Pros & cons Lee boolit molds - opinions please.

[Bogonion]

Less expensive, but what about performance, accuracy of casts, maintenance and longevity?

[tazman]

I have little bad to say about Lee bullet molds. They work fine as long as they are not abused. They can be easily damaged if struck too hard or dropped on hard surfaces.
I have Lee molds that are decades old and still work fine. A little lube on the locating pins and they will last a long time.
There are a couple of mold designs that don't work as well as I would like for their intended purpose. These are some of the tumble lube designs intended for high pressure cartridges such as 9mm. The tumble lube designs for 38 Special and other lower pressure cartridges work fine.
My six cavity molds rain boolits. Some I run through a sizer and some I do not. It depends on the usage and the size of the particular boolits.
Some Lee molds will drop a bit undersize with some alloys. This can be corrected using techniques found on this site. Most work just fine.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Bogonion
Welcome to the forum.

Lee has some good designs and if you know how to cast and have a gentle hand, you will make good boolits for many years.
Be sure to lube the sprue plate...that's really the only maintenance needed.

There is a ton of threads about Lee molds and people's experiences with them, a fella could write a book about them. You'll quickly learn some people love them and other people hate them. My experience has been that if the caster doesn't use it correctly, they will likely have problems and may destroy a good mold.

[rancher1913]

you get what you pay for.

have numerous lee molds and they work.

have numerous mp molds and they work better.

[centershot]

I agree with JonB. I have a friend who swears at Lee moulds, calls them junk, a waste of money. I've pointed to my shelf full of Lee moulds numerous times and told him that if he took better care of them instead of using them like they were a hammer, he would get better service from them. But, to some people, everything looks like a nail, soooo...........

[243winxb]

Have used.
Saeco
RCBS Lyman
Lee

Just bought 2 new Lee this year. Not as good as the other, but a better price.

After 2 - 10 lb pots of 9mm. Lee 2 cavity needs repair. I just put it away for later.

[Bigslug]

I've bought two:

First was a big 300-ish grain .45 2-cavity that I purchased not to shoot bullets from, but to make samples of untested alloy that would hardness test more accurately in usable form than ingots.

Second was a 1-ounce slug mold.

The .45 serves for what it was purchased for. It casts a good bullet that I'd be fine shooting if that was the plan, but it inspires about ZERO confidence if I thought it had to hold up to producing serious quantities; the slug mold needed some form of repair almost immediately - one of the roll pins, if I recall correctly.

I can not speak to their 6-cavity molds - only to that they're about $60, and that you can get roughly the same thing from NOE for about $30-$40 more and be assured of high-grade goods.

Lee generates some mixed feelings - I like their dies; the factory crimp die rocks; their case trimmer setup is simple, cheap, and works great. If you're flat broke or travelling, the Lee Loader lets you generate servicable ammo for about $20. OTOH, most of what I know about creatively assembled profanity came from dealing with one of their progressive presses.

Bullet molds are what I consider "hard use" reloading gear: they get thermal cycles, require occasional whacking with a stick, and require handling with welding gloves, which doesn't always lend itself to being super-gentle. I'm not gonna knock 'em much as guys seem to get good results and decent mileage, but considering the "not much more" for NOE and M&P, I would submit that buying "as cheap as possible" might be a bit of a false economy.

[quilbilly]

I have a lot of Lee molds and a few each of Lyman, NOE, Mihec, Saeco, and RCBS. I have never had a problem with the Lee molds though I occasionally have to tighten screws. They make pretty good boolits when paired with one of the Lee push-through sizers. I especially like them because, after a light smoking when new, they turn out acceptable boolits so quickly with very little warming time compared to brass or iron molds. The NOE aluminum molds are clearly superior but a lot more expensive. One practice I have is, whenever I start casting for a new caliber and Lee makes a mold for it, I will buy the Lee mold to see if the rifle/pistol likes cast boolits first before getting something more expensive. I have a rifle or two that clearly prefer boolits from a Lee mold which is nice. BTW - Welcome to our happy fraternity.

[DocSavage]

Could never get Lee molds to cast a decent bullet,I have aluminum molds from NOE,Accuate and Aresenal more money but no where near the headaches getting them to work.

[murf205]

I don't have any 6 cavity Lee molds either but I can tell you that the 2 cavity one's I have used made really good boolits, especially for the money involved. The 240 gr 44 cal GC mold is one of the most consistently accurate in all the 44's I have tried it in and a 310 gr 44 mold that works like a charm in my Ruger SRH. The 175 gr Truncated Cone 40 cal mold is a really accurate one in my 10mm Colt Delta Elite. PC'd, it slides up the ramp slicker that grease, no disappointments. I have 252 gr and 300 gr 45 cal molds that shoot as good as anything. Bottom line is, you have to do your part and The Lee 's will work fine. I've had mine for quite a few yrs but I try not to abuse any mold, especially since they are aluminum and therefore a bit more delicate. Custom mold makers do make some pretty sexy molds and I personally like 3 and 4 cavity but I still use Lee handles on them. Welcome to the forum, you will like this place. There are lots of great people here that have a world of knowledge and more that willing to help.

