I'm skeptical of this new RB mold

Beagle333 · February 1, 2014, 10:45 AM

Lee has a new 12 ball mold for 50 cals. Produces 6 "linked pellets" per pour.

http://leeprecision.com/12-cav-.490-round-ball.html

Here's a fleabay ad with a picture:
ad with pic

Do you know how hot you gotta get this thing to get anything more than a wrinkled half-ball in the bottom cavity? If that much.

I'm going to have to see some video of it being used before I get one.

And I guess you gotta load the top balls with one sprue up and one down.
This will definitely not be popular with the folks who sort balls by weight.

Pahoo · February 1, 2014, 12:49 PM

Quote:

I'm skeptical of this new RB mold

I've run a lot of lead in the past and I have to admit that I would have the same reservations. I've run multi-cavity molds and have had mixed results. I know these are aluminum and that will work in your favor. I just take my time on the singles and doubles. ....

I know you are use to running some very nice projectiles and if anyone can do it, it's you. Please let us know what you decide and how you made out. ..

Good luck and;
Be Safe !!!

Beagle333 · February 1, 2014, 01:22 PM

Oh, sorry to imply that I bought it.

I just discovered it in the "new" department and don't think it'll work all that great. I'm good with singles and doubles as well.

Now if they get it to work... mebbe. And especially if they could get it to work in .454

Noz · February 1, 2014, 02:55 PM

That's a 490 mold which means it's for a 50 cal muzzle loader. I can't see any individual that would need the number of 490 balls tha mold would produce in an hour.

Maybe a commercial caster?

Bezoar · February 2, 2014, 06:31 PM

actually someone loading home made grapeshot loads would love it.

or someone that was going to load them in a shotcup in a modern shotgun perhaps..

to get a good pour, i think the mold would need to be heated itself internally.

Hellgate · February 2, 2014, 11:49 PM

If they made it to throw .454 or .457 dia balls they would sell to the C&B Cowboy Action Shooters like me.

bedbugbilly · February 3, 2014, 11:19 AM

There may be a place for it . . . . I have cast for fifty years and like already said, I wouldn't need to produce that many at a time for average shooting needs. For me, "time is not of the essence" and I'm fully satisfied with my single and double cavity molds. I have used all types and brands of molds over the years. I'm currently using Lee 2 cavity to cast bullets for cartridge loads and for the price of the molds, I think they are a great buy.

However . . . you have to remember that there are "all types" out there. To some, "shooting" BP is their hobby, to some, BP cartridge loading and shooting is they rhobby, to some, the "reloading" of cartridges is more of a hobby than the actual shooting . . . and . . to some . . "casting" is their hobby. They try all sorts of alloys (for cartridge reloading) and they love to "smelt" and "mold". Some of them support their "habit" by casting and selling bullets. I can actually see where a small time "caster" could probably utilize a mold like this to produce RB to sell/use.

You have to remember that while many of us use pretty "simple" methods to cast - I use a LP single hotplate and a 10 pound pot with a bottom feed ladle . . . nothing fancy at all but it does the job just fine . . .some of these guys have some pretty amazing casting outfits that they put together. On this mold, I would expect it to be a problem for many of us to keep it hot enough to make consistent pours . . . someone who is in to casting "whole hog" would probably have no problems with a thermostat controlled pot and a thermostat controlled mold "heating plate" to keep the mold at a consistent temperature to make the pour.

There's one thing about this mold though . . . if a fella could get it to work well, he could sure mold up a year's supply of balls in a short afternoon.

Pahoo · February 3, 2014, 11:57 AM

Quote:

If they made it to throw .454 or .457 dia balls they would sell to the C&B Cowboy Action Shooters like me.

The OP, is asking if anyone here, would be comfortable with running lead, in the multi-cavity and if so, how have you done it. Other than the 2-cavities I have run, my only one, has been my slingshot pellet mold but they are a different animal ....

Be Safe !!!

Rifleman1776 · February 3, 2014, 05:14 PM

First question that comes to my mind is: Why?
Quality of the balls would be difficult to maintain. Long pours can cool lead before you pour. The dipper would have to be large and heavy. The mould and dipper would be heavy and tiring to use. Yes, a good (meaning not a Lee) bottom pour pot would seem a necessity. But, somebody at Lee must think there is a market for it.

**4V50 Gary** · February 4, 2014, 07:09 AM

Rifleman1776 raises a good point. Those gang moulds require a big dipper (or a bottom pouring spout lead pot). It's going to be hard to keep that gang mould consistently hot. It can be done, but it's more challenging.

swamp ape · February 6, 2014, 11:46 PM

But you could dump a few hundred of them into a cement mixer and allow them to roll the unsightly sprues off. If I decide to get one... that will be in my plans.

Andy Griffith · February 7, 2014, 08:26 AM

I do have one of the Lee #00 buckshot moulds.

It took a bit of getting used to, but once up to temp, and it takes about three or four pours even after it being on a hotplate- it works well.

Casting buckshot for a box of shotshells used to be a chore with a two cavity mould! It does quite well.

As to the sprue, there are some nippers that someone recommended that you can get in the craft section at Wal-mart that will almost cut the sprue off at the ball and they work great.

I believe that this thing now comes in a #4 buck, and albeit small, I might have to pick one up, as I'd like to try some coyote loads, and also soft cast some pure lead for my North American C&B.

I'm certain that the .495 would be much, much easier to use than the #00, as the volume of lead is greater and it would get up to temp faster.

