LEE 457 500 3r

[hiram]

Has anyone had accuracy success with the LEE 457 500 3r bullet?

[hiram]

I got the mold.  Single cavity.  It casts bullets easier than the double cavity NEI casts.  I will be selling the NEI.  The NEI is marked 525 gr-it cast about 510 with 20:1.   The Lee is marked 500--it casts about 498 gr with 20;1.  Accuracy is better with the Lee.  The nose diameter of the NEI in front of the first band is .441.  The Lee is .452.  They are both round nose/postell types, but the Lee is a lettle pointier because it is lighter and the lead is tailored off of the nose, not the driving bands.   The length of the bands are the same for both bullets--it is or is close to .600".  The NEI has 4 bands and 4 grooves.  The Lee has 3 bands and 3 grooves.  The bands are wider on the Lee because there are only 3, but looking at the numbers, half of the band area of each bullet is groove and half is band.

[dodd3]

hi hiram i have a lee 500grn gaschech mould it is very acuret in my buff classic.i cast in pure lead ,i am getting the 500 r because it has a 443 b/c.i am new to casting fore black powder, and when you say 20to1 lead is that 20 parts lead to 1 part tin. can i use silver solder to harden the lead bernie

[hiram]

Hi Dodd-

You're correct about 20:1 being 20 lbs lead to 1 lb tin.  If you are using a 1 lb bar of 50-50 solder, you need 19.5 lbs of lead because the solder is 8 oz lead and 8 oz tin.  

Silver solder is expensive for hardening.  Try adding wheelweights or try some casting with straight wheelweights.  They usually cast very well.  You can also harden with linotype or shotgun shot.

[Jeff Vicars]

You're correct about 20:1 being 20 lbs lead to 1 lb tin. If you are using a 1 lb bar of 50-50 solder, you need 19.5 lbs of lead because the solder is 8 oz lead and 8 oz tin.

Wouldn't this be 40:1?

[hiram]

I'm embarrased--should have seen it coming--you are right--

9.5 lbs of lead would be 20:1.  Let's keep this mistake between us.     lol

[Longcruise]

Could any of you 500 3r shooters out there measure the diameter of the bore ride nose?  I'd like to try this mould but if it's too small, there is nothing on earth that will make it shoot well, IMO

Dodd3, our avatars are eerily similar :eek:

[hiram]

With my mold, 20:1 measures .452" right in front of the first band.  Harder alloys will be a little bigger.

[dodd3]

hi hiram &longcruse. i find a lot of people bag lee products, my self i like them yoused there muzzeloader moulds fore years.you just have to take a little more care.bernie .ps longcruse you are right about the avatars