Modifying Lee Moulds

[tn_junk]

Anybody ever tried?
I have some machining background and am seriously considering modifying a TL358-158-2R into a 200-210 grain round nose for my .357 MAX. It looks like a .3125 Dia (5/16) Ball End Mill would work perfectly to open up the nose, and there is plenty of room to extend the length about .090 to .125. (Haven't calculated how much I would need to achieve the weight yet).
At $17.99 each, these moulds are cheap enough I can play around without feeling bad if I mess one up.
I'll let ya'll know what happens.

alan

[gypsyman]

I modified a Lee mold years ago, turned it into a decoy weight for Lake Erie. Worked just fine. gypsyman

[Lloyd Smale]

couple things to keep in mind. the first i shouldnt bother with as you obviously know more about machining them me but that aluminum is tough to cut smooth. Ive tried a couple with a drill and they came out rough. Second is that a bullet has a  ballance to it. If you add more nose or take away base material you will change the way the bullet stablilzes and there no guarantee that the finshed product will shoot well. Ive played a little the other way and removed gas check bases and shortened bases on plain based bullets and my results were about crap. Never did get a single one of them that shot well. but in the case of a lee mold, what the hell your only out 2o bucks anyway.

[blue roan]

For $20 shipped, I'll send you a 2 cavity Lman 358315 mould, about 35 years old.  It has patina (light surface rust) from being in a junk box for the last 20 years---found it by accident several weeks ago.  Clean it up with some oil and hand use of a soft wire brush or any of a number of tricks from castboolits.gunloads.com mould experts.

PM me if you're interested.

[MtJerry]

For $20 shipped, I'll send you a 2 cavity Lman 358315 mould, about 35 years old.  It has patina (light surface rust) from being in a junk box for the last 20 years---found it by accident several weeks ago.  Clean it up with some oil and hand use of a soft wire brush or any of a number of tricks from castboolits.gunloads.com mould experts.

PM me if you're interested.

If Tn-junk doesn't take it, I will.  I have that mould in single cavity (with a hollow point) and it shoots well out of my 358 Winchester.

[tn_junk]

I sent a PM to blue roan, but if you want the mould go ahead and get it from him. The 315 weight would probably be much better out of your .358 than my .357 MAX.

alan

[blue roan]

My old Lyman book shows 210 grains for this bullet.  IIRC that about what it weighted when I cast it for a 1866 replica 'way back when.
 Would tn_junk please let me (and MtJerry) know if he wants it. 

[tn_junk]

Go ahead and let MtJerry have it.
I do appreciate the offer, but he would probably get better use out of it than I.

alan

[MtJerry]

Thank you tn_junk.

I wish you the best with you lee moulds.

blue roan, you have a reply to your PM