Lee 9mm mould bevel base?

[Randall]

Is the Lee 356 120 TC 6 cavity mould a flat base or is it beveled?

[HeavyMetal]

Looked at my current catalog.

I can't tell if it's a BB or not, if it is it's real small.

Small enough that, if you didn't want it, a bit of sanding on the top of the block would remove it.

However sanding aluminum is no fun! So if you know someone that has a mill that would be faster.

I'm thinking, from the photo in the catalog, we're talking .020 to remove it?

That's a WAG until you see a mold and can measure it.

[GrizzLeeBear]

Yes, it has a small bevel on the base.

[docone31]

I have that casting.
It does not need the base leveled.
I guess it is a small rounding to make it easier to load.
It shoots very well.

[Larry Gibson]

I have that 6 cavity mould also and my intitial concern was lube squeezing around the bevel in the lubrasizer. Didn't have that problem as the bevel is very small. It is an excellent bullet in the 9mm, the 38 Super in a Spanish destroyer and in the .35 Remington rifle.

Larry Gibson

[jdgabbard]

Larry how does that carbine shoot with that boolit and TL? Pretty good accuracy? Any leading?

[mooman76]

It has a small bevel base as stated. In fact it is so small, I recently bought a used one and part of the bevel is worn away. Problem is it isn't wore even. I think the boolits will still shoot ok though but haven't tried them yet.

[Larry Gibson]

Larry how does that carbine shoot with that boolit and TL? Pretty good accuracy? Any leading?

I set the barrel back 1/2 thread on my Destroyer so it would headspace on .38 Super cases so loads are based on the .38 Super case. Shouldn't make that much difference though. Given the chamber size i use a 9mm carbide sizer and just partial size the cases so the neck is sized to the depth of bullet seating. I was only looking for a fun little plinker load with this bullet so I've only used Bullseye and WST. 3 gr is the most accurate load with 1 - 1.5" 7 shot groups at 50 yards being the norm. Velocity is right at 965 fps and the wife shot up all 500 rounds (the # of cases I have) on one camping trip without the barrel being cleaned. No leading was found. Alloy is general ACWWs with the bullets just lubed in a .359 sizer with Javelina. I have pushed this bullet up to 1480 fps with 5.5 gr bullseye and 3" groups. I've been going to try the Lyman 358156 cast of soft alloy (maybe 1-20) and HP'd but other tests have taken priority. Someday....as the little destroyer is fun to shoot!

BTW: with J bullets from 90-125 gr (both 9mm and .357) the performance of this cartridge out of this little carbine is astounding! The Remington bulk 125 gr .357 HP over Unique runs 1500 fps and is deadly on jack rabbits! The 90 gr Sierra HC over Unique at 1800 fps isn't to shabby either!

Larry Gibson

[johnly]

I have that 6 cavity mould also and my intitial concern was lube squeezing around the bevel in the lubrasizer. Didn't have that problem as the bevel is very small. It is an excellent bullet in the 9mm, the 38 Super in a Spanish destroyer and in the .35 Remington rifle.

Larry Gibson

Larry,

I have a Lee 6 cavity 40 caliber mold that also has a bevel base and just finished sizing a bunch of them in a Lyman 450. It's not as straightforward as sizing flat base bullets, but it can be done without squirting lube all over the place. I found that I had to limit the lube pressure and heat the lube a bit hotter than normal. I've also considered machining a new stem for the sizing die with a cavity to let the bevel set into.

John