Winelover
North Central Arkansas
No law against just filling up four or less cavities. I do it on occasion. Some of my molds are mixed cavities of GC and PB, based on what I want/need.
lee economy.
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No law against just filling up four or less cavities. I do it on occasion. Some of my molds are mixed cavities of GC and PB, based on what I want/need.
JonB
Halcyon member
Typically I am a bit of a hamfist with stuff, But I do have the ability to learn when NOT to use the hammer and large slotted screw driver, when Heat will best do the job, instead of high force. I have turned a few Lee molds into scrap aluminum. Remember, I was not a machinist, I was a Electrician, and a hammer and large slotted screw driver with Arc marks was always front and center in my tool box, LOL.
Every Lee mold I've owned tells a story, and I've owned a lot of them...79 stories (I dug out my notebook and counted).
More than half of those molds made bullets that my guns and I were happy with. I still have 36 functional Lee's on the shelf, all the other's went down the road or in the scrap bucket.
With that said, What the "Economy of Lee molds" has done for me, is educated my hamfist, so when I started buying and using higher quality molds and custom molds, I knew how to treat them properly.
Every Lee mold I've owned tells a story, and I've owned a lot of them...79 stories (I dug out my notebook and counted).
More than half of those molds made bullets that my guns and I were happy with. I still have 36 functional Lee's on the shelf, all the other's went down the road or in the scrap bucket.
With that said, What the "Economy of Lee molds" has done for me, is educated my hamfist, so when I started buying and using higher quality molds and custom molds, I knew how to treat them properly.
Dang, man,.....
I've "molested" an aluminum mould or two in my time, using common wood-shop-type tooling, but never that drastic. I've shortened or added slots to aluminum Weaver style bases using a carbine-tipped blade on a table-saw as well. No disasters yet,....
I don't have a 6C I'd be willing to gamble on, since I've tempted fate as many times as I have, but that's an interesting idea. Heck, making a sprue plate should be that hard.
Still have that long plate and handle to manage.
It's not something I haven't learned to live with, and not unmanageable at all, but when I use my 4C moulds, it's just that much nicer to handle them.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
My first handgun was the Python.
The smaller stag stocks were purchased from Eagle grips for Cindy's smaller hands. I have the original walnuts and a set of presentation Pac's.................which I prefer for colder weather.
I purchased my first 22 after the RH, so it would be my fourth purchase. Ruger Mark II 6 1/2" Target.
I do most everything bassawards..................being a lefty.
The smaller stag stocks were purchased from Eagle grips for Cindy's smaller hands. I have the original walnuts and a set of presentation Pac's.................which I prefer for colder weather.I purchased my first 22 after the RH, so it would be my fourth purchase. Ruger Mark II 6 1/2" Target.
I do most everything bassawards..................being a lefty.
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JonB
Halcyon member
You have me thinking.
I've had a couple 6 cav molds with issues at one end, due to galling at sprue plate hinge area, my solution was to swap sprue plate 180º.
*** Maybe making it a 5 cav and removing the sprue plate lever/handle and leaving a tab on the sprue plate to open with the gloved hand, would be a better solution. I've grown to dislike the 6 cav sprue plate lever/handle.
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358156 hp
At large, whereabouts unknown.
I started out with LEE moulds during my (super) lean days. They were fairly new back then, and quality was pretty hit and miss. My first purchases fell into the latter category and soured me on them. Then, my bargain LEE reloading equipment started breaking down, castings breaking on presses, parts that probably shouldn't have been made of plastic breaking, that sort of thing. My dollars back then were few and far between, and when I could afford to replace the equipment, I didn't buy LEE again, I went to Hornady for reloading equipment, and to Lyman for casting equipment. I still have most of that later equipment, and have worn out at least three single stage presses from major manufacturers over the decades. My first two LEE presses didn't make it five years combined.
Fast forward to today, moneys a little freer, and I've broken down and bought two LEE moulds. This is a huge step. Both are 18 cavity buckshot moulds, but it looks like I'll need to buy the third one from MP, since LEE has no stock on .311/#1 Buck 18 or 6 cavity moulds right now. I'm sure they'll work well, the 6 cavity moulds seem to hold up well. Lyman and Ideal are still my favorites, and I still buy the older moulds as I find them, just no more 4 cav. and no new production stuff. Even if I really don't need more moulds.
