Nose Pour

[ColColt]

Has anyone had any experience with these moulds? I'm considering a Hoch mould and wondered if there were any potential problems with casting with a nose pour.

[Leverluver]

Accuracy-wise, a perfect base is the most important aspect of a cast bullet. You can get great bases with a base pour but you are a little more likely to get a perfect base with a nose pour.

[Griff]

Accuracy-wise, a perfect base is the most important aspect of a cast bullet. You ... are a little more likely to get a perfect base with a nose pour.

What he said.

[Cimarron Red]

For a while I shot a Hoch 550 grain bullet in .45-70 at BPCR silhouettes. The mould cast a beautiful bullet. As with most nose pour moulds, you have to have keep the melt hot. I had to run mine at 800 degrees to get proper fill-out.

But then a friend lent me a Paul Jones Creedmoor mould, and it shot so well I bought one. I still shoot the Jones bullet today in two BPCR silhouette rifles. BTW, Paul Jones just retired.

Hoch's are great moulds, and the bases on the bullets they cast are lovely! But the Jones is more accurate in my rifles. And as important as bullet bases are, I feel that the most critical factor in accurate shooting, given sound technique, is a consistent sight picture.

[ColColt]

I had read other places where he was probably going into retirement...shame I never got to buy one of his moulds.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I have one of his molds in .40 cal. It casts a very fine bullet.
Come to think of it, I have no real use for that mold,not owning a .40 any more.
I may put it in the classifieds .

[Don McDowell]

I don't have a hoch mould, I do have several nose pour paper patch blocks, and they are a pain in the butt to get the good square bases when you compare them to a regular base pour block.
You can also get the air bubbles trapped in the nose, and that will cause you more grief than hidden pockets in the base when the bullet goes down range.
Ideal may have said it best in their #1 handbook from the late 1880's when they said that a nose pour block only moves the more common problems with casting bullets to the opposite end of the bullet..

[Cimarron Red]

Don,

My experience with a Hoch mould, unlike yours with your nose pour moulds, is that once the mould was up to temperature it produced bullets with gleaming, square bases with boring regularity.

[ColColt]

Hoch moulds have a fine reputation and many have given high accolades to them. I'll find out for myself before long but, I don't think I'll be disappointed. This is he one I ordered for the 38-55 (#377310). Love them generous grease grooves.

[vancelw]

Don,

My experience with a Hoch mould, unlike yours with your nose pour moulds, is that once the mould was up to temperature it produced bullets with gleaming, square bases with boring regularity.

Yeah, I've got a .409 Hoch nose pour (405 gr) that I have a harder time filling th nose up than I do the base. It's a big enough hunk of metal that it takes a while to heat up. I sped the process up by getting a bottom pour lead pot.

What I never could figure out was people who spent the money on a nose pour mould, were meticulous about weighing their bullets, and then used a top punch that left rings or gouges on the nose. If I'm going to all that trouble I got the next step and get a top punch that does no harm.

[Don McDowell]

Cimmaron, you have your entry into the Rocky Mtn Regional BPTR match at the CRC next week? If not plenty of time to get it done. I think he's taking entry's until Thursday, and I'ld about bet nobody would get turned away if they were there when the High Plains challenge starts of Friday morning at 830 am.

Anyway , yes I have had some problems with my nose pours trapping air bubbles at the nose, but getting nice square bases has been the big bugaboo. Those that follow the one true way and wrap their bullets in paper , don't have problems with lubriszing But as I said I have not used a Hoch mould.

[ColColt]

I received the .38 310 gr cal Hoch mould this afternoon and it's a beauty. I haven't seen a mould like this one before but it looks like it's made like a Mercedes-absolutely superb craftsmanship. After the gun show tomorrow I'll be anxious to start casting with it. I do hope somebody has primers at that show.

I can't say I agree with some of the instructions that came with the mould. It says to use a good mold prep or mould release containing graphite completely covering the mould inside and out, especially the cavity, and the top and bottom spree plates. I've never put anything inside the cavity before but I feel sure they know what they're talking about. However, I think I'll bypass that step. I'd like to get some decent bullets out before next week. Anything inside the cavity doesn't sound kosher to me.

[Cimarron Red]

Hey, Don,

I'd sure like to shoot at CRC with you guys, but, truth to tell, I haven't shot BPTR yet. And I'm not really equipped for Creedmoor, but I could shoot mid-range. I have shot lever action silhouettes at CRC, so I've had a good look at the BPTR range. And I've shot silhouettes with some of the guys who'll be shooting with you at CRC. Some day soon I'll take the plunge. Thanks for asking.

[Don McDowell]

Red there's no time better than the present to jump off into that longrange stuff.
Anyway maybe we'll meet at one of those matches down there.

[Cimarron Red]

I look forward to meeting you, Don. Did you get to Alliance?

[Don McDowell]

Didn't get to either shoot at Alliance this year. Spring I was still feeding cows, and this one just past was also the same weekend as the first ever Wyoming 22 bpcr championship.
Will shoot Byers next week, then see what comes next, if I don't let this 44 down, I'll tackle the nationals at Raton is Sept.