Moulds

[JCKelly]

Looking for people's experience with Raypine moulds vs Lee vs Lyman, round ball only.

Lyman has always worked for me.

I do have to be careful  with Lee moulds to get them into register so the ball halves aren't shifted.

Does anyone having similar experience with Lee care to comment on how Raypine works for him?

[davec2]

JC

I have several Rapine molds.  Excellent quality and available in many sizes and types I could not find elsewhere.  They are aluminum, so they require a little care in handling...but then again, they don't rust either.  I have several of Ray's bag molds as well and like them much better than the ones Track sells.

[Harnic]

I use mostly Lyman moulds, but bought a couple Lee rb moulds a few years back.  I spray them after every use with spray silicon lube which dries & don't wash it off before the  next use.  The balls drop out cleanly & the mould halves mate much better because of the silicon lube on the alignment pins.

[hanshi]

I've never had a problem with Lee molds but then I take care of them.  I have several that are quite old and in good service.  I like Lyman rb molds also and have several.  They have become quite costly, however.

[Harnic]

  I like Lyman rb molds also and have several.  They have become quite costly, however.

That was why I tried the Lee moulds & am pleasantly surprised.  They work great & with care should last the rest of my life!  I'm going to a gun show tomorrow to find another Lee r/b mould, I need a .535" d/c mould for my 54 cal Hawken I'm starting.

[Daryl]

I like Lyman moulds the best. I know Taylor has a Rapine or two and really likes them - pricy.

The Lee moulds I have index perfectly, but need periodic applications with beeswax to the locator bars, then they work perfectly. I don't bang any of my mould's sprue plates with a hammer or club -  I use a gloved hand - but will use a hammer handle to tap the hinge pin to jar the moulds if a bullet or ball sticks.

Taylor coats his Lee moulds with Rapine Graphite Mould Prep & says this is almost a permanent fix for the locator bars.  I'll try the MS Moly spray I have as it works great on the Lyman moulds. Hoppe's Moly bullet spray works well too. Some of the moly sprays are dry-erase and come off quickly, some stay, like the MS Moly and Hoope's.

[JCKelly]

Thanks for the graphite/moly/silicone/beeswax lubrication suggestions, on those Lee & presumably Rapine moulds.

I learned the 19th Century way, to smoke my moulds over a candle. Fine for Lyman iron blocks, but I guess not so fine for the aluminum moulds.

Never tried a lube.

Y'all have convinced me to some graphite/rubbing alcohol stuff from Dixie.

[Daryl]

I used to smoke Lee molds too, as well as the Lyman - it helps. As to the sprays, they are better yet.  If you get too much beeswax on the Lee's locator pins and the fumes and wax (migrates willingly) will both cause wrinkled bullets for a time.

[Harnic]

A few wrinkles don't do us any harm Daryl, why would they be any different with balls? 

[Daryl]

 

[erdillonjr]

I have 1 raypine mould. It works great for me.

[northmn]

I have used Lee molds for both RB and rifle bullets.  They are as good as any for RB, with one exception lousy for 45 BPC and ok for some 30 cals.  I have switched from one to two cavity using Lee molds in RB and have had good results.
The good thing is that they permitted me to experiment with ball diameters at little cost as compared to Lyman.  You can for a 40 buy two Lee molds a 395 and a 400 cheaper than one Lyman set of blocks.  No handle changing either.  For bullets I like the Lyman better. 

DP

[Frizzen]

I use Rapine, I have used Lyman and Lee.  To me, Rapine is the best. He is a real nice fellar and
plays a mean guitar to boot.