bullet mold question

Mr. 16 gauge · #1 08-30-2011, 09:24 AM

When I first started casting (back in the Jurassic era), I was told by an experienced caster who showed me the ropes that at the end of each session, you should leave the molds with bullets in them....supposedly this helped keep the two halves "even" and prevented warpage, or some such thing. Last year I bought a Lyman shotgun slug mold, and the specifically said in their directions NOT to do this practice. This is my first Lyman mold (all my others are from LEE....their directions don't say to do it or not to do it).
I curious as to do the bullet casters here leave a bullet in their molds or not at the end of each casting session, and why or why not?
Thanks in advance..........

Adam Helmer · #2 08-30-2011, 02:47 PM

Mr. 16 gauge,

The short answer is: RUST! Leaving a final bullet in an iron mould DOES not do a good thing for the mould. I never leave a bullet in any of my 45+ moulds. I remove the handles and place the moulds in a 3-pound coffee can. I spray Rust Prevent onto the moulds and snap on the lid. When I go to cast, I drop the mould into a can of boiling soapy water to degrease it and warm it up.

Lee moulds are aluminum and rust is not a problem. I do not like the "chinsy" Lee moulds. They work after a fashion, but I prefer iron Lyman moulds.

Adam

skeet · #3 08-30-2011, 06:35 PM

I don't know that I agree with the practice any longer but always left a bullet in the mould. Now I only have about 30-35 moulds and just took one off the shelf that had 2 bullets left in since at least1990. It was a Lyman 429-421 mould that I really didn't have a need for . Sold it on ebay and it had no rust except a very light amount on the top of the sprue plate...and I lived in the land of humidity (Eastern Shore of Md). I've never had a rust problem but with all the rust preventatives out there these days..Do as Adam does..But I would not use a metal coffee can. BTW don't worry about swaging rifling into the slug if the foster type..Not worth the bother.And don't go with a Hard alloy for the slug. I also think the Lee Moulds are cheesy but I have a friend who uses them religiously..with great results And then I have NEI and LBT moulds that cost more than Lyman and RCBS. I think they are a bit cheesy too

Jack · #4 08-30-2011, 11:50 PM

I've never left a bullet in my bullet molds. I'd always heard the practice was done to keep wasps from nestiing in the mold, but who knows where it came from?
Anyway, I've not had any rust problems.
I agree that Lee molds feel pretty flimsy, but I have to admit, too, that I have some Lee molds, and they work just fine.

powell&hyde · #5 08-31-2011, 03:01 PM

Never left any bullets in my molds, aluminum or steel. Since I have 18 bullet molds I can attest to Pam and peanut oil. No rust what so ever.

Mr. 16 gauge · #6 09-01-2011, 07:01 AM

Thanks for the replies, guys....

Yeah, the're cheap, chintzy, cheesy, flimsy.....but to a 20 year old college student with little pocket money that wanted to get into bullet casting, they were a Godsend!
I've used them for 30 years, and some are still going strong while others are starting to break down: halves aren't matching up perfectly, sprue cutters aren't cutting as cleanly as they used to, pins are coming out, ect.....so it's probably time to upgrade.
Still, for the original $15 or so I spent on the mold, I think I got my money's worth out of the things.

Adam Helmer · #7 09-01-2011, 10:55 AM

Jack,

I have about 6 Lee moulds; mostly for my muzzleloaders. The .58 caliber Minie mould went "South" after two casting sessions. The halves do not line up and it is a pain to realign the blocks each and every time on that mould before I pour more lead. The other Lee moulds are 3 in ok status and 2 in junk status.

Conversely, I have iron Lyman single and double cavity moulds that I have used a lot since the early 1970s and the blocks still line up. Lee moulds are like Lee reloading tools, in my view, they will work after a fashion for a time, but they just do not seem to have the "guts" of better made tools. It may just be the difference between price and value, in my experience.

Adam

res45 · #8 09-01-2011, 07:14 PM

I bought two Lyman molds one with handles at an estate sale for $25 each both still had the last bullets cast in them,I keep those bullets at my reloading bench as a reminder of the old gentleman caster.

I don't store my blocks with bullets in them,instead I just give them a good coat of USP Mineral Oil as Ed Harris instructed me to do,you don't have to wash the mineral oil off as as Mr. Harris told me it simply burns off when the mold is heated and will leave no residue.

Old original bullet pulled from mould

Newly cast bullet