Lee 6 Cav. Moulds are Great.

[Walks]

I guess My 6cav's are older then nitro's. All 6cav's sprue plates will attract a Magnet.
The old 2cav are much better then the new ones with the blocks cut away on the bottom. I have 3 .44cal 2cav molds My Dad bought at a gun show in 1988 for $12. Each has cast in excess of 10,000 bullets each. The older Gentleman who sold them to us said to handle them gently. I always have.

 

[Charles Graff]

I have not bought a Lee 6 hole mold in a while, but I did have problems with the alignment pins pulling out in some of our group buy molds, not to mention they have some micro burrs which made them sticky. Remember leementing.

 

[5shot]

The ones I just received were only cleaned and cast as is. They all spit out bullets like crazy. Glad I received the newer generation.

 

[Bret4207]

I don't think I own any of the newer ones. Wish I'd known they were trash, I wouldn't have cast thousands of bullets with them!

 

[462]

My approximately 12 year old six-cavity 358-158 RNFN, that I de-beveled based, has cast at least 9000 bullets (just counting the six Costco three-pound coffee cans that hold 1500 bullets each). All that and it doesn't even use Eveready batteries.

 

[Brad]

I have not bought a Lee 6 hole mold in a while, but I did have problems with the alignment pins pulling out in some of our group buy molds, not to mention they have some micro burrs which made them sticky. Remember leementing.

Yep, alignment pins can move. I have many Lee 6 cav where I staked them in place a bit because of this. Nothing worse than having it happen mid pot and suddenly you have fins on bullets.

 

[358156 hp]

But alignment pins only move once on Brad. A second chance just isn't possible.

 

[Charles Graff]

Yep, alignment pins can move. I have many Lee 6 cav where I staked them in place a bit because of this. Nothing worse than having it happen mid pot and suddenly you have fins on bullets.

Brad, tell me how you stake the pins....please.

 

[Jeff H]

I'm not brad, but I have staked LEE, 6C pins, from the back with a really sharp prick-punch. My best friend has a LEE 429-200 RF, which casts .433" if I hold my mouth just right and had one pin which was just not going to stay put with that method. I resorted to @Ben 's old set-screw trick, but this time, I D/T'd the ends of the block to retain the alignment pins instead of the sprue-plate screw, which I probably did also. I drop a piece of lead shot in the hole first and re-tighten it after the mould has heated up and they stay put.

It may not seem worth it to go to that trouble on a LEE mould, but that's a great bullet and it casts big enough for my Charter Bulldogs. Sometimes it's worth it just for the sake of making something work, but then sometimes, one can fiddle to exasperation and give up. I've at least gotten a fair amount of "entertainment" from LEE moulds over the years, as well as a great many bullets of a specific deign I like.

 

[Brad]

I have used a punch to “crimp” them in place on the inside face of the mould.

Preferred method now is to set up in mill and drill for a cross pin. Pin goes in from bottom of mould, a blind hole. Tap pin in place and lightly peen to hold in place.

My MP 45-200 swc had wandering alignment pins and that is how how stopped them cold. MP definitely does not use hardened pins.

 

[Brad]

This should give a better idea.

 

[Mainiac]

Ive been using a 6 cav lee 175tc mold for 10mm,,it is a wonderful mold,,open,and 4 will fall out,the other 2,needs a rattle.no pounding,,very round,,and im very happy with it!!!