Anyone using the Lodgewood custom Lee .515-360 mold for Spencer bullets?

[Teddydogno1]

I have been reading everything I can regarding my "new" Spencer carbine by Armi Sport.  The rifle came with 3 boxes of Buffalo Arms ammo that I intend to dispatch today at the range.  After that, the handloading will begin!

I have purchased some Montana Precision bullets for my first go-round, but plan to begin casting my own for it in the near future.  I have read about lots of folks using the Lyman 515139 old as well as NEI and older Rapine molds.  Modified Lee 515-500 molds also seem to be pretty popular. 

And then I found that Lodgewood has a .515-360 "custom" Lee mold for sale at a pretty reasonable price.  Seems like just the thing.  But I haven't found much said about using it!  My search only found a couple of threads about these.  There must be more shooters using this mold, unless it is a bad design or something. 

http://www.lodgewood.com/515-Two-Cavity-Lee-Bullet-Mold-360-Grain_p_1806.html

Any experience with this and/or discussion is welcome!

PS--I have already "bothered" Dakota Widowmaker about modifying a Lee mold for me and he is game, but doesn't have any stock on hand.  I will likely go that way if the Lodgewood mold is a bust.

Thanks!


Rob

[steved66]

I use that same mold and it works out fine for me.  I have several Lee molds and this one casts just as well as the others.  I use the bullet in loads for my original M1860 Spencer carbine and the loads results are very consistent.

[Oregon Bill]

Steve, you are using the .515 vs. the .518 that Lodgewood also offers?

[steved66]

Hi Oregon Bill,

I use the .515 two cavity mold from Lodgewood when I cast bullets for my original 1860 Spencer, which I need to point out was one of the 1860s that was converted to 56-50 post-war.  I slugged to bore and determined that the diameter is .508 - .510 (hard to get exact measurement in a 3-groove bore).  So, the .515 was the better choice of the two for my carbine.

[Oregon Bill]

Well, I went ahead and ordered the Lodgewood mold just to be in the game as I have had such good luck with Lee over the years.  May try the Accurate or the Lyman if this one does not prove satisfactory. Will be using it with black and smokeless, for punching paper and hopefully, punching a feral hog or two.