Anybody else noting super poor quality of Lee moulds lately?

[Farmer&shooter]

Between me, my son and my buddy, we have bought seven Lee moulds in the last three months. Only three didn't have to be sent back (or should have been sent back)! I couldn't get a picture to load, but the .44 240 grain tumble lube mould my son just got is more than a 1/64 inch offset! By that I mean the two halves of the mould blocks are offset by that much. Talk about a twin gas leak! (if you could even begin to get them in a case). I have about thirty Lee moulds from over the last couple of decades. Only very recently has their quality control completely gone to pot. Oh, they will send me a new one after a week or two, (and have), but even the replacements have required a half hour or so of tweaking to get them to drop a round, somewhat the right sized boolit so it will go into the sizer centered. Most of the problems have been moulds that would not close so the boolit was four or five thousanths out of round. If you try to size a boolit like that, the lube groove (s) really show the out of round original condition. The other problems have been noticeably offset blocks, in addition to one failure of the sprayed metal cam handle on a six gang.

I have always thought that having a bunch of aluminum moulds was better than having a couple expensive moulds, and that has, up until now, served me well, but I think I am about to completely give up on Lee moulds. They sure weren't made like that when Dick Lee was at the helm.

[tomme boy]

It happens. They make a bunch of perfect moulds after everyone complains for awhile. Everyone keeps sending them back. Then all of a sudden for a few months they are good again.

It is like they make all the new employees run the mold division for a few months at a time. They start out not knowing what they are doing and then when they find out they can actually run the job, they start over. I talked to Andy Lee one time and he is the one that was setting up the moulds. So according to this, he is the one to blame for the alignment issues.

I will let everyone know this. I worked at a factory that supplied stuff for your vehicle that I can guarantee that every single person here has bought at least one of these things you hang from your mirror. If you send the product back to where you got it from, they will have more pull to get things straight than if you send it back to the place that made it. These wholesalers do not take defective products lightly. Send it back to where you got from. They are also more likely to pay the shipping. Lee will not pay the shipping to get it to them.

[ShooterAZ]

I have sent back my fair share. I usually buy from Midway, and they take them back or exchange them, no questions asked. The problems have been everything from off off center mold halves, to bent sprue plates, to buggered up cavities. QC is lacking, but once in a while you will get a real keeper. My biggest complaint with Lee, is that they seem to use a really soft aluminum alloy.

[dragon813gt]

They have always been a **** shoot. There is a reason I don't own a single Lee mold anymore. I will gladly pay the custom makers more money so I get a mold to my specifications.

[dromia]

Lee have the IKEA method of quality control, get the customer to do it.

Lee products account for around 50% of my handloading equipment sales and 99% of my customer returns.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Between me, my son and my buddy, we have bought seven Lee moulds in the last three months. Only three didn't have to be sent back (or should have been sent back)!
...snip
Well, this is bad news, I haven't bought any in the last twelve months. I think I have all of the Lee 2 cav molds that I'd ever need(must be about 35 stacked up). I think I'll hang on tight to the ones I have now. I thought when they changed over to the new style alignment for the two cavity molds, that they were really putting out some good ones...again, this is bad news.
Jon

[ph4570]

I have had just the opposite experience in the last month. Bought a 45 cal 230 grain 6 holer -- the most perfect Lee mold I have and I have many. It required no leementing at all. Boolits fall out upon opening. Bought a 45 cal 200 grain 6 holer -- not as good as the other but better than the norm. I spent about 1/2 hour cleaning up the edges of the cavities. It casts well save for one cavity that does require a tap to drop the boolit.

Yes it is a **** shoot.

[A pause for the COZ]

It happens. They make a bunch of perfect moulds after everyone complains for awhile. Everyone keeps sending them back. Then all of a sudden for a few months they are good again.

It is like they make all the new employees run the mold division for a few months at a time. They start out not knowing what they are doing and then when they find out they can actually run the job, they start over. I talked to Andy Lee one time and he is the one that was setting up the moulds. So according to this, he is the one to blame for the alignment issues.

I will let everyone know this. I worked at a factory that supplied stuff for your vehicle that I can guarantee that every single person here has bought at least one of these things you hang from your mirror. If you send the product back to where you got it from, they will have more pull to get things straight than if you send it back to the place that made it. These wholesalers do not take defective products lightly. Send it back to where you got from. They are also more likely to pay the shipping. Lee will not pay the shipping to get it to them.

I agree with this, If we send them back to the manufacturer. They can hide the bad quality longer. By ones and twos.
When the people who buy in the 10,000,s start complaining.
They dont get ignored.

