Has anyone had any luck with these Lee molds. It looks like an old style minie at 500 grns. 575. I like the fact that its a double cavity. Ive been using a Lyman old style but again I would like to speed up casting time with the double.
Scott
1st Maine
Banned
Love it but it's single cavity. Featured it in the March Muzzle Blasts.
Thanks Egg, I will have to check re-read that muzzleblast. But I just ordered the mold from Deer Creek Muzzleloading and they advertise this mold as a double cavity.
Banned
Very very interesting!! I've never seen or heard of a multiple cavity minie mould. The issue is how would you provide multiple core pins. Please report back on this.
I did not think/know that Lee made any double-cavity hollow-base bullets.
My only problem with the Lee hollow-cavity bullet molds is the core pin is made of aluminum and it galls against the aluminum mold halves. Perhaps coating it in Moose Juice (which I love) would help?
I've quite using all of my Lee hollow-base molds.
Steve
My experience with Lee Minnie moulds is that they cast OK the first time, but after that, they get to where the core pin gets out of whack and you can't close the mould all the way. Getting fins on your bullets is a good indicator this is going on, but what's worse is when it's not bad enough to fin the bullets and you just go on blindly casting and catch them all when you weigh them and they're all over the board. The other thing I've had happen with them is they get to where the bullet sticks so bad you have to beat the crap out of the mould handles to get them to release. I've thrown one away due to this. Actually. I threw it away twice. First time, I dug back out of the trash thinking maybe I had been a little hasty. Second time, I defaced it pretty good so I wouldn't be tempted to dig it out again.
I did buy another one for a different gun. Like the first one, it cast OK the first time, but started the same crap as the other one the second time I used it. The bullet didn't shoot well, so I haven't tried casting with it again. I still have it, but hope I never have to deal with it again.
I have several Lee Moulds and think they are better than what a lot of folks give them credit for, but for Minnies, I think I've bought my last Lee.
Banned
You might want to give them another look. I upgraded my .575 minie after, I don't know, like 22 years -- they've changed the configuration of the blocks - no longer square but an elongated rectangle. Close easier/crisper. Not getting any wings after three long sessions - at least 250+ bullets (always check for block tightness each cast) . I love my Lees -- use a .50 Lee minie for Maynard, Smith and Spencer. For Maynard and Spencer use a rounded knob at the base of an old brass powder measure tapped into the base of each bullet to expand the base for fit to ctg. Minie recess also provides a nice spot for a gob of Len's Lube.
Banned
You smoke the halves and core pin before each use right Steve?Originally Posted by Maillemaker
I have tried smoking before, but the smoke residue does not last very long.
According to Lee literature included with the molds, the purpose of the smoking is to act as a thermal barrier between the molten lead and the aluminum mold blocks to slow down the heat transfer from the lead to the blocks. This allows you to start casting good bullets faster with a cold(er) mold. Hopefully by the time the smoke wears off your mold is up to temperature and you don't miss it anymore.
I solve that problem by pre-heating my molds on a hot plate prior to casting.
Now the Moose Juice is awesome stuff. I suspect it is a solution of rubbing alcohol and powdered graphite. What it does is creates a surprisingly durable coating of graphite on whatever surface you paint it on, and it resists wear surprisingly well also. I use it on the tops of my mold blocks and the bottom of the sprue plates. In fact I have started painting my entire mold blocks with the stuff as it also inhibits oxidation.
Steve
I have used Lee molds for over 40 years, along with virtually every other brand made. Many years ago I bought some graphite sticks from Veral Smith of LBT bullets. I looks like a small black crayon and is supposedly made with colloidal graphite and beeswax. I use it to lubricate the sprue plate hinge, locating pins and the bottom of the floating pin on hollow base molds. Just a smidge applied when the mold is at temperature will do it. IIRC there were five 1/4" X 4" sticks in the package. I ordered the last package about 15 years ago and still have 1 1/2 sticks left.
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