[JDSTG58]

Hi All
I was thinking there is a lot of experienced reloaders and casters here. It would be nice to have people post their favorite caliber specific cast bullet profile/ weight as a place for new casters to look before buying their first molds. So pick a caliber (or calibers) and identify what bullet profile/ weight you like best and let’s hear what mold you use and why you like that particular bullet. You’re experience will likely save others (myself included) money and frustration.

I tend to like the Lee six cavity molds due to inexpensive price and speed of output.

.45acp my most used mold is the Lee tumble lube 452 230 grn round nose. Both my 1911 and Glock 30 seem to really like this profile for a practice load over 4.3 gn of WST
https://leeprecision.com/mold-6-cav-tl452-230-2r.html

.40 S&W I just bought the .401 175 grn turnicated cone. Haven’t loaded this yet, but it casts heavy with wheel weight, closer to 180 grn. My Glock 27 does not feed semi wad cutters reliably at all.
https://leeprecision.com/6-cav-401-175-tc.html

 

[Benchrst]

I have Lee, Arsenal, and Accurate molds - the Lees get the most use.

For 10mm Lees 401-175 is awesome when coated (don't think I've shot it Alox'd). From plinking to nuclear loads it's very accurate.

For 9mm I use Lees 356-120TC, feeds in everything (Astra, Canick, Beretta, Sig, XDs, etc).

 

[sig357fan]

I usually go with heavy for caliber bullet weight in a truncated cone profile.

heavier bullets usually means smaller charges of powder, less velocity, less likely to lead the barrel (not an issue if you powder coat).

tc profile should feed in just about anything.

and once you've decided on a bullet weight and profile, get a good quality 4 cav. steel mold, not too heavy in use, taken care of it will last forever and when you are casting several hundred bullets in a sitting, you'll see why, once you get it up to temp, it just drops perfect bullets every time.

 

[JDSTG58]

Just bought a S&W 64 in 38 special. What’s your favorite mold for .38?

 

[JDSTG58]

I have Lee, Arsenal, and Accurate molds - the Lees get the most use.

For 10mm Lees 401-175 is awesome when coated (don't think I've shot it Alox'd). From plinking to nuclear loads it's very accurate.

For 9mm I use Lees 356-120TC, feeds in everything (Astra, Canick, Beretta, Sig, XDs, etc).

Just bought the 356-120TC to try 357 Sig. haven’t cast any yet though

 

[MO Fugga]

I have Lee, Arsenal, and Accurate molds - the Lees get the most use.

For 10mm Lees 401-175 is awesome when coated (don't think I've shot it Alox'd). From plinking to nuclear loads it's very accurate.

Its the same one I have. Alox only so far, and I like it. They consistently drop between 183 and 185.

 

[fredj338]

I have a bunch of molds from every manuf & a few custom ones. The lee 6cav will produce a bunch of bullets, but you have to be happy with their limited selection & sometimes poor qc. Anymore I tend to buy custom, have it anyway you wAnt for just a bit more $$ than lee, but sometimes less than a 4cav iron mold from lyman or Saeco. One of My 9mm molds is a Saeco 4cav, 147gr RN with cutting shoulder. They retail for $225! I only got one because I had a 50% off certificate! Accurate molds has dozens in each caliber, reasonable price & you can customize at no addl cost.
http://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php

 

[fredj338]

My fav 38/357 is the RCBS 150-K, nice bullet that fits any length cyl.

 

[ThomasM4]

I have a question will accurate molds make me a custom mold or point me to an existing mold if I send them a casting of my chamber / throat?

 

[Taterhead]

Just bought a S&W 64 in 38 special. What’s your favorite mold for .38?

I only have 2 38 molds, but my favorite is the RCBS 38-150-swc. Casts beautifully and easy to load. 3.4 gr 452AA is a great soft shooter. Power Pistol for full power.

The other mold is an NOE 360-160- WC 360432 that is a clone of an unusual lyman 358432. It is a WC that seats long so that the nose is outside if the case like a standard bullet. The theory is that since it's not seated as deeply as traditional WC it basically uses 158 gr data. Imfortunately, that mold takes some attention to get it to cast and release well. I'm still working out what I like with it, but 2.8 gr 700-X is the ticket so far.

My best mold is an LBT 402-200-wfn. Man, that mold makes me look like a heroic bullet caster. Bullets group well slow or fast. A great hammer of a 10mm load is a heat treated bullet over 13.5 gr Accurate no. 9. 1250 fps in the g20.

