rusty steel molds

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Iron moulds? They still make them?
Yep and always my preference. Not fragile like brass or aluminum. Can remove tinning or minor lead deposits with 0000 steel wool without worrying about damaging a mold. Fifty years ago, sprue plate lube was unheard of. Never needed it on the iron molds, I cut my casting teeth on. Never required a hot plate, either. Preheat iron molds with a propane torch. They also hold the heat better than brass or aluminum. You get what you pay for!
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
I have found that I can empty a pot just as fast with the H&G 8 #130 as I can with the aluminum NOE 3 460-535 and 5 454-250 with equal results.

They say if you have enough tools even good ones you'll find one that doesn't work . Every word ever written or spoken about brass is true I don't care if I have another one ever . Don't get me wrong they are nice to cast with but they aren't a super superior tool . Maybe my opinion is slanted a little by pouring a 1000 gr at a time.

The one and only 4 cavity iron Lyman is a PITA . If weren't for the fact that it's probably the 25 cal bullet I'm going to be successful with in Dad's 25-06' I'd ......... probably hang on to it as a casters status symbol .......

I'll admit it , I run my Lees like rented mules and to date I've seen one show it's miles. It's the one that I cast most of 452-255s I shot in 45 Colts..it was also the mould that basically took me from "ok I put the liquid metal in the hole now what" to 10,000 Colts . By my current means it was abused , I replaced it with a 6 cav and probably haven't cast 200 of them .