Molds......

[BigBore44]

Oct 16, 2016 13:35:32 GMT -5 cmh said:

Broke a tooth so was up all night last night reading up on molds for my 44s. Checked out Mihas website and codnt make heads or tails of it.I guess what im really looking for is a 240 true Keith style mold and a 300 gr mold as well. Ive read good and bad about the lymans, rcbs,lbt etc..... so Im looking to you guys that really know to teach me something. Thanks, Craig

240ish for long range and the 300gr with a wide meplat.... hammertime!!!

Craig
Accurate molds will make 2 different designs/bullet's/cals in the same mold if you want to go that route...?

That's actually what I did. I have a 4 hole mold that casts 3/ 265gr .433 for my 44's and, 1/ 430gr .460 for my 45-70's...
Catalog #'s, 43-265M and 46-430V

Just food for thought
Ray

[cmh]

Thank you gentlemen

[daveb]

Don't forget Dan over at Mountain Molds, I can spend hours on his website designing bullets, and his molds are first rate. For you heavy bullet, the Lee is a great bullet, very accurate IF you happen to get a good mold, MP Molds heavy 44 is a copy of the Lee. I have MP Molds, NOE, Accurate, Mountain Molds, RCBS, Lee, and Lyman molds, I have cast good bullets in all of them.

[wdr2]

I have had this mold from Miha for several years now:

www.mp-molds.com/index.php/e-shop/molds/hollow-points-molds/mp-432-256-pb-hp-4-cav

I can cast high quality HP or solids fast with this mold, maybe 400 keepers in 90 minutes or so. The quality of his molds is simply outstanding.

This is a copy of the H&G 503. Very accurate in my 44 SP and 44 Mags. My Rugers and Smith like 0.430 and 0.431 dia bullets so I purchased the 0.432in version.

He has set up international payments thru Paypal that is pretty seamless and easy to use. Today 135 Euros would cost you about $148 - $150.

Bill

[cmh]

Thanks 😊

[glynn410]

little late but there is a thread at CAST BOOLITS under mold design? it is a sticky on Keiths- true Keiths--
many pages it is a good read

[jfe]

Are these moulds going to be solely used in a revolver or will you also use them in a levergun ?

Most pistols in 44 have tighter barrel diameters compared to rifles. Some rifles can have groove diameters of 0.431/0.432. The other point is that a lot of 44 moulds tend to set up for use in revolvers - in particular crimp groove location and hence the OAL. A lot of leverguns have problems with bullets with sharp corners, like Keith's designs and tend to work best with RNFP designs. Not trying to dissuade you one way or the other, just pointing things out in case you were intending to use the bullets in several firearms.

My suggestion is that you slug your barrel and determine your cylinder throat dimensions before deciding what moulds to buy. In 44 cal, the moulds from the big firms tend to have smaller diameters, mostly in the range of 0.430-0.431". To cater for rifle shooters the smaller shops may offer larger diameters, some up to 0.434".

The good thing about some of the group buys that Mihec and NOE run is that their designs are reviewed by many people and any potential problem tends to be designed out. I have several moulds from both suppliers and they cast great bullets.

If you're loading for pistol only and your barrel and cylinder throats are workable, then there's nothing wrong with the moulds from RCBS, Lyman and Saeco. Personally, I prefer cast iron moulds and prefer a little more metal in the mould than Lyman tend to offer in their moulds. If the design and size is suitable I prefer RCBS or Saeco moulds. In 44 I have a 250 gr RCBS Keith style bullet (PB) and Saeco (240 gr GC) SWC - it's not a Keith style design but this one actually feeds OK in my levergun. I also have a 300gr bullet by Mihec and that is very accurate and flexible as it has 3 crimp grooves - it's a RNFP design that can produce HP's or solids.

HTH

[daveb]

Don't forget Mountain Molds, where you can design your own. www.mountainmolds.com/ Dan makes a heck of a block, and the ones I had him make for my 480 and my heavy 45 Colt cast easy, and for the 45 blocks, I have been casting with that mold for more than a dozen years now.