[BudRow]

For the most part, I have found that the Lee design in a given caliber is never a bad choice.

[Targa]

As for function, they work just as well as the others.

[Conditor22]

I have many old Lee molds that still work great ----- treat them right, keep the pivot point and alignment pins lubed, don't beat the **** out of them and they'll last a LOOONG time.

Some of Lee's stuff isn't as "Bullet-proof" but with a little TLC they'll last a long time

[1hole]

I only have a few Lee molds but they work good, as well or better/easier than my iron others because of being a bit less tempature sensitive and they're MUCH lighter. Molds made of any material are precision tools and they should be treated as such.

I often see comments that other molds are better but I've never seen anyone try to justify that "better". Guess my old iron Lyman molds would be a bit more versatile than my Lee's if I wanted to drive nails with them ... but I don't. ??

[Tim357]

Lee molds make good bullets. I do not care for the newer design molds that have the minimum amount of material in the body. I much prefer the older one that had more mass. Other than that, no complaints

[MrHarmless]

Lee Molds are how I got started, and they still make up the majority of my molds. The 6 Cavities make pistol bullets really fast, and at about half the price of other brands. Their QC might not be perfect, but their customer service is always solid. If somethings wrong with it, they'll replace it.

In terms of bullet design and selection, it's a little less varied than some shops that do smaller runs, but you never really know if a design will shoot well in your gun until you cast a batch and shoot them! Personally I think they're a great way to get into the game.

[charlie b]

I have to admit that I am biased toward Lee stuff in general. If not for their products I never could have afforded to start reloading, almost 40 years ago.

Have had many Lee molds. They are perfect when you need a lot of different molds for various guns. The 6 cavity molds are nice for higher volume use. I love the sprue lever on the 6 cavity molds.

But, if you abuse them even a little they can become useless. The screw holding on the sprue plate is one of those. They are easily stripped out and if you remove it to do something like 'flatten' the sprue plate, then it will probably loosen easily during use. Some folks have drilled and tapped for a setscrew like those in the Accurate and NOE molds.

Accuracy? Well, I cast bullets with Lee molds for almost 20 years before I ever bought a sizing die for my pistol bullets. Just cast, lube and shoot. Pan lube was a bit 'messy', but it worked fine.

[Tar Heel]

I have many Lee molds as well as many other molds. I have no problem whatsoever with the Lee molds. Follow the instruction sheet that comes with them and they will last a long time. Only had one that had a defect at the sprue cut point on the sprue plate and I fixed it pronto with a new sprue plate. I am still casting with a Lee mold (my first) I bought in the late 80's in 41 caliber.

Bottom line: Great price - Great molds. Treat them carefully and correctly.

[Winger Ed.]

I've had a few over the years. They work, but don't take well to abuse and being banged around.

If I was going to make boolits for something that I wouldn't shoot just a whole lot, they'd be my first choice due to the lower cost.

[jim147]

Almost all of my molds are Lee. I can't say I've had a problem with any of them that wasn't my fault.

[cainttype]

LEE typically proves “You get what you pay for.”.
That is not saying that LEE does not/cannot work well enough, but there are much higher quality options available (at prices that typically reflect it).
I’d advise ordering through a good vendor that backs up the products they sell, foregoing sending items back to LEE… Midsouth has been good there.
When I buy a LEE mold it’s typically to try something on the cheap. I’ve had a couple show up so misaligned that they were useless, but a quick call to Midsouth had a return shipping label arrive in a couple days.
The best part of that scenario has been that they ask if you want a refund or exchange. I bought them for a reason, so after explaining my problem the answer is, “I’d like to exchange the mold, but I don’t want to chance getting another bad one.”
They offer to inspect the molds before shipping, I accept… I’ve never gotten a “bad” replacement from Midsouth.

If it’s 6 cav type molds that interest you, for about 2x the money MP (when in stock) has a MUCH higher quality in 6-8 cav aluminum molds… They seem to be out of a lot of options nowadays, but what they do have ships FAST…
You might find visiting MP Molds site interesting.

[Shopdog]

I like Lee molds. Some of mine are downright spooky accurate. 130g 7mm,a particular 225-55(durn near perfection on dropped roundness),150g 30-06,and a 358-140swc.

Had some duds. One 44 mold the design ain't hitting on much(and it looks good on paper). And another pistol mold that you can't pry bullets out of. It's the only mold I ever sent back. Should've told them to keep it. Anyway,bit of a gamble but you can get lucky.

