fiver
Well-Known Member
i was gonna start a new thread on the real economy of LEE molds, then i seen CW's new mold thread and debated whether to contribute to his thread or start one.
i decided to start one since this is some different.
anyway:
since forever i have used mehanite molds, then 1-2 aluminum molds come along since it was take it or forget getting the design.
there have been some outstanding molds and some dammit how many more times i gotta do this till i get it's along the way... LOL
then i got to thinking about the 20 dollar LEE molds.
i have really liked some of their designs over the years, but was generally in need of equipment i knew could knock out 5-600 lbs. of alloy before even being looked at for any type of wear.
i don't need that now
500 bullets is back to being enough for the next year or so, at least for that bullet anyway.
so i got thinking about what it always comes down to for me.. dollars, and dollar economy.
when does a 20 dollar mold no longer owe me anything.
the answer?
about 20 lbs of alloy in and i'm actually making money.
okay.. well, not spending more money..... you know, except on more alloy and gas checks and primers ,,, and powder when i can find it.
back to the question,,, seriously now stop laughing.
if i get 100 lbs. of alloy through a 20 dollar mold i'm looking at @4-K bullets.
buying them [if i could get them] would cost 4 to 500 dollars.
the mold, alloy, propane, electricity, lube,,, and gas checks [which would really up the cost on store bought as well as mine]
so i'll leave those off for now.
75 bucks max, all in, for what i got on hand here.
yep.
i know, mehanite are only a hundred bucks or 175, i got plenty of them, and i got Tom's molds, and a brass MP or two.
but i can buy a whole fleet of 20-25 dollar molds and burn them down, or get bent and trash one and replace it.
i'm okay with that at this point.
i decided to start one since this is some different.
anyway:
since forever i have used mehanite molds, then 1-2 aluminum molds come along since it was take it or forget getting the design.
there have been some outstanding molds and some dammit how many more times i gotta do this till i get it's along the way... LOL
then i got to thinking about the 20 dollar LEE molds.
i have really liked some of their designs over the years, but was generally in need of equipment i knew could knock out 5-600 lbs. of alloy before even being looked at for any type of wear.
i don't need that now
500 bullets is back to being enough for the next year or so, at least for that bullet anyway.
so i got thinking about what it always comes down to for me.. dollars, and dollar economy.
when does a 20 dollar mold no longer owe me anything.
the answer?
about 20 lbs of alloy in and i'm actually making money.
okay.. well, not spending more money..... you know, except on more alloy and gas checks and primers ,,, and powder when i can find it.
back to the question,,, seriously now stop laughing.
if i get 100 lbs. of alloy through a 20 dollar mold i'm looking at @4-K bullets.
buying them [if i could get them] would cost 4 to 500 dollars.
the mold, alloy, propane, electricity, lube,,, and gas checks [which would really up the cost on store bought as well as mine]
so i'll leave those off for now.
75 bucks max, all in, for what i got on hand here.
yep.
i know, mehanite are only a hundred bucks or 175, i got plenty of them, and i got Tom's molds, and a brass MP or two.
but i can buy a whole fleet of 20-25 dollar molds and burn them down, or get bent and trash one and replace it.
i'm okay with that at this point.