School me, Lee TL356-124-2R casting fat [Archive]

BMac

11-07-2013, 05:14 PM

I just unpacked and prepped a Lee TL356-124-2R 6 pack to cast .356, and what I am getting is .364 +/- .001. I was expecting fat, but only by .001/2, no .008/9.
My lead was hot, but my mold was being cooled and I was not frosting too badly. I weight the product and I was coming in @ 127/8 on average for a 124.
I have not measured all of what I casted only a few, but they were all fat, so maybe a bad mold or fat cylinder.

Does anyone have any experiences similar to mine? My other Lee 6 banger is great .452

Thanks,

BMac

TES

11-07-2013, 05:21 PM

.364 is very fat indeed. How hard is it to cut the sprue? You could be pulling the lead and making it fat. If it is cutting easily then you may have a bad mold. Get calipers and measure if you have not already. Then send pics to lee via their web site. They will send another or ask you to send it in.

BMac

11-07-2013, 05:38 PM

.364 is very fat indeed. How hard is it to cut the sprue? You could be pulling the lead and making it fat. If it is cutting easily then you may have a bad mold. Get calipers and measure if you have not already. Then send pics to lee via their web site. They will send another or ask you to send it in.

The sprue was normal, it's a new mold, I hit it with some wax at the joints and it was casting easy, real good session. I only sized one on a Lee .356 sizing die and it shaved all the way around, wow I thought.

Would alloy temp / mold temp have anything to do with it? I've casted a few 10 x 1000s of .452 with out issue, so casting .356 is new to me and I wondering is temperature is more important.

Thanks for the advice.

BMac

Ben

11-07-2013, 06:54 PM

What are you measuring with.

smkummer

11-07-2013, 07:21 PM

I had a friend with that same mold and called Lee, they said to return it for another mold. Mine casts about .359- .360 and sometimes will bulge a 38 special case too much to chamber without sizing to.358. I am used to it and never sent it back.

Wayne Smith

11-08-2013, 01:30 PM

I wear welding gloves when casting, and when I do and cast with a Lee six cavity my welding glove inevitably interacts with the sprue lever. When this happens it forces the mold slightly open, thus giving fat boolits among other headaches.

theperfessor

11-08-2013, 07:35 PM

Too bad it might be a good 9mm Mak mold.

Gunor

11-08-2013, 08:03 PM

If it is really casting that diameter with WW (+) - you should sell it.

How much?

Geoff in Oregon

williamwaco

11-08-2013, 08:08 PM

Re-Read Wayne Smith, then see this page:

http://reloadingtips.com/pages/missing_tumble_lube_grooves.htm

.

BMac

11-19-2013, 02:29 PM

I wear welding gloves when casting, and when I do and cast with a Lee six cavity my welding glove inevitably interacts with the sprue lever. When this happens it forces the mold slightly open, thus giving fat boolits among other headaches.

After pouring 1000s, I must have had the mold open a tad. I wasn't getting seams or any flashing/fining so I didn't pick up on it, but I have not been getting anything over .357/8.

So after maybe 3k of rounds, I really like this mold, it has not given me any grief.

-BMac