Would this hurt a bullet mold?

[Ysabel Kid]

I can't remember when or where, or even if it was in person or online (I do know it was a decade or two ago), but someone told me they store their bullet molds with a cast bullet in them (or two or six depending on the number of cavities in the mold). His thought was that lead doesn't rust, and that way he had a physical example of what the mold actually cast. So, does anyone do this, or do you think he was missing something that would eventually hurt the bullet mold?

[samsi]

I "learned" the same thing long ago, don't even recall the source now, but I store mine both with and without the last bullet(s) left in place. I've never noticed any difference, although there's little humidity here so that likely plays into it as well.

[Griff]

I store my moulds with a last cast bullet in them also. I can't tell you and exact reason why, except that when I began, my mentor told me thusly. And since I older than my terrible two's, I didn't ask why! But, since I usually buy new moulds, I have to "season" them... and I was taught to do this with smoke from an open flame. Leaving them sitting around would seem to lessen the "seasoning" over time... My moulds are kept in a small wooden 3-drawer chest, unencumbered by boxes etc. The steel ones are patinaed on the outside with a coating of light rust, but not overly much... They've been stored thusly since I moved here, nearly 32 years ago... (except those that I've acquired since)!

[Sixgun]

Senseless…..comes from the old days when the thinking was if a bullet was left in the mould, rust couldn’t form. We all know that lead shrinks and leaves an air void…….the old timers thought it could cut down on the amount of times you would have to cast to get a good bullet when using it again later.

Good gun oil with a rust preventative and stored in an air tight box.I use military ammo boxes. When you ready to use it again. Just spray it with a detergent like Simple Green or Dawn, tooth brush it, rinse with hot water and set it on the top of your casting pot to heat up while waiting for the lead to melt. I sometimes, in fact most of the time, hit it with a propane torch lightly and you will see the condensation form and then steam off giving you a nice dry and slightly heated mould.

I’ve got over 200 quality moulds and this is how I’ve been doing it for 50 years.

Your choice as I know my method does work…..iron and aluminum……I usually use Rem-Oil….

A mould is a delicate tool. Treat it with respect and don’t beat the hell out of. I have many moulds that produced 10,000 bullets, or more and they are still tight and produce perfect round slugs. NEVER let the halves slam together and keep the temperature of the lead and the mould to where you don’t smear lead across it. —-006

[Walt]

The humidity is so low where I live (between about 12 and 30% depending on time of year) that I have never used a preservative on my molds. When I get a new mold I usually spray it with carb cleaner, brush it with a toothbrush and then swab the cavities with isopropyl alcohol and a Q-tip. I have never had as much as a speck of rust on them. I store the molds empty. Before I cast I just swab them with alcohol again and then preheat them on top of my casting furnace. I cut a piece of sheet metal to cover the top of the furnace so I can place the molds (I use two at a time) directly over the hottest part. The sheet metal cover also reduces lead oxidation so the surface of the lead stays shiny after fluxing and skimming off the dross.

[marlinman93]

I've always left the last bullet in my molds after casting, but it wasn't to protect the molds. I do it so when I grab a mold to use I can measure that bullet and know for sure how it compares to the groove size of the gun I plan to cast for. I have a large selection of molds, and in the same calibers some vary quite a bit in diameter, and weight. Not often does the number on the mold drop a size and weight it indicates. I hate to have to fire up the pot to cast a bullet, just to see what size and weight it might drop.

[Bill in Oregon]

I usually store the last cast bullet in the mold as well. Musta read that it was a good idea somewhere in the last 50 years. No harm done that I can see. Vall also makes a good point.

[jeepnik]

I'm with leave the last ones in the mold group. Again, just the way I was taught. Like cleaning and sighting I haven't found any reason to alter what I was originally taught. In other words, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.