Finally Ready For A 40SW Mold For My SW M&P. Lee 175tc?

[jonp]

I'm just running loads through my SW M&P after working through other things and am ready to buy a mold. I read with interest the several threads on molds and the Lee 401-175-TC 90256 mold popped up over and over.

Is this still the best mold for target, say, 1,000fps and under loads using COWW or 50/50 or has something new come along that is better?

[Rick Hodges]

I don't know about best....but I use it (the conventional lube groove not tumble lube micro lube) in a S&W Shield. It works well. Gives me a decent inexpensive load to practice with.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

jonP,

I'd sure NOT say the lee .40 - 175gr mold is the best, and in fact I am not a lee mold or much of anything else fan.

However, I have 3 of the 401-175-TC, Six cavity molds along with some other lee six cavity molds for other handgun caliber for one simple reason, CHEAP/fast!

I am NOT a bevel base bullet fan, and frankly the lee molds are the only ones I own that exhibit tool chatter marks.

But for things like my 40s, .45acp and .38/.357 cast bullet where my goal is to produce many "banger" bullets rapidly and considering price, they do fine.

For my .38/.357, and .44s I also have better molds, bullet design and mold quality for loads that I am more concerned about.

But, much of my shooting with the first three calibers mentioned is in close (living room distances) and rapid, while .357 and .44 loads would be more for longer distances and hopefully more precise shooting.

You state these cast bullets would be for a .40S&W and because of that I suspect the lee molds would do OK. Low start up cost with a mold that can make a lot of Banger bullets.

By the way, Millions up on millions of good bullets have been cast from just plain old clip on wheel weight WITHOUT!!!!! the costly addition of such things as tin to the alloy.

If you can find a source of good zinc free WW go for it and don't look back.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Joby]

Jump in. My lee .401 - 175 tumble lube molds worked fine for 3 different glocks with a few different lubes or powder coated. WW or range lead. Sized to .401 or as cast. They seemed to work well from 700 to 1150 FPS.
Good luck.

[dubber123]

I use the standard lube groove version, I removed the bevel base on mine.. I really like it, and it has produced the best groups yet out of my S&W Shield. 5.5 grains of Power Pistol runs around 900 fps. in the short barrel.

[Jniedbalski]

I like my lee 175 tc bullet very much. The only other bullet that does good for me is Rainer 165 hp bevel base copper plated.i tried other companies hard cast before I started making my own but they where just ok.i also shoot them as cast. The lee 145 swc I have also used. I still like lees 175 tc better

[glockfan]

my experience with the lee 175TC wasn't what i expected . fortunately i bought the 2 cavity model (90256) ,so, i sold it to a buddy.

then i've got the idea of copying the bullet that work best in all my 40's. the zero 180FP gets me awesome accuracy out of my glock G35,glock G22,CZ tactical sport. a 1-1.5 moa easy benched at 25 meters.

so after some detailed measurement,tom at accurate made me a boolit (40-180Y) as close as it can be of the zero FP in 180. couldn't be happier with it, the accuracy i'm getting is all i could ask for. . i'm using COWW exclusively , boolits drop at 178,which is perfect.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/img/bullets/detail/40-180Y-D.png

for some reasons i can't pin point, the lee 175TC was a 2-3 moa at 25 at best.maybe it's me,because all i heard about the lee boolit was very positive.

[Moonie]

The 175 TC lee (standard lube groove) shoots well enough for me for self defense pistol practice. My favorite boolit for the 40 however is this one.

https://ibb.co/g0GAZz
https://https://ibb.co/hHeVZz (https://ibb.co/hHeVZz)

[MT Gianni]

I like the 175 in a full size S&W but prefer the 145 in a Kahr cm.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ditto on the above. For what you want to do that bullet will work just fine. The moulds are inexpensive and work well. Hard to argue with all that.

Randy

[marlin39a]

That Lee 175-TC runs great in my S&W Shield, and Ruger SR-40. I have pushed it hard by using plain base gas checks.

[Tackleberry41]

I use the NOE 200gr but the RG mold so makes a 180gr HP. Not had much luck keeping 40 S&W subsonic in a rifle, pretty much requires a 200gr. The 180 gr HP work great in any pistol I have. I have the Lee mold, but a 2 bullet mold, never gotten great bullets out of it. The 6 hole molds are supposed to be better, maybe try one of those.

