Does the LEE 158-RF have a NOE or MP clone/counterpart?

[wonderwolf]

Long before I got really into the 38spl/357 mag realm a buddy and I discovered the LEE 158 RF mold and fell in love with it in short order, in my opinion one of the best production molds out there for the caliber. I now have 15 or 16 38/357 molds of all flavors (RCBS,LEE, Lyman, MP & NOE) and still lean heavily on the 158gr LEE as it feeds in my bolt action, through dads lever action and indexes easily into wheel guns. But being a solid it is not as versatile as it could be.

I asked Al Nelson over at NOE if his 160 WFN (http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=35&osCsid=m63l70k25btkin20p1hcudtkd4) was based on the lee but he confessed he isn't sure if the design had influence or not from anything in particular and has not been able to compare the two to see how close they are. His 160 has two lube grooves as opposed to the single lee but that is a moot point. I wanted to see if anybody could make a comparison before I went asking for some samples and seeing if NOE would do a rerun (they are currently sold out)


:Fire:

[RedHawk357Mag]

I don't have personal experience with the Lee 158 RNFP but when looking at images on Google it very closely resembles my Lyman 358665 and my Accurate 36 160H. I have a few of each casted up if you want to investigate further. I don't have the Noe version but I have the 180 wfn and it's a peach. So pretty sure the 160 wfn would probably follow the same lines.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[wonderwolf]

Thanks for the offer, but I don't think either of those are offered as a HP mold, I know I wasn't really clear in the OP but I'm looking for a mold that will produce a HP, pref like along the lines of what NOE or MP offers.

It looks like MP once offered something that looks like what I'm looking for so I'll do some more digging.

[OS OK]

If I remember correctly, one of the fellas here in the forum or, one of the related commercial mold makers will take your favorite mold and HP it for you...I haven't done that yet but the Lee 158g. RNF would be the mold I would send them also the .45 RNF...have a pair of 6 gangers of that variety and like them as they are already. HP'ing say 3 cavities in each caliber would be a bonus!

[kenyerian]

http://www.hollowpointmold.com/ call Erick . His website shows that they have them in stock already hollow pointed

[wonderwolf]

Yeah, I've been aware of those kinds of services for awhile but not thrilled at the idea of doing that do an alum mold with a short service life. Thanks for the heads up but I'm holding out for brass. Or that NOE will do a rerun of the 160 WFN