Are you a dedicated handloader, a passionate hunter, or a target shooter seeking greater control over your ammunition, superior accuracy, and substantial cost savings?

For enthusiasts of the classic .35 Remington cartridge, the journey to achieving these goals often leads to the rewarding practice of casting your own bullets. When considering the best tools for this precise craft, the Lee 90449 Mold Double Cavity 35 Remington .358 Diameter emerges as an indispensable piece of equipment, designed to empower you with the ability to produce high-quality, consistent projectiles right from your workshop.

This detailed guide will explore everything you need to know about this specific Lee Precision bullet mold, delving into its features, the benefits of casting your own bullets, and how it can revolutionize your reloading experience, particularly for the venerable .35 Remington.

Unlocking Ammunition Freedom: Why Cast Your Own Bullets?

Many shooters and reloaders wonder, "What's the most effective way to cut down on ammunition expenses?" or "How can I achieve consistent performance with my rifle without relying solely on factory loads?" The answer, for a growing number of enthusiasts, lies in bullet casting.

Casting your own lead bullets offers a trifecta of benefits:

1. Significant Cost Reduction: The most compelling reason for many. The primary cost in reloading is often the bullet itself. By casting your own from reclaimed lead, the cost per projectile drops dramatically, allowing you to shoot more for less. This is particularly true for less common cartridges like the .35 Remington, where component availability or pricing can sometimes be a challenge.
2. Unparalleled Customization and Performance Tuning: Factory bullets are designed for general applications. When you cast your own, you gain the freedom to experiment with different alloys (to control bullet hardness and expansion), bullet weights, and designs (though the Lee 90449 mold produces a specific design, its consistency allows for precise load development). This customization allows you to tailor loads perfectly to your specific firearm, often leading to improved accuracy and optimal ballistic performance for hunting or target shooting. Want to minimize leading? Adjust your alloy and lubrication. Need a bullet that performs perfectly in your lever-action rifle's tubular magazine? A properly cast and sized bullet can be ideal.
3. Self-Sufficiency and Supply Security: In times of component shortages, being able to produce your own bullets provides a valuable sense of security. You control your supply chain, ensuring you always have projectiles ready for your next range session or hunting trip. This independence is highly valued by serious reloaders.
4. Preservation of Classic Firearms: Many older firearms, especially lever-action rifles chambered in .35 Remington, often perform exceptionally well with cast bullets, sometimes even better than with jacketed projectiles. Casting allows you to load ammunition that is historically appropriate and often kinder to older barrels.

Deep Dive into the Lee 90449 Double Cavity Mold

The Lee 90449 mold is meticulously engineered to produce high-quality lead bullets for the .35 Remington cartridge with a precise .358-inch diameter. This specific diameter is critical for optimal bullet-to-bore fit in most .35 Remington firearms, ensuring maximum accuracy and preventing gas cutting.

Key Features and What They Mean for You:

• Double Cavity Design: This is a major advantage for efficiency. While single-cavity molds produce one bullet per pour, a double cavity mold produces two. This significantly increases your casting output, allowing you to produce a substantial number of projectiles in a shorter amount of time. For a dedicated shooter, this means less time casting and more time shooting.
• Precision .358 Diameter: The stated .358 diameter is crucial. When loading for the .35 Remington, ensuring proper bullet diameter is paramount for accuracy, safe operation, and avoiding excessive lead fouling. This mold consistently casts bullets at or very close to this ideal dimension, which is typically then sized down slightly (e.g., to .358 or .359, depending on your bore and preference) after casting.
• Hard Anodized Aluminum Construction: Lee Precision molds are renowned for their lightweight yet durable aluminum construction. This material heats up quickly and maintains a consistent temperature, which is essential for uniform bullet fill-out and consistent bullet weight. The hard anodized finish adds to the mold's longevity and resistance to wear.
• Steel Sprue Plate and Hardened Steel Bushings: The sprue plate is the component that cuts the excess lead from the top of the mold. Lee's use of a robust steel sprue plate ensures clean cuts and excellent durability, even after thousands of pours. Hardened steel bushings provide smooth, precise alignment of the mold halves, contributing to the consistency and quality of the cast bullets.
• Vented Mold Blocks: Lee molds incorporate vents to allow air to escape as the molten lead fills the cavities. This helps prevent voids and ensures full, well-formed bullets.
• Handles Not Included (Typically): It's important to note that most Lee bullet molds are sold without handles, requiring a separate purchase of Lee Commercial Mold Handles. This allows users to use a single pair of handles with multiple Lee molds, offering flexibility and cost efficiency.

The .35 Remington Cartridge: A Perfect Canvas for Cast Bullets

The .35 Remington, introduced in 1906, is a classic American rifle cartridge especially popular in lever-action rifles like the Marlin 336. It's renowned for its moderate recoil, excellent terminal ballistics for medium game at reasonable ranges, and its suitability for dense brush hunting.

Why do cast bullets pair so well with the .35 Remington, particularly when loading for traditional lever-action rifles?

• Tubular Magazine Safety: Many .35 Remington rifles feature tubular magazines. The flat or rounded nose profiles typically associated with cast bullets are inherently safer in these magazines compared to pointed jacketed bullets, which can risk primer detonation under recoil.
• Optimal Bore Fit for Older Barrels: Older rifles often have bores that are slightly oversized or have differing groove dimensions. Cast bullets, when properly sized, can often fill these bores more completely, leading to better gas sealing, less leading, and improved accuracy compared to some undersized jacketed options.
• Reduced Barrel Wear: Lead bullets are generally gentler on a rifle's bore than jacketed bullets, potentially extending barrel life, particularly in older firearms.

