Lee 6 cavity mold for 40S&W Glock.. advice please!

[Swede 45]

I´m about to get me a Lee mold for my 40S&W.
I need advice on which design to go for..
The TL401-175SWC or the 401-175 TC ??

Glock 35 with standard poly barrel.
Medium loads .. for accuracy shooting.
Probably going to PC the boolits..

Anyone shooting these, or been able to compare them for accuracy ?

[fredj338]

Go none TL. You can still tumble lube & if you want to size & lube, you have a good bullet design for that too. Many report less than optimal accuracy with TL designs in varying calibers. JMO, std lube groove.

[gamedog53]

I use the 401-175 TC in a 10mm. For $39.00 you can not beat that mold.

[Edward]

My experience is w/TL401 175-SWC 6 holer 6-7 yrs in Glock 10mm/40 sw tumble lubed ,lately w Bens /alox mix killed a few deer /coyote and lots of cans /plates .My idea of fun is steel @ 90 yds enough hits to say I can !As far as accuracy /guess thats up to the shooter .If your familiar with the Ranch Dog 30-30 tumble lube bullet made by Lee after they stopped production . That mold is highly desired by many and the fact is they are really really accurate and TL is a fact .Noe now makes ranch Dog molds and without a doubt makes excellent molds , the only thing is I shoot Ported Wolf barrels with cast, (can"t hit the plate) with Glock barrels .If you want to try some before buying a mold I have them tumble lubed and now PC d too .You could use the PC d w/the Glock barrel and the tumble lubed w /an after market barrel ,I use wolf barrels on all my Glocks .PM me and I would be happy to send you some to try

[Bullwolf]

While I don't shoot a Glock, I do have both of the moulds you listed.
I use them both with a Smith & Wesson 411, 4006, and a 610 revolver.

I have a Lee TL401 175-SWC in a 6 cavity.

I also have the Lee 401-175 TC in a dual cavity mould.

Both designs work well for me, so my opinion on each won't likely help you make a decision. I will say that the 6 holer makes a larger pile of boolits much faster than the less expensive dual cavity mould - While the DC doesn't wear me out as quickly, or empty the pot so soon.

I've heard folks say that you can swage down the TL design boolit easier in an improperly expanded case than the regular lube groove boolit, but I haven't had any problems loading either style boolit. If you have a lubesizer, I might lean more towards the Lee 401-175 TC, as sometimes you can wipe out the shallower Tumble Lube grooves when sizing a TL boolit down really far.

If you are just tumble lubing boolits (like me) both styles work pretty well, and then I might lean more towards the Lee TL401 175-SWC just for tumble lubing since that's what it was designed for.

As was mentioned, you can also tumble lube the non TL design if you want. Since both are very similar, pick the boolit that you like the profile of best and go with it. Both have a reputation as being solid performers.

The TL SWC is a tad longer than the TC, while the TC doesn't have a pronounced "shoulder" like the SWC does. Some have had troubles with the SWC shoulder or lip hanging up in guns. The TC design seems to get recommended as an easier feeder for most automatics due to just that.

Lee Cast Bullet Length Dimensions

Product Number

Diameter- Grain Weight- Nose Type

Bullet OAL in inches

DR = Distance from bullet nose to the top edge of the first driving ring LG = Distance from nose of the bullet to the first lube groove

90470	401-145-SWC	.530	.220	LG
90431	TL401-175-SWC	.598	.250	DR
90256	401-175-TC	.590	.245	LG

- Bullwolf

[Swede 45]

Ok, thanks for the input!
I think I´ll go with the TC design as the gun feeds and functions just fine with plated, j´s and HP´s of the same shape.
I´m going to powdercoat these for sure, so the lube design isn´t a big issue.. I have a Star luber on loan, and dont want to invest in a die for a short time use only. If my source of free powdercoating dries up, I can TL the TC bullet in a pinch anyway..


Edward: Thanks, but I´m not within the US, so shipping a few bullets isn´t realistic with the hassle involved.. but thanks again for the kind offer.

[Budzilla 19]

Over the past two years, I have cast a thousand or more 40 cal boolits with a Lee six cavity mold in 401/175 grain TL design! No problems with this mold and boy does it make boolits in a hurry!! Either way you choose I don't think you can go wrong with either design of bullet. Just my opinion,good luck!!

[FergusonTO35]

I use the Lee 356-120-TC with perfect success in my 9's. The 401-175-TC is the .40 version and I bet it works great too.

[typz2slo]

I got the TC mold in a 6 gang. Didnt like the bevel base so I took that out and now have a flat base boolit that my lyman sizer likes and dont get lube under the boolit.

[pcmacd]

My experience is w/TL401 175-SWC 6 holer 6-7 yrs in Glock 10mm/40 sw tumble lubed ,lately w Bens /alox mix killed a few deer /coyote and lots of cans /plates .My idea of fun is steel @ 90 yds enough hits to say I can !As far as accuracy /guess thats up to the shooter .If your familiar with the Ranch Dog 30-30 tumble lube bullet made by Lee after they stopped production . That mold is highly desired by many and the fact is they are really really accurate and TL is a fact .Noe now makes ranch Dog molds and without a doubt makes excellent molds , the only thing is I shoot Ported Wolf barrels with cast, (can"t hit the plate) with Glock barrels .If you want to try some before buying a mold I have them tumble lubed and now PC d too .You could use the PC d w/the Glock barrel and the tumble lubed w /an after market barrel ,I use wolf barrels on all my Glocks .PM me and I would be happy to send you some to try

The TL 401s are extraordinarily accurate in my G22s and G23s. So accurate I never even considered another mold, but I just don't care for the TL. It's messy and not very pretty. People have asked who tweaked my G22, as they had never seen one perform at 25 yards like that.

I smiled and told them, practice, practice and more practice.

I cast indoor range salvage with 2% tin and 3% antimony added (foundry type.) Range manager told me local police practice shotgun at the range, so there are BBs in the mix with a tincture of arsenic.

I'm considering a 401 SWC or TC for the Glocks.

[rking22]

So, since this has been resurrected, is anyone using either in a Beretta 96? I am looking for 25 yard accuracy with full power. Basically a factory equivalent load to the 180FP. I don’t PC but tumble lube is fine as is conventional.

[Tim357]

As mentioned up above, has anyone had problems with empty cases getting hung up on the way out of the chamber? A guy I know cannot use any SWC in his Glock 30, on account of the empty hangs up on the shoulder of the next round in the magazine. I'd be curious to know if this problem rears its ugly head with, say a Glock 22 or 23.