Lee 6 Cavity Molds

[GBertolet]

[smilie=w: I just purchased my first 6 cavity Lee mold. A 356-125. I never really considered these molds, and stuck with Lyman or Saeco 4 cavity. I always thought they were low quality, even though others gave decent reviews on them. Well I broke down and purchased one. I wanted a standard profile and weight for the 9mm, to add to my collection of molds. I have been casting for over 40 years, and have nearly 50 other molds.

This mold is really nice. The cammed sprue cutter works effortlessly, giving clean cut bases. Half the bullets drop out when opening the mold, with one tap of the mallet on the hinge bolt, drops the rest. I could not get this mold too hot. Casting at 800 degrees on my Pro-melt. I was casting as fast as I could, leaving mold sit for only about three seconds after the pour, before dumping the bullets. Completely emptying the pot, while dumping the accumulated sprue in twice, emptied the pot in less than 90 minutes. All clean bases, with no smearing on blocks or sprue plate. Maybe on the larger calibers, this would not be possible, but on this mold it is.

Of a tin enriched WW alloy, the bullets drop at just under .357, and weigh 127.5 grains. Very pleased with this mold, and would not hesitate to purchase another.

[gwpercle]

Better late than never !

The Lee 2 cavity mould , with handles, for only $20.00 and change , is one of the best boolit casting bargains to be had .

[Winger Ed.]

They're great.

Just be extra careful about letting them get dinged up, and don't get violent with them.

[Mitch]

Found that sometime the lee molds are not the best but most of the 6 hole molds cast great.As you found out big piles of nice bullets in no time with the less 6 hole.As said above they are real soft aluminum so be nice to them and they will work for alot of bullets for the money.I have added set screw to the hinge and sprue cutter screws to keep them ajusted right and stone some burs off the sprue plate but that is about it.

[FlyfishermanMike]

I have several. They cast great and make a big pile fast!

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[FLINTNFIRE]

I to use several , they do make a pile of bullets fast , one of my first molds was the tumble lube 2 cavity a long time ago , and I made a lot of bullets with it , now I use its bigger brother the 6 cavity , makes a lot more a lot faster .

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Got a six banger Lee for 9mm coming today. Hoping they drop just over .357".

[Green Frog]

Lee 6 cavity vs 2 cavity moulds is like apples and oranges, or more like Porsche and Volkswagen. Look at the box the six cavity comes in where you see the word “Professional.” This is not a random word, it speaks to the totally different quality of the mould inside. That word is absent on boxes for the 2 cavity moulds. I’ve been told (but never confirmed) that they even use a different aluminum alloy for the six cav moulds.

The 2 cavity moulds will probably yield bullets, but the 6 cavity moulds reach a whole higher level of quality. YMMV with individual examples of either type, but that’s been my experience.

Froggie

[Tatume]

If you want that mold to really come alive, go to

https://kal.castpics.net/Molds3.html

and get a sprue plate made by Red River Rick (his handle on this forum, or you could send a PM).

[PHyrbird]

Wish they made some 6packs for 308-309, 257; it would help on 2 fronts. First to have a good cost effective gang mold. Second to have a easy core mold.

[Outer Rondacker]

The trick is to never get a higher quality mold. Like me. This way the lee 6 banger is king. Love all mine. Congrats.

[frkelly74]

There is available the 312-155 and 312-160 TL in the 6 cavity format. I found a custom 311041 plain base 6 cavity once also and a mold for the 6.5s once.

[ACC]

[smilie=w: I just purchased my first 6 cavity Lee mold. A 356-125. I never really considered these molds, and stuck with Lyman or Saeco 4 cavity. I always thought they were low quality, even though others gave decent reviews on them. Well I broke down and purchased one. I wanted a standard profile and weight for the 9mm, to add to my collection of molds. I have been casting for over 40 years, and have nearly 50 other molds.

This mold is really nice. The cammed sprue cutter works effortlessly, giving clean cut bases. Half the bullets drop out when opening the mold, with one tap of the mallet on the hinge bolt, drops the rest. I could not get this mold too hot. Casting at 800 degrees on my Pro-melt. I was casting as fast as I could, leaving mold sit for only about three seconds after the pour, before dumping the bullets. Completely emptying the pot, while dumping the accumulated sprue in twice, emptied the pot in less than 90 minutes. All clean bases, with no smearing on blocks or sprue plate. Maybe on the larger calibers, this would not be possible, but on this mold it is.

Of a tin enriched WW alloy, the bullets drop at just under .357, and weigh 127.5 grains. Very pleased with this mold, and would not hesitate to purchase another.

I have two Lee 6 cavity molds. The 125 RNFP in .358 and the 158 RNFP in .358. I started using lee molds back in the 70's when their quality was not so great, but they sure have improved.

ACC

[1hole]

I have owned and used several iron molds for 50+ years and two aluminum molds for 30+ years with great satisfaction; I don't give my aluminum molds any more care than I do the irons. Meaning I give ALL of my precision tools the care they deserve so alum. molds are no extra burden.

But then, I know some reloaders who could destroy an anvil with a spoon. They are the people who really NEED lifetime, no limit, no question, warranties for their tools ....

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Just tried out a new 6 cav. 9mm 125 gr. mold from Lee. Washed it good with dawn dish soap and a toothbrush. Smoked the cavities. Preheated it on my glass top stove. Once it heated up it dropped perfect boolits just over .357" in diameter. Boolits are slightly frosty when the mold is running nicely. Now I need to get some 9mm dies.....

[Tatume]

Frosty bullets are good bullets. I always go for frosty.

[Shuz]

I have a Lee 6 cavity mould that is a clone of Lyman 's 311041.It performs very well. I wish I had one that was a clone of the RCBS 25 100 or Saeco 25 100 or Cramer 55A! Or any 25 caliber.

[dverna]

If I could still hand cast for extended periods of time, the 6 cavity Lees are all I need for pistol bullets used for plinking. I have one in .40 cal. and see no reason for anything "better" for pistol bullets. But I acquired a MasterCaster that will serve me for bulk bullets and I can automate if needed. Nerve damage sucks. Otherwise I would have added more Lee molds.

I have five Mi-Hec molds for producing HP pistol bullets, and to feed the rifles if the SHTF and I run out of jacketed rifle bullets. The Lee molds might be just as good for rifle bullets but Lee did not offer what I wanted.

[centershot]

There is available the 312-155 and 312-160 TL in the 6 cavity format. I found a custom 311041 plain base 6 cavity once also and a mold for the 6.5s once.

I bought one of those in the Group Buy thread started by Junior1942 many years ago. I still have it, can't even begin to know how many thousands of boolits that mould has dropped. The nice thing about it is that it was sized for the Micro-groove Marlins, mine drops at 0.312" diameter. Good mould! ;)

[Harter66]

I too have several of the Lee 6s .

I was recently gifted one that ........is lacking . I'll get it squared away eventually probably , it may just be one of those that lives up to the bad rap .

After casting at least 6 different examples in 35,40,45 cal in short 10# runs and longer 30# runs I will take a chance here .
I broke 1 sprue handle , I had an example of the replacement mentioned above . I have not yet had the unbearable slop or the need for the rest to close "Lee double shuffle bump" to close or any unusual efforts to get bullets out . However , and there always is one .
I have found that all things being equal and assuming that all of the cavities are the same , this isn't a $140 custom 2C , I find that they fairly consistently will drop 3 @ +- .3 , 1 about a grain heavy and 2 about 1.5 gr light . From the handles it seems to be , light , std , std , heavy , std , light . Frankly it's as possible that it's machining as it is heat exchange . That about covers my complaint department .