[gwpercle]

It was a great and wonderful day for boolit caster's , still in high school with no job , when Lee started selling a single cavity boolit mould , complete with handles for only $8.98 ... I was in "Hog Heaven" This is early 1970's and late 1960's .
I was able to buy as many moulds as I wanted , I loved casting and shooting , handguns and rifles and had a free unlimited source of wheel weights ... Lyman Moulds cost $20.00 + handles .

I bought a lot of those Lee one holers and even more of the improved double cavity moulds .
True they do require a little hand finishing , removing rough edges and smoothing edges before use and being aluminum they need some Tender treatment when using but ... they cast good boolits .
The newest molds are very good ... just handle with care and don't beat them up .

Custom Moulds , like NOE and Accurate Moulds are nicer , finer finished , smooth and come out the box ready to go ...they cost more because you get more .
With the price of Lyman being so high I have been buying NOE , but I use Lee moulds to figure out what I want ... do I want RN , SWC , TC ...I buy Lee moulds to "test" and when I find what works best ... buy a 4 cavity NOE . Some folks swear by the six cavity Lee moulds and they wouldn't be using them if they turned out bad boolits .
Gary

[Rcmaveric]

Any time I buy cheap tools I expect to have to tinker with them. With that said I really haven't had too manny issues with Lee mold either single, double or six cavity. Most of my molds are Lee.

I love NOE but I only have two of their molds. The price is outside of my budget to just willy nilly splurge. But i can get 2 to 4 Lee molds for the price of most other molds. I also have a Lyman and RCBS mold. Got them reasonably priced by watching the for Sale section.

In all honesty all the molds cast about the same. You just have to keep them lubed and by nice. If you have to beat the molds then take some time break edges of the cavity. Bullets shoukd rain from a mold at light finger tap. All my molds drop like that. Some just took a little love to make them.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[GhostHawk]

I think the Lee 6 cavity molds are considerably better than the double cavity.

As a result I have been slowly converting over on my most favorite mold for each caliber.

I do wish they made the .314 90 gr TL truncated cone in a 6. I'd buy one for sure.
I find that cast boolit handy in so many calibers. From the .32sw long to .30-30.

[Mk42gunner]

I have little bad to say about Lee bullet molds. They work fine as long as they are not abused. They can be easily damaged if struck too hard or dropped on hard surfaces.
I have Lee molds that are decades old and still work fine. A little lube on the locating pins and they will last a long time.
There are a couple of mold designs that don't work as well as I would like for their intended purpose. These are some of the tumble lube designs intended for high pressure cartridges such as 9mm. The tumble lube designs for 38 Special and other lower pressure cartridges work fine.
My six cavity molds rain boolits. Some I run through a sizer and some I do not. It depends on the usage and the size of the particular boolits.
Some Lee molds will drop a bit undersize with some alloys. This can be corrected using techniques found on this site. Most work just fine.


Lee molds make good bullets. I do not care for the newer design molds that have the minimum amount of material in the body. I much prefer the older one that had more mass. Other than that, no complaints


Lee Molds are how I got started, and they still make up the majority of my molds. The 6 Cavities make pistol bullets really fast, and at about half the price of other brands. Their QC might not be perfect, but their customer service is always solid. If somethings wrong with it, they'll replace it.

In terms of bullet design and selection, it's a little less varied than some shops that do smaller runs, but you never really know if a design will shoot well in your gun until you cast a batch and shoot them! Personally I think they're a great way to get into the game.

I think these three replies really answer the question.

Are there better molds out there? Yes. Are they as inexpensive as a Lee? No. Up until a few years ago, you could try a Lee two cavity mold, do whatever modifications you wanted to it; and if you totally screwed it up, you where out twenty bucks. Now the price has risen, but it is still about twenty five dollars for a two cavity that just may do what you want.

I have owned and used Hensley & Gibbs (San Diego), RCBS, Ideal/Lyman, Lee custom and factory, and a Ballisticast. Quality and ease of use was in the order I listed them. One Ideal I really have to want to use to heat it up, the lone Ballisticast I threw away. Every other mold drops useable boolits, just some are easier to use than others.

Robert

[405grain]

I don't like Lee molds. I bought one years ago and it didn't produce boolits nearly as good as other mold brands that I use. I don't use that mold anymore. Then, later, I bought another Lee mold and it fell apart the first time I used it. I don't use that mold anymore either.

[jim147]

I don't like Lee molds. I bought one years ago and it didn't produce boolits nearly as good as other mold brands that I use. I don't use that mold anymore. Then, later, I bought another Lee mold and it fell apart the first time I used it. I don't use that mold anymore either.

Well you have some luck that goes against most of the people on this site.

[bimus]

I bought Lee molds when first starting to cast at the time they cost about what a box of 100 jacketed bullets cost and came with handles so I thought if I can get 100 cast bullets out of the Lee molds I would be even that was mid 1980's . One three day weekend with my kids helping we did about 5000 rounds I'm still using them 228 grain round nose 45 ACP.

