Best .30 cal Lee Mould

[brstevns]

Alright. I am getting ready to order a Lee 30 cal mould. What do you gals and guys think is the best one to be used in the following. 308 win, 30/06, 303 british and maybe the 30/30.

[RU shooter]

Alright. I am getting ready to order a Lee 30 cal mould. What do you gals and guys think is the best one to be used in the following. 308 win, 30/06, 303 british and maybe the 30/30. My vote is for the 312-185 firstly and then the 312-155 . Both shoot well for me in the calibers you listed. You may or may not get one to cast big enough for the 303 thought ,my 185 drops .312x.302 I have two of the 155 mould,The SC is .314 and the DC is .312 , The 155 is a sptizer shape and would need to be single loaded in the 30/30

[superior]

I shoot the Tl-312-160 in the 7.62x39 and 303Brit with outstanding accuracy. One of my enfields ( no.5 mk1 jungle carbine) has to large of a bore and won't shoot but my no1 mk3 loves that boolit. If I were you, I would get the 312-155 so you can size it down and still have a deep lube groove. It should perform the same as the Tl-160. For hunting, I throw a stick-on w/w in my floating ladle. After it melts, I pour it into the mold followed quickly by the straight w/w below. The resulting softpoints are very deadly on critters and I have yet to be able to get one to fail, even with a vise and hammer.

[brstevns]

That 312-155 does look nice. That pointed bullet expands well for you with the soft nose bullet? I read the forum on making soft nose and found it quit informative. I have a NO1 MK3 the other cal. listed or relatives that I plan on making bullets for.

[6.5 mike]

The lee 312-185 is a good general use 30/31 cal mould. Size down, beagle or paper patch up as needed. I've used it in 30-40 krag (2), 303 sav in 2 '99s, 30-06, 7.62x54r (2) with good results. The tl 160 is a fun 30-30 load with a little unique, bout like a 32-20. Works well in a 30 herrett for fireforming loads also.

[brstevns]

The lee 312-185 is a good general use 30/31 cal mould. Size down, beagle or paper patch up as needed. I've used it in 30-40 krag (2), 303 sav in 2 '99s, 30-06, 7.62x54r (2) with good results. The tl 160 is a fun 30-30 load with a little unique, bout like a 32-20. Works well in a 30 herrett for fireforming loads also.

I am just now getting into paper patching so that is a thought. Thanks

[6.5 mike]

the 185 has been a very usefull mould for me. Seems like everytime I find a new, or new to me, 30/31 cal rifle it's the first mould I reach for after slugging the bbl. I think it would be a good choice for learning to pp'ed. Need to patch some up for a 7.7 jap & give it a try.

[MT Gianni]

Get two. Every shooter of the 30's should own at least one 113 fn "soup can".

[brstevns]

Get two. Every shooter of the 30's should own at least one 113 fn "soup can".

On fixed income can only afford one for the time being. That is why looking for the best one for these cal. Seems as if the 312-185 is everyone's favorite.

[MT Gianni]

The advantage of the soup can is less metal and accuracy in anything. If you are not hunting deer and only shooting up to 200 yards it is a great boolit.

[Rocky Raab]

Since I own a grand total of one .30-cal mould, I have to say that my "best" one is the Lee C-309-170-F. It is designed for the .30-30 but works just fine in my .308 and even my 30 Herrett. It would undoubtedly work just as well in a .30-06 or .30-40. But probably not in a 303, unfortunately.

[gnoahhh]

Rocky, say it ain't so! Those words border on heresy! (Only kidding, you know!)

I too break out the old Lee 170 grainer from time to time. I must have owned that thing for 30 years now. Probably the ugliest mold I own, what with the countless times I've smoked the cavities to get it to fill out properly. But it works.

[catboat]

Look at the Ranch Dog 165 grain (170 grainish) flat point with tumble lube. The mold is made by Lee Precision. It has an excellent reputation for accuracy in a variety of . 30 caliber chamberings. Unless you have a lubricator/sizer, a tumble lube bullet will require much less capital investment (could probably shoot "as cast" and just seat a gas check on it, for keeping it real simple). You can get a Lee push-through sizing die in .310" and touch up any renegade bullets for diameter issues.

[brstevns]

Look at the Ranch Dog 165 grain (170 grainish) flat point with tumble lube. The mold is made by Lee Precision. It has an excellent reputation for accuracy in a variety of . 30 caliber chamberings. Unless you have a lubricator/sizer, a tumble lube bullet will require much less capital investment (could probably shoot "as cast" and just seat a gas check on it, for keeping it real simple). You can get a Lee push-through sizing die in .310" and touch up any renegade bullets for diameter issues.

