New Style Lee 2 Cavity Misaligns

[JohnH]

Bought a 311-93 2 cavity for plinking with a S&W Long and the dang thing is dropping misaligned boolits. Measuring across the seam the boolit is .319. When they first changed to this style I bought a couple and they misaligned too. Sent one back they told me I needed to lube the mold. [smilie=b: Figured it might take them a bit to resolve the issue, so I didn't buy a Lee for several years. Apparently thy didn't resolve the issue. Anyone one here have a fix for this? Yeah, I know the obvious fix, but I really don't want to spend $80.00 on a mold for a gun I don't shoot more than every three or four months.

[OS OK]

Looks like any gunk along those alignment pins would hold it open a bit, did you try to clean the heck out of it or check for burrs with a magnifying glass?

OS OK

[country gent]

I would check for burrs with a q-tip along edges of pins and mating surfaces. If you have access to a spotting ink ( Dykem 109 blue or similar non drying ink) coat pins and one face of blocks close tightly as if casting and check uncoated side for engagment marks, ink will have rubbed any where it touches. A dark thick grease can be used in a very light coat also. How bad is the misalighnment? Is it very noticable measure with michrometer accross lines and 90* to them to get an idea of how much there is. If the bullet is right on size ( better still is a little under sized) after checking alighnment pins for burrs and ensuring good mating in the surfaces. You may be able to lapp the cavities to bring into alighnment. I have had to do this on several older lee moulds and ssome others do to misalighnment, finish issues, and size. Its a slow process but when done right the cavities are alighned, very smooth and round, burrs are non issue. First off measure the bullets and see size and if there is room to open up the mould.

[bedbugbilly]

I had one - can't remember the mold number but it as a 120 ish grain FN 358 - and it had the same issues. When it arrived, one alignment pin was not even protruding through to mate with the hole on the other side. It was a DC - I contacted the vendor who contacted Lee . . . Lee's reply was basically that I didn't know what I was doing - guess after casting for 50 years I don't know anything. I was not happy with whoever handled the claim at Lee. I set the alignment pin that was not even seated - when closed, the block edges all were even and fish with each other but the cavities were obviously misaligned by about .004 or so. A $20 mold - the frustration with Lee's service person - instructions to mail it back on my dime, etc. weren't worth the hassle. I pretty much have sworn off on Lee molds unless i want to try a particular design/style/wt/caliber. I have ordered several since this experience just for the sake of trying new design for my needs - BuT - I always request that the vendor open up the mold and inspect it before they send it. It's not the vendor's fault and I do not hold them responsible for the mold - they didn't make it. I do have a number of Lee molds that work very well . . . but now, I just bite the boolit and order a good NOE mold . . . yep, more expensive but Al backs his products and the quality is superior.

You may very well have a mold with he cavities cut misaligned . . . if it is, Lee should make it right. I had the communications between the vendor and Lee passed on to me by the vendor and what surprised me was that whoever handled my complaint went on the premise that Lee did not produce a faulty product and the blame was put on the purchaser . . . any manufacturer can have a quality control issue and having been in business for many years myself . . . you don't put it on the buyer . . . you take a look at it first, if it's a QC problem, you address it and take care of it. You don't keep customers by not admitting your own errors.

Good luck with your mold . . . if necessary, send it back to them if it's worth the hassle and hopefully they'll make it right.

[Boolseye]

I've had the female alignment bushings fall out and need to be staked in those molds. Definitely leementing is a necessity sometimes. Never had misaligned boolits tho-one time I couldn't get it to close tight and I sent it back and it WAS a lube issue, they were right. Good luck!

[LAGS]

On all of my Lee 2 cavity molds, I took the blocks off the handles and placed a .005" brass shim between the top of the handle and the slot in the block.
I noticed that the blocks fit loosely on the handles, and when closing the mold, I would have to Tap the mold on the bottom edge as i closed them to get the pins to align every time.
Once the shim is installed, the blocks come into alignment much easier.
On the newer models, the pivot pin can be removed and reinstalled with an allen wrench.
With the old style molds, I had to locate and drill a hole from the top down so I could drive the pin out.
I drilled a 5/32 hole directly above the pin and used a 1/16" punch to drive the pin out.

[MT Chambers]

a) Align mold with round container at end of bench
b) Drop mold into said container (trash can)

[P Flados]

Traditional wisdom is that a little misalignment does not hurt anything if your boolits are consistent.

However, sounds like you may more than a little.

My "new style" C358-200-RF has performed great.

This style relies on two pins engaging in two mating inserts.

Manually grab the mold halves lightly hold them in contact with each other and try to see how much "play" you can detect.

If you have play, you may find that either the pins or the inserts need to be driven in a little more.

If there is no play, look at the pins & inserts to see of the look "right" (undamaged and concentric).

If there is no play, and the pins/inserts are good, then there may be a basic misalignment issue.

Any of the above could be fixed, but the first step is to find the cause.