New Lee 6 cavity .38 caliber wadcutter mold

[JLK]

I bought it this week and cast my first bullets last night. Tried to size and lubricate them thru a Lyman 450. It's not going to work. The bullets mic .362. I'm trying to size them to .357. I get so much resistance thru the die I'm afraid I will break the sizer linkage. I'm casting with wheel weights.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks!
JLK

[dubber123]

Do they measure .362 all the way around? I'd be very surprised if they do. If they are way oval, say .358" X .362", I would say you have a major issue with the mold closing correctly, and I would look for lead on the mold faces, major burrs, or a pair of alignment pins that are out of adjustment. If you are water dropping, that will make them much harder to size also, and unless it's for an odd application, most likely unnecessary for .38 wadcutters.

What made you choose the .357" diameter, if I may ask?

[JLK]

I haven't rotated the bullet in the mic but will. I'm getting no "fining" nor can I see light between the blocks when I hold the mold up to the light. I chose .357 because it's what I've always shot in my 40 year old S&W. I also tried a .358 die with the same problems. I've treated this mold the same as I did a 6 cavity .45, 160gr SWC I got on a group buy here. That mold is an absolute joy to use with -0- problems. I'll report back tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks everyone!
JLK

[dodgyrog]

I cast my wadcutters with range lead cut with pure lead - equal amounts. I drop into water and size to .358" in a Star Lubesizer. The go through easily.

[guncheese]

just got that same 6 holer this week myself. its like using a different brand of tool over the 2 holers
and mine drop .358"-.360" and they size perfect
i sized and 45/45/10 some and i powder coated the rest and then sized to .358
what a great tool, why didnt i start using these tools earlier!

[mdi]

A temporary remedy; get a Lee push through die in .357" and use it in a strong press. Also, mebbe cut your alloy with pure/close to pure to "soften up" the alloy. And yep, it could be the mold, but none of my Lee molds have casted that large...

[JeffG]

I have that mold too and dont remember them being that large. I have sized mine 357 but size 358 for a s&w mod 36. No issues through a 4500. These are a joy to cast and load. I typically cast 50/50 coww and pb with 2-3 % tin.

[jonp]

I have that mold also and it also does not drop that big. .360. I size to .358 and use BLL for my Target Masterpiece although I've since switched to a 140gr SWC.

[nvbirdman]

I had your moulds twin brother about ten years ago. I guess I should have sent it back to Lee, but I just ended up tossing it.

[Moonie]

Be sure you are only holding the mold handles, if you squeeze the spru plate handle it will produce overly large boolits as it opens the mold slightly.

[rintinglen]

Be sure you are only holding the mold handles, if you squeeze the spru plate handle it will produce overly large boolits as it opens the mold slightly.

+1 I had the same problem with a 358-125 RF 6 cavity, it was casting way large. once I realized I was inadvertently "beagle-ing" my mold by squeezing the Sprue cutter lever, my boolits got smaller and rounder.