who makes the best hollow-point molds?

[nemesiss45]

I want to pick up a hollow-point mold or two at some point. There seem to be several style of molds and I was wondering which types everyone likes best. I'd be looking at something for .45 ACP and possibly .40 SW

Thanks

[Beagle333]

Who makes the best truck?
Who makes the best gun?

There's no really perfect answer. It depends on your casting style and your preference. The best shooting HP bullet I have comes from a NOE (Night Owl Enterprises). The HP molds I like to cast with the best are MP (Miha Prevec). The easiest to cast with is supposedly the inset-bar system by Erik at hollowpointmold.com, but my favorite and the one I'm known for, is a single pin Ideal mold that a member here HP'd for me.

It's hard to beat a nice cool morning with a hot pot of lead and a single pin mold.:)

[nemesiss45]

I'm not expecting a be-all, end-all best. I was just hoping for exactly what you posted. a list of a few good options to check out. I really appreciate it.


edit: Ooooo, the inset bar HP with extractor linkage looks amazing.... I think that is going on my list

[Beagle333]

I haven't studied the extractor linkage that closely, but I have talked to Erik and I'm going to be sending him a 2-cav 358432 for one of those inset bar conversions. It'll be my first one of those, but I should be able to drop TurtleBusters like rain then. :D

[reloader28]

I made a couple myself that do work good enough for me, but not great.

I have the 452 235gr HP from NOE and it works very good. With the flat pins in it, it also makes a 255gr solid bullet.

[snuffy]

nemesiss45, if you're willing to wait,,-- for more than a year, you might want to get in on this group buy over on the cast boolits forum;

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?229962-MiHec-2-or-4-cavity-brass-45-RCBS-Cramer-HP-Rerun

His molds are so good that he's over run by requests. I have 5 of his, four are the cramer type HP molds. In my mind, there aren't any better. They just flat out work!

I have a Lyman single cavity, single pin HP, it would be a 255 SWC but the HP is around 240 grains. IT IS A PITA TO USE! I don't use it anymore, since I bought the MP mold through the last group buy on CB. I'd consider selling it, but I don't know what it's worth.

I have no experience with NOE or any of the current specialty molds.

Here's the MP molds website, the 45 mold is out of stock. He usually makes some extras when he's running a group buy, then sells them direct off his website;

http://mp-molds.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=32&=SID

Look around his e-shop, there's other molds listed.

http://mp-molds.com/index.php?pr=E_-_shop

[armoredman]

That inset bar mold interests me, BUT, how do you USE it? Is it a three part process to put the pin in, and pull it out to dump the fresh cast bullets, while it's hot as blue blazes? I would love to start casting some usable HP...but not if I have to burn my fingers off. ;) Help out a guy who just doesn't know.

[snuffy]

That inset bar mold interests me, BUT, how do you USE it? Is it a three part process to put the pin in, and pull it out to dump the fresh cast bullets, while it's hot as blue blazes? I would love to start casting some usable HP...but not if I have to burn my fingers off. Help out a guy who just doesn't know.
__________________

AM, that insert bar system is very similar the the cramer type system that MP makes. The cross sliding pins are held by some "C" clips so the whole bar and HP pins can't fall out of the mold, but moves far enough to release the boolits from the cavity. You simply turn the mold upside down to dump the boolits off the pins.

[armoredman]

AHA! I like the square Cramer pins for 9mm HPs, seemed like with the right alloy those actually expanded. I will bet trying to find a mold like that with those pins might be a wee bit expensive.

[David Bachelder]

I have only used Erik at hollowpointmold.com and I've had great luck with them.

[salvadore]

I bought a mold from NOE, the gent I talked to was very informative and the mold looks nice but have yet to use it.I've had Eric do some projects for me, and he is a peach of a guy. I wouldn't hesitate doing business with either. BTW, I'd go with Ford and S&W or Colt, itsa toss up.

[Elkins45]

Having a mold retrofitted for HP is more expensive than just starting with a purpose built Cramer from MP or an RG from NOE. I have both and both make great bullets...and both usually require getting on a waiting list.

[Beagle333]

One of the great things about NOE Group Buys now, is that after the design is decided up on in the discussion section and it goes active as a Group Buy... it will run with only 10 names on the list, and the tooling shows up in about 9 days and then it's on the mill. About a week after that, it's in the mail! I've been in a couple lately that started, got enough names, and closed in less than two weeks. One was only 7 days, start to finish!! :D