Lee C309-150-F first time used

[deerspy]

I cast my first bullets two day with new LEE 4-20 pot and new C309-150-F mold got some questions

1 while casting after about 50 cast one of the mold blocks fell off the handle there is a strange looking screw that held it to handle found it put it back together question is there a good fix to keep this from happening again or is just what lee molds due?

2 then after about another 30 cast the spur plate got loose any good fix's for this?

3 the handles seam to be real loose fit at the hinge, how tight should these be?

first experience not to good cast 100 bullets got maybe 10 good ones, and they have a parting line that I think would cause accuracy problems.
:(:(

[DLCTEX]

The screw should be tightenened, but don't over do it. It should hold. Same for the sorue plate screw, but lube the screw it a touch of Bullplate lube ( a little is a lot here, don't want it in the cavities) . Or you can drill from the side, thread, and insert a screw to lock it in place which will enable you to adjust tension on the screw plate. If you are talking about the hinge bolt that hold the two halves of the handles together, it should be snug but allow free movement. If you are referring to the attaching points of mould halves to handles, that is the way Lee makes them. Some set the bottom of the mould on a flat surface when closing the mould, some tilt the mould to vertical when closing, some shim to fit, and some just cuss the poor fit.
As to the parting line comment, if you are talking about fins on the parting line then the mould is not fully closing. Look for lead stuck to the face of the mould halves or in the locating holes. Hold the mould up to light and see if you can see light between the halves. You may need to adjust the pins, or just lube them with a lube such as Bullplate. Do a search for Bullplate.

[DLCTEX]

I can't post a link on this tablet, but go to classics and stickies, page 4, thread titled "Bullplate sprue lube WOW".

[deerspy]

thanks, DLCTEX
I like the shim to fit ideal, and I checked the molds faces for high spots and found that when closed only the top of the mold would touch and you can get a .002 shim in at each guide pin and when you look through the mold you can see light every where, there is a step milled in face of blocks that makes them hit at top I am not sure if the guide pins are holding them apart or not iam not sure how to check that. but when you use a piece of tool steel to check face there is diffidently a ridge or step at top about .10 wide.

[ubetcha]

I don't know how the handle screw came out of the blocks. I tried to loosen one and wound up breaking my Allen wrench.

[deerspy]

both of my screws that hold the blocks to handle were lose when I put the one in that fell out when I was casting I checked the other and it was loose.
I tighten up the pivot bolt in the handle today and tighten the spur plate screw and cast some more to day and that spur plate came loose again got to see if I can drill and tap a set set screw for it I guess.

the biggest problem I had today was the bullets would not fall out of mold tried smoke three times and gave up and got a small screw driver and pushed them out.

[Ben]

I don't know how the handle screw came out of the blocks. I tried to loosen one and wound up breaking my Allen wrench.

I'm not aware of any allen screws on a Lee mold that hold the blocks on the handles ? ? ?

Ben

[MT Chambers]

They are designed to fall into the melt, this helps pre-heat the mold.

[deerspy]

BEN, it is a strange looking screw with about 4 leads and a slow twist about one turn and it is in all the way

[Ben]

deerspy

That's news to me.
Any chance of a photo of this " allen screw ."

[Bullshop]

All my Lee singles and doubles are pinned to the handles with mold block material peened over the pins.

[Ben]

All my Lee singles and doubles are pinned to the handles with mold block material peened over the pins.

Exactly !
Allen screw ? ? ?

[Bullshop]

So do these blocks with the allen screw attachment also have the conventional alignment pins and not the Vs of the type I have?
All my molds are older and I have not yet seen the new type I have herd about.

[deerspy]

I guess it might not be called a screw but you drive it with a allen wrench, and the guide pins are cone shaped steel pin and socket fit up, blocks they don't have groves for air to get out and you can put a .002 thick gauge in up to pins on both sides looks like it would leave fins but so far just a parting line that I don't like but may be it will be ok for a 30-30.
I thought about putting in vice and see if I could squeeze them to gather but not sure how the design should work.

[cwheel]

Sounds like we have the exact same mold. Mine was given to me after a neighbor passed. the alignment pins inside the blocks are roll pins sideways in the bottom inside of the blocks. I had a great deal of trouble getting the blocks to align, ended up having to close the blocks on a flat surface to get some sort of alignment. Another heads up on these is that boolits cast ended up needing to be deep seated due to the oversized OD of the bullet nose engaging rifling and sticking the boolit in the rifling of Winchester 94. Extracting a loaded round pulled the boolit every time. Deep seated the boolit, seams to work OK this way, but I load well below max. I have to admit that the C309-150 works, but at this point, I'll be looking for a better quality mold that might also be in the 170gr. range. I have a pile of Lee 6 banger molds for pistol, all work reasonably well, I personally don't like the design of the blocks for this C309-150. For free, guess I can't complain, it's worth exactly what I paid for it. Thinking about replacing this with a lyman 311041 next loading, you will see my lee C309-150 go to ebay.
Chris

[GBCAPT]

I just had the same problem - the mold block to handle pin falling out - and got the following response from LEE to my email inquiry.

cut and pasted from their 2nd day reply to my email:

"You are correct, it is designed to be pressed in. To reinsert, tap in with a slender punch until fully seated. To make them stay in place perminately, you can make a dimple on either side, tangent to the pin with a center punch or a nail. This will stake the pin in position and it will no longer want to back out.

If you do not feel comfortable doing this, you are welcome to return if for this fix.

Thanks,

Lee Precision, Inc.
4275 Highway U
Hartford, WI 53027
phone: 262-673-3075"