Bullet Mold Fiasco

[milrifle]

Hello. Newby here. Been lurking for a while and searching to find answers to my questions, but I have come across a problem I did not see a solution for. I have been casting Lee C312-185-1R for my 03-A3, but damaged the mold (Long story) and needed a replacement. The bullets from my new mold were too large to accept the gas check. Measuring the cavity opening with a digital caliper showed the new mold opening to be .007" larger than the old one and .003" larger than another .30 cal Lee mold I own. I never had any problem fitting gas checks with either of the molds I had, but this new one.....They just won't go. I'm using the same alloy as before (90% wheel weights and 10% 50/50 solder). Bullets are dropping .316 on the driving bands, .292 on teh gas check shank.

I've been in contact with Lee. They say the gas check shank should be .283 +.003/-.000. Obviously, mine are too large, but I'm sure they are going to blame it on my alloy as the bullet is dropping .004 oversize.

So, does this sound like a mold problem or am I doing something wrong? I did not knowingly do anything differently than before, but I'm certainly not perfect.

[milrifle]

BTW, the bullet measurements were taken with a micrometer. Only the mold measurements were taken with the caliper. I do not own an inside mic.

[Rex]

I'd send the mold back to Lee along with one of the cast bullets.

[500MAG]

I had a similar problem. I use to heat my mold up by dipping the end in the alloy until it heated up enough for the lead to fall off of it. I noticed when I was sizing that the boolits were hard to size. When I checked, I noticed a big difference in the cast size. Turned out, a small amount of lead had gotten in the hole where the mold lines up and it prevented the mold from closing tight. It was so hard to notice, it took me sending it back to Lee for them to notice it. It did not leak but that tiny difference made a difference in the size. I now heat my molds on a hot plate.

[milrifle]

To complicate things, I bought it from a vendor, not Lee. Ive been in contact with Lee. They say to go back to the vendor, which I can do, but I'd like to know that I wont get another mold with the same problem. Lee did ask a question, so maybe they're not done with me.

[500MAG]

To complicate things, I bought it from a vendor, not Lee. Ive been in contact with Lee. They say to go back to the vendor, which I can do, but I'd like to know that I wont get another mold with the same problem. Lee did ask a question, so maybe they're not done with me.

Purchasing from a vendor shouldn't be a problem. Do you have the receipt? I have sent back things to them with Midsouth receipts with no problem.

[milrifle]

Thanks for your input, guys. Lee is suspecting something holding the mold open as well. They said I could send it back for them to check out. I am waiting to see if I need a return authorization or just send it to the attn of the rep I've been dealing with.

Out of curiosity, I closely inspected the mold to see if I could see anything holding it open. I could not, other than a possible burr left over from the machining process. I cannot see any light through the parting line. I'm still thinking the mold was machined too large, at least in the gas check shank portion. I measured the opening in the top of the cavities along the parting line and 90 degrees to the parting line. Both measurements are within .0005" of each other. I would think if something were holding the mold open, it would measure larger at 90 degrees to the parting line than along the parting line, but I'm getting practically the same thing (.289") in both directions.

I have read that some alloys will cast larger bullets than others. These are actually casting larger than nominal of the mold. Not knowing the actual mold diameter, I don't know if this is normal or not. You wouldn't think the bullet could be larger than the mold, but maybe they grow? They are hard to get out of the mold, but so were the ones in the old mold. Actually, that is what I was trying to correct when I goofed up my old one. At any rate, can my alloy be causing my bullets to be oversized?

[ColColt]

Your alloy wouldn't be dropping boolits that large. Something else is wrong. Using something like 50/50 lead to Linotype would made a larger boolit than ww's but not .005-.007" larger. Scroll down about 1/3rd the way on the left side in this link and you'll see the difference in diameter of various alloys.

http://www.lasc.us/castbulletnotes.htm

[popper]

Send it back!

[skeet1]

milrifle,
I sent a mould back to Lee about a mouth ago and they replaced it without a fuss.I would be surprised if they did anything different with you. Lee's customer service is very good.

Ken

[ShooterAZ]

I just purchased the same mold from Midway and have the exact same problem. I use a #10 round head machine screw and a small hammer to open up the check enough to start it. I didn't want to send the mold back because it was casting at .315, and I am sizing to .314 for one of my Mosin Nagants. The things we do for our hobby!

[Bad Water Bill]

Run that screw into a 6" long 1" diameter dowel rod and you should not need the hammer + that new tool iis a llot easier to find the next time than the #10 screw.

