Lee Martin Bullet Designs

[kgb]

That 41-240V looks a lot like a group buy from the Castboolits site of several years ago, it turns out a 230gr bullet from a 6-cav Lee aluminum block that works great in a Marlin 1894 for cowboy silhouette, both long range and pistol cartridge events. I shoot it at a bit over 1300fps using either 800X or HS-6 and it topples the 200 yard rams easily while not chewing up 40 yard chickens or any of the other PC event targets.

[silcott]

Received my 41-240V yesterday. Now to find the time to try it out.


Justin

[jeffh]

Apr 1, 2021 15:48:32 GMT -5 41freak said:

Apr 1, 2021 14:48:45 GMT -5 webber said:

One negative is the turnaround time is now 10 weeks. I hope he can maybe get some help. I like Accurate Mold molds.

Yes, as with everything ammo related
Tom has gotten flooded with orders, as has all other mold makers I expect.

The last mould I ordered was from Arsenal, and it came with a reply e-mail that he was behind and it may be a month instead of two weeks.  I was fine with that, but it ended up taking a month and a half, even after I followed up on it.  May have been longer if I'd not asked - I don't know.  The point is not to complain, which I am not, but that everything anyone MAKES seems to be taking longer right now, especially anything to do with firearms.  I'm still shaking my head that the panic-buying has touched such things as moulds and gas checks in these last two droughts.  In the past, we odd ducks who make our own bullets seemed to have been somewhat insulated from the worst affects of such things.

This is all quite timely for me, as I was absolutely certain that I only needed one more mould.  The plan I've been working for several years includes no more than two moulds for the few calibers I intend to continue to cast, load and shoot.  This is after many decades of having more stuff than I could possibly divide meaningful attention and meager budget across.  This messes my plan up a bit, but what's a couple more moulds?

I've been eyeing this other bullet which Misters Martin and Bradshaw collaborated on and became sold on the idea that it would be an ideal for my 357 Mag/Max revolver/carbine setup, wherein the Max is "full-strength" carbine-only, and the Mag is for sub-sonic revolver and "mild to wild" in a carbine.  Covers a lot of ground for me and that bullet I just started reading about would make this arrangement even more versatile.

As I have picked my way through the long thread on that heavy 35 cal SWC, the familiar old "day late/dollar short" saw has needled me.  WHERE will I find one of these now?  I'm hoping that this bullet will find its way into the list of those going to Accurate so I can actually get one.  It would be my first Accurate mould too.

Thanks to 41freak, Lee and Tom for doing this, whether the one I am seeking makes the list or not.  "Discontinued" bullet/mould designs are a sad thing.

[41freak]

The 194 Martin Bradshaw 357 bullet is drawn up and I think I sent it to Tom but will have to verify that. So it will be in the catalog soon.

[41freak]

Everyone, I wasn't able to see where/when I sent the 194gr Martin/Bradshaw bullet to Tom, so I have sent it this morning and will update when it is in the catalog.

[41freak]

I just received an email back from Tom and due to an injury to one of his hands he will not be able to catalog the Martin/Bradshaw 357 bullet for a couple of months. So I will resubmit it once I find out he is able to do it.

[Lee Martin]

Jun 21, 2021 9:55:52 GMT -5 41freak said:

I just received an email back from Tom and due to an injury to one of his hands he will not be able to catalog the Martin/Bradshaw 357 bullet for a couple of months. So I will resubmit it once I find out he is able to do it.

Thanks for the update and sorry to hear about Tom's injury. And I appreciate you submitting that design. I know there's a least 7 that'll sell the minute it gets listed.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Chasing perfection five shots at a time"

[41freak]

As soon as I can get it in the catalog I will let everyone know. I will also be getting one to play with in a 350 Ledgend I am building. It should be interesting.
I will also be starting on the other bullets you sent and get them drawn up and ready for when he can catalog them.

[41freak]

I got my 45-319D mold (the Lee Martin 45 design) and as always it is a work of art. I hope to get some time tomorrow during the rain to crank out some. I think they will be great in my 45 Win Mag G2 TC.

[starmetal47]

This is the mold I got for my 41 Mag


www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-413-640-pb-hp-4-cav/

I've gotten a few molds from Tom. Back then you could get a mold pretty fast, not anymore. The smallest meplat he can cut is .180. Maybe okay for handgun bullets, but terrible for rifle bullets. I just recently got a mold from Tom. Cavity was finshed nice the blocke weren't and the sprue plate hole was entirely too small.  A group of us found it you're usng any alloy other then pure lead he tends to cut them too large so we order .002 under in our dimensions.  You want to talk about good machinist making molds noboby in the U.S. can hold a candle to Mihec in Slovaka work.  Just stating fact, not wanting to start a pissing contest.  boolitdesigner DOES know what he's talking about when designing cast bullets. 