Nice looking bullet but a little out of my price range. I will have to stay with the standard designs.

[MT Gianni]

Remember if you don't have a lot of alloy, you pour 3 185 gr for every 5 113 gr.

[brstevns]

Remember if you don't have a lot of alloy, you pour 3 185 gr for every 5 113 gr.

Relatives that are getting the mould plan on supplying their own alloy. I make the bullets and they get me the mould and I get a share what I make. I am the one with the 303. but I would not trade it for anything.

[brstevns]

Looks as if I will go with the C312-185 as I will be able to use it in the 30-30 as well.

[bubba 2]

It all depends on what your rifle slugs out to. that is the most important consideration post that and then we can help

[iwottopq]

Get two. Every shooter of the 30's should own at least one 113 fn "soup can".

Hello to all.
Sorry for my ignorance but...what boolit is the "sout can"???
Can you post a pic?
Thanks
Nino

[brstevns]

It all depends on what your rifle slugs out to. that is the most important consideration post that and then we can help

Relatives 308 slugs .308 another cousins 30-06 slugs .3085 and my 303 brit. 3135

[MT Gianni]

Hello to all.
Sorry for my ignorance but...what boolit is the "sout can"???
Can you post a pic?
Thanks
Nino

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/MOLD-D-C-309-113-F.html

Mold DC 309-113 SKU 90362

Lee does a better job with their pictures than I do. The oldtimers on this board commented that it looked like a can of soup available in the US and the name stuck to it.

[iwottopq]

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/MOLD-D-C-309-113-F.html

Mold DC 309-113 SKU 90362

Lee does a better job with their pictures than I do. The oldtimers on this board commented that it looked like a can of soup available in the US and the name stuck to it.

Hello to all.
Deat MT Gianni thanks for your reply, now is more clear. I have some difficulties with your language and not understand the slang.
However the boolit seems good, for the weight and form, to reload my love, the 30M1 Carbine!!!
Thanks again.
Nino

[skeet1]

Lee 312-185 for me. It didn't work out for my .303 because of size problems but for the .30-06 it has worked out great.

Ken

[1Shirt]

The 150 lee FNGC is sort of an ugly looking critter, but it shoots very well in all of my 30's.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Char-Gar]

I agree that if a fellow wanted just one Lee 30 caliber mold, the Soup Can would be my prime choice.

One of the first group buys we did was for a six hole edition of this bullet.

[brstevns]

Lee 312-185 for me. It didn't work out for my .303 because of size problems but for the .30-06 it has worked out great.

Ken

What type of size problems? Under or over size bullet etc. ?

[brstevns]

I agree that if a fellow wanted just one Lee 30 caliber mold, the Soup Can would be my prime choice.

One of the first group buys we did was for a six hole edition of this bullet.

How does it do in the 303 british?

[treadhead1952]

Hi br,

I shoot the Lee .312-185 grain round nose in my .303 British Model I Mark III as well as Lyman's 314-200 grain round nose. Both bullets use .30 caliber gas checks. I don't resize the .312 but do run the .314 through a .313 Lee sizer set up. Tumble lube works for me. Here is the .312-185 page....

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/MOLD-D-C-C312-185-1R.html

Here is the Lyman page for the .314-200....

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/mould-details-rifles.php?entryID=55

The 200 grain bullet is great for longer ranges, either one would drop a deer in a heart beat.

Jay
treadhead1952
Las Vegas, NV USA

USMC RULES!

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have Lee .309-190F . it is a "Bore Rider FP GC" This is a single cavity mould I bought in 1978. Every single bullet I have made with this mould has been perfect. From 30 years ago and then pulling it out of the box recently, no fuss no muss. Easiest mould to use I have ever used.

It works well in .30-06 and .308. I have not tried it in my .30-30 but I'm thinkin' it would work well there too.

My .02

Randy

[Ben]

Randy :

Wouldn't that be a nice one for Lee to bring back to life.

Ben

[frkelly74]

I will just throw out a comment. I got a 155 gr 312 lee mold for a 303 brit that I had and found that it was not big enough . It does however work well in a well worn Garand barrel when sized 311. I would not buy a single cavity mold if there was any two or more cavity molds available. Those are the lessons I learned so far.

