Lee Loader

Then I found some time this afternoon to cast some more.

Two of my favorite bullets are cast from LEE two cavity moulds, the 300 gr .430 RDFN and the 230 gr .379 RDFN and this morning I decided to cast a few to have a small supply available for reloading. The second mould used was the 380 RDFN bullet for the 38-55, this mould gives three plain base and 3 gas check based bullets working well as usual. This task went really well and I had well over 100 of each. Shutting down my propane burner and trying to remember everything that's involved with securing the area went really well also. I grabbed a handfull of these newly cast bullets and noticed that something was amiss. The 230 gr FN was the wrong bullet. I made approx 250 of the 300 gr .430 bullet. What a mistake!

I located the mould I wanted and began my prep again. Ah, now I remember that this mould doesn't produce pretty bullets until all the stars fall in alignment. So I struggled through the prep and finally it began to satisfy me. I cast about 100 bullets and then quit for the second time.

Lesson learned - Make a marking system to identify every mould. And the reason for telling this tale is to help any of you avoid duplicating my error. Old age isn't fun at all.

Frank

Good idea. I keep mine in their boxes hoping the labels are correct.

I keep my Lee moulds in their respective boxes and put the information of the mould on the metal part of the handle with an electric engraver. The Noe moulds are kept in their respective boxes too. HOWEVER, this doesn't completely eliminate casting with the wrong one.
Yer correct Steelbanger, sometimes old age gets the best of me too.

Look at it this way Steel, you have some bullet for your 44 Mag and 444 Marlin now!

Michael,

As I related this story to one of my daughters yesterday, she said "It's too bad that you have to throw all those others away". I said that I was keeping those because I also shoot them on occasion. As a matter of fact, I will be hunting deer next week and the first 5 days will see me carrying my 444P loaded with the 300 gr. bullet.

Frank

Steelbanger wrote:Michael,

As I related this story to one of my daughters yesterday, she said "It's too bad that you have to throw all those others away". I said that I was keeping those because I also shoot them on occasion. As a matter of fact, I will be hunting deer next week and the first 5 days will see me carrying my 444P loaded with the 300 gr. bullet.

Frank

There you go Frank! Killed this beast last night.

It's turned nice enough now that it's about time to fire up the old pot, hopefully no more
cottage cheese..

RD, you are one hog dumping son of a gun, anymore info on hot dog making?

larryw wrote:RD, you are one hog dumping son of a gun, anymore info on hot dog making?

I don't do any of the "making" on my own but run everything through a processor run by an elderly lady in her late '80s. I like supporting her business, and she so far has duplicated everything I have asked about so will check with the next batch. I was worried about the business supporting me over the coming years, but her son gave up his career for the country life and came home. He was trained to be a butcher as a kid and is quite enthusiastic about seeing the family business continue.