.25 and .30 NOE Pellet Molds.

[KnifeMaker]

I was really looking forward to ordering the pellet mold in .25 for the Rainstorm. But when I go back thru post, on even the much talked about .30 cal. Once delivered, Zilch. Nada, Cricketts!

What are the issues that kept anyone but the designer form talking about them. And the test he ran, was at only 20 yards. What's going on here people?

Confused and very learey!

Knife

[Wayne52]

Michael I'll be molding up some of the .25's today, yes they didn't send me the right mold (aluminum instead of brass like I ordered) but I'm impatient to see how they do myself.  I did send Al an email about it but haven't heard back yet but that was only yesterday too.  I think that later today I'll give them a call and will request settling for the difference in price in credit on another mold in the future.  I'll only be able to shoot 20 yards at home but if the pellets seem to shoot good then I'll load up a couple clips of them to test on the state land at further distances.  I definitely have plenty of lead now since I picked up them lead ingots the other day.  I too would appreciate other's opinion's on their results with the .30 as well.  If I do end up getting a shotgun pattern with them like I did with the 250-35-RF mold at 20 yards I know that these too won't fly.  Hopefully it will be close to one pellet on top of another at 20 yards to begin with
     Believe me I'll tell you what happens !!! I'll start out with the lightest ones to begin with, I cleaned the mold up last night in preparation for molding today, it appears that it's going to be another rain day here but if the pellets look promising here I'll definitely take a trip out to the state land as long as it's not raining really hard to see how they're doing out to at least 40 yards anyway.  It will be a couple hours before I start pouring the pellets because I'm going to wait til it's light enough to see what I'm doing on my back porch.

[Nomadic Pirate]

I did test some pretty badly casted .30 in 59gr and 63gr,

for how bad they where casted I think they did very good, with a flyer here and there but overall I think they showed real promise and that's why I just bought a mould of them.

[Wayne52]

I did test some pretty badly casted .30 in 59gr and 63gr,

for how bad they where casted I think they did very good, with a flyer here and there but overall I think they showed real promise and that's why I just bought a mould of them.

That in itself makes things look a little more promising to me Manny! I did see some really good reports on youtube about NOE but all those were from powder burner slugs.

[Bob Pratl]

Michael I'll be molding up some of the .25's today, yes they didn't send me the right mold (aluminum instead of brass like I ordered) but I'm impatient to see how they do myself.  I did send Al an email about it but haven't heard back yet but that was only yesterday too.  I think that later today I'll give them a call and will request settling for the difference in price in credit on another mold in the future.  I'll only be able to shoot 20 yards at home but if the pellets seem to shoot good then I'll load up a couple clips of them to test on the state land at further distances.  I definitely have plenty of lead now since I picked up them lead ingots the other day.  I too would appreciate other's opinion's on their results with the .30 as well.  If I do end up getting a shotgun pattern with them like I did with the 250-35-RF mold at 20 yards I know that these too won't fly.  Hopefully it will be close to one pellet on top of another at 20 yards to begin with
     Believe me I'll tell you what happens !!! I'll start out with the lightest ones to begin with, I cleaned the mold up last night in preparation for molding today, it appears that it's going to be another rain day here but if the pellets look promising here I'll definitely take a trip out to the state land as long as it's not raining really hard to see how they're doing out to at least 40 yards anyway.  It will be a couple hours before I start pouring the pellets because I'm going to wait til it's light enough to see what I'm doing on my back porch.

I was a little disappointed that I ordered the Aluminum mold instead of the brass one but after receiving the Aluminum one and saw the machining quality, I think that it will work out great.
Over the years I have collected a lot of LEE  PB and BP ball molds, in Aluminum, and they all dropped good bullets. This NOE mold is 10 times better machining quality than my other molds and
I did not readize that the mold came with 4 sets of pins to allow one to cast 33,34,35,37 grain pellets which is a Plus. Wayne, what pellet are you going to start with and It looks like you will be the first to cast this weekend so I will be a anxiously waiting to see now they workout.

[Rob in NC]

I have the 30 and 25 molds coming, but they were stuck at a hub somewhere for a few days and I STILL dont have them in.  Maybe today.  Soon as I can smoke them in and cast some I'll see what they can do. 

[Wayne52]

Well to be honest the 250-34-RF mold gets my approval without a doubt.  I still need to sort these pellets better because some of them are bad but I'm pretty happy with my initial moldings and test at 20 yards.

[Bob Pratl]

Well to be honest the 250-34-RF mold gets my approval without a doubt.  I still need to sort these pellets better because some of them are bad but I'm pretty happy with my initial moldings and test at 20 yards. 

WOW!, Wayne, you did not waste any time. The pellets look great as well as the shot groups. Was that the 34 grain pins that you used and are you planning to test other weights and different yardage?  Great Job. Thanks.