[bangerjim]

I have 35 Lee 2 & 6 banger molds. Never a single problem. The are NOT of the new generation you are getting. Where did you buy them?

banger

[TXGunNut]

Well, this is bad news, I haven't bought any in the last twelve months. I think I have all of the Lee 2 cav molds that I'd ever need(must be about 35 stacked up). I think I'll hang on tight to the ones I have now. I thought when they changed over to the new style alignment for the two cavity molds, that they were really putting out some good ones...again, this is bad news.
Jon


I'm pretty pleased with all but one of my Lee moulds and really like the new alignment pin arrangement on the 2-cav moulds. The one I don't much care for was mainly a test mould to see if my 45's liked Lee's version of the H&G 68. They did, so I ordered the six-banger. All my six-cav moulds seem to be quite good with the exception of a sticky cavity here and there but things generally work out. I prefer NOE, Accurate and even Lyman over Lee but sometimes they have a mould I need or like and I've generally been pleased with them. Does sound like their QC has it's ups and downs lately, to say the least. As has been said before on threads like this one, you generally get what you pay for when buying moulds. In most cases I feel Lee is an excellent value for the price but a mould so flawed that it's useless has no value at all.
I agree with sending it back to who you purchased it from, they generally respond quicker and can put more leverage on their supplier. Handling defective goods is a huge PITA for them and they will do what it takes to keep you happy and try to prevent future issues.

[GLL]

You must remember that when you purchase a LEE mold you are not actually buying a mold !
You are getting a "mold kit" ! ;)
After completely dismantling the mold, deburring, polishing, aligning, drilling and tapping some set screws,replacing the spru handle pivot, and flattening the spru plate you can get some good results !

LEE molds are inexpensive for a reason. The customer is actually a cheap employee that performs half of the company's manufacturing process ! :)

Jerry

P.S. : For the record I own a bunch of LEE 6-cavity molds ! I do not consider this "LEE-bashing" ! :)

http://www.fototime.com/1D439CEFB658D4D/standard.jpg

[gwpercle]

In the past 6 months I have purchased 4 double cavity moulds. 3 handgun and 1 rifle. Have had 0 problems but I do go over them and smooth any rough edges and properly lube and preheat them.
Don't know if I'm just lucky or if following directions and doing prep works.
For $20.00 with handles I don't mind doing a little smoothing up of edges.
Gary

[Elkins45]

I had a great old style 8mm two cavity. I say had because I have no idea where it disappeard to. I searched the garage end to end but couldn't find it.

I ordered a new one. I got the new style. The gas check shank is quite oversized. I figured I might try to plain base it one day so I just added another one to an order from a different vendor some months later. It also had a fat shank. At some point I'm going to ship them both back.

They were better back when they were still lathe boring them. I would gladly trade the crappy old alignment system for the better cavity tolerances.

[melloairman]

I have over 20 lee 2 cavity molds and at least 6 of the new style . I have had fewer problems with all of the molds than I have had with Accurate , RCBS, lyman , and Ideal . And on the last 4 new LH molds I have left the pivot screw alone and have had no problems with filling, smears or finning . As well as the screw coming lose . All four of these molds have produced over 90 pounds each of good usable bullets . Marvin

[GhostHawk]

In the last year I have bought 6 double cavity molds from .312 to .452.

I have yet to have a significant problem with any of them.

I did have to put one handle back on and tighten the pin.
I had to adjust one alignment collar for the alignment pin to get it to close up correctly.

I have cast in the last year aprox 1500 30 caliber boolits for Mosin's and SKS.
My .357 mold which I dearly love is pushing the 1k boolits mark after only 3 months.
This one is my favorite, 158 grain, tumble lube design it sizes easily down to .356 for 9mm rounds, or use them as cast in
.357 mag or .38 special rounds.

I took a brand new .44 rem mag mold, cleaned up a few burrs, slightly rounded the front edge of the sprue plate so it wouldn't scar up the mold top, lightly polished the sprue holes with a piece of steel wool, lubricated it, smoked the cavity's. (Normally only once a decade)
Then proceeded to crank out 100 useable .44 mag boolits in about a half hours time.
As far as I am concerned, that mold just paid for itself. It will cast those boolits for the rest of its life, whenever needed, with only minor maintenance needed.

For a person just getting back into rifles after a 25 year hiatus on a strict budget, that is in my book, priceless.

I do know that sometimes you might get a bad one, or one that needs a touch of work. But overall, in the long run, these molds are a great buy for the money IMO.

[shoot-n-lead]

Just got a new one last week and it is probably the best casting new mold of any make that I have ever had.

However, I know that all of them are not good...just saying that I have never had a Lee mold that gave me problems...fingers crossed.

[fredj338]

What do you mean lately. I've had good & bad ones. I know when I buy its a krap shoot.

[cajun shooter]

The problem with Lee is not a new thing at all as this was a problem back some 6 years or more. When I first came onto this forum, I was told about the group buys that were always going on with the custom Lee mold company. The normal wait was over a year. I was so excited to get in on my first one, but I was not so excited when it arrived over 13 months later. It had cavities that were of different sizes and poured poor bullets.
I was first taught the art of casting by my gun store owner in 1970 with H&G molds and Lyman 20 lb pots. I was spoiled for life as far as quality was concerned. I kept trying Lee molds by purchasing the custom SASS molds sold by Dick Dastardly to the cowboy shooters. I would buy three and send back two or all three. I finally became upset as I was not having fun casting anymore.
I finally talked with Tom at Accurate Molds about 6 or more years ago. My first mold was ordered on Monday and I received it on Friday(This was before Tom became known). I was also having molds made by Dave Farmer at Hoch molds in New Mexico at the time. The Hoch molds are also pieces of Art and worth every penny spent on them.
Lee's entire mold business needs a reworking if they intend on being known as a mold to purchase. They may be happy to continue making and selling cheap inferior molds and are happy at that level. If you don't believe what I'm saying, do a search and see what the members were saying about Lee back in 2007 and forward.
I'm currently loading on a Cast Iron Lee turret press and it does the job although it has it's problems also. I miss my Dillon, my Star's and all of the equipment I had to sell because of my medical problems that stopped me from casting and shooting for over two years.
Loading and casting equipment is no different than all of the other items we purchase in life, you receive what you pay for. Can you cast with a old iron pot and Coleman stove with a ladle and Lee mold, You betcha but they have much better equipment that may be used to make it fun. Later David
I

