Favorite Mold Material? (Aluminum, Steel, Brass)

[Idaholewis]

As the subject says, What is your favorite Mold Material? Aluminum, Iron/Steel, or Brass, And why?

I have no experience with Brass so can’t comment there. My molds are Steel, and Aluminum, Of the 2 i MUCH MUCH prefer my steel molds, They are MUCH more durable, and forgiving. You can literally destroy an Aluminum mold from Galling etc. and it doesn’t take that long to do, this is definitely the Casters fault, but everybody has to start somewhere, starting out you definitely don’t know everything, in many cases you know nothing about it at all. I feel the extra cost of a Steel mold is WELL worth it, an Iron/Steel mold is MUCH more forgiving to the beginner Caster, but also cost more.

 

[edmehlig]

My feelings as well. I know people love their Aluminum and Brass molds, but I feel the Iron/Steel molds are more forgiving and durable. As long as you clean/oil them when you put them away, they should last you a lifetime. One thing I do is after I coat mine with oil, I put them in a zip lock bag. This prevents any dust/dirt from attaching to the mold due to the oil. Naturally the oil prevents rust from forming on the mold.

 

[Idaholewis]

My feelings as well. I know people love their Aluminum and Brass molds, but I feel the Iron/Steel molds are more forgiving and durable. As long as you clean/oil them when you put them away, they should last you a lifetime. One thing I do is after I coat mine with oil, I put them in a zip lock bag. This prevents any dust/dirt from attaching to the mold due to the oil. Naturally the oil prevents rust from forming on the mold.

Oiling an Iron/Steel mold is definitely a must when storing them to prevent rust. Using a Ziplock bag is a good idea! I bought a little .36 Cal TC Seneca on Armslist quite awhile back, the guy threw in a Lyman Maxi ball mold for it, the little mold ended up being rusty and looked pretty rough, i used Vinegar to clean it, Then a Baking Soda solution to neutralize the Acid. I got the little mold really good n clean, there was some tiny pitting in the cavities, and I'm talking tiny, when i cast from it i can see it in the bullets, but it doesn’t effect anything. Moral of the story, Had the guy dunked the mold in oil of some sort it wouldn’t have done that! Way easier to prevent it, than trying to fix it!

 

[2thepoint]

molds out of brass or steel have worked well for my needs......they're more durable than aluminum and hold the heat well.

 

[mrhunterken]

I have more than several moulds in brass from Accurate Bullet Moulds. They are way superior to those "silver" moulds, however they are heavier. On the plus side, I never had to worry about rust and they are superior in their ability to hold heat.

 

[Idaholewis]

I need to get a Brass Mold, I have yet to try one.

 

[sdporter]

I’ve been wanting to cut a mould out of brass for a while now. Just have a hard time coming across a piece thick enough.

 

[Matthew323]

Ballmoulds.com in the UK, which makes custom, single-cavity, round ball moulds in 0.001" increments, uses CZ121 brass alloy to machine all of its moulds.

 

[Idaholewis]

I’ve been wanting to cut a mould out of brass for a while now. Just have a hard time coming across a piece thick enough.

I’ve read good and bad about them, Like iron and Aluminum, it’s a matter of Learning, and getting use to the Mold. I am negative toward Aluminum for my Muzzleloaders Casting Pure Lead, and up to 1-20 Alloy, But When i cast Lyman #2 Alloy for my Centerfire Stuff I actually don’t mind an Aluminum Mold

 

[Buttonbuck]

I have one tanner mould Jeff Tanner made me in .590 I have a new lee I from TOTW in 595 and another in .60 trying to find the happy one for a smooth bore and a rifle in .62 it is task. The goal was to try and use .018 pillow ticking patches in all my muzzleloaders. I of course have .015 pocket drill, and super weave .010 and 2f and 3f in Goex and Graff.

 

[jcnull2305]

I’ve been wanting to cut a mould out of brass for a while now. Just have a hard time coming across a piece thick enough

Hey Stacey, there's a guy on Full30 has a channel: GunCraft101. He smelted, cast, and machined an operational AR receiver from brass cases. I think you could do the same with a bullet mold. Report back in, say, 3 days... With a video.

https://www.full30.com/watch/MDE5NT...r-from-cartridge-brass-main-video-guncraft101

 

[sdporter]

Haha. I have a whole bucket of brass valves etc... a crucible, and a half way completed furnace. Just need some time.

 

[Idaholewis]

Haha. I have a whole bucket of brass valves etc... a crucible, and a half way completed furnace. Just need some time.

You could do it!! You do AWESOME Work my Brother

 

[jcnull2305]

See??!! This is what I love about this forum: A guy like me - No Skills, No Talent, No Brains - can egg on a guy with all three, and get it cosigned by another, well-respected, contributor and researcher!

GET TO MELTIN' STACEY!!! YOU WILL NOT LAUGH!! YOU WILL NOT CRY!!! YOU WILL TURN OUT A BRASS MOLD AND START S#!TTING ME TIFFANY CUFFLINKS!!!

 

[edmehlig]

Every time I see Full Metal Jacket I start grinning. My wife use to say what’s so funny I think what he’s saying and doing is disgusting and horrible. I just told her that’s the way it was and I went through a lot worse in 1968 than what you are seeing and hearing. Yep what memories.

 

[mrhunterken]

I need to get a Brass Mold, I have yet to try one.

As the saying goes Try it, you'll like it!!