Just bought my first new Lee mold

[grubbylabs]

I was ordering a new tumbler on Midway so I figured I would try a new 358 158 grain mold while I save my pennies for an Accurate mold.

I'm not sure I did not waste my money. It seems like it has a hard time holding heat. My older Lee molds heat up pretty good and stay hot, this thing seems to not hold the heat as well. Of course it's also missing about 1/2 the aluminum the older molds have.

[tazman]

All you need to do is cast at a faster pace and pour a larger sprue puddle. This will help with the heat loss issue.

[gwpercle]

It also heps to cast with with your alloy just below the "frosty boolit " heat range.
They only cost $20.00 , so you have to cut them some slack. Every mould casts differently so you have to work with it and find out what it likes/dislikes.

[TXGunNut]

Agreed on figuring out a mould's likes and dislikes, that's required for most of the higher priced moulds as well. Most of my Lee moulds are 6-cav but even the lowly 2-cav moulds will make good boolits.

[newrib]

Every mold/alloy is a little different. You need to learn what your mold likes. I have molds from Lee,Lyman,NOE,Rapine,Rcbs and Moose They are all a little different. Lee molds are a fine product, learn what it likes the mold will most likley make good bullets. I would start with a clean mold heated with a hot plate (set on med.) with a pot of clean COWW with a bit of tin at a temp of about 725F. And like the other folks are saying on this forum cast fast with a large puddle on the sprue plate. See how the mold casts with that combination if that does not provide the desired result change one thing at a time ie: faster/slower casting tempo, alloy temp, ladle/bottom pour ect.. You will find a method that works for you.

[Tenbender]

I'm sorry !