PDA

View Full Version : There is life after using Lee boolit molds....



Abidingguy
01-09-2021, 10:33 PM
I've only been casting for a couple years, and have been using Lee molds pretty much exclusively. I started rolling my own using Lee equipment after the Obummer panic in 2012 because it was inexpensive and worked, so I looked no further than Lee stuff when I started casting.

Now with the current panic, everything is hard to find; especially .356/9mm molds. Since there was no way I was going to pay triple what Lee molds used to cost, I looked into custom molds. And boy, I'm soooooo glad I did!

I ordered an Accurate mold to cast boolits for my new brass Henry 30-30, and I can't believe what I've been missing. From basically the second pour into the mold after heating, the boolits coming out of that mold were flawless:

275092 275093

Now I know what I've been missing! Lee molds will always have a home with me, but these Accurate molds are something else!

gwpercle
01-09-2021, 11:11 PM
Now you done went and did it ... After you buy one good mould .... you will buy more !
You know that stimulus check the government is sending ....
How many Accurate Moulds can you buy with it ?
Whatever you do don't look at NOE ... they are as addictive as crack cocaine .
Gary

ButchC
01-09-2021, 11:31 PM
Yeah, I went and picked up an NOE, gwpercle isn't lying... Hollow points dropping out with a rejection rate better than my old 309-150??!!? Man I thought that was going to be a lot worse than it turned out. I've been looking for some real particular custom stuff and Accurate is at the top of the list. I too agree, Lee certainly has a place but they might benefit with another look at how well an aluminum mold could work.

Harter66
01-10-2021, 12:39 AM
I to started with Lee . I bought my first NOE mould because shipping for a 27-150 ran the $86 mould up to 101 and for 115 I could have a 286-154 5 cav in hand . I'm glad I did . I have 12 NOEs .

I'm pretty sad I don't have more Mountain Molds .

Bunch of Lyman , 4-5 RCBS

Ive had a couple of LBTs , an MP , H&G , 3 Cramer's , a Seaco , Ohaus , 3 Herters ......no Accurate yet . They just don't grab me , maybe it's the catalog .....

Oh and yes I have over a dozen Lee singles , doubles and of those six are 6 cav moulds , 452-200 , 452-255 , 401-175 , 2@358-200 and a 358-125 .
When a bullet shoots well from a $50 6cav there's not much reason to have an $80-120 , 2,3,4,5 cavity mould of the like design .

rbuck351
01-10-2021, 01:32 AM
I have several different brands of molds including several Lee molds. I like the Lee handgun molds especially the 6 cav ones. I have 4 or 5 Lee rifle boolet molds and all of the nose rider ones have noses that cast between 2 and 5 thousands small. I have a Lee copy of the rcbs 35-200 in 6 cav that casts an excellent boolit. All of my NOE molds cast just as advertised and most of the rest of my molds are very close to what they are supposed to be.

bangerjim
01-10-2021, 01:37 AM
I have darned near every Al mold Lee has made. They have served me well. I hate the 2 cav versions but that was all they made. I have every 6 cav they made.

Now I use exclusive brass molds from the vendors. Will never go back to Lee again. Brass molds are super accurate and cast beautiful boolits in solid and HP versions.

banger

country gent
01-10-2021, 01:44 AM
My addiction for the bpcr bullets id the Old West mould in brass. They cast beautiful bullets and are just amazing. I have 8 of them now and new out of the box they are perfect all the edges are nicly beve,ed never found a sharp edge other than the cavities. They seat and close solid.

shooting on a shoestring
01-10-2021, 09:12 AM
Lee molds are the McDonalds cheeseburger of casting.

The. Accurate, NOE, Aresnal, Mountain, Mihec etc molds are a step above in concentricity, as cast size, number of designs and custom designs.

There is a price difference as there should be. I’m glad both ends of the spectrum are being served.

ButchC
01-10-2021, 10:16 AM
Lee molds are the McDonalds cheeseburger of casting.

The. Accurate, NOE, Aresnal, Mountain, Mihec etc molds are a step above in concentricity, as cast size, number of designs and custom designs.

There is a price difference as there should be. I’m glad both ends of the spectrum are being served.

That's a much better way of putting it than I attempted.

VariableRecall
01-11-2021, 05:55 AM
Could I get a link to those brass Boolit Molds? Sounds interesting. I suppose you would still have to worry about corrosion but it's an interesting material to make molds out of.

Burnt Fingers
01-11-2021, 10:32 AM
Could I get a link to those brass Boolit Molds? Sounds interesting. I suppose you would still have to worry about corrosion but it's an interesting material to make molds out of.

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/
https://www.mp-molds.com/
https://arsenalmolds.com/
http://www.accuratemolds.com/index.php

There's no corrosion to worry about as long as you're not doing stupid things with the mold.

Brass is actually one of the original mold materials. Right after cast iron. Aluminum is actually a very new mold material.

Shawlerbrook
01-11-2021, 03:23 PM
The old adage ...you get what you pay for.....is generally true.

MT Gianni
01-11-2021, 03:29 PM
An old friend described the Lee 2 cavity molds in 94 when I started as "Bic lighter molds". "You know they will not last forever and cannot be too sad when they fail".
I still have a few I use but both Lee and my inventory have improved too.

Rich/WIS
01-11-2021, 08:32 PM
Started out with Lee, went to Lyman and RCBS all double cavity. Moved on to Lee 6 cavity and NOE 5 cavity, all I use now. Lee for handgun calibers and NOE for rifles.

GoldieMI
01-12-2021, 09:16 AM
I have Lee, Magma, MP, NOE, and waiting for my first Arsenal Mold to arrive. So far the MP and NOE are dreams to use
The Magma are 2 cavity iron and work nicely as well.

forwardgunner
01-12-2021, 03:04 PM
Started off years ago with Lyman, then Lee but Accurate and NOE are very good and all that I buy now.

Dragonheart
01-17-2021, 01:26 PM
Yeah, I made a big mistake buying a NOE Brass Mold. Now I am a member of the NOE $1000 club!