KCSO
08-23-2006, 07:38 PM
There has been considerable discussion of Lee moulds on the forum and some are of the opinion they are nothing but cheap junk. I hold a position somewhat to the contrary and here is why...
I recently wanted a 158 gr. rnfp mould for making up a few loads for my cowboy shooting. The Lee 158 RNFP at 358 diameter looked to be just what I needed and so I ordered one. When the mould came in it cast a nice shiny bullet right at .356 and on the 10th bullet the hinge pins dropped out as they wern't staked in. I put the pins back in and beagled the mould and got a bullet to drop at 357 before I lost the pins again. ( I didn't stake them for a reason) Since my Rossi 92 needs 358 and the mould was advertised at 358 I... didn't B&%$h on a forum andI didn't moan and wail I spent $4.00 and sent the mould back to Le with a nice letter about my problem. 5 days later I get MY mould back with new pins staked in place and the cavities reamed out to drop a bullet of 3585, no charge. This has been pretty typical of my dealings with Lee. Yes you need to know a little about casting and moulds to have real good sucess with Lee, but for the most part you get your money's worth. I could have ordered an RCBS or Saeco for $65.00 and I might not have had to send it back, but for what I intended to do (cast a couple hundred bullet to bang gongs with) I can't complain. My total investment in this mould is 18.95. Out of the 15 or so Lee moulds I have I have only had to send two back in 20 years. They sometimes need a litle doctoring, but If I wasn't willing to do that I would go to RCBS or Mountain Moulds. I checked and I have a Lee mould I bought in 1976 that still casts good bullets and has cast several thousand of the same. That seems to me to be my money's worth.
If Carpetman wan't to hijack this thread to abuse me for my bad language let fly, I'm a Baaaddd boy!
I recently wanted a 158 gr. rnfp mould for making up a few loads for my cowboy shooting. The Lee 158 RNFP at 358 diameter looked to be just what I needed and so I ordered one. When the mould came in it cast a nice shiny bullet right at .356 and on the 10th bullet the hinge pins dropped out as they wern't staked in. I put the pins back in and beagled the mould and got a bullet to drop at 357 before I lost the pins again. ( I didn't stake them for a reason) Since my Rossi 92 needs 358 and the mould was advertised at 358 I... didn't B&%$h on a forum andI didn't moan and wail I spent $4.00 and sent the mould back to Le with a nice letter about my problem. 5 days later I get MY mould back with new pins staked in place and the cavities reamed out to drop a bullet of 3585, no charge. This has been pretty typical of my dealings with Lee. Yes you need to know a little about casting and moulds to have real good sucess with Lee, but for the most part you get your money's worth. I could have ordered an RCBS or Saeco for $65.00 and I might not have had to send it back, but for what I intended to do (cast a couple hundred bullet to bang gongs with) I can't complain. My total investment in this mould is 18.95. Out of the 15 or so Lee moulds I have I have only had to send two back in 20 years. They sometimes need a litle doctoring, but If I wasn't willing to do that I would go to RCBS or Mountain Moulds. I checked and I have a Lee mould I bought in 1976 that still casts good bullets and has cast several thousand of the same. That seems to me to be my money's worth.
If Carpetman wan't to hijack this thread to abuse me for my bad language let fly, I'm a Baaaddd boy!