Group Buy Nostalgia

[GLL]

About 15 years ago Catshooter ran a large series of LEE group buys featuring 45 2.1 KEITH SWC designs. These were very popular and LEE did a good job on most of them. I recently looked back into the Group Buy archives and noticed most of the photographs of the bullets from these molds have been removed.
I thought I would repost some of the old photos from these old group buys just as cast boolit history.

300448

Jerry

[LIMPINGJ]

I was casting with the 32 Keith from Catshooter’s series of Keith molds just the other day.

[Wayne Smith]

Froggie (Green Frog) is enjoying my copy of that 32 Keith as I write this.

[Char-Gar]

There was considerable research done by a number of folks, to finalize the designs to be the most accurate Keith designs as could be put together. Lyman, as we know, fudged the so called "Keith" bullets quite a bit over their production life, this was a best attempt to go back to the original. I have several of these molds.

[Green Frog]

Wayne, I need to get that back to you. Dale53 sold me his example so now I am good to go! Thanks for the generous loan and for the needed reminder to return yours. It was appreciated!
Froggie

[GLL]

Char-Gar :

There were indeed dozens of threads and months of discussion that lead to design consensus, 45 2.1 drawings, and the Group Buys by Catshooter. It is interesting to go back through the archives and then note that the same discussions continue to this day in current threads !

Your comment about Lyman "fudging" designs over the years is illustrated by this photo I posted in the early discussions of the Group Buy designs.

300507

These are all from IDEAL/LYMAN 454424 molds (the one on the left is a 452424).

[AlaskaMike]

I remember those days, and I still have my 45-210 mold. It's still my favorite .45 Auto target bullet.

I like the looks of that 45-310 bullet!

[JAC43]

Thanks for re-posting the photos! I have one of the Catshooter 454424 Lee GB molds and its one of my favorites.

[GLL]

I remember those days, and I still have my 45-210 mold. It's still my favorite .45 Auto target bullet.

I like the looks of that 45-310 bullet!

Mike:
If you ever want to try the 45-310 I can send you a batch to play with.

Do you currently live in Alaska?

Jerry

[StrawHat]

I have the 32 caliber and the 452423 versions. I missed the 45-210. That would be swell in my ACP revolvers.

Does Lee still do “group buys”?

Kevin

[MT Gianni]

Does Lee still do “group buys”?

Kevin
The drill at the time was pay a $100 set up charge. Presell the molds, wait 6-11 months to get the 25 minimum needed for the original seller to make his $100 cost back. Send the drawing to lee and get back something close to what you ordered. Then the seller would ship them all out. Many would get a mold close to what you ordered. If you didn't like close you could attempt to sell it off as there was no other recourse.

Lee group buys are the reason NOE, Mi-Hec, Accurate and Aresonal molds started.