Lyman or Lee 45 ACP mold.

[mto7464]

I don't need the six hole Lee so that is not the issue. Which mold turns out the better boolit? Does anyone prefer one over the other if you have tried both. I just recently tried my first Lyman mold and think I like them better, once they get warmed up.

[TAWILDCATT]

seems its a personal matter which one likes.I have several makes and they work good for me.I never had a bad one why I dont know as seem as tho some people cant get any to work.patience is a vertue is more than a saying I guess.[smilie=f:

[docone31]

The semi wadcutter is always a winner. Personally, I prefer the flat nose 200gn. My 1911s like it as well. Just do not crimp them.

[HORNET]

The better boolit?? The RCBS..

[Hipshot]

I have used only Lee and Lyman molds----I prefer the Lyman, the take longer to heat up but if you use two different molds they don't overheat !
The Lee molds being made of aluminum heat up fast but the problem is you have to slow down on your casting as they don't want to cool down----I have had them cast frosted bullets (too hot) and bullets that warped (bent) for the same reason!
But in my 30-06 the Lee bullets that I cast outshoot the Lymans! (Lee mold # ? 180 gr.
borrowed long ago)----------Lyman 311291. The Lee is just probably a better designed bullet, but I still prefer cast iron molds!

Hipshot

[OneShotNeeded]

I have to admit I have both and started with the Lee. After about 100 or so the mold actually began to warp. I had little tits on the tips of the bullet, and some looked as though the mold wasn't seating properly. To be quite honest I think their quality lacks. I switched to lyman cvast several hundred if not thousand and have had no problems. Key is keeping the mold clean, oiled, and at the right temp. You know you've got it right when they fall right out. But here's a hint, if you drop them on the flap of a cardboard box and let them roll down to the bottom, they seem to get cooler quicker, and don't become deformed or have flat spots. Hope that helps.

[35remington]

You need to be more specific.

Which bullet are you looking at, exactly?

The Lyman 452374 averages a little better, accuracywise, in most of my 45's, but the Lee in six cavity is faithful to the original ball profile as well if you are looking at the 230-2R. Both designs feed very well even in balky 1911's. Six cavity moulds can be had cheaply from Lee and are the only way to stay ahead of voracious bottom feeders. Lyman also offers a multicavity mould at higher cost.

Durability issues are lessened with the Lee six cavity with the all steel alignment pins and holes.

Both manufacturers make a HG 68 copy that shoots accurately. The Lee version is narrower in the meplat but feeds and functions well for me.

I must be a tender guy with a mould as even my two cavity Lees give long service. Six cavity Lees last a long, long time in my hands. For an automatic's feeding tendencies I would not consider anything other than a four or six cavity mould.

[mooman76]

I have lots of Lee's and a few Lymans and RCBS's. Get what you want If you like the Lymans better and do better with them, then get those. Some people have problems with the Lee's I do not. I think it is mostly tecnique. I had to use Lees for years because that's all I could afford. I can afford better now but still like the Lees. I have cast thousands of bullets and some lee moulds have done at least a couple thousand each for me and are still in good shape. That's not saying I don't like Lymans or RCBS but I think it is mostly cosmetics. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[High Desert Hunter]

I have the Lee 6holer in the 200gr SWC, I absolutely love it, I can cast a lot in a short amount of time(which is more precious than gold to me), and they shoot great from my SA 1911. I have run several thousand of these bullet through my pistol, and they cut one ragged hole at 25 yards.

Dave

[Lloyd Smale]

if your looking for which is the better mold id agree with hornet and tell you the rcbs. If it which is the best bullet ill go this way. I have the lyman 200 swc and the lee 190 grain copy of it. Both good bullets. I also shoot the rcbs H&G copy and the lee copy of the same bullet and there both good bullets too. Its a matter of which of the 4 the specific gun prefers but if i had to pick one of the bunch the lyman 200 swc is probably the most consistantly accurate bullet. Problem with that bullet is again molds. I dont have very good luck with lyman 2 cavity molds. They dont last me much better then lee molds. What i did was buy two 4 cavity lymans which are much better molds. If you go lyman go 4 cavity and if you go lee definately go 6 cavity. Again I find the lyman design a little more accurate but in non tuned guns the H&G design seems to function a tad more reliably. In Both of my competition 1911s I run the lyman design.

[ChuckS1]

I just bought a Ballisti-Cast #668. Without a doubt, this beats my RCBS and Lyman molds hands down for quality and ease of casting. With my other .452 SWC molds (RCBS 45-201-KT and Lyman 452460) I've had issues of on sort or another using WW. This Ballisti-Cast mold just drops great bullets without effort. Expensive for sure, but worth it.