[popper]

still the best mold for target 180 was for 10mm, 40sw best performer is 165. My first casting was with the Lee 401s, one is worn out the other doesn't get used (old style). Use an Accurate 165 TC FB now, feeds and shoots great thru PX4, XDM and friends shield. Hit the south end of a running pig @ 25yds, probably 2" from POA. Yup, it's accurate. Never chronyd pistol loads, assume 950 with 4.5gr. hp38. If I were to get another mould (PC), I'd change the LG to a single microband groove, modify the PB a bit for easier seating. Actually I was at the range Wed, practicing one hand single point & click - 9 ring groups. Not bad for a really old guy.

[RangerDan]

I use the Lee 40 cal 175 grain standard grove bullet in a 40 cal and a 10mm and it works well in both. Some adjustment in alloy may be needed to tweek it just so but for my money it is hard to beet Lee bullet molds.

[rsrocket1]

It works fine for me. The 6 cavity mold with a 4-20 bottom pour pot makes lots of them quickly

https://images.imgbox.com/e1/d2/5TnbsTme_o.jpg

Powder coating eliminates lube and reduces smoke

https://images3.imgbox.com/72/91/cFRjunJf_o.jpg]

Seated at 1.10" COL to where the cone meets the case mouth (to make feeding just a little easier) and 5.6g BE-86 gives me 1005 fps and as accurate as the shooter can get it at 10 yards off hand standing at moderately rapid fire (2 seconds between shots).
Gun: M&P40 4.25" barrel with about 50,000 rounds through it so far.

https://images2.imgbox.com/64/c4/KYclNnmZ_o.jpg

[Harter66]

I had an LBT 403-175 RF . I also had a Lee 401-175 STD groove 2C . I gave away the 2C Lee because I "knew" the LBT was better . Later I bought a 6C 401-175 SWC TLTC , the order went through wrong I'm sure I ordered the STD groove . I poured a few and shot them . They tumbled badly . So I stepped them up to WQWW no tumbling , maximum load of Unique , Darrs lube and 2 handed 25 yd groups around 2" 980 fps . Equal to the LBT but making 3 times as many bullets per drop .

[bob208]

I use a olde lyman mold for the .38-40. works good in the .40 s & w.

[rsrocket1]

I had an LBT 403-175 RF . I also had a Lee 401-175 STD groove 2C . I gave away the 2C Lee because I "knew" the LBT was better . Later I bought a 6C 401-175 SWC TLTC , the order went through wrong I'm sure I ordered the STD groove . I poured a few and shot them . They tumbled badly . So I stepped them up to WQWW no tumbling , maximum load of Unique , Darrs lube and 2 handed 25 yd groups around 2" 980 fps . Equal to the LBT but making 3 times as many bullets per drop .

If you specified SWC on the 175 bullet, you would have gotten the tumble lube bullet. Lee does not make a conventional groove bullet in SWC in 401 at 175g. The only 6 cavity molds they make in 401 are a SWC 175g TL and a TC 175g (conventional groove) (https://leeprecision.com/bullet-casting/hand-gun-bullet-molds/)

[Taterhead]

I had an LBT 403-175 RF . I also had a Lee 401-175 STD groove 2C . I gave away the 2C Lee because I "knew" the LBT was better . Later I bought a 6C 401-175 SWC TLTC , the order went through wrong I'm sure I ordered the STD groove . I poured a few and shot them . They tumbled badly . So I stepped them up to WQWW no tumbling , maximum load of Unique , Darrs lube and 2 handed 25 yd groups around 2" 980 fps . Equal to the LBT but making 3 times as many bullets per drop .

Really curious about that LBT profile. I have too many other 10mm molds, but you know that goes.

Do you have any pics of the LBT, by chance? My favorite mold is another LBT in a 200 gr WFN profile.

Regarding the Lee that is the subject of the OP, yes that is a very good profile for 10mm and 40. I must have received a lemon, because that 2 cav was the worst casting mold I've used -- by a wide margin.