I just got a response from Lee. No more dealer discounts on custom runs of less than 100. They still waive the setup fee for 25 or more but charge $50 a mould for six cavities. Looks to me that when you add shipping in a group buy mould is gonna cost upwards of $55 from here on out.

Here's the full text:

Custom lube & size kits would be $25.00
If 25 or more are ordered at the same time the price would
be $11.32.

Please note the policy change on custom mold orders.

Molds

We make custom bullet molds to your specifications for a $100 set-up and tooling fee for flat based bullets, and $150 for hollow point or hollow based bullets. The cost of a single or double cavity
mold would be $24.98. Six cavity molds would be $50.00. Hollow point or hollow base bullets can only be made in single cavity.

If interested in this option, please download the Mold Design Sheet 1 and 2 that currently resides on our "Instructions" page at http://www.leeprecision.com/instruct/index

Maximum bullet mold dimensions for standard mold blocks; (all dimensions in inches) single cavity, .580 dia. 1.250 length; double cavity, .685* dia. .900 length; six cavity, .520 dia. 1.000 length; *for single cavity mold in double cavity blocks, like our slug mold. For two cavities in the double cavity blocks, max. diameter is .600 inch.

Round ball molds require the use of a carbide ball to create. These items are expensive, and is reflected in the prices for custom round ball molds. Diameters of .690 and below is $150 set up fee in addition to the regular mold price and diameters of .690 and above require a $250 set up fee in addition to our regular mold price.

Lead time for all custom molds is 120 days. If 25 or more of the same mold is ordered at the same time we will waive the set up fee. Dealer discounts apply only to orders of 100 or more.

Lee Precision, Inc.
4275 Highway "U"
Hartford, WI 53027

The higher price might put abit of a damper on the custom small runs. I think that the 6 cavity molds will still be a good value though.

Lets hold off on sending checks for the 30 tumble lube until we get this straightened out from LEE. If they insist on the higher price, then I'll send the $41 checks back and see if there is still enough interest at the higher price.

Lee does not charge shipping in the big box to us. The postage does vary depending on where it's going to. So the price might be $55-56 with shipping to you.

Lets see where this goes and then pick up from there.

Reply to : Oldfeller

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Now seriously nowYou need to pick up the phone and call Pat at Lee and talk to him. Thatstuff they send out electronically to johnny everybody never has applied to us (not to me anyway) as we have always negotiated better deals than what they publicise in their web pages. And we do have upper level FFLs in the group (bothcurio, 1 2 & 3if need be). And Lee knows this. This group is not without size and some small amount of pull, as gun groups go.How much wiggle room is there? Depends. While Aladin was stuck waiting to cut his mold I brain-farted out the .44 Terminator mold run complete from design to cut to shipped all in about what, 30 days? I caught that ever moving wave just right, simply because I talked to the boys at Lee on the phone enough that they know me.And I didn't pay
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(obviously quoted from elsewhere, but relivant here)

Well thought through! Very reasonable approach - negotiation.

These moulds stir up great interest in Lee products. I (for one) wouldn't own a Lee mould - until I drew up BD's 45. Now I'm planning on owning three or four more of the 6-ers (obviously the 3 current ones and the Fat30).

Gee, maybe even JUMPTRAP would go for one! (OK, weak attempt at humor.)

Call on the phone, bring this up on MANY forums, call your Senitor - do what it takes!

"I think that the 6 cavity molds will still be a good value though." Lars

Absolutely! And Tim's point about communication directly with Lee is a critical one, I suspect some bean counter/accountant type has been looking at these small custom runs, "We're not makin' much money on these!" With no realisation of the good will and new customers that such a service creates.

"Looks to me that when you add shipping in a group buy mould is gonna cost upwards of $55 from here on out. "
"Custom lube & size kits would be $25.00. If 25 or more are ordered at the same time the price would
be $11.32." Leftoverdj

Still a bargain in my book, the quality on the 6-cavity moulds is MUCH better IMHO, and boy do those boolets pile up in a hurry once you've got one running. I'm still in on both the 25-20 and 30calTL, both excellent designs built by shooters for shooters, I'm sure they'll both work well.

Count me in! I'd hate to see all this die for the paltry difference of $15.

Cheers,
R*2

When I talked to Lee a week ago they said nothing about a price increase. I will have to call them and see if this is going to put a crimp in the .45 paper patched mold deal.

Hi All!
$55 is still a heck of a deal for a custom 6 cavity mold!I would rather pay that as have the custom services stopped.
Something Lee should think about....all these new designs are available for them to use as production molds. I see both sides gaining as long as both sides share the burden and the glory/profit. I would think this tumble lube bullet would be a big seller. I'd like to see them offer it....just to test the waters.
The 'Good Will' generated by these runs cannot be calculated. I feel that 'we' are moving the envelope forward....maybe not in quantium leaps.... but forward still the same.
If you wonder how long this 6 cavity mold will last...I finally 'broke' one 2 days ago. I stripped the threads out of the sprue plate pivot. How many bullets has it cast? I am guessing it has 20,000 cycles on the machine. So 20,000 times 6 = 120,000 bullets. ( I didn't shoot that many- I gave them to friends over 10(?) years.) The rest of the mold is just fine and I may have been the problem on the pivot screw. I modify the molds by putting a set screw in the side to lock the pivot screw. This is a little rough on alum. threads. Oh ya....I intend to fix it with the next size stud and keep going.... This is the bullet that shoots just fine in my .357 rifle! Or, on 2nd thought, I might just order an new mold for $40- 50 and keep going. (But to be fair... I have a 4 cavity Lyman mold with more cycles than that. It is really abuse that ruins molds- not use.)
I really don't know of another mold maker who even offers 'tumble lube bullets'. I can't think of another place to even dream of doing this.....This really is the 'wave' of the future! At least for 'plinkers' and maybe a lot more. As long as Lee doesn't 'go wobbly' as the brits say.
If we can get the reduced price- hurrah! If we can't, I say "Look not at the cost, but at the value!"

I am still interested in both the TLC 258 and the FAT 30 molds at the higher price if necessary, and have already sent my check for the 45pp. They are still one-half the cost of a similar NEI mold. I have had good success with the Lee 6-cavity pistol molds.

Phil S.