Anyone cut down a new style Lee 515-450 mold?

[ndnchf]

About 2 years ago Lee came out with their new style molds with alignment pins, staked handle screws and left hand sprue cutter screw (not 100% sure about the last change). The Rapine 350T shoots pretty darn good in my Spencer, but I'm always looking to try something new. I missed out getting one of these when Dakota Widowmaker was offering the cut down earlier style. So I'm considering buying a new style mold to cut down. How much more difficult are these to modify?

As an alternative - does anyone have a Dakota Widowmaker mold you'd be willing to sell?
Thanks!

[Ibgreen]

I had a machine shop mill down mine.  No complaints and it is by far the best feeding shape I have.  I will need to beagle it closer to .518 one day.

[Drydock]

Just FYI, the one you want to cut down is the 515-500-f  Mold 90266.  This is the 500 grainer with a large meplat, far better for tube magazine use than the 450.  It is also the bullet DW used to make his mold.  I have one, consider it excellent. (And I'll never sell it!) Machine the bullet base until only the top 2 lube grooves are left.  This gives you a fine 350 grainer that leaves plenty of room in the case for powder.

And yes, the new design mold blocks are great!  I have several I currently use for several Milsurp rifles.

[ndnchf]

Thanks Drydock, yes the 500 has a larger and safer meplat. But it has smaller lube grooves than the 450gr bullet. I suppose a lube wad could be used to make up for it. Sure would be nice if Lee would make a 325-350gr version of the 450 bullet with a larger meplat. That would be perfect.

[Coal Creek Griff]

Forgive me if I'm off track here, but I wonder at the advantage of the modified Lee mold over one made to the dimensions you're looking for.  For example, I've been using this mold from Accurate Molds: http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=51-320S-D.png.  Since it is a custom mold, Tom can make it to whatever (reasonable) dimensions you ask for.  You could deepen or add lube grooves, change the crimp groove, change the meplat, etc. without additional cost.  The cost, by the way, is quite reasonable.  I don't know how much it costs for the Lee mold, then to have it modified, but for not too much more, you could get exactly what you want.  In fact, you can specify the diameter and, depending on your alloy, it will be very close if not exactly right.  I use my bullets as cast because I had him make the mold to match my bore.

Again, I might be missing some advantage of the Lee mold.  I'm very new to Spencer shooting, so I almost didn't want to reply for fear of saying something foolish, but we're all friends here, right?

CC Griff

[Drydock]

Its cheap and readily available. $20 for the mold, $20 for a shop to modify.   That's a double cavity mold for half the price of the single cavity Accurate.  (Which are excellent molds, I have a couple, worth the money.  But in this particular case, not worth replacing my Dakota Widowmaker Lee mold!  Accurate is the first place I go if Lee does not have what I want.)

Those 2 remaining grooves are larger than they appear, plenty of lube in my carbine.  Always a nice lube star at the muzzle.  Remember too, you're dealing with 40 or so grains powder, not 70 as in a full rifle cartridge.

[ndnchf]

I'm familiar with the fine molds from accurate. At about $20 for a Lee mold it's worth playing with. I have a lathe and mill, so I can modify it. No outside expense needed. I have a Rapine 350 which is an excellent mold for my M1871 Spencer rifle. This long barrel needs a bullet with plenty of lube capacity, I don't know if a modified Lee mold would cut it. I would also like to try it in my '76 Winchester in 50-95. It too has a long barrel. The 50-95 takes about 78 grains of BP and my Spencer rounds hold 45gr. All that powder and long barrels = lots of lube!

[Coal Creek Griff]

Thanks for the clarification, gents.

CC Griff

[Arizona Trooper]

For years I've been shooting a cut down Lyman 515141, which started life as a 50-70 mold. The nose flat is on the small side, but with rifle primers it's no problem. (And you should NEVER use pistol primers in a Spencer!). These feed great through the magazine. This mold also works well for Smith carbines and the post war 50 Carbine/Cadet, but it doesn't shoot worth a hoot in Maynards. 

A friend recently put me on to Accurate molds. They made a Burnside to my drawing. The mold is excellent quality, price is very reasonable, it casts to the exact specified size and the turn around was fast. Rather than modify molds now, I would just send a drawing to Accurate and have them make it.