[sigep1764]

I have had 4 Lee molds over the last few years. The 358 105 SWC threw and excellent boolit but it was a 2 cavity. Same with the 277 135, a 2 cavity. The sprue plate screw on both would back out and the handles were cheesy, but both boolits were as advertised and shot very well. I have had two 6 cavity molds and the sprue cutter handle was awesome on both. The 120TC mold threw a boolit that was too small for my uses but casted great. I currently have the 356 95RF and it throws a 358 boolit and is excellent. Will not part with it. So, IME, the 6 Cavs are great, the double cavities not so much. Sure for $35, I could have drilled and tapped a retention grub screw for the sprue plate screw, but wasn't worth the hassle for a 2 cavity for me.

[rbuck351]

I have several Lee molds and quite a few Lyman, rcbs and NOE molds. The only brand Inhave had any issues with are the Lee molds and that is just with their bore rider rifle molds. I have yet to get one that has a nose that is bore size with most being from .002 to .005 under size on the nose. The other Lee molds I have work very well. I have yet to damage any mold as I keep them lubed and open the sprue by hand instead of a club. I did have one Lee that the handle pin fell out but it was easy to stick it back in and peen the edge of the hole a bit. Other than the bore rider molds I'm happy with my Lee molds. One of these days I will probably open the nose of the bore riders a bit but I haven't done it yet.

[Bogonion]

Almost all of my molds are Lee. I can't say I've had a problem with any of them that wasn't my fault.

Had a belly roar when I read your reply, Jim147. I could say much the same for just about anything I've ever owned!

[Bogonion]

Was hoping for some good reviews on the Lee molds. Have a good deal of experience with many other Lee products for my reloading venttures and have always found their products to be very serviceable and affordable.

From the experienced reviews in the replys looks like Lee Molds would be a good place to start my boolit casting career.

[Four-Sixty]

That sums it up Bogonion. Because Lee molds are so much more affordable, you're considering taking the plunge.

You can read info on the internet all you want. You'll really learn though when you do a task yourself.

[wwmartin]

My experience with the 6 cavity is get the mold up to temperature before filling all 6 cavities or you have trouble cutting the sprue. The same with letting the mold get cold with the sprue uncut.
Lee molds arn't the most durable but if treated properly their usfull life span is longer than mine. For an off the shelf mold they are hard to pass over.

Bill

[8mmFan]

Without getting into a six-paragraph post, which I could easily do on this topic, put me down as a very big fan of all things Lee, including their molds.

[JoeJames]

Got my first Lee mold probably about 35 years ago; .358" 148 grain button nose Wad Cutter. In the last year or so I have gotten Lee double cavity molds - .315 90 grain, .358 158 grain, and .430 240 grain. Once seasoned = after the first or second casting session, they have all thrown good accurate boolits. I am well satisfied with them. No complaints. BTW my original Lee wad cutter mold casts scary accurate wad cutter boolits; better than Speer swaged wad cutters in my S&W Model 67, and in my Model 15.

[MT Gianni]

Pluses; You can get very serviceable bullets, price, usually uniform in the holes, decent service when problems arise in the warranty period.
Minuses; Many need to be finished by removing burrs, tightening handles, sprue plates, quality [lack of hold downs, set screws], closing consistency is a problem for some casters, I don't care for the 6 cavity sprue handle hitting soft aluminum. I started casting in 93, joined the shooters board which morfed into Cast Boolits and we started writing Lee in the early 90's for a 35 cal rifle bullet heavier than 166 gr which they dropped. About 20 years later they made a 200 gr rifle bullet so they do listen to their customers and eventually may act on requests. Precision, there are at least 3 custom mold makers that owe their existence to the inaccuracy of Lee group buys,weight, diameter, you name it. I don't care for Lee's lube grooves finding them too shallow for my shooting.

In short they make a decent product at a low price. I own several and if I needed what they offered I would probably support NOE or Accurate but that's just me.

[ShooterAZ]

Like many others here, I started out with LEE molds. Honestly, I wasn't even sure if Boolit casting was going to be my thing or not. Lee makes it affordable to get your feet wet, and determine if it's a hobby worth spending considerably more money on. LEE does have some really good proprietary designs, and as others have mentioned if treated gently will last a really long time. Nowadays, I find myself gravitating towards Accurate or Noe molds. It also seems to me that the aluminum alloy that LEE uses is softer and more prone to damage than some of the others. That's my observation anyway. Edit: forgot to mention to not overlook RCBS molds. They also make some really excellent designs at an affordable price.

[Old Caster]

When you start casting with your mold fill up the cavities without closing the sprue plate and then quickly dumping and pouring more. This way you don't have to worry about breaking the handle that opens the plate. Once up to a decent temperature which is generally around 8 times depending on the size of the bullet the mold will be ready. Someone sells steel sprue plates and a steel cam arm for their 6 cavities and if you want to use it for a lot of bullets and a long time it is worth it. I also think it is a good idea to install a 1/4 inch bolt in the side of 6 cavity molds where the cam hits so it won't eventually gouge a groove in the mold.

