aluminum sprue plate, but they’ve gone to steel. Oh, and he doesn’t offer 6 cavity molds.

I think there are a few others I’ve tried but haven’t used enough to form an opinion. Please share your opinions on molds.

For some reason I've yet to get a Saeco mold, but I've heard they are good.

Paul, The last new Lyman mold I purchased, #311644 (circa 1999) had a thick (almost 3/16") sprue plate, but I don't know whether this is a trend or aberration. Saeco/Redding or Saeco/Cramer molds are of excellent quality, but the older (Saeco/Cramer) designs may be undrsized. E.g., I purchased an original RG-4, but found the body was .308" and the nose .300" and so sent it out to be enlarged. Lastly, Jim Allison/Cast Bullet Enterprises (australia) makes excellent molds and the dollar v. Australian Pound exchange rate makes for surprisingly competitive, if not low, pricing.

Hi Paul,
I have many of Dan's moulds (MM)-375,41,44,45,475 and SW 500,he did a good thing when he changed sprue plate material,most are made of aluminum,1 or 2 are brass and 1 was iron,IMO,you are right about brass being either hot or cold,his moulds are a good deal all the way around.
I just got a NEI mould (aluminum) last week for my DW 375 SM--.375cal 220gr Keith GC (6 cav) for $130.00.It took a little time to heat up but once it did it cast very good bullets to .377.1 draw back to NEI,there moulds are stated a certain size,then you should add +.003 to the stated size to get the as cast size.Also on NEI always add 10% to the stated weight on there catalog if using WW.
Ballisti-cast are very good moulds,I have a few in 45,475 and 50 cal,not as many options on some calibers in the bullet design I like.
LBT,good moulds but you are right about pricing
RCBS and Lyman just don't have the cal and moulds I like.

Sean

I recently got a mold from each of "The Big Three". I like the Lee for its light weight, and price, the bullets are so-so, IMHO. The Lyman mould works fine, and was the least trouble of all of them, mid priced, nice mould, etc. The RCBS mould is obviously very well built, of high quality and heavy. The sprue plate hole was too tiny for rapid fillout, and the sprue pivot bolt backed out on me until I figured out that the locking screw was loose.

I have a 10 cavity H&G in SWC it is heavy but it will cast some fine bullets. I also have one it 6 cavity for 9mm. I was sad to hear that they went out of business.

I buy a lot of Lyman 4 cavity for pistol bullets they have a good life is you are carefull not to roll off the edged trying to clean them, but that is true for all moulds.

I have some Lee moulds when I can't get a design I like Lee usualy has something close. Drawback is the aluminum seems to gald no matter what I try to do. But they dont cost as much I really like there 6 cavity moulds no ware as heavy as my H&G or Lyman.

I havent tried Mountain Moulds yet but am thinking on getting one like Paul had made with a big metplate (sp).

I also have some RCBS moulds 1 & 2 cavity they work well.

I learned years ago when using the 10 cavity H&G if I put it on a hot plate and let it heat up while the RCBS Pro-melt was melting the lead it would cast good bullets within a few casts. It saved a lot of time and agervation on my part.

I believe ballisticast was previously H&G, just new owners and name.

Yes ,Ballisti-cast bought out H&G.


Sean