[Ben]

You must remember that when you purchase a LEE mold you are not actually buying a mold !
You are getting a "mold kit" ! ;)
After completely dismantling the mold, deburring, polishing, aligning, drilling and tapping some set screws,replacing the spru handle pivot, and flattening the spru plate you can get some good results !

LEE molds are inexpensive for a reason. The customer is actually a cheap employee that performs half of the company's manufacturing process ! :)

Jerry

P.S. : For the record I own a bunch of LEE 6-cavity molds ! I do not consider this "LEE-bashing" ! :)

http://www.fototime.com/1D439CEFB658D4D/standard.jpg

Jerry,

You have spoken the truth.

Lee bashing is nothing new and it seems that many are bent on continuing this .

Ben

[freebullet]

Of over a dozen I've only had 1 defective mold form lee. That was a sprue plate problem, and lee sent me a new one. Everyone who's ever made a mold has had some produced out of spec. It happens. If lee didn't exist the reloading/casting entry/start up cost would be too much for a lot of folks. You can spend twice as much and still get a defective product. It's what they do to resolve it that counts, and Lee's been known to take care of folks.

[DR Owl Creek]

Most of my experience with Lee has been anywhere from 10 to 17 years ago, but all of it was bad: Lee LoadMaster press, Lee dies, Less FCD's, Lee moulds, and Lee trimmers. I won't buy anything else from them. If you want to call that "Lee bashing", go ahead. I look at it more like providing a public service announcement, and a friendly warning.

Dave

[Hickok]

Only problem I have had is some slightly undersize gas check shanks on a couple of molds in the .30 caliber to .311 (7.62x39) size. Easy to fix.

Have Lee molds for .357, .40 S&W, .45ACP and .45 Colt and they have been great.

[dragon813gt]

Lee bashing is nothing new and it seems that many are bent on continuing this .

Ben

Is it bashing when you're speaking of your actual experiences? A lot of my equipment is Lee. I still have it because it's worked perfectly from the start. Can't say this for their molds. I'm one to usually step in and defend Lee because w/out them most wouldn't get into reloading/casting. Their prices keep other manufacturer's prices in check. I can't defend their molds. I sold off the ones that worked and haven't regretted it one bit.

[BruceB]

Is it bashing when you're speaking of your actual experiences?

ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!!!!

If the LEE apologists don't want to hear of the end users' REAL EXPERIENCES, they had better just clam up and not start discussion threads about Lee equipment.

I agree that much of the Lee production creates useful and workable gear for handloaders,..... no argument there. I too have some Lee moulds that do rather well for me. They aren't the equivalent of NOE or LBT, but they don't cost anywhere near as much, either.

I recently bought a six-cavity Lee 9mm mould. After almost fifty years of casting, including use of many Lee moulds as well as dozens of moulds from other makers, I will say that this is the LAST six-cavity Lee that I will ever buy. It is dreck. It will be replaced with a Lyman 356402 as soon as I can manage the switch.

Now, that's an honest assessment from an experienced caster. If some choose to regard it as "bashing"..... oh, well.

[youngmman]

What do you mean lately. I've had good & bad ones. I know when I buy its a krap shoot.
I began handloading many years ago and heard these things about Lee products generally (I worked in a sporting goods store in high school). Later, when I started casting, I heard the same things so I always stuck with RCBS, Redding, Magma, H&G, Saeco, LBT and some Lyman. I have never been happier that I avoided LEE like the plague. As said earlier........their products are a Krap-Shoot at best which makes getting it right a pain in the butt.

[Bohica793]

My time is worth much more than the cost difference between a Lee mold and a quality custom NOE or Mihec. I learned to cast with Lee molds. Once i understood how to cast, I moved up to better quality tools. Just like in any other undertaking, the longer you do it and the better you get at it, the better the tools you demand.

[cbrick]

There is a reason that on the bottom of the order form for LEE molds it says . . .

People that bought LEE molds also bought . . .

Lottery tickets.

[Elkins45]

There is a reason that on the bottom of the order form for LEE molds it says . . .

People that bought LEE molds also bought . . .

Lottery tickets.

:goodpost:

I'm not a Lee basher--I default to Lee dies whenever they are available and I happily use tons of their products--but the 2 cavity molds are a real gamble lately.

[Airman Basic]

Well, dang. I bought Lee molds whenever they first started making them, then got out of reloading for 20 years or so. Got back in 5 years ago and have bought several 2 and 6 cavities. They all work. Had a few glitches, easily fixed with advice mostly from here. Boolits not as pretty as RCBS molds, but they're lighter and quicker. Shoot good, too.