[Mk42gunner]

Relatives 308 slugs .308 another cousins 30-06 slugs .3085 and my 303 brit. 3135

You may have to beagle the mold for your .303. My 312-185 drops ACWW at .313" on the bands, .302" on the nose. It is my first try for just about any .30-.31 caliber rifle.

I don't have one of Lee's soup cans, but I have a couple of Lyman 311316 DC molds that I have to try yet. One needs lapped, one of these days.....


Robert

[brstevns]

Have you had any problems seating gas checks after beagleing?

[Mk42gunner]

I haven't actually had to beagle a gaschecked mold yet. judging by the way gas checks go on my 312-185, I don't think there would be any problem.

Or since Lee molds are soft aluminum, you may want to lap the drive bands out, it shouldn't be too hard.

Whatever you do, cast some boolits first, no sense doing any extra work you don't have to.

Robert

[brstevns]

I haven't actually had to beagle a gaschecked mold yet. judging by the way gas checks go on my 312-185, I don't think there would be any problem.

Or since Lee molds are soft aluminum, you may want to lap the drive bands out, it shouldn't be too hard.

Whatever you do, cast some boolits first, no sense doing any extra work you don't have to.

Robert

Just received it this pass week, hope to break it in over the weekend. Wish me luck in hopes it throws a .314 bullet or larger.

[brstevns]

You may have to beagle the mold for your .303. My 312-185 drops ACWW at .313" on the bands, .302" on the nose. It is my first try for just about any .30-.31 caliber rifle.

I don't have one of Lee's soup cans, but I have a couple of Lyman 311316 DC molds that I have to try yet. One needs lapped, one of these days.....


Robert

looks like we have the same mould. This drops them at .312 at the bands and
.302 at the nose as well. I have some tape for beagleing that a follow member sent to me. I will try it and see if I can get .314 and still have the gas check fit.

[OBXPilgrim]

Paper patch that boolit for the .303 and don't worry about it dropping undersize.

I tried it with a .357 max Handi rifle - tightest group the rifle ever shot. If I wanted just one mold to do it all within your calibers - I'd paper patch the .303. It would cost you .314 size die instead of a different mold (but you'd still need the other sizer).

This sounds exactly what you'd want to do:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=119256

[brstevns]

Paper patch that boolit for the .303 and don't worry about it dropping undersize.

I tried it with a .357 max Handi rifle - tightest group the rifle ever shot. If I wanted just one mold to do it all within your calibers - I'd paper patch the .303. It would cost you .314 size die instead of a different mold (but you'd still need the other sizer).

This sounds exactly what you'd want to do:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=119256

Would you size to say .308 before patching or just patch the as dropped bullet? and then size to .314?

[6.5 mike]

I've sized that one to 0.309 then wrapped with 2 wraps of tracing paper, comes out at 0.315 for both my 99's in 303 sav. Same size should work in my 7.7 jap also, need to do something with it one day.

[OBXPilgrim]

Would you size to say .308 before patching or just patch the as dropped bullet? and then size to .314?

It would really depend on whether you had the right diameter sizer and/or paper. I think the best practice would be to wrap, then size.

I don't have enough experience to give you a definitive answer - but I'm sure there are some on here that do. A question posed to some on the smokeless paper patching section here could probably get you a good answer and a how-to.

[brstevns]

I've sized that one to 0.309 then wrapped with 2 wraps of tracing paper, comes out at 0.315 for both my 99's in 303 sav. Same size should work in my 7.7 jap also, need to do something with it one day.

Do you resize after wrapping or load as is?

[6.5 mike]

Load them as is after wrapping.

[brstevns]

Load them as is after wrapping.

I will give it a try. Thanks for the information :coffeecom

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

Since I own a grand total of one .30-cal mould, I have to say that my "best" one is the Lee C-309-170-F. It is designed for the .30-30 but works just fine in my .308 and even my 30 Herrett. It would undoubtedly work just as well in a .30-06 or .30-40. But probably not in a 303, unfortunately.

i bet if you beagled it you could get .313 out of it for 303 might work

it is also my only 30 cal mold mine drops .310 and works well in 30-30 haven't tried the others yet

[brstevns]

Was able to beagle it and get .315 will try these as cast.

[Boolseye]

+1 on the TL312-160. Good accuracy in my .308 sized to .309, but you could use it in the .303, too.

[brstevns]

+1 on the TL312-160. Good accuracy in my .308 sized to .309, but you could use it in the .303, too.

For the time being I am using moulds I can borrow or beg. Money too tight to buy new at the moment. That lee mould does look like a good one.

[Boolseye]

gotcha. enjoy your casting
-jp