[sharps4590]

Lee molds are serviceable. One can make good bullets. They work. I have Lee molds and most other popular molds. Lee is great for small runs. Give me RCBS, Accurate, NEI, the old Hoch for longer casting and more bullets. My 1967 Morris Minor, 1956 MG-A or any of my 4 vintage cars are great fun running back and forth to town or a short run, morning or evening drive. They will also get me from here to Omaha or Tampa to see my sons. So will my 2017 Mercedes 300. Guess which one I'll take to Omaha or Tampa.

[fredj338]

I think the newer Lee molds are quite a bit better than the older ones, especially the 2cav. That is the pro.
The issue with Lee is always QC. Sometimes they run just fine, sometimes they suck. The other issue is very limited designs. I have several but unless I am buying something to try out a new caliber, I prefer Accurate or NOE. Better mat'l. & QC, easier casting.

[Arkansas Paul]

Pros - They produce a good bullet for a very fair price
They heat up quickly and begin producing good bullets in just a couple of pours

Cons - Not quite as durable
The heating up pro is a double edged sword. You can cast too fast and really heat the thing up.

Overall, I like my Lyman molds better. But, I also like my Lee molds and wouldn't hesitate to buy more.

[megasupermagnum]

Unlike many, I started casting after Lee had already gone to their "New" style some 10 years ago with tapered alignment pins, and better sprue plates. I do own a couple Lee molds with the round bar alignment pins, as well as at least one with the pinched metal alignment. I have not had any real problems with any of them, but I'll speak for the newest versions, as that is what most people are going to buy. There isn't a lot of reason to buy a used Lee mold, unless it is a design they don't make anymore.

The mold blocks themselves are great. They now have tapered alignment pins that come together with no problem, and their vent lines are top shelf. They even started vent lines on top of the mold blocks before the custom makers started doing it. The aluminum they use in their molds is on the softer side. This means you can get galling under the sprue plate pivot if you do not lube it. Other than that, I don't know how you could damage them that wouldn't ruin any other mold. The sprue plate's are aluminum as well, but I've had no problems with them at all. Some don't like the pivot pins, but again, I've found them no trouble. Some I've got have been slightly too tight for my liking. This is where you see guys drill and tap so you can loosen them. I've found a much easier alternative is to grind off some of the spure plate in that corner, and that reduces the tension. The sprue plate pivot on the new Lee's is a left hand thread shoulder bolt, and it has a spring washer to hold tension. I think it is a great design for lower cost, and most of them are perfect out of the box. The few that were too tight, it's only a 2 minute fix.

The designs offered by Lee, some are good, some are not so much. I do not like their tumble lube designs. They used to offer hollow point molds, and I'd just say that was one of their flops. I'd avoid those molds. They make some very accurate rifle bullet molds, and while there is always a way to improve, I find a lot of their rifle bullets are about as good as you can get from bore riding designs. Their pistol bullets are more varied, and a lot of them seem more target orientated. I'm more of a hunter, and am not as interested in a lot of their designs for hunting. They do have a few that are really good. A lot of people really like their shotgun slugs. The 1 oz is not great, a couple people got them to shoot, most have not. Their 7/8 oz though is about as good as I've seen from an in-wad slug. The best molds Lee makes are round ball molds. I have most sizes they offer, and they are top shelf. Not just for the money, Lee makes the best round ball mold that I am aware of. They are better than Lyman, or JT, or Dixie, or any other I've tried. They cast a ball as round as you could ever hope for, and they cut the sprue off flush.

Unlike some others, I actually find Lee molds are easier to cast with than some other molds. I have 1, 2, and 6 cavity molds from Lee. I actually like their 2 cavity the best for the most part. I find them the easiest to operate, and control the temperature. The 6 cavity is just as good, and most people like them a lot. I once had a Lee mold that I could not get to cast big enough. I only tried it once. I sold it, and the next guy was able to cast them .003" bigger than I was. That just goes to show how much alloy, and temperature matters. It isn't always the mold, and Lee molds are sensitive to changes. This is a good and a bad thing, not a pro or a con. This is a high production brand, so cant really get what you want. You either buy what they have, or go elsewhere. I really wish they made a 309-170F in a 6 cavity, but it doesn't seem that will happen anytime soon.

Pros-
Inexpensive
High quality bullets
Easy to control

Cons-
May need small adjustments
limited bullet designs, and only certain cavity blocks
Once in a great while you may find one that casts too small

[ACC]

I have some Lee molds that I still use today that are from 1973. My brother and I cast thousands of bullets with these. BUT you have to be more gentle with them.

