Author Topic: My Lee Order Came In ! (Read 7487 times))

rsterne · « **on:** September 28, 2011, 05:53:20 PM »

I finally got my molds and sizing dies from F&M Reloading.... There prices are great but they are pretty slow.... I think maybe they order from Lee when they get orders rather than carrying stock.... No big deal (actually a good deal) if you aren't in a rush....

I got the following:

90362 Lee Double Cavity Mold .309 113GR FN

90574 Lee Double Cavity Mold .357/38 125 gr RF
90328 Lee Double Cavity Mold .358 150 RN

90444 Lee Double Cavity Round Ball Mold .457
90384 Lee Double Conical Bullet Mold .456 220gr RN
90373 Lee Double Cavity Mold .457 340GR FN

90047 Lee Lube & Size Kit .357
90057 Lee Lube & Size Kit .457
90029 Lee Ingot Mold

With the .309 120 gr. I have already, that gives me two boolits in .30 cal, two in .35 cal, two in .45 cal, plus a roundball.... The whole order was only $135 plus shipping....

Bob

ronbeaux · « **Reply #1 on:** September 28, 2011, 06:01:08 PM »

Oohhhh. That .309 sounds like one I'd like to try in the DAQ

dk1677 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 28, 2011, 06:03:28 PM »

That's good to hear! Now cook some lead

Butcher45 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 28, 2011, 08:48:20 PM »

WOW that's quite an order! Did you try out all those designs before ordering the molds?

rj-porter · « **Reply #4 on:** September 28, 2011, 10:00:08 PM »

Butcher with as cheap as the lee molds if they dont work its not too much wasted i bought molds for my bb guns before i got them and casted hundreds in each size and i guess i got lucky cause my guns like them all

lloyd-ss · « **Reply #5 on:** September 30, 2011, 09:42:53 AM »

Bob,
What, did you have too much spare time on your hands?

That really does look good, though, and like you guys said, the Lee molds don't cost much.

How long will it be before you buy an undersize mold and modify it get the fit just where you want it?

Lloyd

rsterne · « **Reply #6 on:** September 30, 2011, 05:10:47 PM »

I don't have any plans on modifying a mold.... a bit tricky for my moderate machining skills I think.... I might order a custom design at some point, however.... I'll likely stick to casting slightly oversize and then sizing.... Modifying a sizing die, however, would be well within my capability I would think....

I'm intrigued by those "snakebite" bullets in .357 that everyone seems to rave about.... and I want to learn more about the "EPP/UG" as well.... What weight and calibers are they available in, anyway?....

Bob

joe k · « **Reply #7 on:** September 30, 2011, 05:32:26 PM »

bob
ya getting into big bore's now ?
joe

rsterne · « **Reply #8 on:** September 30, 2011, 05:35:16 PM »

I have a DAQ .308 Exile.... and a 9mm 22XX PCP carbine.... I have several big bore barrels either coming or on order, for my Hayabusa project and others.... Just playing, experimenting and learning like I always do.... In particular I am interested in developing a 9mm non-PAL (ie under 500 fps) rifle based on the Disco.... Also likely the same in .25 cal, and maybe .308 as wel.... I think they could be popular in Canada with our idiotic 500 fps rule (anything over being a firearm).... The .308 would be tough, as there are no skirted pellets available.... but there are lots of choices in .25 cal.... and EunJin make a 78 gr. in 9mm.... The nice thing about that is there is only ONE pellet available in 9mm.... so if the gun is set up for 495 fps with that.... the police can't use a lighter pellet if they ever tested it.... there are none (currently available).... Imagine, 40 FPE and no license required....

Bob

joe k · « **Reply #9 on:** September 30, 2011, 05:37:47 PM »

thats pretty cool bob keep us posted.
joe

Butcher45 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 30, 2011, 11:43:09 PM »

Quote from: rsterne on September 30, 2011, 05:10:47 PM

I don't have any plans on modifying a mold.... a bit tricky for my moderate machining skills I think.... I might order a custom design at some point, however.... I'll likely stick to casting slightly oversize and then sizing.... Modifying a sizing die, however, would be well within my capability I would think....

