bummed

[excess650]

I cleaned and started casting with a new Lee 6 cavity 45-230TC this morning. I had preheated the mold on top of the 20# electric pot while heating the alloy to be cast, and was casting well filled out bullets within a few casts. Bullplate had been applied prior to and during the casting session. In that it was going sooooo well, I continued until I had a respectable pile of bullets in the bottom of the bucket. After I quit, I weighed the bullets, and then put a mic on them. [smilie=b: they're .006-.007" out of round. Bullets run from .451" across the parting line on one side to .458" across the other, and generally are .455" perpendicular to the parting line.

I have a couple of other 6 cavity Lees that cast beautiful, round bullets, so never considered it could be soooo *****.[smilie=b:

[excess650]

Lee replied to my email within a few hours, and the mold it on its way back to them.

I found the alignment pins a bit sloppy in their sockets, and this allowed the blocks to move fore/aft enough to cause the out of round. IIRC, Lee moulds are supppsed to be lathe bored, but the chatter marks in the cavities leads me to believe they are cut with a cherry.

With luck, they will replace this mold with a better replacement. Unfortunately I wasted a 3 hour casting session and now have 27# of 230gr ingots.

[canyon-ghost]

I know the feeling.

Ron

[Phat Man Mike]

:killingpc wow that bites the big one for sure!

[Shiloh]

THe important thing is that LEE was all over it. Glad the customer service folks will remedy this for you.

Shiloh

[DLCTEX]

I have learned to cast a small sample of boolits with any new mould and check them out before casting a large lot. Melting down boolits is wasteful of my time. I just got a used mould that is basically casting the same way (Lee 2 cavity) and will have to spend time fixing it, maybe Leementing it, or maybe Beagling it.

[mroliver77]

Like Dale I always run a test and tune before dropping a large pile. Never assume anything to be correct without checking it.
If there is fore/aft misalignment it should not be small on the parting line.
OOps, I went and reread your post and think I understand now.You are measuring kinda diagonally across the parting line. If that was corrected it seems it would cast round .455 boolit, no?
Jay

[excess650]

I just got a box in the mail from Lee. It has a new replacement for the mold that I sent back 7 days ago. This one has had the (2) outer cavities smoked, and the note indicates that it casts .453-.455". The response time was quick!

[docone31]

Lee is my first to go to.
Everything I have had issue with them on, was resolved as fast as was possible, with minimum hassle.
I only do Lee.

[HeavyMetal]

Glad to hear Lee's Customer service got that taken care of fast for you.

I've made comments about thier QC so won't here other than to say it sure has improved thier customer service skills.

Let us know how this mold turns out for you. I've been a big fan of the 6 bangers since they hit the market and like to follow everyone's thoughts on how they work when they post an issue.