ACC

[QuackAttack24]

I have multiple Lee molds. They all cast great bullets right out of the gate except for one, which to this day has never turned out one useable bullet. I did nothing but give them a good cleaning and start casting. They shoot great, and are still the bullets I shoot the most. Accuracy is great as long as you properly size them to the barrel.

[Stuckcase]

They have their usefulness. When you purchase your first MP mold or Accurate mold, you’ll not look back.

[Harter66]

I have ;
LBT
RCBS
Cramer
Ideal/Lyman
H&G
Herters
Lachmiller
NOE
MiHec
Lee
And at least 1 more I can't remember from 22-.690 cal .

Lee makes a tool to do a job and in my experience it full fills that need .
I like some of the originals I bought to get into casting enough to buy the 6 cav moulds . I shot 3 versions of a 40 cal 175 gr RNFP from singles and doubles and they were no better than the Lee version in the 6 cav . I don't dislike the casting tasks but where I shoot a bunch of bullets I'd rather cast 100 keepers in 20 pours than 40 .

To quantify quality is a difficult thing to generalize .
There are a few things that "you just have to do" with Lee moulds . You almost always have to break the edges and the sprue hole . Often there are burrs left on the cavities . The 6c moulds are better finished . I've had 20-25 Lee moulds in singles , doubles and 6s . The 6s cast 1 light , 1 heavy , and 4 close enough . If you weigh lot them at 1% you will have 4 piles . In the case of my 358-200 I get a 196 , a 205 and the other 4 hanging in the 198-202 .
Doubles often 1-2% different weights .
Of course technique will influence that some .

NOE I have 9 . I've cleaned up one burr , and failure to follow the wash , 3x heat cycles directions made one a little fussy at first .
I have 2,3,4,&5 c moulds . 1 a 3 cav 460-543 drops 3 bullets that are identical within 1.5 gr for 10# of alloy after the round and wrinkle cull .
The 5 c 454-250 version of the 454424 casts the same 1.5 gr for 10# .
You just take them out of the box , wash them in dawn , heat and air cool 3x and cast great bullets that weigh the same from every cavity .

M-P is a love hate thing for me I have 1 in brass , it casts a pair of 460-417 gr RNFP with a plain or hollow base . I lived in the land of "what's rust" and had a terrible time getting it to patina enough to settle down and pour good bullets . It has some machine marks I could fix but it casts 2 at a time +- 1.5 gr in 10# of alloy . I've read that sometimes you need a little steel wool on the hollow point/base pins to get good release I didn't have that .

The old iron H&G 8c #130 drops 8 bullets at .453-196 gr within 1.2 gr for 10# of alloy it eats too fast .

I have 1 new Lyman single and one new RCBS mould . The RCBS needed a little sprue plate hinge screw adjustment and poured a matching pair out of the box .

I'll be honest I had an LBT , RCBS , and Lee in a 40 cal 175 gr RNFP on paper there was zero difference . I don't mind casting but I sure like casting 6 at a pour over 2 . Since it's for a 40 S&W mostly shot inside 30 yd the 4 gr variations aren't a big deal .

If not for Lee I likely wouldn't cast 19 cal .
Lee makes a tool for a job and it does the job .
There are better finished , more accurate tools , and those cost more .

[rockrat]

I have a number of Lee moulds, mainly 6 cav. and they have been good moulds. I lean more towards NOE,Accurate, MP and Arsenal moulds though.

[charlie b]

They have their usefulness. When you purchase your first MP mold or Accurate mold, you’ll not look back.

Yes, I do. I have several NOE and Acc molds. When I wanted a 6 cavity for the .357 and .45 I bought Lee molds and am still very happy with the decision.

But, if I wanted a hollow point mold I'd go to MP. They have the best HP mold design out there, IMHO.

[Streetwalker]

I started with Lee molds and other Lee products and I have had good results with them..as long as I followed Lee's instructions and handled the molds carefully. I especially like the TumbleLube designs and their various rifle molds are really hard to beat, accuracy wise, in my rifles. I have molds from many different makers; most are good, some are clunkers but the various Lee molds have served me well for many, many years.

[45-70 Chevroner]

I don't like Lee molds. I bought one years ago and it didn't produce boolits nearly as good as other mold brands that I use. I don't use that mold anymore. Then, later, I bought another Lee mold and it fell apart the first time I used it. I don't use that mold anymore either.

Fortunately I have never experienced that problem, I think I have had one Lee mold out of probably 60 that didn't work properly, sent It back to Midway and got a new one. I have had several 20 # bottom pour pots and after about 15 years of use I needed a rebuild kit for one of them, Lee sent me a rebuild kit for free and they paid shipping. The one thing that I bought from Lee that I absolutely hated was there Zip trim case trimmer. Never a problem from any thing else I have bought Lee made.

