Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 Send TopicPrint
Normal Topic Modifying a Lee 515 450 mold (Read 1954 times)
ndnchf
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1047
Joined: Mar 6th, 2014
Modifying a Lee 515 450 mold
Aug 20th, 2020 at 6:32pm
Print Post  
I know this has been done before. But I've been wanting to cut down a Lee 515 450 mold for bullets to use in my .50-45 rolling blick carbine. I have a Rapine 350 and a Lyman 515139 mold and they work well. But not being one to leave well enough alone, I decided to give it a try. The Lee molds were cheap, so I ordered two. Its always good to have a spare  Grin

I machined .175" off the base (one band and one lube groove). I had to shorten the sprue plate screw a little, but no other work was needed. The handles on these molds are permenently attached with pressed in pins. You can see in the photo that I machined down far enough to skim the top of the pins. But I don't expect it to be a problem. Here is the machined mold next to the unmodified mold.
I expect this will drop the weight down from 450 to around 350gr. I'll find out this weekend when the lead pot gets fired up.

  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
JS47
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1265
Location: Arizona
Joined: Oct 12th, 2012
Re: Modifying a Lee 515 450 mold
Reply #1 - Aug 21st, 2020 at 12:38am
Print Post  
Was the sprue plate screw left handed? I twisted one off on a new Lee mold and saw on another forum that the new ones are left handed. That does explain why I twisted it off! I have an older 7mm Lee mold that has a right handed screw thread. I checked it yesterday. I'm thinking about chucking the mold up in a 4 jaw and turning off the gas check shank. I don't need gas checks at 10-1200 FPS. It's for my 7mm 1902 Rolling Block. Any ideas about how to proceed?

JS
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
ndnchf
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1047
Joined: Mar 6th, 2014
Re: Modifying a Lee 515 450 mold
Reply #2 - Aug 21st, 2020 at 5:41am
Print Post  
Yes, it is a left hand thread. Lee changed to LH screws about 5 years ago. In the top view photo above, the unmodified mold is marked "LH 515 450". The LH means Left Hand screw. If a mold is not marked LH, then it should have a right hand threaded screw.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
CW
Senior Forum Member
****
Offline



Posts: 495
Joined: Feb 20th, 2018
Re: Modifying a Lee 515 450 mold
Reply #3 - Aug 21st, 2020 at 9:37am
Print Post  
" wanting to cut down a Lee 515 450 mold for bullets to use in my .50-45 rolling blick carbine."

I am not familiar with a .50-45. Can you describe the brass case and what the history of the cartridge is?
It sounds like a fire plug of a round. Smiley
« Last Edit: Aug 21st, 2020 at 9:52am by CW »  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
ndnchf
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1047
Joined: Mar 6th, 2014
Re: Modifying a Lee 515 450 mold
Reply #4 - Aug 21st, 2020 at 9:48am
Print Post  
CW wrote on Aug 21st, 2020 at 9:37am:
" wanting to cut down a Lee 515 450 mold for bullets to use in my .50-45 rolling blick carbine."

I am not familiar with a .50-45. Can you describe the brass case and what the history of the cartridge is.
It sounds like a fire plug of a round. Smiley



Its basically a shortened .50-70.  Its a nice size for a light carbine. Here is a video of me shooting it after I welded up and re-machined the extractor stud. 

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
ndnchf
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1047
Joined: Mar 6th, 2014
Re: Modifying a Lee 515 450 mold
Reply #5 - Aug 22nd, 2020 at 3:18pm
Print Post  
I tried out the cut down Lee 515 450 mold that I cut down a few days ago. This modification cut about 100gr off the weight. Out of 20-1 alloy, these average 352gr and .515" diameter. I think it will work well.

  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
ndnchf
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1047
Joined: Mar 6th, 2014
Re: Modifying a Lee 515 450 mold
Reply #6 - Sep 1st, 2020 at 9:15pm
Print Post  
I loaded up 20 rounds of .50-45 with the new 350gr bullets from the cut down mold. I hope to get to the range this weekend. I think they will work well.

  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send TopicPrint