? about Lee Mold [Archive]

ArkyJack

05-08-2008, 09:37 PM

Buckshot

05-09-2008, 03:05 AM

Howdy Fellers
I need some info on the Lee 457-405-FN mold. Do any of you have experience with this boolit in a Marlin M1895G? What diameter can it be expected to throw out of ACWW? What weight? What lube? I want to try to drive it at about 1600 fps, and will probably use BullShop Speed Green as lube.
Anyone?
Thanks,
Jack

.................I suppose I've welcomed you to the board yet, and if I have well, welcome again :-) I've had 3 or 4 of those moulds in my career. ALL have cast too small to be usefull, ie: not one cast larger then .457". I currently have the last one I bought and use it only for paper patching up to use in a 577-450 Martini.

9.3x62AL may chime in. He actually went to heroic efforts to get rid of one he had that was also useless. Heck, they're cheap. Buy one and see :-) They still make it so SOMEONE must be using them for something! If it were me, I'd get the RCBS 45-405F. It takes a GC but Lyman has a couple of that weight that are PB designs.

.................Buckshot

Jon K

05-09-2008, 03:41 AM

Lyman 457193 will drop and size to .459................

Jon

rhead

05-09-2008, 06:09 AM

Mine drops them at .454. Ideal for paper patching. Useles for anything else. My 405 hollow base drops out at .461.

Lead melter

05-09-2008, 05:29 PM

I found the mold in question also to be a bit undersized for shooting in the Marlin'95 or the HandiRifle. It does, though, work great when sized to .451" or .452" to be used in a sabot for a 50 caliber frontstuffer. Lots of weight, reduced powder charges, still a BIG hole.

Just be sure to cast of pure lead, or just a touch of tin for fillout. Too hard alloy will leave you with a bent ramrod and a load stuch halfway down the tube. You don't need to know how I found out!

Beaverhunter2

05-10-2008, 10:40 PM

I've been told I got lucky on my Lee 457 405PB. Mine casts .4595 on the smallest dimension and .4623 on the largest with ACWW+2%. I dip lube in LLA (full strength) and size through a Ranch Dog .460 sizer. It's just enough to round them out a bit and wipe the lube off the bands.

I use them for my plinking load in an 1895M with a CCI 200, 20gr of 2400 and a medium crimp. I haven't had a chance to send them over my chronograph but I guesstimate they're at about 1000fps. Not screaming, for sure, but I shot a 10 shot 1" group at 50yds. And I wouldn't want to get hit by one!

My full house loads are going to use RD's 350 and 420GC designs. They shoot similar groups with H322 and much stiffer loads. The Lees are quicker, easier, cheaper, and more comfortable to shoot for just banging around.

If you haven't ordered it yet, you may want to specifically ask Lee for a mold that casts "big". I love mine, but then again- I'm lucky! Hope you are, too!

John