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View Full Version : Lee 454-252-SWC Dropping .453??



BossHoss
10-15-2011, 02:10 PM
I bought a mold second hand here on the forum, while it is in good condition, I found that it is dropping undersized.

It is a Lee 2 cavity 454-252-SWC .

I didn't check the drop diam until I cast a bunch, and brought them to the sizer.

I have a Lyman 450 at the moment, and with the 454 die in .....these bullets just about drop in....no real sizing being felt or done .

I measured them ...and viola...they are 453.5 at best. Makes for easy sizing to 454...:veryconfu

They lube well, easy, and they fit the cases like gloves.

I have bought a lot of 45lc bullets..most at .452 . I have a 457 mold that I size to 454 and they shoot fantastic. My 3 screw Ruger loves the fatter bullets.

I just don't know how these skinny 453 boolits will do , yet.

My question is ...: Does anyone else have this mold , and do they drop skinny for you?

> And can I do the Lee-ment Comet cleanser trick to open the mold fatter?

My Ruger loves the 454 ...the 452's lead it up at a faster rate. I like the boolit shape , just blows my mind that they drop skinny. :shock:

Recluse
10-15-2011, 06:57 PM
I lap all of my Lee two-cavity molds. I do the initial Lee-menting with Comet, then I use some compound paste to further lap ever so slightly. The result is that I get no undersized boolits, but it also means that every boolit has to be sized (which is no problem--I size everything I cast without exception).

I'd give the mold a very thorough scrubbing and cleaning first, then lap it a bit with Comet, clean it back up and cast. Let the boolits cool then put the mic on them and see what you get.

You can also play around with mold and alloy temps as well.

:coffee:

DLCTEX
10-15-2011, 07:16 PM
I had the same issue with a 452-200 SWC 6 cav. mould I bought used. It was casting 450 X 452. I leemented it using valve grinding compound and easily opened it up to a nice round .453.

462
10-15-2011, 08:14 PM
If you use valve grinding compound, it won't take much to enlarge an aluminum mould, so go slow, clean, cast, and measure often. Even knowing that, I lapped a Lee a bit too much.

BossHoss
10-16-2011, 08:28 AM
Thanks , guys.

After pondering it a bit, I realized that maybe it was throwing correctly sized boolits for guys who DONT size.

I will use the Comet cleanser first. I have valve grinding compound, but I know how that cuts.

If I used the VG compound , and this being the first time I Lee-mented, I probably would take off too much meat. But, with experience, it most likely would be faster.

I just think the .00075 I need to cut, the comet will give me more cushion in error.

thanks again, I will post results here when I do it.

Bret4207
10-16-2011, 08:32 AM
Have you shot any yet? They may shoot great without any additional work on your part if you can alt the dynamic fit at bit with your load. And enriching your alloy a little with antimony it can drop them a little fatter, a half thou is certainly doable.

btroj
10-16-2011, 08:53 AM
I am with Bret here. Why change anything at all until you KNOW it needs to be done?
Load some up and shoot them. Ypur gun likes a 454 bullet better than a 452 bullet. 4535 is sure ALOT closer to 454 than it is to 452. I bet they work just fine.
You will also find that like Bret said different alloys will cast at different sizes. A thousandth isn't at all unlikely with more Sb.

Go give em a shot, you might save yourself some time.

44man
10-16-2011, 09:06 AM
I am with Bret here. Why change anything at all until you KNOW it needs to be done?
Load some up and shoot them. Ypur gun likes a 454 bullet better than a 452 bullet. 4535 is sure ALOT closer to 454 than it is to 452. I bet they work just fine.
You will also find that like Bret said different alloys will cast at different sizes. A thousandth isn't at all unlikely with more Sb.

Go give em a shot, you might save yourself some time.
I agree with this and what Bret said.
None of us knows the throat or groove size of the gun mentioned and a .454" just might not be needed.
I have owned many Rugers including flat tops and none ever had throats that large, might be some though.
Best to measure.

JonB_in_Glencoe
10-16-2011, 09:17 AM
I bought a mold second hand here on the forum, while it is in good condition, I found that it is dropping undersized... It is a Lee 2 cavity 454-252-SWC ... I measured them ...and viola...they are 453.5 at best.

Do you have the original box. Did Lee label it 454-252 SWC ?

I have 2 lee 2 cav. molds, that I bought new within the last year or 2.
the box is labeled as follows:
452-255-RF
452-255-SWC
I was pleased as punch when they both would drop from the mold
around .454 a little more or a little less depending on technique.

I have found that these big boolits heat the mold easily...too easily.
I use a wet towel, to cool the mold about ever 2nd or 3rd pour
I try to keep the mold cool enough to get shiney boolits instead of
frosty boolits. I found the shiney boolits were a little larger...about .0002" to .0003"
my alloy is WW with about 1% tin added. I run the alloy around 700º, which
is a little hotter than I usually run midsize boolits. I think running the alloy
a little hotter will yeild a larger boolit as will, but I haven't taken the time
to confirm that.
Jon