The "Golden Age" of the craft

[Ian]

.....is NOW. Isn't it amazing how many resources are available to us for tools and supplies? We have the internet, "nitro express" shipping, half a dozen reloading supply warehouses plus many more small companies catering to the bullet caster's every desire. Modern CNC technology is making the lathe-bored and cherry-cut mould more consistent, repeatable, and predictable than was previously possible, and custom designs are less expensive and faster to obtain than ever. Several companies are offering expander plug options for cast bullets, custom handles, replacement sprue plates for production moulds, PID equipment, and all manner of goodies the bullet caster may find handy or essential.

Here are a few resources that come to mind, I'll update the list periodically if anyone wants. Please share your favorites, "word of mouth" is much of the time the only way anyone discovers these resources, and it's always good to have options.

Accurate Molds, LLC
NOE bullet molds
Mountain Molds
LBT
KAL Tool & Die
Cowboy Bullets (Cabine Tree tools)
Inline Fabrication
White Label Lubes
Stainless Steel Tumbling Media
Gator checks
Freechex
Rotometals
Monmouth Brass
Hollowpointmold dot com
Cylinder and throating work on revolvers...DougGuy at castboolits
Lathesmith
Blendedwaxes

 

[358156hp]

I was just thinking about this situation a few days ago. When I started casting, it seemed to almost be a dead art. All the information available was decades old, and only guys like Skeeter Skelton and Elmer Keith still talked about cast bullets. I couldn't find anybody locally who casted, and so I had to teach myself out of books and magazine articles. I have to believe that we are now living in the Golden Age. We are now backed up by the latest technology, we have more than three major mould sources, and can have anything we desire made, or we can make bullets ourselves that perform better than ever before. And the information and knowledge now available is absolutely overwhelming at times!

 

[Brad]

It kills me when people talk about the great old day when Lyman would custom cut a mould for you. Works out that a similar, but better made, mould from Accurate moulds is cheaper when you account for inflation.

Yep, these are the good old days. The only thing we really are missing is cheap or free, and plentiful, wheel weights. They're easy to replace.

 

[Ben]

I could not have said it better.

10 , 20 and 30 years ago, I searched for the " discontinued " , " rare " Lyman molds that so many had praised as " THE MOLD " that you must have.

Now I can go to NOE or Accurate and have it in my hands in 5 - 7 days.

The chances of it casting the right dia. are about 400% better than the EBay legal theft copy that you are about to roll the dice on to purchase.

Yes, these are the good old days , RIGHT NOW, not 40 years ago ! !

Ben

 

[Ben]

I had a talk with Al at NOE recently, he talks about .0005 " with the precision on his molds. Gee, what else could we ask for ?

Lyman's worn cherries..............don't even get me started.
I once bought 3 different 311284 molds. Largest nose was .298 "
I ordered one from NOE, 1st test cast with the mold, the nose was .3015 "

BINGO ! !


Ben

 

[Ian]

Wish my luck had been anywhere near yours with NOE moulds.

 

[Brad]

Ah, the famous Lyman undersized moulds. A bore rider that is too small to possible ride any bores.
I like getting a mould that casts large enough to actually fit a real rifle, not a theoretical rifle.
I have a few NOE moulds and they work well for me. I really like my MP and Accurate moulds.

 

[358156hp]

LOL! I had a 314299 (303 bullet) that had a perfect .302 nose, and was .315 on the bands. I probably should have simply sized it down to .311 on the shank and used it in 30-06, but I sold it instead.

 

[smokeywolf]

It's very hard not to cling to "the good old days", but except for lead becoming more challenging to acquire, because of computers and the internet, these are the good old days.

Putting a shopping list together right now for 215 grn. mold(s) for both a model '73 and a model '92 in 44-40 Winchester. Of course the model '73 has a .431 and change dia. across the grooves.

smokeywolf

 

[45 2.1]

Putting a shopping list together right now for 215 grn. mold(s) for both a model '73 and a model '92 in 44-40 Winchester. Of course the model '73 has a .431 and change dia. across the grooves.

smokeywolf

There are plans for a hollow base 38-40 and 44-40 mold from MP in the works.

 

[SwedeNelson]

We have a great 44-40 200gr. bullet in stock now!
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=37

Bullet maker, maker
Swede Nelson

 

[Charles Graff]

These are the good old days of bullet casting. I go back a few years and this is the best I have ever seen it in terms of equipment and knowledge.

 

[waco]

After getting an Accurate mold from Tom I'm positive I'll never buy another RCBS or Lyman mold again. Not a new one anyway. I'll grab a used one if the price is right. Accurate is my new favorite for sure.

 

[Cherokee]

It's been a long bumpy ride in bullet casting for me...and I agree that today is the golden time for us.

 

[Bret4207]

I've felt we we're in the Golden Age for several years. Yes, it would be great if it applied across the board and I could get a brick of whatever 22LR I wanted for $11.00 or when good WW's were available for the asking, but between casting, access to replicas rifles that are better than the originals, gun leather out the wazoo, QUALITY 32-30 brass...it's hard to be cynical about things. Now if I could just bring myself to sell this farm and go someplace civilized........

 

[Ian]

Civilization is where you make it. I manage to maintain 20 acres of civilized rural bliss in the literal midst of a third-world country. Step across the county road from my place and you'd swear you were in Sabinas Hidalgo.

 

[Rick]

I have to agree, that farm is probably more "civilized" than many places you could be. More a matter of how hard you want to work in your retirement.

 

[Bret4207]

I should explain- "civilized" as in not being the highest tax state in the nation with the most ridiculous gun laws with the highest property and fuel taxes, etc. Know what I mean? SWMBO is leaning towards Kentucky whereas I was more inclined towards Missouri. Either way, packing up and moving means starting over and that's a tough thing for me.

 

[Rick]

Hey I escaped a liberal utopia, no reason you can't also. One of the best things I ever did was move back to America.

 

[Pistolero]

Bret - (good to see your posts, by the way!)

Missouri has much better weather than upstate NY, and likely far lower taxes, but I am not
certain of that. (Bill - MtGun44, here)