Lee 358-125-RF VS 356-125-2R

[Colorado4wheel]

Can I get some feedback on these two bullets? What size are they casting too and is this going to change because I use only Range Scrap and not some custom mix of lead?

[Sonnypie]

Well... (rubs jaw)

They are pistol boolit molds. (http://leeprecision.com/xcart/MOLD-DC-358-125-RF.html)
Lee Double Cavity Mold produces a .358 diameter 125 grain round nose bullet suitable for cartridges like 38 Special, 357 mag, etc. Handles included.

The 125 RF: (http://leeprecision.com/xcart/MOLD-DC-358-125-RF.html)
http://leeprecision.com/xcart/images/P/p-81.jpg

************************************************** **********

And the 2R: (http://leeprecision.com/xcart/MOLD-D-C-356-125-2R.html)
Lee Double Cavity Mold produces a .356 diameter 125 grain round nose bullet suitable for cartridges like 9MM Luger, 380 Auto, etc. Handles included.
http://leeprecision.com/xcart/images/P/p-55.jpg

They are different diameters, for different firearms. And have different loober grooviers.
What do you want to shoot one or the other in?

[Colorado4wheel]

My Lee 102gr drops bullets at .360". So I am just trying to get a idea what they actually are getting from a lot of different people.

I am sizing to .357" for 9mm. A lot of my Lyman bullets drop at .357 and they don't size very well. Some are a little undersized and they actually tumble. I am discarding any bullet that doesn't size with a good amount of resistance. This is a waste of time and also a general PITA. So I want a mold that consistently drops to .358" but I don't really want to be sizing down a bunch of .360 bullets to .357 all the time.

[Shiloh]

My .38/.357 molds drop at .3584 to .3596. I size to .358 and they seem to spring back .0003 or so.

The only 9mm mold I have that is not undersized is the LEE 125 gr RN. I have the six banger version.
It drops at .3582 at the widest part of the mold. I have found that sizing to .357 is good, but .358 is better. This on the advice of a shooting buddy and he was correct.
This is using 50/50 WW/Range lead.
All the other LEE 9mm molds drop undersize and they pattern sideways on an NRA 50' bullseye target.

Shiloh

[Ole]

I use the 125 RF in both my 357/38 (unsized) and my 9mm pistols (sized to .357").

It's a 6 banger Lee and I've made well over 7000 boolits with it to date. :mrgreen:

Plan on buying another one when this one wears out.

[Colorado4wheel]

I use the 125 RF in both my 357/38 (unsized) and my 9mm pistols (sized to .357").

It's a 6 banger Lee and I've made well over 7000 boolits with it to date. :mrgreen:

Plan on buying another one when this one wears out.


What size do they drop out the mold at?

[30yrcaster]

My 356-125-2R using ww drop out at .3565-.3568. My mold is 30 years old as are my wheel weights.

[Sonnypie]

My 356-125-2R using ww drop out at .3565-.3568. My mold is 30 years old as are my wheel weights.

Ah that ain't nothin.
My wifes saddle bags are 58 years old. [smilie=1:

[ku4hx]

Can I get some feedback on these two bullets? What size are they casting too and is this going to change because I use only Range Scrap and not some custom mix of lead?

My 356-125-2R drops boolits that measure just a smidgen over .358". I thought one cavity (out of six) was dropping at .356" but I as wrong. This is the best casting of all my molds, requires no sizing for any of my 9mm guns, and for me LLA works very well.

Here's a few all ready to be loaded; jar's a little emptier now.

[crabo]

The 125 rf will be a much better small game boolit. I really like it in my 38 Super and my 357's loaded in both 38 Special and Mag cases.

[Colorado4wheel]

I just want to know what size the bullets are actually casting at.

[Ed_Shot]

My Lee 356-125-2R casts .360+ dia 126-127 gr. and .565 length. My alloy is scrap lead with 3% antimony added with RotoMetals Super Hard and 2% tin added. For comparison my Lee 356-120-TC casts .359 dia 122-123 gr and .558 length. I size mine to .357 for my 9MM.

[Ole]

Just checked some unsized boolits that I had and they were .359-.3595" Cast from 50/50 pb/clip on wheel weights, Lee 125 RNFP mold.

[Colorado4wheel]

Thanks. I ordered a 358-125RF.

[30yrcaster]

My 356-125-2R drops boolits that measure just a smidgen over .358". I thought one cavity (out of six) was dropping at .356" but I as wrong. This is the best casting of all my molds, requires no sizing for any of my 9mm guns, and for me LLA works very well.

Here's a few all ready to be loaded; jar's a little emptier now.
Do you find the bullets you pictured not to have any leading problems with the tumble lube? I've always found I needed to jack them up a bit (4.0gr bullseye) to get 9mm pistols to function properly but then I get some lead. I haven't used LLA on these. Same problem when using Speer 125 gr lead.

Also, what are you sizing them to or are you shooting them as cast? Looks like the newer molds are dropping them quite a bit larger than my older one @.358-.360 vs my .3565-.3568.

Thanks

[Colorado4wheel]

I just got the 358-125. It's dropping at .362 and they weight 133grs. That is pretty big. I may try a 356-125 next but I am going to load up a batch first and see how they shoot.

[Bob Krack]

I just got the 358-125. It's dropping at .362 and they weight 133grs. That is pretty big. I may try a 356-125 next but I am going to load up a batch first and see how they shoot.

I like the Lee moulds but there can be a large size difference in the as cast diameter. Might be someone here has a 358-125 RF that casts too small for them and willing to trade.

Ask around, especially in the Selling and Swapping forum.

Good luck,

Bob

[Colorado4wheel]

I shot some up. It was too windy to really test for groups and I had not made enough. I have my load figured out for 130 power factor. So I will make about 300 of them, I am also going to open up my sizing die just a little bit. I want them slightly over .357 not .3565 which is what they are doing now. Don't know why but the larger bullets are sizing slightly smaller in the same die that used to size to .357

[Tonto]

I've been thinking about a 6 cav mould in the 125fp style for both a 357mag revolver and a 9mm block. Sounds like this style will be fine for both, sized accordingly. Looks like a cool bullet.

[rintinglen]

Ah that ain't nothin.
My wifes saddle bags are 58 years old. [smilie=1:

Man oh man, how you've survived as long as you have with the things that come out of your head, I do not know.:shock:

[30yrcaster]

Just to add, my new Lee 356-125-2R 6 cavity casts ww @ .359-.360 & 127-128 gr.

[marek313]

My 356-125-2R I think casts around .358-.359 and I PC on top of that and size to .3575 for both 9s and 38Special. After they age for a week or two they spring back to almost full .358. They work great in my 9s and 38Special which needed a little more kick in the butt (5gr of HP38) before I got good accuracy but it shoots great now. I lay pretty thick coat of PC on all my boolits but its even and I never had any leading issues.

[Jal5]

I use that 358125 RF sized to .357 in my 9mm and will be trying it in 38 spl as cast .358-.359 using 50/50 range scrap and COWW