I'm intrigued by those "snakebite" bullets in .357 that everyone seems to rave about.... and I want to learn more about the "EPP/UG" as well.... What weight and calibers are they available in, anyway?....

Bob

Snakebite is .357 only. EPP/UG is currently only available in .45, but .308/.32, and .357 diameters are in the works (woohoo!).

I'd like to see a .50 version of the EPP/UG made for the DC .50 I think a super-lightweight boolit makes a lot more sense at that power level and caliber, and that it could very well be the very best boolit in that rifle for targets/plinking, and smaller-medium airgun game (basically smaller than a deer).

After I get my XP Airguns Ranger, I think I might like to get a DC .50 next, and start casting for it using a custom .50 EPP/UG mold.

rsterne · « **Reply #11 on:** September 30, 2011, 11:47:12 PM »

Is the .45 cal EPP/UG intended for a .452 bore or a .457/8 ?.... Reason I'm asking is I have a 1 in 26 twist TOW 45-70 liner that is .457/8 groove to groove....

Can you buy a mold for the snakebites and how much?.... I have a .357 sizer die....

Bob

Butcher45 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 01, 2011, 12:29:21 AM »

Quote from: rsterne on September 30, 2011, 11:47:12 PM

Is the .45 cal EPP/UG intended for a .452 bore or a .457/8 ?.... Reason I'm asking is I have a 1 in 26 twist TOW 45-70 liner that is .457/8 groove to groove....

Can you buy a mold for the snakebites and how much?.... I have a .357 sizer die....

Bob

Yes. Like the EPP/UG's, the SnakeBite is a BigLube design, with 6-cavity molds available from BigLube. The "Slim.38" is worth a try as well.......you can buy some cast from BHN9 alloy to "try before you buy" from Mark Whyte of Whytesleatherworks. The .45version of the Slim is extremely accurate in my 909.

www.biglube.com

rsterne · « **Reply #13 on:** October 01, 2011, 12:53:02 AM »

It looks like the EPP/UG is 0.455"?.... I guess it is too small for my barrel then?....

Bob

Butcher45 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 01, 2011, 01:06:33 AM »

Quote from: Butcher45 on October 01, 2011, 12:29:21 AM

Quote from: rsterne on September 30, 2011, 11:47:12 PM
Is the .45 cal EPP/UG intended for a .452 bore or a .457/8 ?.... Reason I'm asking is I have a 1 in 26 twist TOW 45-70 liner that is .457/8 groove to groove....

Can you buy a mold for the snakebites and how much?.... I have a .357 sizer die....

Bob

Yes. Like the EPP/UG's, the SnakeBite is a BigLube design, with 6-cavity molds available from BigLube. The "Slim.38" is worth a try as well.......you can buy some cast from BHN9 alloy to "try before you buy" from Mark Whyte of Whytesleatherworks. The .45version of the Slim is extremely accurate in my 909.

www.biglube.com

Whoops....missed the diameter question.

Diameter might depend on who you get them from, along with the alloy of course. My boolit source (IronMule) sold me the softest lead EPP/UG's un-sized and they are right at .456, whereas Nomadic says that his source (DashCaliber) sells un-sized BHN9 EPP/UG's that are .458

I say order some un-sized from DashCaliber, and see what happens! It really is a fantastic boolit. Just like the Lee Molds, the slugs are relatively cheap to try out. I would love to see the results shooting EPP/UG's from a 1:26 twist barrel......so far they have proven accurate out of 1:18, 1:20, and 1:22 twist rates.

newguyontheblock (Nathan) · « **Reply #15 on:** October 01, 2011, 01:09:42 AM »

bob and lloyd..... anytime i see you guys post, i get scared

you guys know/do some wicked things with pellet guns, keep it up!

lloyd-ss · « **Reply #16 on:** October 01, 2011, 06:17:21 PM »

Quote from: newguyontheblock (Nathan) on October 01, 2011, 01:09:42 AM

bob and lloyd..... anytime i see you guys post, i get scared

....................

