For 35 Remington shooters -- bullet mold

[earlmck]

I'm a fan of Lee's 6-cavity bullet molds: as far as I'm concerned the only complaint I have about them is that they aren't available in all the bullet patterns. So a couple of weeks ago I had the idea I should look for one in a light 45 caliber bullet for use in the 45 auto and light plinkers in the 454 Casull. And sure enough they have a likely looking one in 228 grains.

But while looking at these I found also in 6-cavity a very nice looking 200 grain .358 bullet designed to meet the needs of the 35 Remington cartridge (a short neck and virtually no throat). I don't know how long they have produced this mold but it sure wasn't cataloged the last time I was looking at Lee molds. It resembles the RCBS version of a 35 Rem bullet, with a flat nose, rather than the Lyman version with the round nose. Here's what she looks like:

358mold5599.jpg

358mold5603.jpg

For those that aren't familiar with the 6-cavity Lee, that funny looking third handle easily cuts the sprue so you don't have to pound on anything

358mold5602.jpg

And here is the result, with comparison to the Lyman 358315 round-nosed 205 grain bullet

358bullet5598.jpg

No, I haven't shot them yet but I can tell you that with those 6-cavities it doesn't take long to produce a heck of a pile of them. And they are pleasant to process: the gas checks go on easily yet fit snug enough I didn't have any fall off before they hit the size die (which is an irritation with some of my cast bullets). And they cast up about .360 so go easily through my .359 size die.

And Lee has made a nice addition to these since last I bought one: they now identify the bullet on the block so you don't have to open it up to see what it is (yeah, they should have done that all along, but they didn't)

358mold5601.jpg

They have also changed their venting pattern, and it works just fine. But I had not had any trouble with the old style either.

[AJMD429]

That's cool enough it tempts me to get back into casting....

.....like I have the time, though.....

[ollogger]

Nice one Earl!! seen it some place??


Brad

[earlmck]

Nice one Earl!! seen it some place??
Brad

I got this one off eBay, Brad. I just searched on "Lee 6-cavity" and there were at least two different outfits carrying them and less than $50 including shipping. But they are a regular Lee offering now.

I hope this means Lee is going to go ahead and add other nice rifle bullets to their 6-cavity stable. Up to now they have been mostly in the pistol bullets unless some fine fellow (such as RanchDog) had them do a special order.

[Bill in Oregon]

Couldn't have found a home with a nicer or more avid .35 Remington shooter!

[TedH]

That's a good looking bullet. Very similar to the Ranch Dog mold I have for m7 356, and should work well in the 356 also.

[Thunder50]

Ordered mine from Midsouth. Actually ordered two as I plan on milling off the top of the mould to get rid of the gas check and try it in one of my 357's

[earlmck]

Ordered mine from Midsouth. Actually ordered two as I plan on milling off the top of the mould to get rid of the gas check and try it in one of my 357's

Wow! Like to see some pics when you get that one altered...

[Irascible]

Gee I wish someone would make a 35 Rem mold with the gas check EVEN with the bottom of the neck. LEE, RCBS and NOE's clone of the RCBS all have the base of the bullet hanging out in the powder space. NOE's version of the RD bullet works, but is out of production. I tried designing my own on the Mountain Molds websight but I can only get 185 gr without going below the neck with the gas check.

[piller]

I think that I need to find a source of lead and get into casting. I have a Marlin in .35 Remington.

[earlmck]

Gee I wish someone would make a 35 Rem mold with the gas check EVEN with the bottom of the neck. LEE, RCBS and NOE's clone of the RCBS all have the base of the bullet hanging out in the powder space. NOE's version of the RD bullet works, but is out of production. I tried designing my own on the Mountain Molds websight but I can only get 185 gr without going below the neck with the gas check.

Yes, this Lee is no different -- gas check just at or below the bottom of the case neck. But there are no grease grooves hanging into the powder space so I don't think this causes any problem as long as the check is firmly held. The Hornady-type checks I use are very firmly held.

That would be the one tempting reason to get a 30/30 rebored to produce a 35/30 like a few of our members have done. A long neck and a decent amount of throat and you could easily load a fine bunch of different cast bullets, with this 35 Rem-designed bullet being one of the few that woudn't be an ideal fit.

Another thought would be to turn about a sixteenth inch of throat into your 35 Rem and you could seat the bullets just long enough to keep the check in the neck. Hmm -- you'd want to be sure the longer cartridge would feed before doing the work, though...