[45-70 Chevroner]

Lee molds are serviceable. One can make good bullets. They work. I have Lee molds and most other popular molds. Lee is great for small runs. Give me RCBS, Accurate, NEI, the old Hoch for longer casting and more bullets. My 1967 Morris Minor, 1956 MG-A or any of my 4 vintage cars are great fun running back and forth to town or a short run, morning or evening drive. They will also get me from here to Omaha or Tampa to see my sons. So will my 2017 Mercedes 300. Guess which one I'll take to Omaha or Tampa.

Well at least we know where a good portion of your money went, love to have that 56 MG-A I'm guessing it's a Convertible. Happy touring.

[Texas by God]

I’ve been happy with all the Lee molds that I’ve used over the years- except two. One was a .45 230 gr hp single cavity and the other was a TL356swc- but that one could have been the gun( bad leading). I have more than a dozen Lee moulds and I cast with a hot pot and use 3, 2 cavity moulds in sequence when I’m casting. I like the results.

[ukrifleman]

I have moulds by Lee RCBS and Lyman and they all produce good bullets, I have never had a bad mould of any make.

Most of my moulds are Lee why? because I can buy a Lee 2 cavity mould with handles for £23.40 and a 6 cavity for £49.50 (handles £19.50 extra.)
My .264 140gn RCBS mould cost me £89.00 without handles,- nuff said.
ukrifleman.

[AlaskaMike]

Not much more to add beyond what's already been said here.

In the past, the 6 cavity molds were much better quality than the 2 cavity molds. It sounds like the newer 2 cav molds are better though. Lee's quality control was also a problem in the past. Years ago, we did a large number of group buys here with custom designs with Lee, and the molds frequently were out of spec, dropping bullets that were ridiculously oversized.

That said, I have a couple of 6 cav molds that I'm perfectly happy with. They cast excellent bullets, and it's hard to ask more than that from a mold. I do think the aluminum alloy Lee uses isn't as good as the alloy used by Accurate, for example. Still though, as long as you don't abuse a Lee mold, they'll last a long time and provide excellent service.

[almar]

I have a number of lee moulds, they do the job but they are not in my opinion on the same level as accurate moulds, noe or this mihai something europeen guy moulds or even lyman. They deteriorate too quickly although this may be my fault. But they are not a joy to use as the first 3 I mentioned. The first 3 are like the Bentleys of moulds, the lyman is the Cadillac and the lee is the...chevette maybe? it gets you to the grocery store but its not a joy to drive.

[high standard 40]

I've owned quite a few Lee molds. I like the 6 cavity lee molds that I have for 40 and 45 auto pistols. I had good success with the 357 140 gr bullet which I found to be accurate, but I sold it and replaced it with an Accurate mold which is far better. I have sold all of the Lee rifle bullet molds that I had, 223, 7mm, and 30 caliber. None would deliver a bullet that was a good fit for my rifles. Granted, the ones that I had were the 2 cavity older design molds. I hear some say that the newer 2 cavity molds are better. All the ones I had of bore rider design had a nose that was greatly undersize. I never found a load combination with those that would meet my expectations. Additionally, every one of those molds had to be de-burred and lapped before they would work at all. I don't consider myself a Lee basher. I have several other lee dies and tools that work just fine. I'm really glad that we have an American producer that can supply affordable products. And depending on what your particular requirements are, Lee products can often meet your needs as well as your budget.

[megasupermagnum]

I have a number of lee moulds, they do the job but they are not in my opinion on the same level as accurate moulds, noe or this mihai something europeen guy moulds or even lyman. They deteriorate too quickly although this may be my fault. But they are not a joy to use as the first 3 I mentioned. The first 3 are like the Bentleys of moulds, the lyman is the Cadillac and the lee is the...chevette maybe? it gets you to the grocery store but its not a joy to drive.

A Lyman a Cadillac? I hated every Lyman mold I ever had. I'd give up bullet casting if they were all I had to use. Lee is definitely superior in quality and ease of use.

[almar]

I guess i've been lucky with mine, i have the Lyman 311299 and the .457 round ball they have been good performers, the only downside is the sprue plate screw always getting loose but besides that, all is good.

[almar]

A Lyman a Cadillac? I hated every Lyman mold I ever had. I'd give up bullet casting if they were all I had to use. Lee is definitely superior in quality and ease of use.

I guess i've been lucky with mine, i have the 311299 and the .457 round ball they have been good performers, the only downside is the sprue plate screw always getting loose but besides that, all is good.

[Soundguy]

Less expensive, but what about performance, accuracy of casts, maintenance and longevity?

I have bought both old and new molds of all kinds.

My lee molds cast just as fine a bullet as my lymans, etc. I find that my cast bullets are better than commercial cast I used to buy.. commercial cast are generally way too hard and have hard poor quality lube.. I also find that volume casters don't cull cosmetic blemished bullets to the degree that I do.. thus I'm going with my bullets are better than generic bulk commercial cast.