[Doggonekid]

I own 1 Lee mould, it is a .475 400 gr double cavity. I casted about 800 bullets with it. The quality of the bullet was as expected for a $20 mold. It was half of the cost of one set of handles from RCBS. I haven't decided if I am going to load them or melt them down and start over. If I load a hundred or so I guess that will have paid for the mold. I didn't expect much from them and I don't feel like I am out of much either.

[bedbugbilly]

I have been casting for 50 some odd years - most of it for BP. But, as I discovered "cartridges" - my mold collection seems to be growing. Over the years, I've used Lee, Lyman/Ideal, RCBS, OHaus, Winchester, Palmetto, NOE and a few other brands of molds. I have probably 15 or so Lee molds and for the most part, have always been very satisfied with them and they have served me well. BUT, earlier this past summer, I ordered about 3 Lee molds from a good vendor here who gives excellent service. When I got one of the molds, the alignment pin furthest from the handles wasn't even seated in the block nor did it protrude through for the alignment hole. The handle bolt looked like the nut had been put on 1 turn (OK - I have wrenches). Before doing anything, I contacted the vendor who contacted Lee. After several e-mails back and forth and sending pictures - I basically got the "brush off" from whoever was the contact at Lee - let's see . . . I could send it back on my dime and if "they" determined it was defective, they'd replace it, BUT, it was also stated that it was probably due to "me" and that I wasn't using the mold correctly. Hmmm . . . must be my 50 years of casting experience and literally thousands of casts were faulty? I clearly showed in the photos not only the loose handles and the alignment pin that had never been pressed in . . . but the misaligned cavities as well when the mold was closed and all edges of the blocks aligned. In one of their e-mails, they told me to just punch in the alignment pin and peen it in and in the next paragraph warned me that any alterations would void the warranty. Huh?

Yes . . . I know that the Lee molds are very reasonably priced and I take those things in to consideration . . but that is no excuse for poor quality control and a faulty product. . . nor for the "attitude" I got from their e-mail as I was trying to be very polite about it all. The vendor finally told me to send it to them and they would replace it . . which I refused to do. I was in business for many years and I know how some companies refuse to "make it right" and the vendor ends up "eating" the problem. The vendor has been very good in all my dealings with them and I refuse to "put it on them". So . . . I ate the $20.00 and in the future, I will be more cautious. I have since ordered several other Lee molds from the vendor but have requested that he open them up and inspect them before shipping . . and when I received them, the adhesive strips on the blocks were broken so I know he inspected them.

Will I continue to purchase Lee products . . . it all depends on what I'm looking for. I use a Lee turret press and a variety of Lee sizers and dies - no complaints. But, as I add more calibers to my reloading, I'm finding that I am looking to other makes of dies as well even if I have to pay a little more. The whole experience over a $20 mold has left a bitter taste at times - especially when photos were submitted, it was obviously "faulty" but their policy was for the customer to pay the return postage to get a problem corrected that should never have left the factory that way.

Yea . . . I'll probably buy more Lee molds but only if the seller inspects them before shipping. . . and the only reason will be to try a certain bullet design and gr. weight. Once tried, I'll peddle the mold and replace it with a good NOE or other brand whether it be Lyman, RCBS, etc. I'm finding that I have been doing that and I couldn't be happier with the changes.

Am I "Lee bashing" . . . I'll leave that up to the reader's interpretation but I'm not intending it to be. I'm just stating my experience. Like any manufactured product, there will be "bad ones" once in a while . . . but the way to keep repeated purchases from a customer going is to make a problem "right" when one occurs and not lay the blame on the customer or cause further expense to them to correct a problem that started on their end. I'm used to dealing with companies such as Ruger and others who provide such things as return postage when a manufacturing problem occurs at their end. If a problem is "my fault" - I fully expect to pay for it.

Just my 2 cents worth which ain't worth a plug nickel anymore . . . .

[jmort]

This ^^^ is not Lee Bashing. You discussed, in detail, why you had a problem with a Lee Precision product. An excellent post. It was not a categorical throw-away statement such as "All Lee products are junk" Also, a few of the Lee Bashers are clearly elitists which is one of the worst traits a man can have, in my opinion. I am a Elitist Basher.

[Mark Daiute]

I wonder if the people at Lee ever log on and read this stuff. What could be more instructive? A few changes and they would be loved by the casting community.

[tomme boy]

Yes they do. I was showing some things that were bad about a mould and said something about it. Brian repeated exactly what I said on hear to me about what I said. They will not ever refund shipping.

[cbrick]

This ^^^ is not Lee Bashing. You discussed, in detail, why you had a problem with a Lee Precision product. An excellent post. It was not a categorical throw-away statement such as "All Lee products are junk" Also, a few of the Lee Bashers are clearly elitists which is one of the worst traits a man can have, in my opinion. I am a Elitist Basher.

Wow! I've read a lot of posts on LEE, can't remember ever seeing one that said . . . "All LEE products are junk".

