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Bardiamondm
01-21-2006, 02:58 PM
I am getting ready to order a 6 cav Lee mould for my .45 ACP's (Auto & Revolver), however, I have never fired a TL bullet. My questions are:
1. Is there a difference in accuracy between the TL's and the standard lubed Lee bullets?
2. I am leaning towards the 230 gr. Truncated Cone bullet as a good compromise for both, any thoughts?

I have been casting for 30+ years, so I am set-up for sizing, etc., but if the TL bullets are equal in accuracy, thats a few less steps. Thank you for any thoughts.

I should add my loads will be full power, not target. Thanks again.

Junior1942
01-21-2006, 03:18 PM
I wish all my molds were TL.

David R
01-21-2006, 03:21 PM
I have the 200 grain TL 6 banger. Its a pretty good mold. I bought it when we were shooting bowling pins at 25 feet and accuracy wasn't that much of a concern. We were shooting 2oo rounds an evening. Pour em, TLube em, shoot em. Fast and simple. I then got a match grade barrel and they were too big to chamber so I had to size them. I now have a 4 cavity 452460 Lyman that is all I use.

Hmmmm

6 cavity TL 200 grain 45 cal mold for sale :)

David

Scrounger
01-21-2006, 03:30 PM
Trade you either of these 2 cavity molds for it:

Lyman 311359
Lyman358446
RCBS 45-200-SWC

Buckshot
01-22-2006, 05:37 AM
.................Bardiamondm, I have a superbly accurate S&W K38 and I wanted to shoot it a bunch. I bought a Lee 6 cavity TL358-148WC. Cast of WW metal and soft scrap it did pretty well. Then I bought a Lee 358-148WC with conventional lube groove design. I TL'd these also and they shot better, simply 'as cast', just like the TL ones.

I'm not willing to spend the time to try and figure out why one is a little more accurate then the other. I really don't care. The TL mould drops the boolits like rain and they begin casting almost perfectly from the git go. What I use the TL design for is 'Grab n Go' ammo.

Each mould and gun is different so someone else can have exactly the opposite results. If my K38 will put the conventional LG ones into an inch or a bit at 25 yards, the TL ones go 1.5 to 2.0".

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

BD
01-22-2006, 06:45 PM
I started out with a six banger Lee 230 gr. TC TL mold and an old frying pan on a coleman stove. This worked well when my bullet use was 1,000 or so per year and I didn't mind a couple of afternoons spent casting them up, and an afternoon lubing them. A big step up was two Lee 230 grain TC molds and a star sizer with a bottom pour pot. That got me through the years when I was shootin' 3,000 to 4,000 rounds a year. I could cast them all in a weekend and lubesize them as needed. Currently I'm using a Master caster and a 200 grain H&G #68 design for bulk boolits which is keeping up with my 7,000 to 8,000 rounds a year habit using only an evening per month or so. (I also go through a 1,000 or so 230 grain BDacps out of the master caster each year for "real" shooting). To me the biggest drawbacks to the tumble lube system were the mess invovled with tumble lubing large quantities of bullets, and the cleaning intervals using the lee tumble lube. I could only shoot about 300 to 400 rounds without cleaning before the 1911 would gunk up to the point where I'd notice. Using Felix lube and lube sized bullets I can go indefinately if I oil the thing every 700 to 800 rounds. The tumble lube boolits build up a harder, stickier residue which has to be removed from time to time for reliable functioning, particularly around the extractor. Don't get me wrong, I do occasionally clean my pistols :), but I don't like to "Have to do it" to keep them going. BD

Bardiamondm
01-24-2006, 02:08 PM
It appears this thread has about run its course. I want to thank everyone for their input. The information gained helpes me in making a decision.