Lee ball molds

[rogar]

I'm in the market for a ball mold, specifically, a .490 for my .50 cal rifle. I bought a lee .458 ball mold for my ruger old armuy and the ball wasn't the tightest fit . Just wondering if that was a fluke or are the Lee's sub par?

 

[jamesthomas]

The Lee molds I have are very close to the real measurement. The .490 I have is just right all the way around.

 

[mooman76]

I have quite a few all good. If you do happen to get one that isn't good you can take it back for a replacement.

 

[Billnpatti]

Lee makes very good molds and they are spot on if you use pure lead. Because of differing thermal expansion coefficients of different alloys, each alloy will result in a different size ball from the same mold. If you cast pure dead soft lead, the Lee mold will give you the exact size ball that the box label says. If you try to use trash lead or wheel weights, your ball size will differ depending on the content of the alloy and its thermal expansion coefficient. So, if you are getting a different size ball than the label says, it is most likely the fault of the lead alloy that you are using and not the mold.

 

[George]

I've always used what I assumed was pure lead, so have no experience with alloys, but I've wondered about something. I've frequently seen it stated that alloys mold a different size ball, usually larger. If that happens, do you get a flashing around the equator of the ball? Seems you would have to, since with a larger ball you couldn't close the mold completely.

Inquiring minds, and all that. :grin:

Soence

 

[mooman76]

The ball is moulded from the cavity, not placed in there after the fact. The mould is also larger than the size of the ball to allow for cooling/shrinkage. I don't know how much but probably like .001/2 thous. If you are getting flashing then that is because the mould is not closing all the way. Ether because you have some small specs of lead between the cavities preventing it from closing or the mould not aligning quite right. For the specs you just remove them, for the alignment you can set the mould on something flat when you close to help align it as it closes or I just tap the mould lightly with a small plastic mallet while holding it closed. The jarring motion moves it enough to align it.

 

[BrownBear]

If you are getting flashing then that is because the mould is not closing all the way. Ether because you have some small specs of lead between the cavities preventing it from closing or the mould not aligning quite right. For the specs you just remove them, for the alignment you can set the mould on something flat when you close to help align it as it closes or I just tap the mould lightly with a small plastic mallet while holding it closed. The jarring motion moves it enough to align it.

Any time I've had alignment problems, it's due to insufficient lube on the mating pins and recesses on either side of the mold. Keep them lubed (I use a high-heat silicone), and no need for tapping or any other stuff.

Good molds at a great price. Been using them since they first appeared on the market waaaay back when. I have something north of 3 dozen of them, counting all those for cartridge reloading in addition to muzzleloading. Never a problem that wasn't my fault, and based on other dealings with LEE, I'm sure they'd be good for a replacement if I did have a bum mold.

 

[mooman76]

The new ones have different mating pins. To look at them I'd say it solves any alignment problem by the looks of it but I only have a couple of the newer ones so I don't know for sure. I lube mine with Bull shop lube. It's a small out of home business but the lube is exceptional and works good at high temps.

 

[AZbpBurner]

I bought my first Lee mold, a .54 cal. Improved Mini, in 1978. I had been using Lyman and RCBS molds already, and the Lee was in stock, on the shelf, and the price was deceptively cheap. I've gone on to cast RB's for all my rifles, and all my molds are Lee. Never had any problem with the molds that wasn't my fault & couldn't be solved.

The molds with the new design locator pins are a definite plus. I'll be ordering one for a .40 cal. rifle in the near future.

 

[Billnpatti]

Here is how the molds are made; they make the mold slightly oversize to allow for the shrinkage of the ball as it cools. The amount of oversize is based on the amount of shrinkage of pure lead. If you use an alloy, it usually shrinks less than pure lead so that when the ball cools, it has shrunk less than one made of pure lead and, thus, is larger than one made of pure lead. The amount of shrinkage is all a function of the thermal expansion coefficient of the alloy. This means that all balls will start out the same size as they drop from the mold but as they cool, they will shrink a different amount depending on what alloy they happen to be. The mold is made to allow for the amount of shrinkage of pure lead so that a pure lead ball, when it cools, will be the exact size that is printed on the box. Alloys will cool to different sizes depending on what their individual thermal expansion coefficents are.

 

[rogar]

Sounds like I'll be ordering a Lee mold. Thanks all.

 

[nkbj]

I received a very messed up .600 ball mold. It was not even useable. The replacement was bulged along the seam line due to the methods Lee used to make the mold, compression of a hard sphere within the previously machined cavity.

Another Lee ball mold problem sometimes run upon is that the compression technique of finishing the cavity can put the "tangential" sprue cut off within the volume of the sphere. On a larger diameter ball it probably wouldn't matter. It happened on a .35" ball mold with the result that the castings were lopsided into uselessness.

Last Lee gripe. My .395 really casts at .397-.398.

Other than those I've had pretty good luck with Lee's including some still in use purchased in the mid 70's.

 

[longcruise]

All my lee ball molds are off a few thou. When patched correctly they shoot fine.

 

[BrownBear]

When patched correctly they shoot fine.

Sure a lot easier to adjust the patching for the mold you have, rather than chase all over tarnation looking for a mold that casts zackly what it's supposed to. I've found variability in all brands, and not just in ML bullets. At's why you usually need sizers for CF bullets. Patching is lots cheaper than sizers, fer sure. :wink:

 

[George]

This means that all balls will start out the same size as they drop from the mold but as they cool, they will shrink a different amount depending on what alloy they happen to be.

That sounds reasonable, hadn't thought of that sequence. But”¦ I had the thought that if what you describe is happening, then the pure lead balls I cast with my Lee molds should shrink the most and be smaller than the mold when they are cooled. I have a lot of .395 balls I've cast with a Lee mold, so I picked out several good looking ones and put them back into the mold, lined up exactly as originally cast. Hmmmm”¦ they fit perfectly, so much so that they stuck, wouldn't drop out, had to bump them pretty hard to make them fall. Close inspection with a magnifying glass showed no visible gap. The mold says it will cast a ball of .395" which weighs 92 grains, and these balls measure .395" and weigh 91.9-92.1 grains, indicating pure lead, I guess.

I'm still curious.

Spence

 

[Patocazador]

I have 14 bullet/ball moulds. 12 of them are Lee moulds. I'm happy with them.

 

[Jamie from Alberta]

all my molds are Lee. Never had any problem with the molds that wasn't my fault & couldn't be solved.

x2 Except I have TC Maxi-Ball mould in .54 cal that used Lee handles.
This weekend I'll be hunting with my TC Big Boar .58 shooting the Lee R.E.A.L. bullet. I love the REAL's, Lotsa SMACK DOWN!!!

 

[Rifleman1776]

I had an experience with Lee a couple years ago that resulted in much confusion over size and more.
I ordered a mold, came right size but was marked a different size. I checked the web site and that indicated the incorrect size for the actual mold. What happened was the left hand wasn't communicating with the right hand. Big company confusion. If you had ordered from the web site you would have gotten the wrong size. After several e-mails they told me the issue had been corrected.
This was a genuine "Who's on first?" situation. :youcrazy:

 

[TNGhost]

I bought my first Lee product back when they were just a Scrappy little company, taking on the big boys. I've always been satisfied with their stuff and service. Its a little different now that they're bigger, but they still have good customer service.

I also own a number of molds and only 2 are not Lee. One is a size they didn't make at the time and the other came with a C&B revolver in a cased set. Some I've had for decades and they still work great.

 

[cynthialee]

All my molds are Lee molds.

No complaints.