Certainly would make great buckshot for a 8 bore or larger.

I guess it's just the 6 cavity that they offer in .454 or .451.

February 1, 2014, 10:45 AM	#1
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	I'm skeptical of this new RB mold Lee has a new 12 ball mold for 50 cals. Produces 6 "linked pellets" per pour. http://leeprecision.com/12-cav-.490-round-ball.html Here's a fleabay ad with a picture: ad with pic Do you know how hot you gotta get this thing to get anything more than a wrinkled half-ball in the bottom cavity? If that much. I'm going to have to see some video of it being used before I get one. And I guess you gotta load the top balls with one sprue up and one down. This will definitely not be popular with the folks who sort balls by weight. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

February 1, 2014, 01:22 PM	#3
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	Oh, sorry to imply that I bought it. I just discovered it in the "new" department and don't think it'll work all that great. I'm good with singles and doubles as well. Now if they get it to work... mebbe. And especially if they could get it to work in .454 __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

February 2, 2014, 11:49 PM	#6
Hellgate Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Location: Orygun Posts: 870	If they made it to throw .454 or .457 dia balls they would sell to the C&B Cowboy Action Shooters like me. __________________ With over 15 perCUSSIN' revolvers, I've been called the Imelda Marcos of cap & ball. SASS#3302 (Life), SASS Regulator, NRA (Life), Dirty Gamey Bastards #129 Wolverton Mtn. Peacekeepers (WA), former Orygun Cowboy (Ranger, Posse from Hell)

February 3, 2014, 11:19 AM	#7
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,288	There may be a place for it . . . . I have cast for fifty years and like already said, I wouldn't need to produce that many at a time for average shooting needs. For me, "time is not of the essence" and I'm fully satisfied with my single and double cavity molds. I have used all types and brands of molds over the years. I'm currently using Lee 2 cavity to cast bullets for cartridge loads and for the price of the molds, I think they are a great buy. However . . . you have to remember that there are "all types" out there. To some, "shooting" BP is their hobby, to some, BP cartridge loading and shooting is they rhobby, to some, the "reloading" of cartridges is more of a hobby than the actual shooting . . . and . . to some . . "casting" is their hobby. They try all sorts of alloys (for cartridge reloading) and they love to "smelt" and "mold". Some of them support their "habit" by casting and selling bullets. I can actually see where a small time "caster" could probably utilize a mold like this to produce RB to sell/use. You have to remember that while many of us use pretty "simple" methods to cast - I use a LP single hotplate and a 10 pound pot with a bottom feed ladle . . . nothing fancy at all but it does the job just fine . . .some of these guys have some pretty amazing casting outfits that they put together. On this mold, I would expect it to be a problem for many of us to keep it hot enough to make consistent pours . . . someone who is in to casting "whole hog" would probably have no problems with a thermostat controlled pot and a thermostat controlled mold "heating plate" to keep the mold at a consistent temperature to make the pour. There's one thing about this mold though . . . if a fella could get it to work well, he could sure mold up a year's supply of balls in a short afternoon. __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

February 4, 2014, 07:09 AM	#10
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,874	Rifleman1776 raises a good point. Those gang moulds require a big dipper (or a bottom pouring spout lead pot). It's going to be hard to keep that gang mould consistently hot. It can be done, but it's more challenging. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

February 1, 2014, 02:55 PM	#4
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	That's a 490 mold which means it's for a 50 cal muzzle loader. I can't see any individual that would need the number of 490 balls tha mold would produce in an hour. Maybe a commercial caster?

February 2, 2014, 06:31 PM	#5
Bezoar Junior member Join Date: October 19, 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 578	actually someone loading home made grapeshot loads would love it. or someone that was going to load them in a shotcup in a modern shotgun perhaps.. to get a good pour, i think the mold would need to be heated itself internally.

February 3, 2014, 05:14 PM	#9
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	First question that comes to my mind is: Why? Quality of the balls would be difficult to maintain. Long pours can cool lead before you pour. The dipper would have to be large and heavy. The mould and dipper would be heavy and tiring to use. Yes, a good (meaning not a Lee) bottom pour pot would seem a necessity. But, somebody at Lee must think there is a market for it.

February 6, 2014, 11:46 PM	#11
swamp ape Junior member Join Date: February 1, 2014 Posts: 2	But you could dump a few hundred of them into a cement mixer and allow them to roll the unsightly sprues off. If I decide to get one... that will be in my plans.

February 7, 2014, 08:26 AM	#12
Andy Griffith Senior Member Join Date: May 14, 2009 Location: Macon Co. NC Posts: 591	I do have one of the Lee #00 buckshot moulds. It took a bit of getting used to, but once up to temp, and it takes about three or four pours even after it being on a hotplate- it works well. Casting buckshot for a box of shotshells used to be a chore with a two cavity mould! It does quite well. As to the sprue, there are some nippers that someone recommended that you can get in the craft section at Wal-mart that will almost cut the sprue off at the ball and they work great. I believe that this thing now comes in a #4 buck, and albeit small, I might have to pick one up, as I'd like to try some coyote loads, and also soft cast some pure lead for my North American C&B. I'm certain that the .495 would be much, much easier to use than the #00, as the volume of lead is greater and it would get up to temp faster. Certainly would make great buckshot for a 8 bore or larger. I guess it's just the 6 cavity that they offer in .454 or .451. Last edited by Andy Griffith; February 7, 2014 at 08:34 AM.