Pistolero
Well-Known Member
Other things have been getting in the way for many months, but finally got time to cast. I had several new and new-to-me molds that I wanted to try out. After finding out that neither the RD 30 190FN or the RD 35 200FN molds would chamber in my rifles, I picked out an Accurate 30-170F and an NOE 360 200gr FN. I also had bought a used LBT .452 200 SWC, a clone of the H&G 68, used but in really nice condition. I also had gotten a Lee 38 cal 148 wadcutter 6 cav of their tumble lube style, specifically to test Ben's Liquid Lube. I also needed some more H&G 50 150 WCs for .38 Spl and had a new (old) Lyman 358091 148 WC to compare to the H&G 50. And there is a Lyman 358425 which I have been wanting to try, it makes a stubby 115gr WC. Pretty much out of RCBS 38 150 K bullets, too, one of my best all time .38 bullets, so needed a some of them.
The Accurate and NOE molds did well, but will need another session or two to be really nice, typical new mold stuff, good bullets eventually, they are good equipment. The Lee 6 cav WC mold did very well for a brand new mold, they fall out well, it is a good one. The Lyman 358091 is newish, took some time to come up to temp, but cast well once it was hot enough. Slightly sticky, I many lightly lap the cavities to make them drop a bit
easier. The old RCBS did what RCBS molds do - came to temp quickly, cast great bullets, drop cleanly, just a nice mold to use. The Lyman 358425 is a tiny 2 cav, heated quickly and cast well, but it is an old mold and it clearly "remembers how", it is a good tool, we will see how the bullets work.
Ah-- now we come to the LBT 452 200 SWC (H&G 68 clone) - THAT was the class of the field last night! I was warming each mold up with a propane torch, and this one (2 cav) cast exactly 6 bad bullets in the first three fills, and then settled down making perfect, beautiful, square-based beauties which just fell from the cavities. Fast, easy to use, the LBT sprue plate design is a joy, and the mold worked just perfectly in every way. One would dream that all molds would work like this one.
Oh, I did NOT put that nasty guck on the mold - that is the LBT mold lube stick put on by the previous owner (I presume, a bunch of sticks of it came with the mold) making those nasty stains. I use Bull Plate Lube and it is clean, no residue and works great. It was used on all molds. Also, the .35 cal 200 gr NOE is cut with one cavity GC and one PB, forgot to grab a PB for the pic. Ben has been showing how non-GC rifle bullets can work and I want to try it for this one, .35 Remington Marlin 336.
It was a good evening, and now I have some fun reloading and shooting ahead.
OOPS, the RCBS 38 150 K didn't make the lineup. All together I cast a little over 1200 bullets last evening.
Bill
The Accurate and NOE molds did well, but will need another session or two to be really nice, typical new mold stuff, good bullets eventually, they are good equipment. The Lee 6 cav WC mold did very well for a brand new mold, they fall out well, it is a good one. The Lyman 358091 is newish, took some time to come up to temp, but cast well once it was hot enough. Slightly sticky, I many lightly lap the cavities to make them drop a bit
easier. The old RCBS did what RCBS molds do - came to temp quickly, cast great bullets, drop cleanly, just a nice mold to use. The Lyman 358425 is a tiny 2 cav, heated quickly and cast well, but it is an old mold and it clearly "remembers how", it is a good tool, we will see how the bullets work.
Ah-- now we come to the LBT 452 200 SWC (H&G 68 clone) - THAT was the class of the field last night! I was warming each mold up with a propane torch, and this one (2 cav) cast exactly 6 bad bullets in the first three fills, and then settled down making perfect, beautiful, square-based beauties which just fell from the cavities. Fast, easy to use, the LBT sprue plate design is a joy, and the mold worked just perfectly in every way. One would dream that all molds would work like this one.
Oh, I did NOT put that nasty guck on the mold - that is the LBT mold lube stick put on by the previous owner (I presume, a bunch of sticks of it came with the mold) making those nasty stains. I use Bull Plate Lube and it is clean, no residue and works great. It was used on all molds. Also, the .35 cal 200 gr NOE is cut with one cavity GC and one PB, forgot to grab a PB for the pic. Ben has been showing how non-GC rifle bullets can work and I want to try it for this one, .35 Remington Marlin 336.
It was a good evening, and now I have some fun reloading and shooting ahead.
OOPS, the RCBS 38 150 K didn't make the lineup. All together I cast a little over 1200 bullets last evening.
Bill
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30 years or more ago Veral shipped those sticks with a mold and the mold still looks like the one in your picture. Very tough to use little enough of it and it runs all over not to mention it loves cavities. 
