$10 Bullet Molds

[Ben]

FYI

I just ordered one :

.30 cal. Mold SC CTL312-160-2R ( Factory Second )

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Mold-S...ry-Second.html

If you look at their close out section on their web site, they have other molds
listed for $10 also.

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Closeouts/

[turbo1889]

It will probably cast a little undersize. Expect it to really be a CTL310-160-2R which would be just fine for a non-fat 30-caliber rifle like a 308-Win but I wouldn't count on being able to use it in a 7.62x39 with a 0.311" major groove diameter.

That is just my personal experience with buying factory second Lee molds ~ YMMV.

[mold maker]

The $10. rnd ball molds work great for casting tin in small exact weight pieces to add to alloy.
If the rifle molds cast undersize, just leement (SP) them a thou or so. You can't mess up but $10.
The re-cond pots are cheap enough to have one for each alloy.
I use one to melt ingots to feed my casting pot so I don't drop the temp when I need to add. Mounted on a sturdy shelf above the casting pot with a short piece of tubing from the top spout to the bottom of the casting pot, I just lift the top handle to refill the bottom pot. Then add cold ingots to the top pot.

[Good Cheer]

And for $23 those little super heater melting pots are big time bargains.

[JeffinNZ]

Nice. I just bought the 309-180-2R. Even if it is a spot undersized it will make a good paper patching base for .303 British with a couple of wraps of 9lb onion skin paper.

[John Boy]

I get good accuracy @1000yds with the 459-500-3R that I resize to 457. So, if the 2nd comes with a 457 base - one less reloading step

Thanks Ben for the lead

[Ben]

My plans were NOT to use the Lee 160 tumble lube spire pt. in the 31 cal. rifles.

I wanted it for my 308 Win. and 06' rifles.

Glad you fellows got in on some of these " close - outs ".

[MtGun44]

Just be aware that this is where Lee sells the GB molds that are returned for being
"junk" - actually just off specification enough to anger the buyers here. Might be OK, but
likely not actually as the name says.

Bill

[Ben]

Bill,

As indicated above, I'm buying single cav. molds, your saying these were group buy molds ?

I didn't know that they were ever any single cav. group buys other than maybe the Aladin .30 HCB ?

[Ben]

I hate to admit it, but these are JUNK.

My $10 molds arrived today from Lee.

The .30 cal. Mold SC CTL312-160-2R ( Factory Second )
cast at 313.5 " and was very round. Guess what the nose miked? .310" WOW !
I've got nothing I could begin to chamber that in.

The 2nd mold , the 180 gr. RN GC, the nose ran .297"
and the bands miked .305".

Totally Useless in my many .30 cal. rifles all of
which have standardized bore dimensions ! !

I called Lee - - - had a talk with the lady answering the phone ( who I'd like to say was extremely nice , I think her name was Kathy ?) . I explained what was going on. She said, box them up and return them today. I also ordered turrets , 4 hole for the Lee Classic Turret press. I told her I'd like to exchange the molds for another pair of turrets. She said fine and you'll end up with a credit to apply toward you next order.

I boxed them up and they are headed back to Lee.

SO....................if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is ! ! !

Ben

[turbo1889]

You probably could have sold the mold that cast at 0.315" on the bands and 0.310" at the base of the nose forward of the bands in the selling section here. Would have worked for the dimensions some guys are dealing with (sounds as if it were actually fat rather then undersize which some guys would have liked).

I agree though on the one that was 0.305" on the bands; that is just messed up.

[Ben]

turbo1889 :

Maybe I wasn't clear........the entire length of the nose was .310 , not just where the nose met the 1st drive band.

[JeffinNZ]

Lee just refunded my money as they said they could not supply the mould.

[Ben]

Jeff,

That probably turns out to be a " blessing in disguise ".

Ben

[turbo1889]

turbo1889 :

Maybe I wasn't clear........the entire length of the nose was .310 , not just where the nose met the 1st drive band.

~ Boy that is one heck of a boolit - Full wadcutter for an SKS anyone? Hope you got a deep throat !!!

[trooperdan]

I ordered a .590 RB from that lot and it arrived today. No time to cast yet but as I'm just looking for balls to use a tumbling media to make my own powder, how wrong could I be?

[TCFAN]

I hate to admit it, but these are JUNK.

My $10 molds arrived today from Lee.

The .30 cal. Mold SC CTL312-160-2R ( Factory Second )
cast at 313.5 " and was very round. Guess what the nose miked? .310" WOW !
I've got nothing I could begin to chamber that in.

The 2nd mold , the 180 gr. RN GC, the nose ran .297"
and the bands miked .305".

Totally Useless in my many .30 cal. rifles all of
which have standardized bore dimensions ! !

I called Lee - - - had a talk with the lady answering the phone ( who I'd like to say was extremely nice , I think her name was Kathy ?) . I explained what was going on. She said, box them up and return them today. I also ordered turrets , 4 hole for the Lee Classic Turret press. I told her I'd like to exchange the molds for another pair of turrets. She said fine and you'll end up with a credit to apply toward you next order.

I boxed them up and they are headed back to Lee.

SO....................if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is ! ! !

Ben

Ben I am really sorry to hear about your 10.00 dollar lee molds. I read your orignal post and went to the Lee closeout site and they had a 432-285 6 cav for 25.00 dollars. So I ordered it and I got a E-mail about 1 hour later that it had been shipped. Now I know why it shipped so fast...they wanted to get rid of it FAST!!!!
Should get it today or monday so we will see how it works when it gets here.

Terry

[Ben]

Terry,

Please let us know how this works out for you. I hope you don't have the same experience that I did !

If in effect this is what Lee is selling, they would be much better to toss these in the dumpster than ship them even as " 2nd's ".

Mine were totally useless ! I hope you get lucky and end up with a decent mold.

[TCFAN]

Ben
I will post when it gets here and I can cast some up.

Terry

[waksupi]

Although they may be trash, it may be a chance for people to try to make their own cherry, and make their own boolit design with the blocks.

There has to be a pony in here somewhere!