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Did Lee change their mold design?
- Thread starter Doc Hoy
- Start date
458winshooter
New member
Just got a new Lee
I just got a new Lee 310 gr for my 44 mags in a 2 holer from Midsouth Shooters supply the week before Christmas and it is the old style.
I just got a new Lee 310 gr for my 44 mags in a 2 holer from Midsouth Shooters supply the week before Christmas and it is the old style.
Yes..Agree
I read a comment from the Lee folks and they say it will take about a year before implementation of the revised design is complete.
The implication was that the delay is the time required for all of the old stock to work its way out of the vendor system.
There was no indication as to whether or not all molds are now being manufactured in the new configuration.
I bought a .45-70 mold single cavity a coupla weeks ago and it is the old style. Then I turned around and bought the 9 MM last week and it is the new style. It makes sense given the popularity of the two different cartridges that the system would be slow in purging 45-70 but already stocking the more popular 9 MM in the new style.
I can also state that the process for manufacturing the 9 MM produced a mold that was less than perfect. It has some scuff marks on it that are not typical of the quality of Lee in the past. I may have received a fluke. The mold is very usable and the blemishes in no way impact the performance of the mold.
The good news is that the old style molds work fine and so there (In my opinion) is no reason to rush out and replace all of my old style molds with new ones.
I read a comment from the Lee folks and they say it will take about a year before implementation of the revised design is complete.
The implication was that the delay is the time required for all of the old stock to work its way out of the vendor system.
There was no indication as to whether or not all molds are now being manufactured in the new configuration.
I bought a .45-70 mold single cavity a coupla weeks ago and it is the old style. Then I turned around and bought the 9 MM last week and it is the new style. It makes sense given the popularity of the two different cartridges that the system would be slow in purging 45-70 but already stocking the more popular 9 MM in the new style.
I can also state that the process for manufacturing the 9 MM produced a mold that was less than perfect. It has some scuff marks on it that are not typical of the quality of Lee in the past. I may have received a fluke. The mold is very usable and the blemishes in no way impact the performance of the mold.
The good news is that the old style molds work fine and so there (In my opinion) is no reason to rush out and replace all of my old style molds with new ones.
m&p45acp10+1
New member
Doc the singe cavity 45-70 mold I have it would make no difference at all it is a nose pour hollow base. It works great. It does heat up quickly though. I space about 10 seconds between pours, I can drop about 20 before I have to give the mold about 5 minutes to cool off. I do not do the wet sponge cool off. 5 minutes of time gives me a bit to stand and move around anyway.
m&p45acp10+1
New member
I save the examining part for last.
So far the best ones have a little bit of frost on the nose. The groves are nice and shiny, and the base is well defined. I cast with straight clip on wheel weight alloy. I keep it between 625 and 675 degrees. I preheat the mold on a gas stove for about 10 minutes before I cast.
I tumble lube in mule snot, "aka" Lee Liquid Allox, and shoot them as cast. (drop at about .460 to .461 unlubed weight is 395 grains +/- 2 grains.) I load them with Trail Boss. They shoot better than I can milk them for with iron sights.
I may end up picking up a mold for my Mosins in a few weeks. If it is the new one great. If not I know it will still work as well as the other 4 I have.
So far the best ones have a little bit of frost on the nose. The groves are nice and shiny, and the base is well defined. I cast with straight clip on wheel weight alloy. I keep it between 625 and 675 degrees. I preheat the mold on a gas stove for about 10 minutes before I cast.
I tumble lube in mule snot, "aka" Lee Liquid Allox, and shoot them as cast. (drop at about .460 to .461 unlubed weight is 395 grains +/- 2 grains.) I load them with Trail Boss. They shoot better than I can milk them for with iron sights.
I may end up picking up a mold for my Mosins in a few weeks. If it is the new one great. If not I know it will still work as well as the other 4 I have.