I've had LEE molds, literally as in "had". Regardless of price I found them to not be worth the effort, frustration & time to get them to do what I bought them to do or even need to fix it before I ever use it. I don't buy any tool to see what I can do to make it work, not molds, not a screw driver or wrench. I guess I'm an elitist but I buy any tool for one purpose, to do what I bought it to do. LEE molds MIGHT. I might win at the lottery too . . . Some folks say they have had good luck with LEE molds, I can't say that, I'm batting 1000.

Many other LEE tools are fine and some I recommend, not the molds.

No doubt I could have many more molds than I do if they were LEE but this elitist would much rather save up and buy a tool that does what I bought for.

The little ole elitist, Rick

[dragon813gt]

So if I bash an elitist basher does that make me an elitist basher basher? And if it does and someone bashes me does that make them an elitist basher basher basher? This can go on for a long time at this rate :laugh:

[btroj]

For production casting lots of handgun bullets to be fired at short range a 6 cav Lee mould is hard to beat. Other than that I avoid them.
A Chevy will get you around town but a Mercedes will make the drive more enjoyable.

[dh2]

I tried lee molds in the beginning ,it was a start I made some boolits, shoot them and did a lot of learning, I wanted better results, so I got molds from Accurate,NOE some new and used Lyman and RCBS molds and a lyman sizer, I would say for a $25.00 mold I got my money's worth. I do not plain on buying any more lee molds , I do have to pay a lot more for molds than $25.00

[btroj]

Is an elitist someone who won't own a Lee product or is an elitist someone who belittles others for owning Lee products?

There are products I prefer not to own but I keep my mouth shut when speaking to others. Am I an elitist or a mild mannered guy who just knows what he likes?

[jmort]

"...an elitist someone who belittles others for owning Lee products?"

This would fit my definition. Some cannot afford molds other than a Lee. Nothing wrong with Lee if that is what the budget allows. I agree with Ben:

"Lee bashing is nothing new and it seems that many are bent on continuing this ."

[ballistim]

Is an elitist someone who won't own a Lee product or is an elitist someone who belittles others for owning Lee products?

There are products I prefer not to own but I keep my mouth shut when speaking to others. Am I an elitist or a mild mannered guy who just knows what he likes?

I guess I'm neither! Here's my latest Lee mold, just arrived, a custom 6 cavity 311041 copy.http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/25/c10b60446d148d7e892b6b2294de79a6.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/25/6ab3cc88b2a1c3bd441071a39c6e1a38.jpg

[Farmer&shooter]

Bedbugbilly : I started this post. I was not trying to bash Lee, I have a lot of their (older) moulds, which have served me well. I was only asking if my experience, lately, was unique. Since I posted this, I politely contacted Lee Customer Service. I got a response from Lee. It was EXACTLY like you described. It could only be described as Sh--ty! The anonymous responder said "they would be able to tell if I overheated the mould (the ONLY reason they said would cause the block misalignment!) This comment was made after I told him that it was the very FIRST bullet, and the mould was so cold the bullet was "cold wrinkled".

I was willing to give Lee the benefit of the doubt before I got the : "We don't give a s--t" response. Now I am pretty much done with them. They refuse to admit that they could possibly have let a bad mould get past their "quality control", and like one of the above posters said, they are fully aware of the complaints on here and other sites and clearly don't care.

Farmershooter

[dudel]

There is a reason that on the bottom of the order form for LEE molds it says . . .

People that bought LEE molds also bought . . .

Lottery tickets.

Perfect! LOL. I also have a number of Lee molds. I can live with having to fix loose handles and sprue plates that scratch the top of the mold. My Lee pistol molds seem to throw better boolits than my Lee rifle molds. I'm having fits getting my new Lee TL309-230-5R to throw usable boolits. I'm using J words in the 300Blk till I get it worked out. My Lee Bator mold is the fussiest mold I have.

OTOH, my Lees for .380, 38. 357, 9mm and 45 all work well enough to keep them. I could spend more; but I'm not sure I'd get a corresponding increase in boolit quality.

[RJM52]

I just bought two Lee molds...a 357-125RF and a 44-200RF. I only cast with the 357 mold last week and my friend used the .44. Zero problem casting with either mold. I have not lube/sized mine yet but when talking to my friend yesterday he said that some of his boolits seemed out of round...so we shall see.

I have two other Lee molds from group buys here and could have not been more pleased....

...a six cavity mold for $40.00...in this case you get a LOT more than you pay for...


Bob

[noonanda01]

I am getting ready to send my lee 44- 200gr rf 2 cavity mold in for warranty repairs. The mold alignment pins will not stay in or in place once the mold heats up while casting. I have been slowly picking up older lyman and ideal 1 & 2 cavity molds off of ebay. I still use some lee molds but I have had these for a few years now. This 44 mag mold is of the new design and needless to say I am not impressed. I have always been a lee products user, probably 98% of my die sets are lee.

[wlc]

I guess I better go out an buy that lottery ticket. I have several Lee molds and other than the design of the bullet in the 309-230 blackout mold and that fact that I wish they would make their diameters just a hair larger on some molds I've not found fault with the molds I have. Never any misalignment problems, out of round bullets etc. Just lucky I guess. I do prefer other makers molds just for sheer pleasure of casting and the bullet designs, quality etc etc, but for a cheap mold I have enjoyed the Lee molds I have.

