358627 - Anyone HP'd this mould?

[selmerfan]

I have a 6 cav 358627 Lee mould from 357Maximum's group buy coming my way. I'm wondering if anyone on here has HP'd this design ala Buckshot and how it turned out. Would I benefit in terms of using this boolit for hunting by HP'ing it? If I did, I'd make 2 cavs HP and leave the rest alone. Let me know what you guys think. Primary quarry in this case is delicious whitetail and mule deer.
Selmerfan

[Bret4207]

Don't do it. With a 6 cav you're going for production. Get a HP jig for the Forster trimmer. 2 HP cavities would be 27 times the trouble of 1 which in a 6 banger would be 19.487 times the trouble of a single or double cav. IOW- As much as I admire Buck's ability, I don't think is a good mould to use it on.

[MT Gianni]

Would you paint a mustache on the Mona Lisa? It doesn't need it and neither does the 358627. Gianni

[selmerfan]

Ok, those are the opinions I was looking for. Thanks guys!
Selmerfan

[dakotashooter2]

Get a HP jig for the Forster trimmer. 2 HP cavities would be 27 times the trouble of 1 which in a 6 banger would be 19.487 times the trouble of a single or double cav.

I would disagree to some extent. I don't have any six bangers but with my 2 cavity (1 hole HP'd) I cast both cavities and once I get the rythm going am not noticably slowed down. I am still able to cast fast enough to get the mold TOO hot and have to slow down or use a second mold. I can usually average 3-4bullets/minute with the HP mould. I'm not sure you could increase your hp production much with 2 hp cavities cause manipulating 2 pins is gonna take just a bit longer.

I'd make 1 hp cavity. That still gives you 5 cavities for productivity and you can probably cast a 1 cavity hp as fast as a 2 cavity anyway.

What I'd really like to do is get a custom 2-3 cavity with different bullet designs, set up so either could be hp'd.

[Bret4207]

With a 1 or 2 banger the whole process is simplified and I agree with that idea. But with a Lee 6 cav not only do you have the alignment pin issues (accelerated wear), but you have the whole aluminum/steel issue that you don't have with a Lyman for example. Plus if you bottom pour you'll have additional contortions to go through no matter where you stick the HP cav. And there's the HP set up itself and the frogging around you have to do to get a pin lined up in a 6 cav to say nothing of getting TWO pins inserted correctly. Heat wouldn't be an issue I don't think, but production would be quite slow compared to an un frogged with 6 cav.

There are enough 358627's on Ebay and the other sites that one could be found and HP'd giving you a much more usable mould. I find the Forster is just as fast or faster than casting with a HP mould. The only issue is accuracy of the HP as any runout will increase nay unbalance present.

[EDK]

+1 on the FORSTER!

Get it and anything you want becomes a hollow point. Mine is almost 40 years old....I think I even have an accessory to seat a 22 blank in the hollowpoint IIRC. There were some crazy ideas floating around in the 60s and 70s!

I'd be careful with the 358627 clone mould....There is a lot of interest on various forums about it. You could turn a profit if you wanted to sell it. AND it is the best of the three LEE group buy moulds I have...it cast perfect boolits with a minimal cleaning and prepratory work...I put in set screws for the pivot bolts and a steel screw head for the sprue cutter to work against, per the stickies. I knocked out a 3 pound coffee can full of good ones the first time I used it. Now I have to switch the STAR and DILLON machines from 44 to 357 and get busy!

:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

[Buckshot]

...............I'd have to agree with those saying don't. Especially not 2 cavities. First of all if the HP's are for hunting, all you need is about 50 of them for some load development and after that what, take however many you think you'll need for the hunt? Trying to manipulate [b]TWO]/b] HP pins (both coming out and going back in) would be a PITA.

As as was mentioned, the Lee 6 cavs are all about production. I can make a FN pin that's attached to one block so you can cast a HP'd cavity as a solid without the hassle of a handle and all, but 2 cavities HP'd in the same blocks would just be masochisim for the user :-)

..............Buckshot

[NSP64]

Does anwone have a Photo of a Forester HP setup?