[41freak]

Jul 24, 2021 14:21:43 GMT -5 starmetal47 said:

This is the mold I got for my 41 Mag


www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-413-640-pb-hp-4-cav/

I've gotten a few molds from Tom. Back then you could get a mold pretty fast, not anymore. The smallest meplat he can cut is .180. Maybe okay for handgun bullets, but terrible for rifle bullets. I just recently got a mold from Tom. Cavity was finshed nice the blocke weren't and the sprue plate hole was entirely too small.  A group of us found it you're usng any alloy other then pure lead he tends to cut them too large so we order .002 under in our dimensions.  You want to talk about good machinist making molds noboby in the U.S. can hold a candle to Mihec in Slovaka work.  Just stating fact, not wanting to start a pissing contest.  boolitdesigner DOES know what he's talking about when designing cast bullets. 

I have several MP Molds, and yes they are great molds. But every mold I have from Accurate Molds is spot on and cast beautifully every time. Tom states on his site that his normal tolerance is +.002", and you have to take that into consideration when ordering.
I do have a "boolitdesigner" 41 cal 640 mold and while it shoots fine in my SBH, I have better/more accurate designs. I have several SSK/NEI and LBT molds that in the same gun shoot alot tighter groups, but my SBH likes heavier bullets then the "boolitdesigner" 41 cal bullet is.
This is the second Lee Martin designed bullet I have (see post above) and from the looks of both designs Lee DOES KNOW something about bullet designing. And since they are heavy for caliber I bet they will be accurate in my SBH. (I hope to be able to get out and verify that fact shortly)
You also mentioned that Tom at Accurate Molds takes a long time to produce a mold, and since the pandemic and election his business has exploded as well as most every gun related business in the US. (I also see that the only 41 caliber mold MP has in stock is a HBWC all other designs are out of stock) I have a single swage die on order from Dave Corbin and what used to take 30-60 days to get from him,I am currently @ 9 months waiting. Which he did say when I ordered it that it would take alot longer to ship because they were slammed with orders. I have been on a list for another 640 design group buy mold for a year + (and that is after the minimum quantity was met) and there is still no idea when they will be run,the fact that Tom from Accurate Molds will custom cut a mold to your design in 9 weeks which is what the last mold I ordered from Accurate Molds took, I think is amazing in this period of super shortages we are in currently.
As to your statement that there are no mold makers in the US that can hold a candle to MP Molds, then you need to look at NOE, LBT and in my opinion yes Accurate Molds, as they all make great Molds here in the US.
You also mentioned that Tom can't do a meplat smaller then .180" and that is bad for rifles, I have several designs i use in rifles that are flatpoints with meplats larger then .180" and are very accurate for my use/hunting and they kill very well (I wouldn't use a spirepoint with a sharp point, since it would just punch small clean holes in game) while I am not a long range target shooter, I am not interested in long pointy cast bullets for anything other then paper punching, which I haven't seen pointy bullets shoot better then the cast flat points I use and hunt with.
Lastly, you should start your own new thread and post pictures and targets to prove your opinions. Once I have worked up some loads with both of Lee's designs I will start a new thread for each design and post all the information.

[crash87]

Apr 1, 2021 14:48:45 GMT -5 webber said:

One negative is the turnaround time is now 10 weeks. I hope he can maybe get some help. I like Accurate Mold molds.

Negative? Have you seen this turn around? "MiHec 38-40 Carbine Mold"
singleactions.proboards.com/thread/21506/mihec-38-40-carbine-mold
Said we need 15 to commit, then when 15 are committed, we get

Oct 5, 2019 8:43:20 GMT -5 boolitdesigner said:

Until Miha gets a supplier that will go with less than a 100 pin sets, we are setting at a little over half..... it will be a while yet.

Seems there 24 pins short so I had asked about the cost of these 24 pins as I thought I'd spring for the difference. Apparently my question was misunderstood.
I had mountain Molds and Veral Smith cut me a couple of molds, for my 38-40, 180 and 200gr. respectfully. Both shoot fine in my converted 3 screw Ruger.
I'd be happy to shoot these 3 head to head, but I have only the 2, As far as Im concerned and what I can see is this one died over a year ago.
10 WEEKS? I wish
Crash87

[Lee Martin]

Jul 23, 2021 17:28:43 GMT -5 41freak said:

I got my 45-319D mold (the Lee Martin 45 design) and as always it is a work of art. I hope to get some time tomorrow during the rain to crank out some. I think they will be great in my 45 Win Mag G2 TC.

I think you'll like that bullet. I've shot some really tight groups with them at 100 yards. Mostly from the five-shot .45 Colt at the top of this forum. Been meaning to send some to Bradshaw to try in his Ruger 03 and FA83. I'm eager to see what he thinks of them. And I'm equally interested in knowing how they shoot for you.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Chasing perfection five shots at a time"

[squawberryman]

Any firsthand pictures or videos of the creation of a mold would be interesting

[41freak]

Made up a dummy round to verify it will chamber and it fits perfectly, as if Lee designed it for the 45 Win Mag.