[robg]

ive been given a 2 cavity lee 358 mold casts great boolits straight away but are b******s to get to drop from mold,but my win94 loves them & it saves me using gas checks.ill get it working better,thats proabley why i was given it.

[tomme boy]

Like I said. Send it back to where you bought it. They will (1) give you a new mould or (2) refund your $.

[mold maker]

LEE sure gets a lot of free advertising in these threads. Even bad publicity is good if you spell the name right.
I also have good results with their products, but I love the NOE and Mihec molds. My guns are less picky than some casters.

[stubby1]

I guess I better go out an buy that lottery ticket. I have several Lee molds and other than the design of the bullet in the 309-230 blackout mold and that fact that I wish they would make their diameters just a hair larger on some molds I've not found fault with the molds I have. Never any misalignment problems, out of round bullets etc. Just lucky I guess. I do prefer other makers molds just for sheer pleasure of casting and the bullet designs, quality etc etc, but for a cheap mold I have enjoyed the Lee molds I have.

Casting for several years, have Lee in 9mm,38/357, 44,45 and two in 30cal. All throw quality boolits.
Had one mould arrive missing a alignment bushing, Lee sent me a replacement in 3 days. The 309-230 for blackout (have 2 moulds) throws very nice boolits with a 50/50 mix of pure lead and linotype, then powder coated with pbtp.
No complaints from me about Lee moulds, they are a very good value and my customer service experience has been great.

[KLR]

Here's my data point:
I bought a new c309-170-F last week. I cleaned, lubed, and smoked it.

Pro: It casts easier than any mold I've ever had. The bullets just drop out with no tapping. The nose size is right on at .300.

Negative: The bullets are .3085 with coww and the two halves are offset by .001. I was counting on lapping it anyway to get the size I needed so it's not a big deal to me.

One other big positive - It cost $21 delivered. At that price I can tinker and modify all I want and not feel bad if I ruin it.

[dkf]

Overall I am happy with the latest Lee I bought, 6 cav 356-95RF.(size is great at .360)Though I will say the mold is a little finicky, bullets don't drop free very well and it doesn't want to fill out that well. Plus the adding of set screws to keep the bolts tight. Don't have those issues with any of my other brand aluminum, iron or brass molds. I think I am going to end up lapping the cavities with a little 600grit compound.

[Elkins45]

For production casting lots of handgun bullets to be fired at short range a 6 cav Lee mould is hard to beat. Other than that I avoid them.
A Chevy will get you around town but a Mercedes will make the drive more enjoyable.

My opinions of the six cavity and the two cavity molds aren't even stored in the same part of my brain. The six bangers continue to be a fantastic bargain. The two cavity used to be until the started milling the cavities instead of lathe boring them. Now they are often a giant mess.

[1bluehorse]

I have a few Lee products that I still use and find them to be o.k.........I prefer "other" brands of molds though....but no "bashing" from me....no need, I think Lee products are pretty much worth about what you pay for them, so no complaints from me...

[Frank V]

I haven't bought a Lee mould in quite awhile, those I've bought worked well.

[mikeatl]

If you buy a Lee 2 cavity mould you get the mould plus the handles for 25.00 . If you buy a Noe , Lyman , Redding or just about any other mould for about 70.00 you are paying for the mould only . If you take the price of the handles from Lee , 15.00 , you are only paying 10.00 for the Lee mould .

[cbrick]

That brings up an interesting question. Is that all there is? Price? And NOTHING else matters?

Rick

[mikeatl]

Not really , Lee prices are what let me get started . I have had good luck with their products . I have Lyman and Heavy Metal moulds also .

[altheating]

Not bashing Lee, but I will never purchase another as long as NOE, Mihec and LBT are producing high quality molds. I do use the collet neck sizing dies for several 22 calibers.

[ballistim]

Maybe it's just the way it seems based on my personal experience but I've done best with the old single cavity and the newer 6 cavity molds and not so much with the two cavity Lee molds.

[dragon813gt]

That brings up an interesting question. Is that all there is? Price? And NOTHING else matters?

Rick

Every person will have a different answer. Mine is quality over price w/in reason. I buy quality tools to perform my duties at work. It's no different w/ reloading. Except my time is limited and I don't have time to tinker. Tools need to work out of the box. At work if it takes longer the customer just pays more ;)

[dkf]

That brings up an interesting question. Is that all there is? Price? And NOTHING else matters?

Rick

For some people price is what matters the most. I will pay for and appreciate quality. I do like to tinker and make stuff myself however. Honestly what keeps me away from buying more Lee molds is the unknown, I don't know what size they are going to drop when I get it. Sure I can lap them out as I have done with molds already but it is time consuming. If I buy an MP, NOE, LBT, Accurate and etc I know darn near exactly what that bullet is going to drop when I get it and have a mold made with better materials, fit, finish and etc.