Fast forward to today, moneys a little freer, and I've broken down and bought two LEE moulds. This is a huge step. Both are 18 cavity buckshot moulds, but it looks like I'll need to buy the third one from MP, since LEE has no stock on .311/#1 Buck 18 or 6 cavity moulds right now. I'm sure they'll work well, the 6 cavity moulds seem to hold up well. Lyman and Ideal are still my favorites, and I still buy the older moulds as I find them, just no more 4 cav. and no new production stuff. Even if I really don't need more moulds.
358156 hp
At large, whereabouts unknown.
Look at MPs 8 cavity moulds. They're very similar to LEEs, and use the same handles. They also have steel sprue plates.
I'm not sure I'm following several of the immediately preceding posts, but if you are saying you shot/shoot .429" bullets through .433" throats, etc., without leading and with good accuracy, that's great. I certainly have not had a similar experience, and many/most 44s I've owned have had .433", .432" throats and I HAD to get the bullet up to .432" or .433". This is numerous Ruger SBH's (OM and NM), a couple Rossi 720s, several Charter Bulldogs and a couple Taurus 43X-somethings and one custom OM 357/44 Special conversion.
I've always had to get the bullet diameter a lot closer to the throat diameter than what many LEE (and newer Lyman) moulds were capable of without a bunch of extra work. This is also true for any 38/357 I've owned. I've been lucky that the groove diameter was always smaller than the throats - so far. Once I get the bullet close enough to the throat, it doesn't seem to matter if it's a full-tilt mag load, pop-gun, hard lead, soft lead, etc.
Many of the LEE 44 moulds I've had were advertised as >429", but cast .428", .427" and shot well in a 44-40 a friend owned. I did have a new Smith 624 which would shoot a Lyman 44-40 bullet, which cast at .427" without leading and with decent accuracy. I didn't bother measuring throats.
My latest 44 Special is a Ruger Flat Top 44 Special with .432" throats, which is pretty reasonable compared to most I've owned, but shoots great and doesn't lead with .432" bullets. All the .433" bullets I sized for the Bulldogs and previous Flat Top 44 Special have had to make another trip through a .432" sizer for this one.
I've always had to get the bullet diameter a lot closer to the throat diameter than what many LEE (and newer Lyman) moulds were capable of without a bunch of extra work. This is also true for any 38/357 I've owned. I've been lucky that the groove diameter was always smaller than the throats - so far. Once I get the bullet close enough to the throat, it doesn't seem to matter if it's a full-tilt mag load, pop-gun, hard lead, soft lead, etc.
Many of the LEE 44 moulds I've had were advertised as >429", but cast .428", .427" and shot well in a 44-40 a friend owned. I did have a new Smith 624 which would shoot a Lyman 44-40 bullet, which cast at .427" without leading and with decent accuracy. I didn't bother measuring throats.
My latest 44 Special is a Ruger Flat Top 44 Special with .432" throats, which is pretty reasonable compared to most I've owned, but shoots great and doesn't lead with .432" bullets. All the .433" bullets I sized for the Bulldogs and previous Flat Top 44 Special have had to make another trip through a .432" sizer for this one.
JonB
Halcyon member
I'm not sure what you are suggesting? I said I dislike the Sprue plate lever/handle. Doesn't MP still use that?
Way back in the day, I had one used 6 cav alum mold made by MP given to me. It had some issues, I don't recall exactly what it was? My notebook in front of me, says, "Offset issue". I do remember the sprue plate was part of the problem, and this one wasn't dimensionally the same as the Lee, so I wasn't able to swap it out.
Now I've owned many brass MP molds, they were all great...but the 4 cav is too heavy for my wrist.
That galling has been something I've had to deal with as well. I lay a piece of 220 grit abrasive paper on the table-saw and drag the top of the mould across it a few times and the switch to 20 and repeat to clean up the top of the mould. Then, I do the same with the sprue plate on the offending corner (hinge side) if necessary and countersink it to get rid of the factory burr.
After that, I only tighten the screw enough that the plate just lies on top of the mould and will swing free under its own weight - same for the stop-screw on the other end. Probably the most important part is then installing a set-screw perpendicular to the two larger LEE screws so they don't loosen or tighten. It got to the point that I keep set screws, a twist drill and tap, just for this application in my mould parts kit.
Doesn't make the mould shorter, but it's cured the galling at the hinge on a bunch of them.
There IS some amount of knowledge/effort to be expended on the errant LEE mould which doesn't put it out on the "value-curve" that I've had to do to almost every one of them.
JonB
Halcyon member
RBHarter
West Central AR
Lee makes a tool to do a job , and it does the job .
