Lee 401-175-TC Users - Pics and Feedback, Please?

[308Jeff]

I'm ready to buy my first mold, and I'm eyeing that Lee 401-175-TC 6 Cavity. Have had it in my cart several times on Amazon, even ordered it once, but cancelled before it shipped due to some negative feedback I'd read on here.

For those of you who own a 401-175-TC, and have used it, I'd love to:

- See your pics. Of the mold itself, raw bullets, and loaded rounds.
- Hear your feedback on the quality of the mold. Has the quality been acceptable? Are you getting nominally sized casts?
- Hear your opinion on if you'd recommend it as a first time caster's first mold?
- Hear your feedback on the performance of the bullet, both in how happy you are with ease of it chambering, and accuracy of the bullet?
- Hear if you are PCing or Lubing, or both?

[TexasGrunt]

I have a 2 cavity of that mold and it's one of the "good" Lee molds I have. Drops to size. Boolits look awesome. I don't have any uncoated ones right now though. I'm using PC or Hi-Tek. It feeds in all my guns.

[bikerbeans]

No pics for you as I don't play well with electronics. I do have a never version of the 401-175 TC mold and I like it. It does need to be run hot, 705F, and have a good puddle on the sprue. Otherwise I get wrinkles and short pours. My mold drops a shade over .401" with my free alloy, 96% smelted jacketed pisto cores and 4% type metal spacers. If you are so inclined look at the sticky thread on how to improve a Lee mold.

BB

[gpidaho]

Jeff; To date, the Lee 175TC was my only 40cal mould (a two hole version) I was all set to order the lee six cavity to speed things up. I like the bullets and have shot a lot out of my 40 carbine. Yesterday Al at NOE offered the 402 RN moulds as the weeks special and I ordered the four cavity NOE instead of another Lee. You won't go wrong with the Lee however. Good Shooting. Gp

[GhostHawk]

I won't promise pics, I might be able to give you a shot of some loaded rounds.

I have it in a 2 cavity, use it to feed a Hipoint .40sw carbine. Which shoots those boolits just fine as cast, with 2 light coats of Ben's Liquid Lube.

My first loading came out sooty black inside and out so I bumped the load up half a grain of Red Dot and the soot went away.

Zero'd the Truglo red dot sight on the carbine and the bullets go exactly where the red dot is when you pull the trigger. Want to write your name or draw pictures, you can do that.

You can also play "cut the center out of a 2" stick on shoot and see target real well.

Win win IMO and not that much money. Bite the boolit!

[Strtspdlx]

Mine is an modified Lee mold. Still drops at .4018 and all 6. Who ever machines it left a ton of chatter marks. But every mold I get from Amazon has been a headache. Don't buy from Amazon!!!! My mold I converted to flat base. Keep the mold cool and keep it well lubed and it won't be an issue. Don't run it As hot as you can go. It'll cause problems. If it wrinkles or you have deformities. It's either contamination, or your pour isn't correct.

[garym1a2]

This lee 6-up TC mold is my best mold. I have loaded over 12K of these both lube and powder coated. It gets very good fillout. I also like its 9mm brother.

[bruce drake]

What caliber are you wanting to cast this boolit for? I found it performs decent in my 40S&W but just so-so in my 400 Corbon which I found really prefers the LEE 145gr SWC.

[308Jeff]

Thanks for all the great info, sirs!

I'm going to be casting for a Ruger Police Carbine (40 S&W).

[popper]

I have both the 175 original Lee moulds, niether will I pass on - worn out. For my money, I'd get a 4x from Accurate or NOE. I had a Lee 6x for 30/30 amd it was better quality but passed it on for an Accurate 4x, about the sme money, much better moulds. 4x fits my cadence better so I can cast longer sessions. NOE is good if he has what you want in stock, get his expander setup for the 40sw - you will need it. Accurate is ~ 1 wk from order to receipt, even my rifle custom stuff.

[AggieEE]

I have one of the 6 cav. and I can't complain or brag. It works, the sizing die just cleans up the sides. Seems to shoot OK, more to due with my lack of practice than anything else. Got one of Mehic's 4 cav. hp that I like better. Probably more to do with it being a pretty mold than anything else. For the price you can't go too wrong.

[308Jeff]

Thanks, all. Ordered a six cavity today along with a 2 cavity 358-158-RF.

[Jniedbalski]

I have the 2 cavity-lee 175 grain and the lee 145 swc mold. They boath do good in my high point carbine and pistol . The size is right on and make good boolets. Keep the pivot pin lubed and the alignment pins spur plate lubed and it will last a long time. I use refrigerant oil

[Boolseye]

I have the 2 cavity-lee 175 grain and the lee 145 swc mold. They boath do good in my high point carbine and pistol . The size is right on and make good boolets. Keep the pivot pin lubed and the alignment pins spur plate lubed and it will last a long time. I use refrigerant oil

How's that JCP work for ya? I bought one and had to sell it, just constant FTFs. Put a lot of hours into it, musta got a lemon. All my other High Points were great.

[Jniedbalski]

Never had a problem with feeding in the 40 carbine or the 40 pistol. I did with the nine with some cast ammo with the lee tc 124 grain and changed the mag and now it works fine. The nine shot factory fmj good with the older mag

[308Jeff]

I've been standing out on the sidewalk all day waiting for the Amazon delivery man.

My very first mold... Might sleep with it under my pillow tonight.

[Smk SHoe]

I use to cast with it and IIRC didn't have any problems. Don't shoot a .40 anymore so no need for the mold. I do have 2, 9mm 6 bangers in TC and 2 .45 6 bangers in TC and the bullet profile works great in handguns. Very easy to cast with. Very forgiving

[308Jeff]

*Ding Dong*

Dog starts barking, I run do the door (as fast as I can in flip-flops).

Shudder a little as I see they only packaged it loosely in a plastic envelope.

Tear open the envelope, box looks good.

Open the box.

As a rookie, I think I got a good one. Machining looks good. Halves fit snugly together. No visible light between the halves. Alignment looks good. Sprue plate glide evenly across.

My face ---->

[OS OK]

I've been standing out on the sidewalk all day waiting for the Amazon delivery man.

My very first mold... Might sleep with it under my pillow tonight.

Be careful not to scratch your pistol...

[308Jeff]

Be careful not to scratch your pistol...

I'm just introducing them to each other. What they do after I fall asleep is their bidness....