Single cavity casting Friday

Brother_Love

Well-Known Member
I needed some Lyman 31141 bullets to try in my 788 but my only mold is a single cavity. It was a nice cool day and I cast about 60 of them. This mold cast like a dream, bullets fall out as soon as I open the mold. Did not even have to refill the pot. It was a enjoyable casting session.
DD3B97F2-90D8-41A2-B002-972424F017D8.jpeg
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Quite a few of my favorite cast bullets come from single cav. moulds.

Ben
 

Brother_Love

Well-Known Member
I enjoyed it. Like Ben many of my favorite molds are S/C that I’ve had for years. Some of them so long that in the beginning i lubed them in a Lee pan with a cake cutter sizer.
 

Ian

Notorious member
A few generstions ago, 60 bullets would last quite a few hunting seasons. 60 won't last me most weekends.
 
F

freebullet

Guest
If my wife is going 60 will get you punched in the arm.;)

I usually run 250-350 thru a single, & they are the most consistent I can make.
 

Tom W

New Member
Well my casting mentor friend and gunsmith said to me, if you have a single cavity mold you don’t have to worry about minor differences between the two cavities, so right from the start that problem is out of the way.

Iirc my rifle molds are almost all double cavities but that’s because of what I find. Pistol bullet molds are doubles or bigger. No more giant brass molds ordered by me.

This is my first post after stumbling in from an internet search of a topic. I like the site very much especially Glen’s bench.
 

Maven

Well-Known Member
"Well my casting mentor friend and gunsmith said to me, if you have a single cavity mold you don’t have to worry about minor differences between the two cavities, so right from the start that problem is out of the way." ...Tom W

Exactly right, but it is a bit like pulling teeth, or better, watching paint dry!
 

Cherokee

Medina, Ohio
Welcome Tom.
My preference is for 4-6 cavity, even 2-c are tedious for me. My 3118 SC is usually the second mold when I run two molds.
 

.22-5-40

Member
Single cavity casting marathon Sunday. Started around 9:30 AM..mixed up batch of 25-1 lead-tin alloy & began with a custom Sabonis .32 200gr. tapered for breech-seating. Next was a Saeco # 732 200gr. tapered .32. Then tried both moulds with 20-1 alloy. Finally cleaned up around 6:30PM...Woke up next morning wondering why upper left arm was kind of sore? Any way, should be off to a good start for next years shooting!
 

Chandler

Member
I recognize that bullet. I have the 311041 Lyman 2 cavity version. I need a new mold to play with. This place has got me looking harder and that is good.
 

KHornet

Well-Known Member
I don't mind casting a sing cav mold for large rifle bullets like for 375H&H and 45-70, and maybe 100 or so for 45 colt. They at least look like you
are casting something. Casting 22s in a single cav is like nuts IMO.

Paul
 

quicksylver

Well-Known Member
Welcome Tom....
To the Hotel California of bullet casting you may have stumbled in but its going to be hard to leave ..this site is a black hole for sure BL most of my molds have multiple holes 'cause that's the way they came.. but I generally single cast for better control over mold temp and because I PB'd so many of them ,I do have a Lyman Ideal 4 cav. 311467 that's a chunk of iron I find it's no problem to cast a couple hundred at a whack that senough to visually and weight sort. Dan S.
 

Rally Hess

Well-Known Member
I’m with Paul. I don’t mind casting slugs in single cavity, but even there I use two mounds. When all I had were double cavity I used two. I cast most often with four cavity , and really enjoy NOE’s RG series.
 

dale2242

Well-Known Member
I recently got a real deal on 2 single cavities for my 25-20.
If I run them both at the same time I should be able get some production...dale