 

[Taterhead]

My fav 38/357 is the RCBS 150-K, nice bullet that fits any length cyl.

Agree. Great mold. Drops at 359. 154 grains. Perfect. For a production mold maker, RCBS turns out great ones. Too bad they limit to 2 cavities.

 

[willie_pete]

I have a question will accurate molds make me a custom mold or point me to an existing mold if I send them a casting of my chamber / throat?

Yes, you can send them a design.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/

"Accurate Molds offers CNC lathe bored bullet molds in aluminum, brass, and iron. Choose from the catalog of existing designs, or submit a custom design of your own."

 

[fredj338]

I have a question will accurate molds make me a custom mold or point me to an existing mold if I send them a casting of my chamber / throat?

Probably, contact tom & ask him. I took onre of their existing mold designs, changed a few dims & sent him just a dwg. He had my mold to me in 10 days, no extea charge. This is my design for the 10mm.
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=40-195G-D.png

 

[ThomasM4]

Thank you for the response guys.
This would be my first foray into casting so I really don' trust my self to come up with a custom design figure I would be better off if I can send in a casting of my throat and have some that knows what to do either pick a design or have them custom design a mold.

 

[mc1911]

Hi All
I was thinking there is a lot of experienced reloaders and casters here. It would be nice to have people post their favorite caliber specific cast bullet profile/ weight as a place for new casters to look before buying their first molds. So pick a caliber (or calibers) and identify what bullet profile/ weight you like best and let’s hear what mold you use and why you like that particular bullet. You’re experience will likely save others (myself included) money and frustration.

I tend to like the Lee six cavity molds due to inexpensive price and speed of output.

.45acp my most used mold is the Lee tumble lube 452 230 grn round nose. Both my 1911 and Glock 30 seem to really like this profile for a practice load over 4.3 gn of WST
https://leeprecision.com/mold-6-cav-tl452-230-2r.html

.40 S&W I just bought the .401 175 grn turnicated cone. Haven’t loaded this yet, but it casts heavy with wheel weight, closer to 180 grn. My Glock 27 does not feed semi wad cutters reliably at all.
https://leeprecision.com/6-cav-401-175-tc.html

One of my favorites with a large flat point.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...e-38-s-and-w-358-diameter-158-grain-flat-nose

 

[mc1911]

Hi All
I was thinking there is a lot of experienced reloaders and casters here. It would be nice to have people post their favorite caliber specific cast bullet profile/ weight as a place for new casters to look before buying their first molds. So pick a caliber (or calibers) and identify what bullet profile/ weight you like best and let’s hear what mold you use and why you like that particular bullet. You’re experience will likely save others (myself included) money and frustration.

I tend to like the Lee six cavity molds due to inexpensive price and speed of output.

.45acp my most used mold is the Lee tumble lube 452 230 grn round nose. Both my 1911 and Glock 30 seem to really like this profile for a practice load over 4.3 gn of WST
https://leeprecision.com/mold-6-cav-tl452-230-2r.html

.40 S&W I just bought the .401 175 grn turnicated cone. Haven’t loaded this yet, but it casts heavy with wheel weight, closer to 180 grn. My Glock 27 does not feed semi wad cutters reliably at all.
https://leeprecision.com/6-cav-401-175-tc.html

Another good one. again with a large flat point.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/7...lt-long-colt-452-diameter-255-grain-flat-nose

 

[Kingarthurhk]

I use DT gas checks for a solid point. I know someone who reloads all the time. But, I figured, I would blow myself up, or have a kaboom, with my luck, if I learned the system and did it myself. That is also why I shy away from black powder shooting.

 

[fredj338]

Thank you for the response guys.
This would be my first foray into casting so I really don' trust my self to come up with a custom design figure I would be better off if I can send in a casting of my throat and have some that knows what to do either pick a design or have them custom design a mold.

What gun Are you trying to fit?

 

[ThomasM4]

17.5
Should also add looking for something in 147gr weight and I think I want to powder coat lube the bullets.

 

[Taterhead]

Thank you for the response guys.
This would be my first foray into casting so I really don' trust my self to come up with a custom design figure I would be better off if I can send in a casting of my throat and have some that knows what to do either pick a design or have them custom design a mold.

Veral Smith (LBTmolds.com) is well known to create a bullet well-fitted to rifle throats. His molds are spendy, but the one that I have is my favorite. He is more than willing to get on the phone and talk a new guy through the process of configuring the right mold for your purpose.