Lee 429-200-RF Question

[xtratoy]

I have a new 6 cavity Lee mold . It is the mold listed in the title above, #90428 as listed by Lee. Does anyone have any experience with this mold? Mine is still new and I am wondering if it really drops a .429 bullet or do they drop a little larger. My experience with Lee's tumble lube molds (which this is not) are that they drop one or two thousandths larger than the stated. Also my Lee heavy .44 and 45 mold drop larger than listed. Both are two cavity molds. I probably won't want this mold if indeed it does drop a .429 bullet as I like being sure I have a good bore fit. I am asking because I would rather sell it as new , never used than as a used mold.

[TCLouis]

but mine were lightly sized in my 0.431 sizing die.
They ran pretty good too when I was casting.

I cast them for the 44 SPL, now I just need to find some brass, and get my new unfired gun back from the factory.

I will shoot some as plinkers out of the Mag too, as it saves me a boolit for every 5 that I shoot.

[462]

xtratoy,
Only one way to find out. If the boolit drop too small, return it.

[mooman76]

You already have the mould so no matter what our responce, you won't know for sure til you try. There are also things you can do to improve the size if it isn't to your liking. I have the mould you talk about but I have had mine awhile and I have it in a 2x so my answer wouldn't really help much but mine does drop bigger. If memory serves mine drops at .231. It's a nice little plinker in both my 44 special and 44 mag. Soooo whatcha waiten for?

[xtratoy]

I will throw a set of handles on it and see what happens. Thanks for all your help.

[ScottJ]

I have the two cavity of that. It was my first mold and unless I do everything perfect I get .428.

I have lemented and it's gotten no better.

Plan to try beagling before sending it back.

Worst of all I was stubborn and managed to get a couple hunded cast at rougly .429 and loaded them up thinking "I'll just scrub out that lead".

Since then I have bought other molds and have seen what a joy it is to shoot properly sized stuff so now I have to pull all those rounds once I get that boolit to .430.

[Shuz]

I have 2/Ea of that design in 2C. Mine both throw .431+ sized boolits outta WW+1% tin. I also believe the only way you'll know for sure is to try it. If it throws too small, you can always Beagle it. What .44 mag gun are you planning on using it in?

[xtratoy]

Ruger Blackhawk 44 Special

[Wally]

This is one very fine bullet for medium .44 Magnum & .44 Spl loads...very accurate.. I tried the other Lee offerings in the 200~220 grain weights and this one is by far the best.

[excess650]

I have the same in 6 cavity, and it works pretty well. I just mic'd several bullets as-cast, and while they're not perfectly round, they are .4295"-.431".

A question that needs to be answered is how large are your cylinder throats? Ideally, they need to be as large as, or larger than your barrel's groove diameter. If they're smaller, any cast bullet will lead.

[sagacious]

Can't be sure about yours, but my six-cav 429-200-RF drops at .431" or a tad larger with straight ww alloy. It's a favorite light carbine load when used over a medium charge of W231. Shoots well. Good luck.

[lathesmith]

My Lee 200 gr RF sounds exactly like excess650's in post #10, and it is just lightly "skimmed" in a .430 or .431 die. It is one of my favorite 44 boolits, and works very well with low power 44 mag loads in my Ruger SBH Hunter and my Ruger 96/44. I love mine!

lathesmith

[jmsj]

I have the 2 cavity mold, I cast 400 of these last weekend. I cast pretty them pretty hot (around 750 degrees), wheel weights and air cooled they are dropping .4315-.432.
I have been really busy w/ work and haven't had time to load or shoot. I hear good things about this bullet, I need to find a good load for these.

[TCLouis]

Not a complete steal, but a jag off on a tangent for this thread.

Anyone have any nice performing loads with this boolit and Bullseye, Red Dot, or Unique for the SPL or Maggie?

[lathesmith]

With Red Dot, my loading notes show a charge of 4.7 grains, this with a COL of 1.56", using 50/50 lube, makes a really accurate cream puff load for both my SBH and 96/44 carbine.

lathesmith