Among others I really like the 358-158 RF , 358-200 , 312-155 , and 401-175 . The 35s offer about all you can want for . The 30/31 has shot well in everything I've put it in . I've had both an LBT and RCBS 40-175 RFs that gave nothing more that the Lee in 40 S&W did . During this shortage someone needed the others more than me .
At the end of the BO administration I did an amortization on lead , mould , dies , power , primers , checks and sizer for the 6.8SPCII at 1000 rounds . It came out $14/100 . I didn't include presses , pots , etc . That was with the fine 279-124 NOE 5C .
If we buy a box of 250 45/230 or 255s in cast or plated it costs or did about $40 and 35/125-158s are 500 for about the same price .
If I spend $38-55 on a Lee 6 cavity it's basically a break even , buying lead , for 1000-1500 bullets . Now if you're the sort that only shoots 100 rounds a year it's not worth the time to bother . If you shoot 50-100/month well now it's looking much better because next year it's only going to cost about $3-5/100 for the lead for the 45s and $2/100 for stuff in the 150 gr class .
If one gets good at manipulating alloy in pistols and even in moderate rifles there's really not a lot of terminal advantage in jackets over cast . It changes radically above about 2400 fps MV . I'm not implying the old cliche' anything you can do , I can do better . I'm just saying that with work a heavy for cartridge cast will do what the jacket does from a 165 gr 30-30 to a 200 gr 308 .
If we use cheap FMJ for a cost point then there's no contest in pay off of the moulds value . At $25/100 vs $18-50 mould and 1-3# per 100 in lead 500 bullets and your money ahead .
Like others I have Lee through H&G moulds and I can say with 100% confidence that while the 6C Lee cranks out a pile of of 452-255 RF I'd rather cast the slightly slower 454424 NOE 5C ...... except that that clever 3rd handle gets the edge . I guess that applies to all of the 6Cs on hand .
The difference between iron and even other aluminum 2 cavity moulds is not a contest really and until I bought the first NOE and had cast an RCBS for a while it wasn't so obvious as it is now .
Then I have the two .380 RB moulds and the 458-500 gifted and a 50 cal Minie' . Those 4 wreak of everything that is a Lee complaint .
The tangical cut off on the .380s was .368 , not a good thing in a 36 cal C&B with .375 cambers . The 50 cal Minie' is a whole chain of its own mysteries and not one of the 3 50 cal ML will take it for a 3rd field shot . It does have a neat base plug arrangement if the top band were just .002 smaller .....
The 458 500 5R suffers from too much bullet in not enough block . Among other things it's too long in the blocks , I would say design/engineering/planning error .
Lee tools are tools to do a job .
They do the job .
If you don't mind some fiddling , covered in the blanket "Leementing" expression , then their as good as any .
Moulds in specific ? I ran probably 5,000 cycles on an old Vbar 452-255 I have it still and it still works well . I have one of the new style that still requires the "Lee bump shuffle" to close and the old Vbar 325-170 that trained me on that is about used up at 1000 or so .
I've taken a dozen or so Lee moulds in that "I've done all the stuff and it just won't cast" and cast great bullets . I just run them too hot and too fast with a pot too hot and they work fine .
I hate having to fix a tool before I can use use it . I don't mind the prep on moulds but the less the better ......
When I have a new set of dies Lee's are the only one I have to disassemble and clean before I can use them . They also take about 3x the lube in steel dies before they settle down . Of course they can be polished and that was handy for a wildcat neck up ......
The presses . I've had 3 turrets and a Load Master , we just didn't click .
In the case of the turrets I think it's the lack of a cam stop that puts me off .
I won't go into the LM ....
Among others I really like the 358-158 RF , 358-200 , 312-155 , and 401-175 . The 35s offer about all you can want for . The 30/31 has shot well in everything I've put it in . I've had both an LBT and RCBS 40-175 RFs that gave nothing more that the Lee in 40 S&W did . During this shortage someone needed the others more than me .
At the end of the BO administration I did an amortization on lead , mould , dies , power , primers , checks and sizer for the 6.8SPCII at 1000 rounds . It came out $14/100 . I didn't include presses , pots , etc . That was with the fine 279-124 NOE 5C .
If we buy a box of 250 45/230 or 255s in cast or plated it costs or did about $40 and 35/125-158s are 500 for about the same price .
If I spend $38-55 on a Lee 6 cavity it's basically a break even , buying lead , for 1000-1500 bullets . Now if you're the sort that only shoots 100 rounds a year it's not worth the time to bother . If you shoot 50-100/month well now it's looking much better because next year it's only going to cost about $3-5/100 for the lead for the 45s and $2/100 for stuff in the 150 gr class .
