Casting issue with Lee 356-120 tc resolved!

[sig2009]

Well I spoke with one of the techs at Lee today about the Lee 356-120 TC mold I was having trouble casting with. This is the thread:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=146340

According to Lee the Lee molds are manufactured to cast at the cast diameter and no larger. I explained to him no matter what mixture of lead I used I could not get the mold to cast larger than .356. I mentioned to him that some people here were having luck casting up to .360 and his reply was that he didn't see how that was possible. He also told me if I wanted to try to get it to cast larger I should sandwich some foil between the edges of the mold and give that a try. I mentioned the 38 spcl 358-125 RN to cast for 9mm and he said it should be no problem.

Anyway I thought I would post this info for anyone having the same problem. I thought I was losing my mind trying to get this mold to cast. Anyway I am through with this mold and it is off to the swappin' and sellin' section. Thanks for all the suggestions from everyone. At this age you still can learn new things!:drinks:

[462]

Hey Lee rep, want to explain to me how it is that my 358-158 RF and C-358-158- SWC air-cooled, wheel weight alloy boolits measure .360", if they're not meant to be any larger than .358"? Impossible, you say?

I think the guy was blowing smoke.

Oh, well . . .

[beex215]

the molds always, pretty much always come out larger than whats stated on the box for me.

[blikseme300]

The Lee rep is blowing smoke. ALL of my Lee molds cast larger than indicated by the numbering.

Maybe he uses a caliper in stead of micrometer?[smilie=l:

Bliksem

[462]

To add to my post above:
My Lee C-324-174-1R drops at .325". I beagled it, though, as I need .326".

[williamwaco]

He doesn't know what he is talking about.

I have an even half dozen Lee 35 caliber molds and every one of them drops .360 to .362.


.

[whisler]

I have 2-cav. Lee 358-105 SWC and 358-125 RF molds and both cast at .360. Yep, I smell SMOKE.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

we suggested you beagle the mold with some foil tape , or call lee , lee said to beagle the mold , he just doesn't know what it is called.



if you need some foil tape pm me your address i will send you a envelopes worth

[palmettosunshine]

SIG2009,

If you really are done with it and are considering listing it in the swapping and selling section, send me a PM, I'd be interested in taking it off your hands!

[MtGun44]

Funny, I have very rarely found a Lee mold to cast right to the marked size. They always
cast about .001 to .003 larger with wwt alloy.

Bill

[mdi]

Don't understand your situation. Your .356-120 mold drops bullets at .356"?

[ku4hx]

The only real problem I had with a Lee Mold was a six cavity 45 cal Tumble Lube ...TL452-230-TC, It dropped boolits at .460" from all six cavities.

Lee kept telling me I was measuring the boolit wrong even when I sent them pics of the TOTALLY wiped away lube grooves when sized to .451".

MidwayUSA replaced the mold on their dime no questions asked.

[sig2009]

Don't understand your situation. Your .356-120 mold drops bullets at .356"?

What's to not understand. My guns lead with .356 diameter bullets. I need a .357 or .358.

[sig2009]

SIG2009,

If you really are done with it and are considering listing it in the swapping and selling section, send me a PM, I'd be interested in taking it off your hands!

PM sent.

[sig2009]

we suggested you beagle the mold with some foil tape , or call lee , lee said to beagle the mold , he just doesn't know what it is called.



if you need some foil tape pm me your address i will send you a envelopes worth

Thanks anyway. I didn't know what beagling was. I rather get a correct mold than try to get an undersized one to work. I wouldn't know what to do with the tape anyway.

[mdi]

What's to not understand. My guns lead with .356 diameter bullets. I need a .357 or .358.
Gosh, I'd say if you wanted a .357" or .358" bullet you'd buy a .357" or .358" mold. You got one that's casting what it's supposed to; .356"...

[rexherring]

Every Lee mold I have casts larger except for my 340 gr that's supposed to cast a .458 boolit but I can't get it to cast over .456 no matter what metal mix I use. I've even Leemented it three times trying to enlarge it a little but no luck. So I just resize it for my .45 LC Ruger.

[sig2009]

Gosh, I'd say if you wanted a .357" or .358" bullet you'd buy a .357" or .358" mold. You got one that's casting what it's supposed to; .356"...

That is correct and that is what Lee told me so I have no reason to doubt what they said.

[sig2009]

Every Lee mold I have casts larger except for my 340 gr that's supposed to cast a .458 boolit but I can't get it to cast over .456 no matter what metal mix I use. I've even Leemented it three times trying to enlarge it a little but no luck. So I just resize it for my .45 LC Ruger.

Maybe they are older molds. That's why they cast larger.

[462]

Nope, age has nothing to do with it. My C-324-174 -1R is but a few months old, and the 358-158 RF is less than a year old.

Lee made a defective mould and refuses to acknowledge it. It's bound to happen, but dancing round the issue does not make for outstanding customer service. I buy my Lee moulds from Midway. That way, if it's defective, they gladly take it back, and they've taken back two.

[sig2009]

SIG2009,

If you really are done with it and are considering listing it in the swapping and selling section, send me a PM, I'd be interested in taking it off your hands!

PM sent.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

Thanks anyway. I didn't know what beagling was. I rather get a correct mold than try to get an undersized one to work. I wouldn't know what to do with the tape anyway.

well for a nice read , there is a sticky on Beagleing a mold around her some place

Member "Beagle" did a very nice right up

[HangFireW8]

Well I spoke with one of the techs at Lee today about the Lee 356-120 TC mold I was having trouble casting with. This is the thread:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=146340

According to Lee the Lee molds are manufactured to cast at the cast diameter and no larger.

This contradicts what Richard Lee himself says in his book on reloading, that all Lee molds cast to their given size or up to +.003" larger (no minus).

In general I have less instances of undersized Lee molds than Lyman.

HF

[sig2009]

This contradicts what Richard Lee himself says in his book on reloading, that all Lee molds cast to their given size or up to +.003" larger (no minus).

In general I have less instances of undersized Lee molds than Lyman.

HF

Lee is correct. Mine cast to the given size.

[Sonnypie]

At this age you still can learn new things!:drinks:

Yeah!
Like where the Swappin and Sellin Section is...
Err, uhh... :p

[MikeS]

I would say that the Lee rep doesn't know anything about boolit casting, and might have been reading off a script. I don't think the rep was blowing smoke, he just didn't know anything about the topic being discussed. As for moulds casting exactly to the size on the box, I'm sure almost every mould made can do that with a particular alloy, it just might not be an alloy anyone uses! I think a mould casting to the needed size, rather than over that size gets more important when using TL boolit designs, as sizing down a boolit .003 might be fine with a conventional mould, do that to a TL design, and you've removed the lube grooves off the boolit!

[sig2009]

Yeah!
Like where the Swappin and Sellin Section is...
Err, uhh... :p

Didn't have to list it. It was sold by pm.