Very Happy With New Lee Bullet Mold

[B P Arn]

I bought a new Lee 375-RB bullet mold last summer. This mold casts 36 caliber round balls. I used it for the first time last night to make about 450 pure lead bullets in a very short amount of time.

I prepped the new mold in accordance with the instructions, and it worked perfectly, from the very first to the very last bullet; I did not have a singe reject. The bullets all fell easily from the mold like they are supposed to, with no sticking.

Lee molds some times get no respect because of their low price, but I have never used a mold that worked this well before.

Before casting the round balls, I used a steel Lyman mold to cast 44 caliber SWC 240 grain bullets, and had more frustration trying to get some good bullets than I have ever experienced before. This mold cost three or four times what the Lee mold did. I have had this mold for about 10 years, and it has never worked well.

I just wanted to pass along a report on a great mold in case anyone is interested in casting some bullets.

 

[Justin.44]

That's great, my Lee .490 mold will be arriving today

 

[sawyer04]

Lee molds some times get no respect because of their low price, but I have never used a mold that worked this well before.

Just take care of them and treat them decent, I have some that are over 40 years old and work just like the day I got them.

 

[bang]

I have 19 of them. Some well over 20 years old.

 

[William P Sepessy]

I like the fact that Lee's round ball molds leave a very small sprue. I do a lot of casting and have been quite satisfied with any mold I have by Lee.

 

[JHB]

I heard all the stories Lee molds are junk blah blah blah. Well I now have a R*E*A*L in 50 a .490 2 cavity and a .480 6 cavity. They warm up faster than cast iron and don't wear my hands out from the weight. Put it it on top of the pot as it is heating up and it is ready to cast as soon as you are done fluxing. The first pour produces good balls not 5 or 6 to get the mold up to temp the price is easy on the pocket to.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Sitting at a campfire making round balls with my bag mold is something I will do to enjoy the experience of what it was like back in the day, but I love my LEE .490 double when doing production casting. I just ordered a LEE.440 double in anticipation of my Kibler SMR kit.

 

[towgunner11h]

Those look like great bullets. I just got one of the Eras Gone Richmond Labs molds made by Lee- can’t wait to try it.

 

[Crawfish]

How do you prep the mold before casting? I remember people talking about sooting up the mold well with a candle years ago.
or is there another method used now.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

Sooting is still a good ideal.. Improves release. I just started casting a Lee .535 RB mold that is giving me fits...out of round, oddly shaped, and oversized. But I will re-prep the mold and make sure it is not me before I complain. I have been casting for over forty years, and have had good luck, for the most part, with Lee Molds. I just have to figure this one out. Or send it back.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[B P Arn]

How do you prep the mold before casting? I remember people talking about sooting up the mold well with a candle years ago.
or is there another method used now.

Lee molds are made of aluminum, and require proper prep and treatment.

Rather than re-type it all, here is a link to their generic instructions:

https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/BM1206.pdf

 

[11th corps]

I am a bullet caster for ahem, those modern devices, but have just tried casting some round balls. I cast a 325 grain .600 round ball -Lee- for my northwest trade gun.
I just got a .390 Lee r/b mold for my .40 cal poor boy flintlock.
What do you guys use for alloy? My "other" bullets are cast from range scrap/wheel weights. Were do you find lead soft enough for r/b rifle use?

 

[B P Arn]

So far, I have not had to buy any. All of the (relatively) pure lead I have was given to me. Most of it came from a dear old man who was a very good friend. He died in his late 80s about 20 years ago. he had 300 pounds of it, and as he knew his time was about up, he told me I could have it. There was some lead roof sheeting and plumber's lead that I found in my dad's garage after he died and I cleaned out his garage.

 

[Jaegermeister]

My Eras Gone .44 Lee mold is on the way. I’ve never used aluminum molds before but bought a paper cartridge kit for my 1860 Army (still at Goon’s) and I wanted an authentic Civil War bullet. This Lee mold seemed to be my best bet.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Best alloy for muzzle loading use is pure lead. Maybe lead with a tiny amount of tin ( 1 part tin to 40 parts lead ) makes for better filling of a large mold.

Watch for the plumber's lead. The solder joints are composed of 60/40 lead/tin and you cam melt the solder off before melting the lead pipe.

 

[griffiga]

I have 19 of them. Some well over 20 years old.

Likewise, I have over 30 Lee moulds, I’ve never had a problem with any of them. I still have the first one bought back in 1974 for a hollow point, 225 grain .429. I still cast with it today for my .44 mag.