After pouring about 1300 perfect bullets my mold started dropping lop sided bullets. Turns out that the guide pins had loosened up a bit. I used my vice and pushed them back in like 2 or 3 /1000 of an inch. The cavities are matching perfectly now. Haven't cast more bullets yet, but it looks good.

Why did they slip? Maybe I've been to rough on it?? So, if yours starts dropping lop sided bullets, check the guide pins.

Mike

The aluminum alloy got over heated and expanded. The pins could be on the smallish side of specs, ant the two together allow for the vibration to walk them out. I have had it happen on Lee molds in the past.

Ivan

The only Lee mold I've owned cast undersized bullets, sold it and want to buy a Lyman or RCBS.

Now that's really helpful. So, on the other side of the Lee user/Lee hater discussion; I have 10 Lee molds and they all have their own "personality", just like my Lyman and Lachmiller molds. Bullet diameter varies with alloy, mold temp., melt temp., and technique. If a mold does not produce what I think it should, I'll vary alloy, temps., etc., before I condemn the mold...

Yes, the new Lee molds have, on occasion, loose pins, caused by aluminum expansion. I fixed mine by knurling the pin then reinserting it...

[QUOTE=Ole Joe Clark;139435854]The only Lee mold I've owned cast undersized bullets

Under sized bullets from a fair or better quality mold cab be attributed to a couple of things. 1) lots of antimony in the alloy & 2) too high of temp when casting. or both!

By changing the temperature you can change bullet diameter as much as .004 in 45 cal bullets, and around .002 or .0025 in 38/9mm

Ivan

Well, my mold is toast. Think I got it to hot there toward the end.

Now, what should I replace it with? Lyman, RCBS, or Arsenal Mold? Aluminum, brass, our steel? I don't understand about the handles?

Mike

I have several (like 30) Ideal/Lyman molds. Some date into the 1920's, they last that well! There are three handle sizes: small, large and four cavity. All Lyman 2 cavity molds use large handles, the single cavity molds very!

I never liked the Lee 6 cavity, at all! The 2 RCBS molds I have are as good as Lyman's. SEACO are suppose to be very good, but I've never had any. I avoid "Tumble Lube" molds and size my bullets with 2 Lyman, 1 RCBS and 1 Starr sizers. I have a few of the Lee push through sizers in some very odd diameters, but I "Pan Lube" the bullets before sizing. Now days I lube all my cast bullets with SPG lube that was developed for Black Powder, but works fine for smokeless too. (It is pricey!) for a batch that needs a "Heated Lube" if it over 5000, I'll get out the Starr, for small batches or that I don't have Starr die the right size, I have dedicated the RCBS, but I never use it any more!

How come you think you Lee mold is toast? I believe it has a lifetime warranty!
I have a Lee 45 auto SWC that was several years old when we got it in 1984, I have cast about 100,000 bullets with it (I used to sell bullets at gun shows in the 80's and 90's) I put a rebuild kit on it somewhere down the road and just kept going. I would be more concerned about your furnace. Why did your lead get so hot?

Just a friendly warning for your safety: The hotter you make you molten lead alloy the more lead fumes it puts in the air! If you don't have good ventilation this could really increase you lead levels internally. These days I only do it in the garage with all the doors open or if it isn't too hot out, completely outdoors.

Ivan

I've had quite a few molds..Lee included. In most materials too. Brass works great Steel is good too. Aluminum is fine but Lee molds Some have been good. Some suck. Had a Lee 6 cavity Tumble lube in 44 that threw different sized bullets. I have a tendency to stay with Lyman RCBS SAECO and H&G. I also have some custom Made molds by a fellow from Europe. I don't hate Lee products but their molds need a little more care in use. Only one I've had good luck with is a 195 gr 41 cal mold. It gets minimal use it does make an accurate shooting bullet for my 41 mags

I love my Lyman molds, though I haven't tried the others you list. A lot of my Lyman/Ideal molds are prewar and still going strong. Once they reach the right temp I find them very stable compared to Lee molds.

The handles are pretty simple. They make them for double cavity and 4 cavity molds. (They used to make single cavity molds as well) If you buy a double cavity mold, buy a set of double cavity mold handles. You'd only need one set of handles for all your double cavity molds.

I recommend the double cavity molds over the 4's. I have a couple 4 cavities and they take a long time to warm up, require a lot more force (2x) to move the sprue cutter and frankly they are just to heavy for me to work with for a long time.