Mr. Lee made me a good one !!

[captaint]

So, Santa brought me one of the Lee 358-158RF, standard loob groove. Couldn't stand it anymore, so today I cleaned it up & installed the required set screw on the sprue plate bolt and away we went. It's a 6 cav mold, so it took a minute to get it up to temp but after a few pours, the sprues cut nicely and I was off and running. Nineteen lbs of boolits later, my butt froze nearly off when the sun got low and I packed it in.
I have to say - this is a pleasant mold to work with. I did a little rub a dub with the plastic end of the toothbrush on the cavities to try to remove any burrs on the edges. Took a few minutes to get the wrinkles gone as usual on a new mold. The boolits dropped out politely after just a couple light taps and they measured right at .360 and weighed in at 162 grains. Right on the money for the alloy I am using (nearly 50%WW's and 50% softer lead).
All in all, I'm very happy with this mold. I plan on shooting most of these out of the 38spl's, so I won't need them very hard. I don't have a lot of Lee molds, but this one makes boolits as good as the higher buck units, that's for sure. Now, if I can find another decent day to go get some guns dirty. enjoy Mike

[zuke]

When I got my first LEE 6 banger I was amazed on the production,and how fast it emptied my 20 ld pot

[ubetcha]

I too just purchased the Lee 158rf 6 cavity mould and I'm amazed how fast it empties a pot of alloy.My brother and I will be going to the range today so I will see how the shoot.

[bruinruin]

Glad to hear you got a good one. I got 3 Lee molds in the last year and have yet to get good, consist fill out with any of them.

[Gray Fox]

I have this mold as well as the similar 125 grainer (I'm going to see if it will work as a 9mm boolit) and both function just as yours does. I don't however, like to cast in 40 degree weather. GF

[reloader28]

Gray Fox, that makes an awesome 9mm boolit.
Those 6 cav Lee molds are pretty cool. I only have 1 of them, but have another on the way with more in the plans.

[captaint]

I think, yesterday was the FIRST time I ever went out casting in dead of winter. It was the nicest day in a while, so I gave it a shot. Not too bad, really. Not until the sun got low. Then, it got nasty cold. Everything else, though, really pretty much worked as normal.
Bruin - I would suspect that if you're having fillout problems, the mold is rarely to blame. More likely, your melt needs a little tin - for fillout. The only other possibilities are mold not hot enough - or venting. One thing I do, based on advice I got here, is to take a stone and put a small 45 degree angle on the very top of the mold edge (both halves). We do this to add some venting thru the top of the mold. We do this, of course on the cavity top edge. I do it to all my molds, except the LBT's. They have venting cuts on the top of the molds, and this works very well. enjoy Mike

[bruinruin]

Thanks, captaint.

I've added tin via lead-free solder, varied my mould temp from cold to frosty hot. (fill out seemed a bit better with frosty boolits.) I'm starting to wonder it my melt temp is a bit low. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I haven't checked the temp-I've just been going by memory and using the old setting on my electric pot.


I'm trying to picture what you're describing when you mention adding vent lines with a file. I don't suppose you have any pictures showing what you did?

[captaint]

Bruin - I don't add any vent lines. If you look at the top of the mold, sprue plate aside - right where the mold halves meet on top - where you would look to be sure there's no light visible between the mold halves - I break those sharp edges with a stone, maybe a 45 deg angle, just a little. It allows the cavities to vent under the sprue plate. Also, I don't keep my sprue plates tight. I like them to just about swing under their own weight. I do that so they vent a little better thru the top of the mold - get better boolit base fillout. Good square boolit bases are very important for accuracy. Hope this makes sense. Mike

[bruinruin]

Ahhh, I can picture it now. Thanks for taking the time to explain. I'm going to play with my alloy temp before I do any mods to my moulds.

Thanks again!

[bucklind2]

You think it empties a 20 lb ld pot quickly with 158 grainers try 228 grain 45's. Those really empty your pot fast.

[MtGun44]

You will find that this is a superb design, too. Try it over a ~90% charge of H110
in .357 Mag and you will likely be pleased.

Bill

[myg30]

Thanks, captaint.

I've added tin via lead-free solder, varied my mould temp from cold to frosty hot. (fill out seemed a bit better with frosty boolits.) I'm starting to wonder it my melt temp is a bit low. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I haven't checked the temp-I've just been going by memory and using the old setting on my electric pot.


I'm trying to picture what you're describing when you mention adding vent lines with a file. I don't suppose you have any pictures showing what you did?

The setting on the dial will vary with the amount of lead in your pot as well as outside temp and wind. If you start with a full pot, cast as hot as nessary to get good fill out or even frostys. Then back your dial down a little. As the pot emptys, you might have to lower the temp again.
There is nothing wrong with having a few frostys, they shoot as good as shinny one's. Unless you have a digital temp controller its kinda hit n miss I've found.
Be safe, never rush casting.

Mike