Lee 356-95-RF

[jkl1861]

Got to try out a new Lee 6-banger tonight 356-95-RF. Ain't this little guy cute? Baby blue (Smoke's Carolina Blue) seemed the most appropriate color. He's sitting next to big brother TL452-230-TC


The boolits dropped right out of the mold at 97-98 grains and a tad over 0.356 diameter using range lead. I was too impatient to mic as-cast, but could feel it barely kissing the sizing die.

I can already tell I'll need a hot plate to keep the mold temp up. I cast 150 or so and less than half of them were keepers - the rest looked like little raisins. I'm guessing the low volume of lead just isn't quite enough to keep the blocks at temp.

I plan on using it in a 380 LCP that came home with me.

Anybody have experience with this mold?

[9-toes]

Yup, mold temp a factor with the small cavities. Make sure the venting is good and the sprue plate isn't too tight. Don't be stingy with the sprue puddle either.

[Handloader109]

Yep, I've a two banger, should have bought the 6.....
Dip end in your lead to heat up and cast FAST. I have less problem with this mold than a NOE HP. works well in a 9mm too. Saves lead. I've recently started dropping a side puddle to eliminate cool lead in cavity. Lee 4-20 bottom. Has helped a lot and can be melted back just as easy...

[RobsTV]

That mold is the only thing I am not PC with. Yet. Since they dropped ready to load without sizing, tossed a few hundred at a time in zip lock bag with a small splash of Delux Liquid X-Lox~45-45-10, and had a few thousand ready to load in a short time. Still a large supply of these to go through. Moral learned is might not want to load up a couple years worth as something better might come along the next day.

They shoot great in Sig P238.

[reloader28]

I have the Ranch Dog one and love it. Shoots great in all we have tried.
I dont powder coat though.

[tazman]

I have that mold and use it in my Beretta barreled Taurus pt92. It shoots great.

[jkl1861]

You guys are making it hard to concentrate on work today. Haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. Couldn't find any brass locally, so I had to buy a mega pack of UMC. Gonna be a noisy weekend emptying the brass so I can get started on the good stuff.

I wonder if my coworkers would notice if I brought the bottom-pour and mold to work with me? Maybe flux with potpourri so the ladies in the office don't complain much?

[tazman]

I wonder if my coworkers would notice if I brought the bottom-pour and mold to work with me? Maybe flux with potpourri so the ladies in the office don't complain much?

That has to be worth a try. It would show that you are at least trying to accommodate them.

[Stilly]

LoL. I will keep that in mind when I leave mine in the break-room.

[A pause for the COZ]

Your going to like it.

I just picked up that mold a week or two ago. Real easy to cast, they drop easy.
This first batch I TL'ed them.
So far i have shot about 500 of them in a Ruger LCP and a Bersa Thunder.
Best bullet i have shot out of my .380's.

I cast a bunch more today. I will Powder Coat them this time see how that goes.



\\

[captaint]

That boolit looks like it might be the RD version. I have that one from a couple years back. Very good boolit.

[mnewcomb59]

Alliant has 9mm data for 95 grain FMJ flat nose and Power Pistol that goes 1450 fps in a 4". My closest charge hole is about 3 tenths lower than the max load, and I think that since it is lead, it will still be 1450 fps or possibly slightly more.

Talk about muzzle blast! This is a good defense boolit in 9mm compared to heavier bullets because lower penetration (but still a little more than hollow points) and higher speed.

If you have any faith in the Beartooth wound calculator, this .28 meplat boolit supposedly makes an inch wide wound at 1450 fps, and at a tame 1200 fps it supposedly still makes a very slightly wider wound (about .75 inches) than a 45 acp .33 meplat at 950 fps.

380s with a bullet profile similar to this penetrate 20-22" ballistic gel, but the 9mm probably penetrates less because fluid drag increases exponentially with velocity. The Beartooth penetration calculator puts it at about 18 inches.

[Cherokee]

I have that bullet for 380 ACP. Works great in all mine; did have to play with OAL a little to get them alll working with the same load. Accurate and easy to cast. I'll try it in 9mm some day.

[mnewcomb59]

I mark my 9mm loaded with that bullet as "380 Magnum" Honestly, that's what it is.



I can get the bullet up to about 1350 fps with Titegroup. Fast, dense powders really let you get full powered loads with this light of a bullet, where they would be target powder with heavier bullets. Check your stuff, but I think the charge was only around 5 grains. So easy on the lead, easy on the powder and great terminal performance. Better than some of the under penetrating hollow points, thats for sure. The Titegroup load has less muzzle blast and only a small bit of flash compared to Power Pistol's flamethrowing hand grenade.

The kick is weird. I only have a 2 cavity, so I have only shot a few. It is definitely a light kick, but a different kind of light kick than a heavy bullet. It's snappy, like slide works super fast, but no force behind it. You can completely control the sights with no muzzle flip and track your front dot easily.

[tazman]

I think that is the best description of the felt recoil from that boolit/cartridge combination I have read. It is spot on.
I know what it feels like but couldn't think of how to describe it.
I am getting similar results with Titewad powder.

[Saxmann10]

What oal and powder are you using for the Bersa and lcp. I plan on loading for the same firearms

[jcren]

Love this bullet in bersa powder coated over auto comp. Chrono 900 fps and more accurate than factory ball.

[rintinglen]

In the 380, the RD version is my go to boolit. I load it over 3.1 grains of ww-231 and with an oal of .900 and it works in all 4 of my 380's. (Colt Mustang Pocketlite, LCP, Walther PPK/s, and Beretta 84m.

[Cherokee]

I load mine with 231 as well. My 380's like .357 size, accurate, using the Lee snot.

[paul edward]

Power Pistol generates both muzzle blast and flash. If you shoot PP loads in a dark indoor range, you will definitely notice the flash.