OK I'm jumping in....but

[sw1115]

I'm going to order some Lee molds from Midway (unless theres a better suggestion). I'm looking for a .45 200 grain LSWC and a .38 148 grain WC. My only problem is tumble lube or sizer lube. I will need a Lee push through sizer die either way but my question is "is there an advantage either way". I've been loading store bought for a year and each time i buy a box of 500 it jumps up 20%. I've amassed a fair amount of WW's and I'm just looking for advice on which way to go.

Thanks
Skip

[wv109323]

I will put it this way, I don't know of a match grade bullet that is tumble lubed only. OTOH If the "as-cast" bullets are the correct size for your bore then there is not much need to size them.
The .45 ACP and the .38 Special are probably the easiest caliber there are to load for as far as lube and lead content.

[Thompsoncustom]

Upside to tumble lube is you don't have to size them a lot of the time but that's the only good thing I can think of.

A normal lube groove you can tumble lube or pan lube and I have found them to be better all around.

[sw1115]

So best bet is to go with a lube groove mold , then i can go either way

Skip

[Pitchnit]

I asked the same questions about 6 month ago and with the help of all the good people here I decided on a 6 cavity regular lube groove Lee 200 SWC and tumble lube with 45/45/10. I am extremely happy with my choice. My 1911 will hold 1-1/2" groups off the bags at 25yds. I had been shooting 200 LSWC from several different cast bullet suppliers and mine shoot every bit as good. I use straight WW and get just a bit of leading. Good luck. It's a hoot. Regards-Pitchnit

[44man]

I am not a fan of TL. I also shoot a lot of TL Lee boolits with regular lube and some are more accurate then a regular groove boolit.
Yes, you can TL either style boolit too. It just depends on what your gun prefers.
I don't know about Midway and the postage charges. I buy from Midsouth.
I just got gun parts from Sinclair and they actually came from Brownells. The shipping was very low. I got shipping info from both companies.
A strange thing happened the other day when I found my gun shop got in Fed 150 primers. They had 2000 so I bought 1500 of them. My friend needs some too. They gave me a 10% discount since I bought so many.

[41 mag fan]

I'm going to order some Lee molds from Midway (unless theres a better suggestion). I'm looking for a .45 200 grain LSWC and a .38 148 grain WC. My only problem is tumble lube or sizer lube. I will need a Lee push through sizer die either way but my question is "is there an advantage either way". I've been loading store bought for a year and each time i buy a box of 500 it jumps up 20%. I've amassed a fair amount of WW's and I'm just looking for advice on which way to go.

Thanks
Skip

If you're going to go with the Lee molds, buy a 6 banger. Don't waste your time on the 2 cav molds.....they are below junk level IMO.

But if you're not sure if casting is for you, then the 2 cav molds are the way to go monetarily, to test the casting waters so to speak.

[just.don]

I have a Lee 2 cavity 148 WC mold that I have not used in over 20 yrs.
PM me if your interested.

[Alan in Vermont]

Check the molds and shipping costs at Midsouth (http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/) before you lay down your $$ at Midway. I've been doing all my buying there lately.

[Inkman]

Been using the Lee 6 cavity 200g LSWC mold for over about a year now. Started with WW lead and now only cast range lead.

The boolits shoot just as accurately as MBC and SNS Casting rds. I went with the regular lube groove and tumble lube them with 45/45/10. Sized in a Lee push thru sizer.

The Lee mold does take a little bit of tinkering with to keep it going but well over 10,000 boolits later, it still works fine.

Al

[Wayne Smith]

Decide what you want and then check both Midsouth and Graffs before you put your money down.

[Inkman]

Very happy Grafs customer here.

Al

[shooting on a shoestring]

I've got the 158 TL SWC and love it for .38s. I warm mine in a Good Will toaster oven before TL'ing and then cook them again after TL'ing to cure them quickly.

The groups are as great from about 650 to 800 fps. Much faster than 800 fps I start getting leading in a hurry then groups open quickly.

If I had to choose only one mould it would certainly be traditional lube grooves. Those can go slow and fast. However, the TLs do cast well and fall out of the mould well, so they cast fast, lube fast, load well, shoot slow. Good for lots of .38s.

[MBTcustom]

I have a Lyman 2 cavity 200gr SWC mold that runs like a champ in my 45s. Completely refurbished and flattened by me. Its a good piece and I'll sell it to you cheap if you are interested.
If it were me, I would buy the Lee 6 cavity mold with the regular lube groove. Lee 6 holers are a real joy to use. Just don't forget to lube the hinge points and pins with 2 cycle oil. You will enjoy piling up the boolits with that one.
Also, you don't need to size 45 boolits I would try it without and see if you can get good results. 45/45/10 is the best TL on the planet.

[moptop]

Skip, I shoot both the Lee 148gr and the 158gr round nose in the tumble lude design in .38and also the 230gr round nose tumble lube in .45 and have had very good luck with them. They all are very accurate for me with no leading. I push thru size them and just use the ALOX as is. I size them to assure they are all diameter consistant. Straight W/W or range lead, seems to make no difference in performance. Now 9mm is a different story but I'm working to correct that problem with the help of all the good folks here.

They've all been great!

[sw1115]

Thanks for the insight folks. I think the Lee six hole lube groove's seem like a good place to start. I imagine it won't be long before I'm searching the group buys for more mold's. But for now, this should get me going on the next obsession

Thanks again,

Skip

[sw1115]

Ordered a 6 hole from Midsouth with handles. Thanks for the replies and offers. I'll start with this SWC to get my feet wet.

Thanks
Skip

[guidogoose]

Best of luck to ya!

[MBuechle]

I've got a TLSWC for my .40 and use 50/50 LAlox/JPW, works great. I got a 124 TL for the 9, leads like crazy. Bought an MP 125 HP with a conventional lube groove, use the same alloy, same lube and load, no lead. I'm tumble lubing the MP bullets. Personally, I won't buy any more TL design molds. If you get a 6 cav., be sure to pre heat on a hot plate otherwise it'll take 100 bullets to get it up to temp. You can't cast too fast with these, at least with 124gr. 9mm, .45 might be different.