UPDATE: Sorry, I was so busy studying your pellets that I didn't see your write up next to the picture.

[Nomadic Pirate]

Whoo-oh, looking great there Wayne

[Wayne52]

Well to be honest the 250-34-RF mold gets my approval without a doubt.  I still need to sort these pellets better because some of them are bad but I'm pretty happy with my initial moldings and test at 20 yards. 

WOW!, Wayne, you did not waste any time. The pellets look great as well as the shot groups. Was that the 34 grain pins that you used and are you planning to test other weights and different yardage?  Great Job. Thanks.

UPDATE: Sorry, I was so busy studying your pellets that I didn't see your write up next to the picture.

Yes they were the 34 grain pins, Bob even said that they'd probably be heavier with pure lead, this almost makes me wanna buy another 25 cal

[Wayne52]

Whoo-oh, looking great there Wayne

Manny I think you'll probably be happy with the 25 cal mold, the 30 should be comparable because that's what the .25 was designed after.  I'm thinking the heavier ones will probably kick some butt but first I need to put my SS Valve in the Mrod.  I might get out later this evening with it on the state land cause I know where there's a family of Ghogs out there, this gun will be a lot of fun when the beans start growing better, the Ghog family is on the edge of a cornfield.

[Rob in NC]

I obviously need more practice.  I'm putting more back in the pot than I am in the tin at this point.  By FAR... same learning curve I had with the .35 mold I have similar.  Just need to fine tune what I do.

I'm finding the pins to be fiddly.  Should they be tightened down good or somewhat loose or? 

[KnifeMaker]

Thanks for the pic's Wayne. Looking good so far! Very much looking froward to 40-50 yards, where most of my Squirrel'n is done. 

Knife

[KnifeMaker]

Wayne, I prefer 4 and 5 gang molds. I don't think I could cast with the brass mold with its much heavier weight. Too Much Author in my wrist. GRRRR!

They do hold heat better, but then again, you have to be so careful that the lead doesn't tinn to the cavities. A real pita to remove!

Thankfully, not an issue with Alu!

A trick to getting new molds up and running fast and casting clean bullets.

Scrub with fast orange, the one without pumice, followed by a polish in each cavity with flits on a q-tip in a dremel,. then the good ol cleaning with palmolive in boiling water.

Let air dry, smoke and heat well on a hot plate, or carefully heat with a propane torch. (Very Carefully)!!!

Each pin has to be heated individually in order to give good bases. Propane torch is needed here.

Knife

[Rob in NC]

I obviously need more practice.  I'm putting more back in the pot than I am in the tin at this point.  By FAR... same learning curve I had with the .35 mold I have similar.  Just need to fine tune what I do.

I'm finding the pins to be fiddly.  Should they be tightened down good or somewhat loose or?

Bump so this post doesnt get lost in the abyss... can anyone more knowledgeable than I answer the questions about the pins on these molds?  Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I simply dont know.

[rsterne]

NOE's online instructions worked for me....  http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php/topic,199.0.html

The pins need to be loose on the brackets so that they consistently seat down against them from gravity when you are closing the mould.... The "tap-tap-tap" with your mallet as you close the mould really helps....

Bob

[Rob in NC]

NOE's online instructions worked for me....  http://noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php/topic,199.0.html

The pins need to be loose on the brackets so that they consistently seat down against them from gravity when you are closing the mould.... The "tap-tap-tap" with your mallet as you close the mould really helps....

Bob

Perfect. Thank you, sir.

[KnifeMaker]

Well to be honest the 250-34-RF mold gets my approval without a doubt.  I still need to sort these pellets better because some of them are bad but I'm pretty happy with my initial moldings and test at 20 yards.

Wayne, if they group as well as your looks, we're in business! 

Now get out there and shoot some groups we can see!!! 

Knife

[KnifeMaker]

The tiniest drop of spru lube on the pin channel doesn't hurt either. Put it on, and wipe it off. 

Be doubly careful to get none what so ever in the cavathes. 
Once broken in, this will probably no longer be necessary.

Knife

[Wayne52]

I just got done weighing up a bunch of them, the most common weight was 34.86 grains.  The funny thing is even with a magnifying glass I can set the 34.8 grainers and 35 grainers side by side and can't see a difference.  My next run will be with the mid sized ones but if all works out good I'm going to head out where I seen the Ghogs the other day, spray down with some deet, and see if I can't plug one of the bigger ones cause by the looks of it the other day the little ones are out there feeding good.  I think what I'll do first is take about a 75 yard shot at a can that's sitting in a wood pile on my way to the Ghog spot.  Maybe in the afternoon I'll make some of the mid sized ones.