My New Lee 7.62x39 155 grn Fell Apart!

[Capt Mike]

On my second run of boolets using my new Lee C312-155-2R, one side of the mold fell off. On inspection it looks like a pin came out. It is a funny looking pin, not a normal looking roll pin. I tapped it back in, but it did not go all the way easily so I did not force it (bigger hammer). I emailed Lee and left a message about the problem; that was two days ago....looks like they will not answer. Is that to be expected? The screw holding the sprue plate also keeps backing out. I usually have good luck with Lee molds, but this is one one the new designs.

[Artful]

I'd call them

[Vinne]

Yes, call them. I have always had good results dealing with Lee. Email does take longer with them.

[tomme boy]

Ya call them. Then they will make you pay for the shipping to them to fix their bad design.

[Bzcraig]

Yup, I agree , call them. Their customer service is excellent.

[Pooch]

Several weeks ago I received my long awaited for 358-125-RF. After about 400 bullets the right side of the mold fell off! The hole in the thinner part of the extrusion that holds the pin enlarged & the pin fell out! Put the pin back in with some permatex high heat thread locker. Haven't used it since. Ordered a clone from Accurate molds. I'll do it right this time.

[EMC45]

Have had that happen with a few Lee molds. I just tapped the pin back in and peened the top of the pin hole in a little and never had anymore trouble.

[garym1a2]

I buy from Midway and just return defective stuff to them. Their return policy is the best.

[Pooch]

With the new style blocks you can't just push the pin back in and peen the AL over it. It's different now. Called LEE today concerning my new mold and I have to ship it pp to them for repairs. I asked them if they could cut the same cavities in the old style mold block & they said that the old style was no longer available. I waited 2 1/2 months for this mold & then it fell apart. The new mold blocks are skimpy where the pins go through & maybe 1/32" of metal between the pins and the outside of the mold. I'll just suffer the loss as I ordered a clone from Accurate. I know Tom's products are of the utmost quality. Sad because I've have never had an issue with LEE molds in the old mold block style. I have about 15 LEE molds too!
Then I happened to look on this site only to find that others were have not only the same but other issues with the new mold blocks also. LEE told me that they had had no reports of problems with the new mold style. I'm having a hard time believing that . . . But . . . Here we are.

[Capt Mike]

I too called Lee today and told the Tech about the problem. He acted as if they never had calls about problems with their molds. He told me to just tap the pin back in and stake it. I did drive the pin back in and everything looks good, but we will see when I start molding boolets again. I also told him the sprue plate screw keeps backing out and he said he had never heard that one before and to just tighten the screw and keep going, well "duh". I have used Lee molds over the last 30 years for everything from casting jigs and lures to sinkers and boolets and this is the first problem I have had.......but this is one of their new designs.

[BBQJOE]

I had the same problem. The thing is, when it was fresh out of the box, I could already tell that the pin had not been driven in far enough. Once it fell apart, I just put the pin back in, and drove it home. I've now cast thousands of bullets with it, no more problems with that issue.

[freebullet]

Lee has taken care of problems for me before, but your problem I would fix & move on. The pin that fell out can be pushed back in and staked. Or you can thread the lower portion of the block & screw it in. On the sprue screw coming loose do a search for " fixing lee 2cav sprue screw for dummies & rednecks" its a pic heavy tutorial I did a week or so ago on fixing it permanently.

[Capt Mike]

Thanks for the input. I'll get this mold up and good as new in no time!

[leadman]

The pin has a head for an allen wrench to go in and turn it. Put some loctite on it and turn it back in and it should stay. I have done this to at least 4 pins in the last couple of months. And Andy Lee does know of this and the other problems. I wrote him a letter and sent it with a defective mold then called a few days later and spoke to him about it.
As far as the sprue plate pivot bolt I drilled and tapped the side of the mold for a set screw. I told Andy about the issues with the sprue plates gouging the tops of the blocks and how the clearances vary as some sprue plates are so tight you can barely open them. Had one that the bolt would not tighten against the top of the block before it bound up the plate.
Think we need a new sticky concerning these new mold blocks and the fixes for them.