[1874Sharps]

Milrifle,

If you happen to shoot a 303 Brit, this mold might be perfect. Also, with the slightly larger gas check shank a FRECHEX gas check made with the customary 0.012 inch aluminum flashing sheet metal might be just the ticket! I realize that this does not help you with the issue of casting for your 30-06, but you may have a great mold for the 303 Brit.

[Larry Gibson]

Your alloy wouldn't be dropping boolits that large. Something else is wrong. Using something like 50/50 lead to Linotype would made a larger boolit than ww's but not .005-.007" larger. Scroll down about 1/3rd the way on the left side in this link and you'll see the difference in diameter of various alloys.

http://www.lasc.us/castbulletnotes.htm

+1.

Make sure the alignment pins are properly lubed and there are no burrs to keep the blocks from closing together. If all is well and the blocks are closed together then you can send it back.

However, someone here may very well want a mould like that that casts the big. Someone who makes GCs out of beer cans may want a shank that big also. You might offer it on the "For Sale" forum. I had an oversize 44 cal mould I sold there for what I paid for it and then simply got another moud to better suit my needs.

Larry Gibson

[milrifle]

Thanks for all the help. Im gonna send it back. I hope that they tell me what they find and not just blindly replace it. I'd like to know what the cause was, especially if it was something I'm doing wrong.

[milrifle]

Update: I sent the mold back to Lee. They found it indeed oversized, as were the ones on their shelf. They thanked me for bringing it to their attention and will send me a new one next week when they machine some more. Hope they send one that stops bullets easily.

Milrifle

[milrifle]

That was supposed to be "Drops" bullets! Dang auto correct spell check!

[PS Paul]

A truly HAPPY ending!

[I'll Make Mine]

Update: I sent the mold back to Lee. They found it indeed oversized, as were the ones on their shelf. They thanked me for bringing it to their attention and will send me a new one next week when they machine some more. Hope they send one that stops bullets easily.

Milrifle

This is very good to hear -- Lee's prices are so much better than anyone else, it's good to know they haven't tossed out service to get there. Makes me feel better about starting with a Lee mold when I buy my equipment. :guntootsmiley:

[MT Chambers]

This is very good to hear -- Lee's prices are so much better than anyone else, it's good to know they haven't tossed out service to get there. Makes me feel better about starting with a Lee mold when I buy my equipment. :guntootsmiley:

That they were making them .007" oversize and are cheap, makes you feel good?

[I'll Make Mine]

That they stepped up, admitted they found an error, and replaced the mold, makes me feel good. Any manufacturing process can produce defective parts -- but not all companies are willing to make things right.

[40Super]

The problem comes when such a high % of their customers have to be their quality control and waste a lot of time to get a working part as oppossed to them making the parts right in the first place. That said the price of their molds are good for getting newcomers started and thats worth a little.

[I'll Make Mine]

That said the price of their molds are good for getting newcomers started and thats worth a little.

Exactly. I can buy three Lee molds, each with handles included, for the price of a single RCBS or Lyman and a set of handles. I can just about get a Lee casting pot, spout type ladle, and a mold (with handles) for the price of a premium mold, which is the direction I'm headed. Even if I never buy another Lee mold again (and their selection really has dropped off -- only one boolit shape for each weight in most weights?!), getting started without spending more than I did on my rifle and upgrade front sight is a good thing...

[popper]

I have 3 Lees. I just got 2 accurate alum. moulds. The few extra $ is worth a couple months of frustration, tinkering, fixing. The % culls is WAY down. I learned on the Lee but saving for 2 more 'good' moulds.

[frkelly74]

I would have saved and treasured that mold just for the instance when you get a mosin of SMLE with a bigger bore and everything you can find to use must be jury rigged to get a boolit big enough to fit its bore. My mosins would have loved it.

[gunboat57]

Hi, all. My first post here. I'm just getting starting casting boolits for my two 303 rifles and had an experience similar to milrifle's.

My Lee C312-185-1R was dropping bullets that had the GC stud too big for my gas checks. Lee acknowledged that some of their molds had been made oversized. They told me to send the defective mold back and they'd replace it with a good one.

Instead, I offered to send them a check for $10 and said I'll keep the defective mold and they can just send me a new one. They agreed.

I machined off the GC part of the defective mold so now it's flat based and drops at about .314 on the bands. The new mold they sent works fine with my gas checks.

It was a bit of hassle but they made it right and I ended up with two useable molds for the cost of one and a half molds.

[frkelly74]

That is AWESOME!! What a spectacularly good outcome! I do like lee products and service.

[MT Chambers]

That's the beauty with Lees, no 2 bullets or molds are ever the same, truly unique.

[Wayne Smith]

All you guys with SMLE's - all those oversize molds will be on Lee's Clearance page. Grab them!