If one gets good at manipulating alloy in pistols and even in moderate rifles there's really not a lot of terminal advantage in jackets over cast . It changes radically above about 2400 fps MV . I'm not implying the old cliche' anything you can do , I can do better . I'm just saying that with work a heavy for cartridge cast will do what the jacket does from a 165 gr 30-30 to a 200 gr 308 .
If we use cheap FMJ for a cost point then there's no contest in pay off of the moulds value . At $25/100 vs $18-50 mould and 1-3# per 100 in lead 500 bullets and your money ahead .
Like others I have Lee through H&G moulds and I can say with 100% confidence that while the 6C Lee cranks out a pile of of 452-255 RF I'd rather cast the slightly slower 454424 NOE 5C ...... except that that clever 3rd handle gets the edge . I guess that applies to all of the 6Cs on hand .
The difference between iron and even other aluminum 2 cavity moulds is not a contest really and until I bought the first NOE and had cast an RCBS for a while it wasn't so obvious as it is now .
Then I have the two .380 RB moulds and the 458-500 gifted and a 50 cal Minie' . Those 4 wreak of everything that is a Lee complaint .
The tangical cut off on the .380s was .368 , not a good thing in a 36 cal C&B with .375 cambers . The 50 cal Minie' is a whole chain of its own mysteries and not one of the 3 50 cal ML will take it for a 3rd field shot . It does have a neat base plug arrangement if the top band were just .002 smaller .....
The 458 500 5R suffers from too much bullet in not enough block . Among other things it's too long in the blocks , I would say design/engineering/planning error .
Lee tools are tools to do a job .
They do the job .
If you don't mind some fiddling , covered in the blanket "Leementing" expression , then their as good as any .
Moulds in specific ? I ran probably 5,000 cycles on an old Vbar 452-255 I have it still and it still works well . I have one of the new style that still requires the "Lee bump shuffle" to close and the old Vbar 325-170 that trained me on that is about used up at 1000 or so .
I've taken a dozen or so Lee moulds in that "I've done all the stuff and it just won't cast" and cast great bullets . I just run them too hot and too fast with a pot too hot and they work fine .
I hate having to fix a tool before I can use use it . I don't mind the prep on moulds but the less the better ......
When I have a new set of dies Lee's are the only one I have to disassemble and clean before I can use them . They also take about 3x the lube in steel dies before they settle down . Of course they can be polished and that was handy for a wildcat neck up ......
The presses . I've had 3 turrets and a Load Master , we just didn't click .
In the case of the turrets I think it's the lack of a cam stop that puts me off .
I won't go into the LM ....
burbank.jung
Active Member
I like Lee molds because they do the job without costing me too much. I'm like the dad who can afford to buy a wrench set at Harbor Freight and don't need Mac Tools.
quicksylver
Well-Known Member
I'll back up what Ross says.it's a shooter in everything from my M1 Garand to my springfields and Rem 700's P.S.that goes for both the traditional and TL versions
burbank.jung
Active Member
I wish Lee had more hollow point molds. I have a single cavity that is - I think - a .358-150gr hp. The bullet looks similar to the .38 Federal hollow point bullets.
JWFilips
Well-Known Member
My first mould I ever cast with was a 6 Cavity Lee 358-158SWC! So you guys can imaging I broke the sprew plate handle on my first use!
Learned my first lesson! They sent me a new one free of charge with instructions on how not to do that again!
Because that was my first mould I never had any more issues with the Lee Sixes. They produce very good bullets and yes I think they are made to a higher quality standard the the 2 cavity moulds.
Not counting my buddy Ed's Moulds that I use to cast for him; I probably have 50 / 50 mix of Lee twin cavities and custom NOE moulds.
My newest addition of a Lee 6 cavity is their 200 Grain SWC in 45 acp
Learned my first lesson! They sent me a new one free of charge with instructions on how not to do that again!
Because that was my first mould I never had any more issues with the Lee Sixes. They produce very good bullets and yes I think they are made to a higher quality standard the the 2 cavity moulds.
Not counting my buddy Ed's Moulds that I use to cast for him; I probably have 50 / 50 mix of Lee twin cavities and custom NOE moulds.
My newest addition of a Lee 6 cavity is their 200 Grain SWC in 45 acp
Jwatts8815
Active Member
I’ll be honest, I buy iron molds bc I enjoy the quality of an iron Accurate but ALSO, I’m ham fisted, I can be rougher on an iron mold, that being said, I DO have a few aluminum NOEs that I love too. I’m looking at 6 Lee molds on my shelf right now, I think they’re great for what they are.
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