Custom Molds

[mr.steve]

I'm considering getting a custom mold to satisfy my reloading addiction. I would like a profile that I haven't seen in the catalogs. any recommendations? They're all more expensive but I view it as an investment.

 

[rockhopper46038]

Lee will make you one pretty inexpensively.

 

[mr.steve]

I wasn't aware that Lee did custom work. I'll have to look in to that. Thanks!

 

[mac45]

Haven't used either of these guys, but I hear good things about both.
Accurate Molds: Custom Bullet Molds
NOE Bullet Moulds

 

[Harley46982]

I'd try Mountain Molds to I have used them with good luck!

 

[parson]

I recently purchased a mold from NOE. Great folks, and willing to answer any and all questions.

About $100 for a nice 4 cavity mold.

 

[T/C Guy]

Check Cast Boolits for a lot of possibilities.

 

[Chuck26287]

I'm considering getting a custom mold to satisfy my reloading addiction. I would like a profile that I haven't seen in the catalogs. any recommendations? They're all more expensive but I view it as an investment.

What do you mean by "I would like a profile that I haven't seen in the catalogs"? Are you looking to have a new bullet profile designed to see how it shoots, or are you looking for a particular profile you know exists and has been shot, but you just can't find it in any current catalogs? Different questions with different answers.

INGO is not the best site for casting questions. There are always people willing to answer your questions, but the ones with knowledge about casting always seem to refer users to the Cast Boolits website (http://castboolits.gunloads.com). This is usually where that person got their knowledge. If the answer to your question(s) exists, it can be found on that site somewhere. VERY exhaustive source of casting information.

I just spent quite some time researching custom mold manufacturuers, only I was looking for one of the oldest, most proven designs out there (a clone in EVERY catalogue... the classic H&G 68 200 gr .45 LSWC). There are a few high end custom manufacturers who can make whatever you want if you have the time and the money. I do not recommend Ballisti-Cast. Not because they make bad molds, but because of their unreliability and failure to do what they say they'll do. The mold might have been superb, but after almost 3 months of trying to get the mold specified and ordered, then a confirmed promised delivery date by the owner, followed by no delivery (with no notice that delivery wasn't being made as promised), then word that he (the owner) didn't know when it would be cut because the company/machine shop he uses to make his molds was starting an audit with one of its big customers (so apparently he doesn't even make the molds himself anymore). I cancelled payment on the check I had sent (even though credit card was listed on his website as the preferred method of payment, and that was how I wanted to pay, he wanted a check to avoid the CC charges he'd have to pay), and started the whole process over with Accurrate Molds. I had my custom mold, made to my specs in-hand in less than 3 weeks. 4 weeks was the current specified wait time. It's a beautiful mold, and worth every penny of the investment you spoke of. I highly recommend Tom at Accurrate molds. I can't speak of the other manufacturers, as these were the only two I had first-hand personal experience with.

 

[mr.steve]

I agree Chuck, the Cast Boolits website is a great site for cast information. The bullet i'm after is a 135gr .358 dia plain base flat point with a .07 wide lube groove no crimp groove. I have found similar profiles but they have a tangential nose profile instead of a straight or cone profile. Thanks for the heads up on Ballisti-Cast I will take them off my list.

 

[Chuck26287]

I agree Chuck, the Cast Boolits website is a great site for cast information. The bullet i'm after is a 135gr .358 dia plain base flat point with a .07 wide lube groove no crimp groove. I have found similar profiles but they have a tangential nose profile instead of a straight or cone profile. Thanks for the heads up on Ballisti-Cast I will take them off my list.

I forget which one, but one of the other custom manufacturers I looked at would work with you to modify any design they had, then once a design was done, it was added to their available designs, and anyone could order it. If you can find that manufacturer, you might be able to find one of their current offerings as a close starting point...

 

[Chuck26287]

I forget which one, but one of the other custom manufacturers I looked at would work with you to modify any design they had, then once a design was done, it was added to their available designs, and anyone could order it. If you can find that manufacturer, you might be able to find one of their current offerings as a close starting point...

Well, that makes me feel like an idiot... it WAS Accurate Molds that will work with you on the design and make your needed changes then they can become available to anyone. I didn't have that need, but I knew I had seen it... just didn't remember it was where I actually bought the mold!