Bullet Moulds- The Good and the Bad...

[Adam Helmer]

I collect and use many bullet moulds. At last count, I have about a dozen single cavity moulds, about 40 double cavity moulds and four, 4-cavity moulds. Like guns, moulds have only two enemies: politicians and rust.
I have about a dozen newer aluminum moulds that are immune to rust, so they are not in the mix with iron moulds in this thread.

I remove the handles and store all my iron mould blocks in a 50-caliber ammo can. I spray a whiff or two of Rust Prevent now and then into the ammo can to keep rust at bay. I cast on a Coleman stove in the tracor shed on an old haywagon. I use Coleman Fuel as my degreaser of moulds and it does a fine job.

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook does a fine job of discussing moulds and how to keep them in top condition. Some of my older moulds have some rust that I polished out with steel wool and a cleaning brush chucked up in a drill.

I like casting bullets and do it several times a week to keep ahead of my handgun classes. As for the "Politician" reference, I recall in the 1970s on a nice Sunday afternoon, I was casting bullets in my front yard in Salem, NH when a Carter campaign fellow walked up to me. He asked what I was doing and I told him, "Casting bullets." He looked at the pile of cast bullets and remarked, "That could represent a lot of dead people." I said, "It could also represent a lot of holes in my targets." The fellow then asked, "I assume you have the necessary licenses to make bullets?" I asked what license he had in mind and he said, "Well, how would the government know who is making bullets?" I told him, "The government has no need to know who is making bullets!" He shrugged his shoulders and walked out of my life.

Adam

[Rapier]

Adam,
You ever get down to Pepperel to watch the International Motor Cross Races? Real wild stuff, that, actually insane. I lived up that way in the 60s-70s, in Manchester, went to HS and college in NH, rambled all over the area. Met a constable in Plastow one night, while running my 63 Impala with a trunk full of Bud, when I was in HS, he wanted my beer worse than I did, so I gave it to him. A lot of my HS mates are not with us anymore, my 50th will be in two years and the 60s-70s were pretty tough on our class.

I have several dozen moulds that I have gathered over the years. I have a few ML moulds that I picked up when I was into ML shooting in a real sense. Used to attend the Ned Roberts matches every year. The folks where I live now are not into ML shooting like that, just Pyrodex type shooting and hunting. Talk about old style ML matches, like a string match, and they have no clue.

I have a fair selection of .308 rifle moulds, from 130gr to 200gr from Thompson style to RCBS Silhouette stuff. i have several 452 moulds of various weights and designs, including the oldie but goodie, Lyman's 238gr 45 Auto Rim SWC bullet that casts at 252gr and makes the best pin bullet I have ever used in the ACP. Of course I have several .429 moulds and various styles along with a pile of .358s from 125gr to 200gr. I also have a few .458 moulds including the 525gr RCBS. Hard cast, that 525 is like a freight train, in my 458 Lott.

I use a Teflon release spray on my moulds which protects them and drops bullets pretty good, also. If I need to store the moulds, I just give them a shot of G-96 it does a good job and cleans up pretty good. I only have iron moulds and never use wood smoke on a mould, as the burning hardwood produces acid. That is why you have ML guns hung over a fireplace pitted to hell and gone in back, and pretty in the front. Those old acid etched fireplace guns are very common in NE.
Ed

[Adam Helmer]

Rapier,

Thanks for the reply. If the 2012 elections go the WRONG WAY, expect to see another "Assault Weapons" BAN and bullet moulds and reloading equipment will be as illegal as a Whiskey STILL or DRUG Pharaphenalia.

Remember, I told you so0.

Adam

[Catfish]

The only casting of bullets I ever did much of was round ball for my muzzle loaders. The biggest problem I had was finding enough soft lead. Ant more I must have a ton of lead around here, problem is it`s all in my behind.

[PJgunner]

Originally Posted by Adam Helmer

Rapier,

Thanks for the reply. If the 2012 elections go the WRONG WAY, expect to see another "Assault Weapons" BAN and bullet moulds and reloading equipment will be as illegal as a Whiskey STILL or DRUG Pharaphenalia.

Remember, I told you so0.

Adam

I don't doubt that if the erection in 2012 goes south, anything having to do with firearms of any type will be a federal felony.
A very long time ago when I was a little kid, there as an old Dutchman (I think he might have been German but this was during WW2) who was into serious bullet casting. I remember him doing his thing with pot and dipper and when I got old enought (16) to have my first handgun, he gave me a Lyman pot for the stove, a single cavity #358495 mold for a 140 gr. wadcutter bullet. Brass I had, all 100 rounds of it and a Lyman 310 Tong Tool. I fed that S&W 38/44 Outdoorsman many a round using that stuff. I still use that Tong Tool loading some of my rifle stuff and the ammo is as good as any made on the fanciest press.
I never learned that old man's last name but we all called him Louie. One thing he beat into my head was this. There may come a time when for one reaon or another, cartridges for your firearm will be either difficult or impossible to find. If you have powder, lead, primers and the tools to make bullets and load your ammo, you can be able to shoot, for whatever reason you want to shoot. Guess I must have listened for a change, I have something like 93 molds for my various shootin' irons. I've taken game up to deer with cast bullets and I have at least one load for the .308 that is 1.5 MOA at 200 yards. Not too shabby for a very lightweight sporter.
During WW2, ammo for most cartridges was almost impossible to get. About all that was available was .22 Long Rifle and that went to farmers to shoot varmints eating their crops. For ranchers, they could get 30-30 ammo to keep predators away from their livestock. Most of that foodstuff went into the war effort and was rationed to we who were here at home. If you had a .270, for example, you were out of luck unless you knew somebody.
Louie died sometime around 1951 as I recall. I still remember listening to him as he taught me the ropes of bullet casting, the smell of that stinky old pipe he'd smoked for so long that part of the stem had been chewed away. I also emeber is tolerance of my sometimes very stupid questions.
Is it any wonder that "Big Brother" wants to outlaw the use of lead. No lead means no way to make bullets. Just another form of back door gun control. I'm glad I'm at the winter of my life. My heart cries out for those who will be left behind after I'm gone. My kids and grandkids and their kids do not deserve what Obama and is corrupt gang of communists have planned for them. it leaves me sick to the soul and there isn't a damn thing I can do to prevent it.
Adolph Hitler said it very well when he said, "What good fortune for government that the people do not think."
Paul B.

[Adam Helmer]

PJgunner,

Excellent post! I only have about 50+/- moulds, but I can provide ammo for all my guns. I agree, the "Lead Ban" is backdoor gun control for ammo and casting.

Adam