Lee .570 lead ball mold

[Nameless Hunter]

Just discovered (to my consternation) that Lee only offers a .562 or a .575 mold for 58 cal.
Did somebody in their mkt. dept miss the memo?
To my knowledge, both Hornady and Speer only offer 58 cal as a .570.
So, anybody know WHY Lee thinks nobody wants a .570 mold?

 

[Musketeer]

I think you meant to put .575 in that first sentence. No idea why Lee skips .570.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

I think you meant to put .575 in that first sentence. No idea why Lee skips .570.

Yep. Typo. Now fixed.

 

[mooman76]

You would have to ask Lee. I always wondered why their 50 cal minie moulds are .500 instead of slightly under like their larger calibers. I had to drive the conicals down the bore so I figured might as well be a maxie.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

Already sent Lee msg.
This thread is admittedly more a rant than a real question.
Still, it boggles the mind when a company like Lee ignores good common sense and market demand, IMHO.

 

[mooman76]

I know the feeling. I like Lee too but some things just boggle the mind why they don't fix them. Simple fixes too.

 

[griffiga]

Just discovered (to my consternation) that Lee only offers a .562 or a .575 mold for 58 cal.
Did somebody in their mkt. dept miss the memo?
To my knowledge, both Hornady and Speer only offer 58 cal as a .570.
So, anybody know WHY Lee thinks nobody wants a .570 mold?

I actually prefer the .562 in all of my .58’s when I’m not using a conical. I like a little thicker patch. I have a .570 in another brand, but still use the Lee.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

I actually prefer the .562 in all of my .58’s when I’m not using a conical. I like a little thicker patch. I have a .570 in another brand, but still use the Lee.

Good to know. Have a Kibler (with a Green Mountain barrel) on the way and thinking about casting.
So, my next question would be to Green Mountain 58 owners... 562 or 575?

 

[griffiga]

Good to know. Have a Kibler (with a Green Mountain barrel) on the way and thinking about casting.
So, my next question would be to Green Mountain 58 owners... 562 or 575?

I don’t own a green mountain bbl, but to elaborate on why I like the .562 is That I can shoot it all day long. Even with my .570 Lyman, Seems like I have to swab the barrel more often. I hate fighting a load down the barrel. I don’t know why, if at all, a green mountain would be any different. Just my two and a half cents worth. And likewise, I shoot a .520 in my 54’s.

 

[EC121]

I use a .562 with a heavy patch in my .58 Kibler Colonial. The deep rifled barrels need a heavier patch to fill the grooves. If a standard ball(.570 or .575) is used, the rifle then becomes too hard to load and the patches sometimes get cut. Accuracy isn't affected that much. I also use a .526 ball in .54s and a .595 ball in my .62s.
Here are the first 5 shots (.526) from my Kibler .58 at 50yds. before I changed the back sight. High one was the first out of a clean barrel. How much better would a .570 or .575 shoot?

 

[mooman76]

I've been shooting the .575 in my Investarms Hawken for allot of years. Loads just fine.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@EC121, did you mean 0.562" for your target?

 

[EC121]

Woops!! .562 it is. My fingers got ahead of my brain. .526 would have been a little loose

 

[starman]

I use a .562 with a heavy patch in my .58 Kibler Colonial.

View attachment 58953

I use a .562 with a heavy patch in my .58 Kibler Colonial. The deep rifled barrels need a heavier patch to fill the grooves. If a standard ball(.570 or .575) is used, the rifle then becomes too hard to load and the patches sometimes get cut. Accuracy isn't affected that much. I also use a .526 ball in .54s and a .595 ball in my .62s.
Here are the first 5 shots (.526) from my Kibler .58 at 50yds. before I changed the back sight. High one was the first out of a clean barrel. How much better would a .570 or .575 shoot?

View attachment 58953

H

 

[starman]

EC121 How thick of a patch do you use with a 0.562 ball?

 

[Nameless Hunter]

I use a .562 with a heavy patch in my .58 Kibler Colonial. The deep rifled barrels need a heavier patch to fill the grooves. If a standard ball(.570 or .575) is used, the rifle then becomes too hard to load and the patches sometimes get cut. Accuracy isn't affected that much. I also use a .526 ball in .54s and a .595 ball in my .62s.
Here are the first 5 shots (.526) from my Kibler .58 at 50yds. before I changed the back sight. High one was the first out of a clean barrel. How much better would a .570 or .575 shoot?

View attachment 58953

I use a .562 with a heavy patch in my .58 Kibler Colonial. The deep rifled barrels need a heavier patch to fill the grooves. If a standard ball(.570 or .575) is used, the rifle then becomes too hard to load and the patches sometimes get cut. Accuracy isn't affected that much. I also use a .526 ball in .54s and a .595 ball in my .62s.
Here are the first 5 shots (.526) from my Kibler .58 at 50yds. before I changed the back sight. High one was the first out of a clean barrel. How much better would a .570 or .575 shoot?

View attachment 58953

Is yours a Rice or the Green Mountain?

 

[EC121]

It is a Rice barrel. I use a heavy canvas patch and mink oil. Maybe .022 or .023. I think the kit was bought when Kibler was closing out the Rice barreled kits at a discount. A friend bought 4 of them and sent the .58 to Mike Brooks for assembly. Told him to go full "Brooks" on it.. I told Mike I would take it sight unseen. Mike added the set triggers and whittled on it some. More pics of it in July 2020 on my blog. www.bricestultzhisblog.blogspot.com

 

[starman]

Thanks, EC121, for your reply about the patches you use.

 

[shorthair]

I actually prefer the .562 in all of my .58’s when I’m not using a conical. I like a little thicker patch. I have a .570 in another brand, but still use the Lee.

Same here for my CVA mountain rifle in .58.

 

[shorthair]

EC121 How thick of a patch do you use with a 0.562 ball?

.015 ticking.