New LEE design: 358-200-RF

[gtgeorge]

If anyone I work for Miha and sitting here waiting for the 220-HP to bill so I can start loading them. This Marlin is a '75 model and seems to do okay at 358 as I had a couple make it through my hay rolls and recovered them between it and the steel plates. Looks to be holding the rifling well but I really need to do a pound cast and slug to see what I really have to work with. I was happy to get some lead down range and wish I had more brass to work with. Next I want to see how that bullet does in my Mod 66. I have never shot a gas checked bullet in a pistol before though and seems like a waste.

[Whistler]

My mold dropped right at .358" with WW.
I ran the bullet in the picture through my RCBS LAM at .358 and as you can see the sides have been slightly touched by the sizing die, but the front is still frosty. I have no doubt it will shoot and function well, but I would have preferred it to drop at .359" all way round.

Also, again, I simply cannot understand why they bother with two cavs at all, and even when they do, why in the world would they do a two cav only and not a six cav?

[goblism]

Has anyone ran this through a 35 Rem yet? I was eyeing out a RCBS 35-200 but the funds haven't been there this month. This might be a good alternative!

[yondering]

I will when mine shows up. 35 Rem, 35 Whelen, and 358 Herrett AR. I don't plan to use it in a handgun, but have been idly on the lookout for a 200gr 35 cal rifle mold for a while.

I wonder if the meplat may be a bit too big for the rifles though.

[goblism]

I will when mine shows up. 35 Rem, 35 Whelen, and 358 Herrett AR. I don't plan to use it in a handgun, but have been idly on the lookout for a 200gr 35 cal rifle mold for a while.

I wonder if the meplat may be a bit too big for the rifles though.

I am hoping someone will be able to compare this side by side with the RCBS version and give us some feedback

[GhostHawk]

Got mine, Seems most are dropping at .358 or .3585 with a few small ones at .3575 and maybe 6 came out at .359. Looks promising, proof will be in the shooting.

[jhalcott]

I have a 35 Rem and a .358JDJ in 14" Contenders. How would this boolit work in those two?

[dubber123]

I have a 35 Rem and a .358JDJ in 14" Contenders. How would this boolit work in those two?

IF it is a faithful copy of the RCBS boolit, and IF it casts fat enough for your rifle, I don't think you will find a better design for the .35 Rem. I have no experience with the JDJ.

[6.5 mike]

PP'ed + 35 Whelen, what's not to like, lol.

[yondering]

Got mine, they are dropping at .360-.361", which is perfect for my needs. Anybody know what the meplat diameter on the RCBS 200gr is?

[sawzall]

Got mine, they are dropping at .360-.361", which is perfect for my needs. Anybody know what the meplat diameter on the RCBS 200gr is?

.210" on the NOE version.

[JesterGrin_1]

Got mine, they are dropping at .360-.361", which is perfect for my needs. Anybody know what the meplat diameter on the RCBS 200gr is?

Well you are lucky. As I learned both a financial lesson and a 10LB Sweat Equity Lesson today. And that is no matter how cheap a Lee mold may seem they are in the end far more expensive than any custom made mold. As mine on the bottom drive band is .355-.356 and the Top Band is . 357-.3575 and that was no fun in 100+F I did attempt to enlarge it with some valve lapping compound but they are not there yet and to be honest in this heat I simply gave up on the cheap piece of garbage and threw it in my aluminum box lol. I may mess with it this winter but I am not sure it would be worth my time even then lol.

But I did pick up my BRP 360-220 RNFP/GS and started casting with it and it reminded me how much a Quality mold is really worth. After heat up as they like to be run hot I started casting boolits and made probably about 15LBS worth of them when all was said and done as I just now came back inside lol. But guess what they measure .361-362 on the bottom driving band and pretty much the same on the top driving band. But they are right at 100 thousandths longer than the Lee 358-200 RNFP/GC.

So I will plan to make the BRP 360-220 RNFP/GC work for my JM Marlin 336 in 35 Remington as well as my Savage in .358 Winchester.

[yondering]

Well you are lucky.

Got lucky with the size of this one, but for most Lee molds, it's just a matter of knowing how to work with them, and expecting them to need some improvement before they work really well. You should try beagling that mold; put a few pieces (I use 5) of aluminum tape between the mold blocks on one block face. That will make it cast a little larger, and may get you where you want.

I wouldn't cast in the heat you have now either though.

[yondering]

.210" on the NOE version.

This Lee version is the same, .210", as best I can measure.

[FergusonTO35]

Send it back to Lee, they will replace it for you.

[6.5 mike]

Someone once posted that Lee molds are a kit, buy it, see what it's dropping, figure out what you need, then adjust from there. I, for one, kinda enjoy doing it. Beagle or pp'ed I can make them work for me.

[msp2640]

I saw this thread a short time ago and have been watching and waiting. Has anyone tried these in a Ruger Maximum using Max brass? basically wondering if the cylinder can accommodate the loaded boolit seated to the crimp groove. If not, I'd be more than willing to pay for a few and test fit them myself, from someone who has a few spares, and then report back on this thread. Thanks for any info on this! - Thanks Bill in MA

[GhostHawk]

They look real pretty loaded long in chrome .357 mag loads headed for my H&R Handi Rifle in .357 mag.

[Pereira]

Orderd one last week, waitin on its arrival.

[HiVelocity]

Folks,

I think this one will be, or already is, a winner. I know some rant and rave over Lee molds. I just think they need a little more TLC than normal. For those of you who have undersized bands, why not powder coat? I have, on the other hand, opened up a few Lee molds with 0000 steel wool. Yes, it took a lot of time, but yes, it worked and makes for a really shiny bullet. I just ordered this new mold, and will ultimately load it in 357 cases for my Marlin rifle.

HV