500 gr. 45-70 mould

[300BLK]

The picture on the box label shows a flat meplat, and that is noticeably different than the cavities. Apparently, the new cutter is longer than the old, and I wouldn't be surprised to see THAT mould leak out the bottom once it gets hot. It will fin the nose at minimum.

Reasonable load for such a heavy bullet in a modest weight rifle? See how much ffg BP will fit in the case after trickled through a 24" drop tube, compressed 1/8", card wad under the bullet, and the bullet seated to just kiss the rifling.

 

[300BLK]

I called Karen at Lee Precision this afternoon and described what I was holding, she requested I return the mold for replacement. Of course on my nickel. This has about done me with Lee Moulds ! ! 2nd time in 2 months that I've received a D grade Lee mould and both had Good Ole' Shirley's ( in quality control ) name on them ! ! So much for Shirley...........................

Ben

Maybe the only reason Shirley has a job is because of her Ds or double Ds.

 

[Rally Hess]

Probably a Packers game on in the shop at time of manufactureing, because somebody fumbled!!!

 

[Texas Hillbilly]

So Ben did you send it back to LEE?? I bought the little sister to yours today it the 457-340 I've had pretty good luck with Lee molds myself

 

[Ben]

My mould has been in their hands for 2 weeks now.
I still don't have a working mould.
I have not heard a word from Lee.

I think there may be a lesson to be learned here...............

 

[KHornet]

Ben, also had decent luck with the 340 lee over 10 gr. of unique.

Paul

 

[waco]

Ben. Any range results yet with the Accurate 460-405V?

 

[Ben]

I went today and failed take along my 45-70.

Ben

 

[Ben]

I just got off the phone with Lee Precision ( Dec. 28th , 1:20 p.m.) , they have had my mould for 12 days. I'd heard not a single word.

I asked when I would get a working mold.
The lady said she had checked with customer service and that they " might " get it in the mail at the end of the week.

I asked about the $8.00 that I spent getting the defective mould back to them that I never cast a single bullet out of. They said......" Gee, we are going to ship it back to you at no charge."

So I assume their warranty requires you ( the purchaser of the defective mould ) to pay for their poor quality control procedures ! ! That puts me with the cost of the mould + $8.00 for their shoddy quality control problems. Now that's great business ! ! Just makes me want to run out and buy more.



Ben

 

[Rick]

Just to cheer you up Ben, you could have had one of Tom's molds in your hand in less time than you have been waiting already. There, now you feel better?

 

[Ben]

Like I said, " I think there is a real good lesson to be learned here. "

 

[Ben]

There, now you feel better?

You bet, that makes me feel much better.................

 

[Brad]

Just to cheer you up Ben, you could have had one of Tom's molds in your hand in less time than you have been waiting already. There, now you feel better?

And it would be right. And make awesome bullets. Bullets you would have cast and fired by now.

Yep, just piling on. And there IS a lesson here.

 

[Ben]

I just got a call from Lee Precision , I talked to a lady in quality control. She said , she had " adjusted the mould " so that it would open and close properly and they were about to return the mold to me ( the same one I sent them). The lady that I talked with on the 14th said to return the mould and they would replace it with a new one ??????????

I told her " Hold up there " !

What did you do about the machining marks in the nose of the mould. She said nothing.

I said , well don't return that mould to me because it should have never got past a quality control inspector in the 1st place. That mould will never cast decent bullets.

I ask if anyone had tried to cast with the mould. She said NO.
I said , " Fine....... then neither will I ".

She said....We'll I'm looking at the nose of the mold right now and those " chatter marks " that you describe are normal."

She said the only thing she could do was issue me a credit for the mould that could be applied toward any other Lee product(s) in their line. I agreed to accept the credit.

Fellows this may very well be the very last Lee mould that I purchase ! !
It looks like I'll be spending more and getting a better mould from Tom at Accurate or Al at NOE.

Ben

Here is another view of the mould.
Looks at the raised burrs on the edges of the lower mould cavity
in the photo below.

JUNK ! !

 

[9.3X62AL]

That is "NORMAL"? If so, I just learned all that I need to hear concerning Lee's QC. With Tom at Accurate--Al at NOE--and Dan at Mountain Molds, there is ZERO justification for putting up with this sort of drag sequence when buying precision tooling. I might have been born at night--but it wasn't LAST NIGHT.

 

[Chris]

It may be that experienced, quality-concious casters are a small fraction of market share. Lee sells stuff to people who don't know or don't care. They keep Shirley busy and have molds in their reloading line of products. I really don't think that our opinions matter, we are not their intended customer.

I think their competition is Lyman, not NOE or LBT.

Me, it's just not worth it. I don't buy Lee molds unless at a gun show for 5 bucks. That's what they are worth. I don't blame Lee though, it's their business... as crappy as it is. Remember Yugo cars?

 

[Rick]

Any wonder why I bought my last LEE mold many years ago? I have never bought any tool of any kind to see how much fiddling, work or time it takes to make it do what I bought it to do.

 

[waco]

Yeah. I think I'll just spend a little more of my hard earned $$$ and KNOW what I'm buying from now on.

 

[Ben]

Lesson learned..........

 

[Brad]

Ben, you are a kind man. I might have been tempted to tell her where should could put the mould.
If that kind of product is acceptable I wonder if Lee might be better off having their moulds made in China. At least that way we expect poor quality.