Just got a Lee 170 Gr 6.5mm mold for Swedish Mauser

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Beadwindow

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Dear Friends,

About two weeks ago I was looking for information about molds and cast bullet loads for the 6.5x55mm and was read at Cast-Boolits that a special production run of the 170 grain Lee double cavity mold was available from Midsouth Shooters.

The mold was selling for $18.06 and with 1000 6.5mm gas checks thrown in at $20 per thousand to make it worth the cost of shipping, I got the whole package delivered to my door for $62.86 US.

While I normally buy my relaoding supplies local, the 6.5mmLee mold can be difficult to find up here on account of not being part of Lee's regular inventory (i.e. not listed in their online catalogue). I was pleasantly surprised to come accross this opportunity to load up bullets for my diopter equipped Swede in time for the warmer weather. Perhaps someone on here could chime in with a load for my Lungmann AG42b that will cycle the action without tearing appart the cases; otherwise that rifle will be awfully expensive to shoot!

I haven't any idea as to the precise diameter that these bullets will come out to yet, nor what diameter of sizer I might need to special order (I haven't slugged my bores yet), but I will keep you posted once I make my first batch.

I plan on loading lighter loads with Trail Boss for shooting up to 100 yards, and may try a heavier load with TB or another powder like IMR 3031 for 200 yard target applications.

For Your Consideration,

Frank
 
Did Midsouth sell it to you by Credit Card. I understood they made you shop there for a year by cash/deposit/money order before accepting them. I am interested in the ,225 Bator/Lee mold they offer.
 
Yes, they accepted credit cards without a fuss. There was a warning on the page listing the mold that an export permit may be required for international orders, but when I called to ask they said it shouldn't be a problem, which it wasn't. I then checked the site again and called back to order the gas checks which were added to my order. All in all it was very hassle free, with good prices.

They also threw in their 2011 catalogue for $3 extra, and judging from the prices, assortment of goods and convenience of looking through a catalogue versus online, it was well worth it.
 
They accept Credit Cards-I got 8mm Kar and 8mm Max moulds from them.

Both are also impossible to get in Canada.
 
I'll give them a call.

Those molds are hard to get because I believe they are the exclusive seller of them. Lee does the work custom for them based on those designs. They don't make those exact same designs for any one else.
 
Available only from MidSouth, who will happily ship to Canada. I had an extra mold milled down to make a plain-base 135gr bullet. Hard to find that kind of bullet, especially at 0.270"
 
remember that some of the 170 CM's cast rather large, and you have to watch the throat area, the original design was not adhered to for many moulds
I have one that drops Lyman2 at .271, WW at .270-.2705 with correspondingly fat nose
 
nanuk said:
remember that some of the 170 CM's cast rather large, and you have to watch the throat area, the original design was not adhered to for many moulds
I have one that drops Lyman2 at .271, WW at .270-.2705 with correspondingly fat nose
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I've read similar things at Cast-Boolits and will certainly measure the diameter when I produce my first batch. Since I don't know how they'll turn out and haven't yet slugged any of my 6.5mm Mausers, it's hard to tell what size of sizing/gas check die I'll need to get from Lee. If they cast at a more reasonable diameter (.267-.268) I might just try a few light loads with Trail Boss and no gas check to see what might happen, but otherwise will have to wait until the sizer arrives.
 
In the case of .303 I went with a .314" standard sizer from Lee so I could apply gas checks but not touch the .312-.313" bullets I was getting from their mold. In other cases I have ordered a custom size and waited the month to get it for $40 or so.
 
hk33ka1 said:
In the case of .303 I went with a .314" standard sizer from Lee so I could apply gas checks but not touch the .312-.313" bullets I was getting from their mold. In other cases I have ordered a custom size and waited the month to get it for $40 or so.
Click to expand...

To get the custom sizer did you go direct to Lee or order through a third party like Higginsons or Midsouth?

Oh dear, the .314 would come in handy for my Enfields, as I have to apply the checks by hand for my Jungle carbine which shoots great with .313 unsized bullets, but rather poorly with bullets put through the .311 sizer.

Note to self: I'd better finish reloading batches of ammo with the new molds and dies before purchasing the next one on my list!
 
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