[JimmyTheDentist]

price isn't the only factor that goes into my purchases. but neither is casting the only aspect of the shooting sports that i'm trying to enjoy.

i'm in this to shoot a lot and to shoot well and to shoot a lot more and to learn to shoot better.

casting is just a means to that end.

just like saving a few bucks on Lee is a means to allow me to try my hand at casting.

granted, i'm relatively new to all this and maybe i don't yet know any better . . . but the handful of Lee molds i own - all bought within the last six months - all seem to do the trick.

like a lot of other folks here, Lee has allowed me to get into casting without costing so much as to take away from my primary focus of this hobby . . . SHOOTING!

Jimmy the Dentist

[1bluehorse]

If price isn't the "deciding" factor in buying Lee products, how many would buy them if ALL other reloading products were the exact same price......no cheating now...[smilie=f:


I can tell you that's the reason for every Lee product I have purchased......the ones I still have aren't because they're the "best" in their class, it's because they work well enough for their given task.....

[jonp]

I have a number of new and old style lee molds. No problems with any and ill buy more. Seems to me that if you eant to try a style or weight boolit spending $20 before $100 makes sense to me

[dragon813gt]

If price isn't the "deciding" factor in buying Lee products, how many would buy them if ALL other reloading products were the exact same price......no cheating now...[smilie=f:


If we're talking dies I might buy Redding first. I would still buy Lee before Lyman and RCBS. Lyman has poor customer service. And RCBS dies rust to quickly. I have to leave them dripping wet otherwise my fingerprints are permanently rusted into them. I prefer Lee's decapping rod slip fit. Price to performance is always part of the equation. Why pay more when Lee dies load accurate ammunition?

[cbrick]

If we're talking dies I might buy Redding first. I would still buy Lee before Lyman and RCBS. Lyman has poor customer service. And RCBS dies rust to quickly. I have to leave them dripping wet otherwise my fingerprints are permanently rusted into them. I prefer Lee's decapping rod slip fit. Price to performance is always part of the equation. Why pay more when Lee dies load accurate ammunition?

Isn't anyone here talking about LEE reloading tools, the entire thread is about LEE molds.

RCBS rusts too quickly? I have RCBS dies that I've had 35 years or more, & some Pacific before that. None of them are rusty.

Rick

[dragon813gt]

Read what I quoted before responding. He asked about Lee products. Yes my reply was off topic. But it was in response to what I quoted.

My skin reacts w/ RCBS dies in a bad way. I'm glad yours aren't rusty. The few that I have have my fingerprints on them permanently. I was talking about my experience w/ them, not yours.

[Love Life]

I like Lee. It's bottom dollar stuff so I take the fact that I am the final QC/assembly step in stride.

My RCBS dies rusted when I hit the 90% humidity of the south east.

[tazman]

I can't say I have noticed any problems with the Lee molds I have purchased in the last year. With the exception on a single mold where the locating pins needed to be staked in place, I have no issues with the 9 I have purchased. I wouldn't call that excessive.
They all drop boolits round within .001 and the boolits come out of the molds easily. Perhaps I have just been lucky.

[dkf]

Read what I quoted before responding. He asked about Lee products. Yes my reply was off topic. But it was in response to what I quoted.

My skin reacts w/ RCBS dies in a bad way. I'm glad yours aren't rusty. The few that I have have my fingerprints on them permanently. I was talking about my experience w/ them, not yours.

You have the "rusty touch". I don't care for RCBS dies for other reasons other than rust.

[1bluehorse]

Isn't anyone here talking about LEE reloading tools, the entire thread is about LEE molds.
Rick



You are correct sir...my bad.....so let me rephrase....if price isn't the deciding factor in purchasing Lee MOLDS, how many would still buy them if all other manufacturers MOLDS were the same price as.....?

[melloairman]

You are correct sir...my bad.....so let me rephrase....if price isn't the deciding factor in purchasing Lee MOLDS, how many would still buy them if all other manufacturers MOLDS were the same price as.....?
I would with out a second thought.Marvin

[Frank V]

Lee makes a mould that is great in the .45 Colt, it's hard to beat it's the 452-255-RF. It comes out right at .454 & weighs 257 out of wheel weights, & has a meplate you can almost dance on. I like it a lot.

[countryroads]

I've only bought two molds over the past six months (for a total of 17), and I have not noticed any deterioration in the quality of Lee molds.

[Rizzo]

The last Lee mold I bought (2 months ago) had burrs on the 6 cavity edges.
They were very obvious and in my mind should have been caught by a quality control person at Lee.....if there is such a person.
Overall I am happy with all the Lee products I own.

[Tackleberry41]

I started out w Lee molds, alot of us probably did. Only had to send one back, a REAL mold, it cast way undersize, as just drop em down the barrel. Yes they said wasnt anything wrong with it, maybe they swapped em, should have marked it. Cast fine now, using the exact same procedure as before.

I dont like paying for Lyman etc molds, but do like them better. Not sure why they think a set of handles are so valuable. Maybe Lee should consider, forgoing the built in handles, and put a little more effort into the molds. I would prefer it if the handles were easier to remove. Also make them take up a bit less space on the shelf. Box for one lee 2 bullet mold is the same as a dozen or more Lyman molds (2 to a box).

