Ruined lee mold?

C

Chainsaw.

New member
:mad: I might be 2000 rounds deep and I may have already ruined my new lee 124gn truncated cone 356 mold. The sprue plate has dug a groove into the aluminum and now the farthest/#1 hole refuses to make a bullet that doesn't have a big tag hanging off the back requiring me to smack the handles at least a half dozen times to get it to shake loose.:mad:
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.....
 
I'd have to see a picture, and depending on that you may be able to true it back up.
Lee should stand behind it though and replace it.

I had one where the alignment pins moved and it made bullets that were two halves in separate planes. I contacted them with some pictures and they replaced it.
 
I second it, to take a couple of pictures and send to LEE and see what they say. I have heard good things about their customer service and replacement policy. Maybe it's true! :)
 
Had that happen to me with my old lee molds. They suck, require too much attention compared to a noe mold.
 
I had one where the alignment pins moved and it made bullets that were two halves in separate planes. I contacted them with some pictures and they replaced it.
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I have one of Lee's new style mold that did the same thing it just seem that some of the alignment pins have a bit looser tolerances than the custom mold makers but it is a $20 mold.

I fixed mine by seating the pins to the correct position then drilling an tapped and used a set screw to keep them in place.

As to the aluminum getting gouged by the steel sprue plate. The first thing I do with a new Lee mold is take a deburing tool and debur the holes on the underside of the sprue plate where it contacts the mold block I also using a fine file and knock down any rough edges along the stamped steel sprue plate where it might cause issues if the sprue plate get loose which at some point it will and finish it off with some 800 or higher grit sandpaper.

I always double check the sprue plate screw to make sure it tight and keep it and the top of the mold block lubricated with the the smallest amount of synthetic 2 cycle oil. I have about 14 Lee molds an have not had to send one back but I have had to replace a couple as I just wore them out.
 
I had one where the alignment pins moved and it made bullets that were two halves in separate planes. I contacted them with some pictures and they replaced it.
Click to expand...

I have made bullet molds, I thought keeping the two halves aligned was the easiest part.

F. Guffey
 
Some of mine have managed to get offset, creates some very interesting looking bullets...but gentle tapping will mostly seat the mold halves where they need to be.
 
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