.........
Bob, I think we've just been complimented......think?

..........
....Nathan.... I do appreciate that.
Lloyd

rsterne · « **Reply #17 on:** October 01, 2011, 06:20:03 PM »

OH, I dunno Lloyd.... I find you pretty scary....

(Much appreciated, Nathan)....

I tried something today, actually a couple of things.... I ran some EunJins through the .357 sizing die.... the head looked good, just a small cleanup.... but the skirts were pretty ragged, drawn back over the ram I guess.... I could probably use a smaller ram and cure that problem.... but the whole point was to find out if there is a velocity difference.... Bottom line is there wasn't.... Yes, the pellets were easier to load (they were formerly quite difficult).... but the velocity didn't change.... I guess all that is happening is that when I load the pellets, it's sizing them.... after all, they are a typical pellet with thin bands and a thin flexible skirt.... The loading problem will be less when I get my new barrel anyway because it's .357 instead of 9mm (~.355)....

The other thing I tried was some OOO buck from Ballistics Products (0.360" lead shot).... Some of them load nicely, while others you couldn't hammer the bolt closed.... I measured a couple dozen and they varied from 0.353" to 0.362".... so they are basically totally useless.... I don't know it I'll keep them for buckshot or melt them down.... but they sure are no good for ammunition in this barrel....

Does anyone know a source for roundball that will work PROPERLY in a .357 barrel?.... or maybe a mold that drops the right size to work in .357?.... I even tried sizing these, and the ones that had a band around them from sizing still didn't want to load properly, mind you they were sized to .357 which would still be tight in this barrel.... Orientation of the band where it's sized is very difficult as well, making that idea pretty useless IMO....

Bob

Butcher45 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 01, 2011, 07:47:36 PM »

Quote from: rsterne on October 01, 2011, 06:20:03 PM

OH, I dunno Lloyd.... I find you pretty scary.... (Much appreciated, Nathan)....

I tried something today, actually a couple of things.... I ran some EunJins through the .357 sizing die.... the head looked good, just a small cleanup.... but the skirts were pretty ragged, drawn back over the ram I guess.... I could probably use a smaller ram and cure that problem.... but the whole point was to find out if there is a velocity difference.... Bottom line is there wasn't.... Yes, the pellets were easier to load (they were formerly quite difficult).... but the velocity didn't change.... I guess all that is happening is that when I load the pellets, it's sizing them.... after all, they are a typical pellet with thin bands and a thin flexible skirt.... The loading problem will be less when I get my new barrel anyway because it's .357 instead of 9mm (~.355)....

The other thing I tried was some OOO buck from Ballistics Products (0.360" lead shot).... Some of them load nicely, while others you couldn't hammer the bolt closed.... I measured a couple dozen and they varied from 0.353" to 0.362".... so they are basically totally useless.... I don't know it I'll keep them for buckshot or melt them down.... but they sure are no good for ammunition in this barrel....

Does anyone know a source for roundball that will work PROPERLY in a .357 barrel?.... or maybe a mold that drops the right size to work in .357?.... I even tried sizing these, and the ones that had a band around them from sizing still didn't want to load properly, mind you they were sized to .357 which would still be tight in this barrel.... Orientation of the band where it's sized is very difficult as well, making that idea pretty useless IMO....

Bob

Maybe try some of these .358 handcast roundballs, and see how that works out?

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/categories/tablelist.aspx?catid=2&subid=25&styleid=58&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1&as=1

rsterne · « **Reply #19 on:** October 01, 2011, 08:14:31 PM »

I saw those, might have a go with them.... I assume the Lee .360 roundball are too large.... Is there a mold that drops .357ish....

Bob

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My Lee Order Came In !

Author Topic: My Lee Order Came In ! (Read 7487 times))