.40 S&W and the Lee 6 cavity

[truckmsl]

Hi all,
I'm considering buying a Lee 6 cavity .401 175 gr swc tumble-lube mould. Lee claims these bullets can often be used "as cast" . If any of you guys are using this mould, what diameter bullet are you actually casting with it?

[randyrat]

I have a 2 hole .40 mold .401-170 TL and i can't/couldn't shoot as cast. Maybe if i would have played with different alloys and try that. I was shooting an XD 40 and the chamber was just a little too tight to shoot as cast. You might get lucky. I bought a .401 Lee sizer. I don't recall exactly but i think it cast about .404 maybe .405 and i tried them they wouldn't chamber completly. PM me if you want this mold and sizer. I now shoot 45 acp. The forty is too snappy for my hand (old injury) and the gun didn't feel right after the 1st hundred rds. The 45(Witness full size steal frame) dosen't seem to bother and i am on my way back to 2-300rds a week.

[truckmsl]

Thanks, rrat. I figured I'd have to play with alloy or temp to tweak diameter, but it helps to know in advance what others are getting from this mould. Anyone out there able to shoot this bullet "as cast"? or is there a sizer in my future?

[Adam10mm]

My recomendation is the Lee 401-175-TC and get a sizer/luber. I shoot this boolit in 10mm and it is awesome. Works well in 40S&W too.

[KCSO]

Mine drops at 402 from wheel weight and lino mix. and shoots great as cast. I have several 1 1/2" 25 yard groups to prove it.

[Bob Jones]

That's the only one of my Lee molds I don't have to size. Cast out of WW and water-dropped they're just right and very consistent. Probably just the luck of the draw in molds, their tolerances aren't that tight.

[leftiye]

Another reason for sizing other than making boolits small enough to cycle is consistency. Most molds do not throw all of the boolits the same size. This can (probably will) mess up accuracy if not corrected.

[truckmsl]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Maybe I'll take a chance and see if I get lucky with one of those 6 bangers. If a sizer/luber is required how do those tumble lube 175's behave in a sizer - any different than a standard lube groove bullet?

[ReAX222]

I love mine, but I do size all of them. It's mostly for piece of mind, I know all of mine are going through the barrel at 0.401. Some are maybe ten thousands under, but none are over and no leading problem.

It also is a fairly easy way to apply lube, I think.