I think that I need to find a source of lead and get into casting. I have a Marlin in .35 Remington.

You've got that right! Lead isn't cheap anymore: wheelweight material has long dried up in this neck of the woods and everything else comes in at $1.50/lb on up. I'm seeing the bottom of my wheelweight ingot stockpile and know I'll be faced with "biting the bullet" on lead one of these near years. But even if you buy the lead it comes in at $4.50 to $6.00 per hundred for the bullets and then another $2.00 to $3.50 per hundred for the checks, which is considerably cheaper than other 35 Rem bullets.

[piller]

As soon as I can start sneaking things into the garage to keep PillHer from seeing them, I will be starting. I had better buy a couple of books first and start doing my homework. I don't know much about it, but I know enough to know that I need to learn more before I try it. Woo Hoo, a new challenge for me.

[earlmck]

I had better buy a couple of books first and start doing my homework. I don't know much about it, but I know enough to know that I need to learn more before I try it. Woo Hoo, a new challenge for me.

Piller, when your mold is warm enough and the metal is hot enough (but not too hot -- around 650 to 700 depending on alloy) and you give the pour a few seconds to harden up decent, you can't help but make bullets. Unless there is a little oil remaining in the mold which gives wrinkles in the bullets. I should mention that these Lee molds seem to challenge me to get the oil out -- this 35 Rem mold had two sploooshes with carb cleaner and a trip through the wife's dishwasher and still took about 50 throws before the wrinkles worked out. And the little 22 cal mold I got at the same time has been even tougher to get to "wrinkle-free" status.

If you don't want to go to the initial expense of a bottom-pour pot you can do just fine (maybe better than the bottom-pours actually) with metal melted on a camp stove and poured with a ladle. I haven't looked but I'll bet you can find some good videos on You-tube. That's where my grandsons seem to go to learn a new skill.

[fordwannabe]

I don't mean to disrespect this board as it is my hands down favorite, with the best bunch of guys on the ol interweb, but there is a ton of info over on castboolits.com, concerning casting. I have much respect for Earl but gotta disagree. For the learning caster I think a bottom pour is the way to go. It is a little less complicated in the hand movement area and that prevents a lot of very hot lead spilling. I have been casting for years and still learn new stuff all the time over there. I also bought the newest lyman cast bullet handbook, most of the articles are by Mike Venturino who is my favorite gun writer. It starts very simple and moves toward more advanced. It is a very good read(actually it was on my bedside table and I just used it to check the spelling of his name), and has enough pictures to keep you up with what he is saying. I do agree with Earl try youtube, it does have some decent videos, however some of the stuff on there is not how I do things, like I saw a video of a guy casting in shorts and sandels, another had a half full pot of 650 degree lead on a coleman stove on a folding picnic table with the dog running around(OH MY). Just my 2 cents worth. If you would like to talk a little more pm me. I think of casting like Texas Holdem a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. Tom

[Irascible]

Yes, this Lee is no different -- gas check just at or below the bottom of the case neck. But there are no grease grooves hanging into the powder space so I don't think this causes any problem as long as the check is firmly held. The Hornady-type checks I use are very firmly held.

Except for the grease groove formed by the space above the gas check. I went to MT Moulds and designed one of my own. We'll see what happens.

[Antietamgw]

I'd heard LEE had an RCBS 200 gr. clone. It ought to shoot if it's big enough! After trying a number of different molds for my Marlin with microgroove, I got the RCBS and seem to be able to do no wrong... Full power, it groups in about 3" ( from the bench) centered on the 8" heavy plate at 200 yd if I hold on the top of the gong. Makes me kind of giggle watching that thing get smacked around, especially if you can smack it again before it settles down. Fun when you get bored with paper! On at 50, 1"high at 100 - believe I'm set. I'd like to have seen the shank a tad shorter as well though no accuracy troubles when gas checked. Thought it would be good to have another mold to shorten for plain base. LEE makes it cheap enough to experiment. Hope they have a 2-banger. I have group buy 180 and 220gr molds, the 180 will put them in ragged holes at 50yds a light load of Herco but seems to require the gas check.

[6pt-sika]

Ordered mine from Midsouth. Actually ordered two as I plan on milling off the top of the mould to get rid of the gas check and try it in one of my 357's

Wow! Like to see some pics when you get that one altered...

I'd try them in the 357 with the GC before I milled them .

Awhile back I had a Lyman mold that was a 35 cal SWC GC that supposedly dropped at 215 grains . That bullet shot nicely in a Marlin 1894CP and 1894CB .