Advice on Lee Bullet Mould

[Kenk4]

I recently purchassed a six hole Lee 9mm mould 356-120-TC. Not only was this my first Lee Mould but it is also my first non-steel mold. The rest of my mounds are Iron made by Cramer, Lyman, Saeco, or RCBS.

I couldn't find much not to like about the Lee mould and I am looking to order another one for a 1911 45ACP. The two moulds I am considering are 452-230-TC and 452-228-1R

First I would like to know if anyone has any experience with either or both of these bullet designs? Second, can anyone tell me what the lub groove spacing is on the 452-228-1R? I am currently running a RCBS 45-200-SWC and I would like to know if I can use the same lub spacing on my star sizing die.

Thank you.

[EMC45]

I like the Lee 230gr. TC design with the traditional lube groove. I have shot them out of my G36, Marlin Camp Carbine, S.A. Mil Spec 1911A1, my brother's XD Service etc. They did very well in all of them. I have a measly 2 cavity, but it does very well for me. I size at .452 and they all pass the "plunk test".

The one thing I have noticed about the Lee 452-228-1R is the ones I cast and loaded went from straight side walls to round nose with very little taper. I really just didn't like the bullet's profile and how it set in the case. You may love it and I am not trying to dissuade you from buying it, I just like the 452-230-TC a lot better.

Now the 356-12-TC you have is an excellent mold. There again I only have it in the 2 cavity design, but have shot them out many different 9MMs and even multiple .380s with a great deal of success. I size to .358 for my Browning HP and .356 for my .380s and they all do grand!

[Loudy13]

I have the lee 230gr TC/TL 2 holer and I love it. It is one of the easiest molds to work with and makes great bullets that function flawlessly in both of my 45's. I only have experience with powder coating them not traditional lube.

[DerekP Houston]

I bought the 452-230-TL Version, works like a champ in my 1911. Switched to the MP HP mold when I wanted a change. 45 acp seems to be about as easy to load for as 38 special. Since I bought the tumble lube version it is the only one still using up the pile of alox.

[jcren]

I also love my 230tc. I use that for any thumper loads and lee's 200 h&g68 style for plinking but have not used the 225r1. I did notice when I was researching for mine that more people had feeding issues with the r1.

[EDK]

I really like the 45 230 TC. Using it in GLOCK 30S and 41 with KKM barrels. Also using a real H&G 68 and ACCURATE 175 B in 45...sized to 452 in a STAR with various WHITE LABEL LUBES or TAC 1. 9mm are LEE 356 120 TC and NOE 357 135 RF in 9mm...also KKM barrels in 17 and 34; STORM LAKE barrel in a 26...I tumble lube with BEN'S LIQUID LUBE, size to 357 in a LEE PUSH THROUGH die, and another light coat of BEN'S.

LEE has really improved quality on the six cavity moulds, especially the venting. I wish they'd do a set screw for sprue plate scews and a steel insert for the sprue cutter to cam off of. I don't have access to a drill press, etc like I did at work anymore.

[toallmy]

I like the lee 452-230 tc one lube grove , I have it in the 6 cavity and it is easy to cast nice boolits . I like the 356-120 tc regular lube grove as well . They get it done big piles of boollits quickly , and they shoot good for me .

[gwpercle]

the 452-228-1R was the first mould I ever bought for 45 acp. It works , RN just like ball ammo , but I came to prefer the Truncated Cone design. That RN mould is the only mould I ever sold , just didn't care for RN's . The TC's cuts nice clean holes and looks all business like . I made sure the truncated cone design would feed and was accurate in my 45 and a few other guns before selling the RN .
I prefer the traditional lube groove designs, not the tumble lube ones.
The 356-120- TC is also my preferred boolit in 9 mm and it works well in 38 special.
Gary

[Kenk4]

I never thought about running the 356-120-TC in 38 special. I may need to give that a try.

[runfiverun]

I'd bet the spacing from the base to the lube groove is super close on the two boolits.
if not a turn up or down on the punch should be about all you need.
I use the same setting on just about all of my single lube groove boolits, I never change the punch height for my 358 boolits, including my 9m and 250gr rifle boolits.

[gwpercle]

I never thought about running the 356-120-TC in 38 special. I may need to give that a try.
I used the taper crimp die from my 9 mm Luger set to lightly crimp that boolit in 38 special.
I later ordered a 124 grain , truncated cone mould with a gas check from NOE for use in 9mm and 357 magnum ( I'm an admitted mould junkie) and last Sunday the gas checked NOE-TC boolits proved more accurate out of a Ruger Blackhawk than my usual 158 grain SWC's ?
After loading some warm 9 mm's , the gas checked boolits were sitting there and the idea for some midrange 357 magnum loads just occurred, 124 grain , gas checked bullet, this just might work, so I went with it. One TC load shot extremely tight groups. It was better than any of the groups shot with 158 grain SWC's.
Here's the kicker...Blackhawk has a .357 barrel. 9 mm boolits were sized .357 , the 158 grain SWC , also gas checked, were sized .358 ! What happened to the .001 over groove rule ? You just never what's going to happen in this hobby !
Gary

[Moonie]

I like all of the Lee TC standard lube groove molds, I have 6 bangers in 9mm (120gr), 40/10mm (175gr) and a 2 cavity in 45 (230gr). The 230gr has feed in everything I've ever tried it in. Even some finicky tiny taurus someone had at the range one day, it had issues with ball but fed the 230gr TC's perfectly.