I like Lees price when it comes to experimenting, yea I know you can always sell them, but paying $70 or more for a mold you dont like vs $20. Will have to shell out the cash for a mold for the mosin, I want heavy, and Lee only goes to 185gr. Might try opening up my lee mold to get em to size .314, hate to do it to my new Lyman mold.

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Three of the four molds I purchased have given me problems. One a total nightmare. With Before I become a "LEE basher" by Lee fans I love my Load Master, Lee loading dies, and Lee sizing dies. Never have I put more time into care and fixing issues into a product than I actually used it including the Lee Load Master! All molds are 6 month's old or less. Currently looking for a new Mold maker without shelling out $200.


if price isn't the deciding factor in purchasing Lee MOLDS, how many would still buy them if all other manufacturers MOLDS were the same price as.....? Not me.

[cbrick]

Currently looking for a new Mold maker without shelling out $200.

Have you looked at NOE or Accurate? You can get a high quality mold for half or less than that and they are molds that the makers stand behind 115%.

Rick

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Have you looked at NOE or Accurate? You can get a high quality mold for half or less than that and they are molds that the makers stand behind 115%.

Rick

Thanks. I have accurate but not NOE. I started a thread as to not hijack or take this thread of course. Just felt it would be rude of me to do so...lol but if you have some experience with them and a minute stop in and drop me a line. Again thanks...really appreciate it. :)

[dualsport]

Does anybody really expect low priced Lee molds to be 'as good' as much more expensive molds? I have a bunch of molds, many Lee's, and I get my money's worth. A casual shooter can buy a Lee 6 cavity for his .38 and be set for life. I really like the new style, too.

[Tom W.]

Cut the Q.A./Q.C. guys a little slack. They don't inspect every mold.....

That being said, I just recently sold two Lee molds to a gentleman here, molds that I have had for some time. He seems to be happy with them, or at least I haven't hears any negative replies. I have Lee molds that I bought many many moons ago, from a single cavity gc 30 cal.model that shoots cloverleaves from anything I load it, a Ranch Dog mold that my rifles don't like, to two molds, a 6 cavity that is really nice to the last 2 cavity that the alignment pin was loose from the jump. I should have sent it right back to Midway, but just took a punch and moved some metal so it stays put now. For my .45 ACP and my 9mm, the Lee molds are excellent. I just shoot paper with them mostly, but offhand @ 25 yards my Ruger really likes the 230 gr bullet. My handgun hunting bullets all come from RCBS molds. As for other Lee products, I've had my share, but ended up selling the dies that I had in favor of RCBS, Redding and Hornady. I have the Lee bottom pour lead pots that I've had for I dunno how many years, both the 10 and 20 pound models. So for me, it seems that the dies are the only thing I really didn't like...

[mac60]

Does anybody really expect low priced Lee molds to be 'as good' as much more expensive molds? I have a bunch of molds, many Lee's, and I get my money's worth. A casual shooter can buy a Lee 6 cavity for his .38 and be set for life. I really like the new style, too.

The way I look at it - in 1 casting session if I get 500 or 600 boolits the mould is paid for. I don't have 1 Lee mould that hasn't given me several thousand good shootable boolits. I've gotten my money's worth out of every one.

[otter5555]

i have always had good luck with lee molds and have am still using some that are decades old. i did just return a new lee mold to amazon. when closed you could see your hand on the other side. the replacement they sent was perfect.

[Sticky]

Had pretty good luck with my first two new Lee dies, but.... alas... Just broke in a new 358158TL mold and didn't get three casts out of it before the pins started to walk back in the mold holes and it started casting offsets.. LOL

Cheap, work well, when they work. Off to the shop to fix this'n now and try it again... [smilie=b:

[Frank V]

I'm thinking very seriously about getting a Lee mould in .41. Trying to decide whether to get the 195gr SWC or the 210gr SWC TL? I've never had a TL mould, but like the heavier bullet over the lighter. The 195gr bullet is a pretty looking bullet from the pictures though.

[Sticky]

I have two Lee TL molds, one pistol and one rifle.. this came out of the 358 mold after a little work on it today.. 158gr SWC TL..

130158

I have had great luck with my 309230TL rifle mold, it has cast perfectly from the start, no issues at all.

[Animal]

I just got my 3rd Lee mold in the mail today. My fifth mold to date. This thread has made me paranoid that I'm getting a crumby mold. I just spent about 2 hours with a light, magnifying glass and a couple of #2 pencils trying to deburr the cavities. I've never paid this close attention to the other molds I have. This one did have some pretty significant burrage on it. I could see most of it without a magnifying glass. As best as I can tell, the halves line up okay. Once I finished removing the burrs, I washed it in a hot bath of water and Dawn dish detergent. She sure is a purdy mold now. I hope that what I did lets the bullets drop with a fair amount of ease and the bullets come out at least as concentric as as my other two Lee molds.
Someone mentioned that a Lee mold is a "mold kit". I think I can sign on to that concept. The three Lee molds I have cost about the same as my one Saeco 2cav. I don't think my Saeco can do much more than my Lees.

[Frank V]

Sticky, I like the looks of those!

[3 gun Gus]

I get 40 to 50 k out of a 6 banger. This is a great value!