90% of my molds are lee aluminum.

My lee ingot mold makes the same ingot as my lyman.. etc.

[Handloader109]

I'll chime in with about the same experience. I've bought about 5 or 6 lee molds new. And two used and abused ones. And even the used and abused cast good bullets.
I've a couple of three NOE, aluminum 2 to 6 cavity. I had one that just wouldn't cast worth a dang and I finally sold it. Might have been me.... But even NOE do require some conditioning no matter what others say. You must work with a mold a bit to make it drop correctly. And the NOE being thicker and heavier are harder for an older guy to use. AND they take longer to come up to temp to cast well. I'll find a hot plate one day.... I've one Mihec mold that I bought used in brass. It casts great, but is dang heavy.
Lee are good molds. ESPECIALLY for the money.

[carelesslove]

carelesslove, here !

I have 2 or 3 ammo cans full of bullet molds, for pistols & revolvers - desiccant packs in each.

I have a mix of SAECO, RCBS, LYMAN, IDEAL, LEE, and LBT. Each of mine seems to have a behavior of their own - even within the same brand.

The older LEE molds were a little harder to "get running right", but the new ones, with the coarser grooves on the mold block faces & steel locating pins are a big improvement. I did try to follow their instructions and got the mold blocks as clean as possible, but they still took a long time to start throwing perfect bullets. One exception, a new .45 cal, 300 gr. WFNGC, just threw perfect bullets from the get-go. I lubed the pivot pin/screw and the locator pins with an LBT colloidal graphite / wax stick and things got messy, but the mold started casting excellent bullets from both cavities - way before anything else I have.

If LEE has a bullet style & weight you want, they are an excellent value. They might seem delicate, but that is up to the operator.

Thanks,

Tom "carelesslove" Love

[David2011]

What Carelesslove said. I love some of my older Saeco, Lyman and RCBS molds because they’re so easy to use. Most of my boolits come from Lee molds because when casting for pistol matches, volume matters. I use their six cavity 401-175-TC for competition boolits and cast 20+ pounds at a time. I’ve worked at getting that and other Lee molds to drop better but they’re still a little less satisfying to use than the others.

[farmbif]

more than 2 decades on lee round ball molds are all I use for making buckshot, the 12 gauge key drive still works perfect. and all the rest of the lee molds I use are still casting perfectly. they are great for what they are inexpensive and if you take care of them by not beating on them for bullets to drop and jamming them shut they will work well. I took others advice and smoked the cavities after first cleaning them, that might have something to do with how bullets drop.
keep the pivot points lubed a bit with a drop of 2 cycle oil might help too. the dozen or so I have are all 2 cavity except for one 6 cavity that was a special order

[ascast]

i have used about all out there. The Lee is most suceptable to abuse. If you treat them like $5 disposables, they soon will be. Close them gently with a gloveed hand, making sure the pins line up before you squeeze it shut. If you splash lead inside stop and clean it out. They will last a long time if not abused. A good value.

[dverna]

If your desire is to try many bullets in many calibers, I see buying 2 cavity Lee molds as a good option. Investing in 50+ molds as some do gets expensive.

I have four Lee molds bought years ago and they are ok and a good value. But I will be selling two at least.

I am not a tinkerer, so it suits my needs to invest in better molds. Cost is no longer important as I only need one mold in 9mm, one .38/.357, one in .40, one .22, and one .30 for cast bullets. In addition I need a buckshot and slug mold. Casting is not where I find my happy place, so molds are tools to get the job done as well as possible with the least effort.

You need to think about your goals and what works for your needs. But frankly, starting with a Lee mold makes a lot of sense. If you are a pistol shooter, go with a six cavity in a popular design. Starting with a rifle bullet can be frustrating as the tendency is to try for higher velocity and that is not always easy...and you want easy to start with.

.38 and .45 are great starting calibers. Low velocity and pressure are forgiving. The 158 gr .38’s and 200 gr .45’s are classics for good reason.

Good luck.

[lesharris]

I started with LEE molds because of price and availability. They performed well for the price. Lee's quality has improved and bullet choice has increased. My mold choices has increased greatly over the years. LEE still has a place on my casting bench.

[ioon44]

I started with LEE molds because of price and availability but soon learned that there a lot better molds. In the 1980's NEI were really good, Lyman was always a crap shoot as to the diameter they would cast at and customer service is really bad, RCBS only makes 2 cav molds, now I will only buy molds from Accurate.

[tuckerdog]

Have been using them for a long time. Their 200 grain rfn .429 is a very accurate boolit in my .44's. I had to open it up a bit to get diameter tho... The button nose wadcutter is $ in my .357's and .38's. Since they changed their block alignment setup to pins I like them much better. I don't like their 6 cav molds but some do. I usually just buy 2 2 cav's and use them at the same time. As has been said, they don't take a lot of abuse.