With the Lee 90449 mold, you can produce a steady supply of projectiles perfectly suited for your .35 Remington, allowing you to fine-tune loads for deer hunting, plinking, or target practice with unparalleled precision.

Mastering the Art of Bullet Casting with Your Lee 90449 Mold

While bullet casting might seem daunting at first, it's a straightforward process that becomes incredibly satisfying with practice. Here’s a brief overview of how the Lee 90449 mold integrates into the casting process:

1. Preparation: Ensure your lead pot is clean and heated to the appropriate temperature for your chosen alloy. Pure lead melts at a lower temperature than alloys containing tin or antimony.
2. Mold Conditioning: Before your first pour, the mold needs to reach an optimal operating temperature. This is crucial for complete bullet fill-out. You can achieve this by making several initial pours, allowing the mold to heat up gradually. A properly heated mold will produce bullets with a frosty appearance, indicating good fill-out.
3. Pouring: Using a ladle or bottom-pour pot, carefully fill the mold cavities with molten lead. The double cavity of the Lee 90449 allows you to fill both simultaneously, enhancing efficiency.
4. Sprue Cutting: Once the lead in the sprue plate solidifies (a matter of seconds), use a wooden mallet or a gentle tap to swiftly open the sprue plate. The sharp edge of the steel sprue plate cleanly severs the excess lead.
5. Bullet Ejection: Open the mold handles to release the freshly cast bullets. They should drop cleanly from the cavities if the mold is at the correct temperature and properly seasoned.
6. Post-Casting: After casting, the bullets will typically need to be sized to their final diameter and then lubricated to reduce leading in the barrel. Lee offers excellent sizing dies and lubrication systems that work seamlessly with bullets cast from their molds.

Tips for Success with Your Lee 90449 Mold:

• Cleanliness is Key: Keep your mold clean, free from dust, dirt, or lead debris.
• Proper Lube/Smoke: Some casters like to lightly smoke their molds with a candle flame or use a specialized mold release agent to aid in bullet release, though many Lee molds perform excellently without it once seasoned.
• Consistent Heat: Maintaining a consistent mold temperature is the most important factor for consistent bullet quality.
• Alloy Choice: The type of lead alloy you use will affect the bullet's hardness, weight, and expansion characteristics. Experiment to find what works best for your application. Softer alloys are generally preferred for lower velocity loads, while harder alloys resist deformation at higher velocities.

Addressing Common Handloading Questions with the Lee 90449

• "Is bullet casting difficult for beginners?" Not at all! While there's a learning curve, Lee Precision equipment, including the 90449 mold, is designed for ease of use. With a basic setup (lead pot, mold, appropriate safety gear), you can quickly begin producing quality bullets. The double cavity design helps speed up the learning process by yielding more bullets per cycle.
• "What additional equipment do I need to start casting with this mold?" Beyond the mold and handles, you'll need a lead melting pot (electric is highly recommended for temperature control), a source of lead or lead alloy, a ladle (if using a top-pour pot), safety glasses, and heat-resistant gloves. For post-casting, you’ll need a sizing die and a bullet lubrication system (like the Lee Alox Liquid Lube or a dedicated lube-sizer).
• "How do I ensure accuracy with cast bullets?" Accuracy starts with consistent bullet quality, which the Lee 90449 mold delivers. Beyond that, proper sizing to your rifle's bore, appropriate bullet lubrication, and careful load development (powder type, charge weight, primer, crimp) are all critical. Many handloaders find that carefully crafted cast bullet loads can rival or even exceed the accuracy of factory jacketed ammunition.
• "Will casting save me money?" Absolutely. While there's an initial investment in equipment, the long-term savings are significant. Reclaimed lead can often be acquired for free or very cheaply, making the cost per bullet mere pennies. For high-volume shooters, this quickly offsets the initial equipment cost.

Why Choose Lee Precision Products?

Lee Precision has a long-standing reputation for manufacturing innovative, high-quality reloading equipment that offers exceptional value. Their molds are known for:

• Precision Engineering: Designed for consistent, accurate bullet production.
• Durability: Built to last through countless casting sessions.
• Affordability: Lee makes handloading and casting accessible to a wider audience without compromising on quality.
• Innovation: Constantly developing new tools and improving existing ones to meet the needs of reloaders.

When you invest in a Lee Precision mold like the 90449, you're not just buying a tool; you're investing in a system designed to make your handloading endeavors more efficient, more enjoyable, and more precise.

Secure Your Lee 90449 Mold Today

For the discerning handloader looking to master the art of bullet casting for their .35 Remington, the Lee 90449 Mold Double Cavity 35 Remington .358 Diameter is an exceptional choice. Its double cavity design, precise engineering, and durable construction make it an invaluable asset for producing high-quality, cost-effective ammunition.

This essential tool for any serious .35 Remington reloader is readily available. To acquire your own Lee 90449 mold and embark on or expand your bullet casting journey, you can find it and all necessary associated equipment, including mold handles, lead pots, and sizing kits, conveniently at DEGuns.com. DEGuns offers a comprehensive selection of Lee Precision products, ensuring you have everything you need to start casting your own bullets with confidence and achieve superior results.

Elevate your reloading game, save money, and achieve unparalleled ammunition customization for your .35 Remington rifle. The journey to superior shooting performance begins with a precise, reliable mold like the Lee 90449.

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Product Specifications

Feature	Detail	Benefit
Model Number	Lee 90449	Easy identification for ordering.
Bullet Diameter	.358 Inches (nominal)	Optimized for .35 Remington cartridges.
Cavity Type	Double Cavity	Produces two bullets per pour, increasing output.
Compatible Caliber	.35 Remington	Specifically designed for this classic cartridge.
Mold Material	Hard Anodized Aluminum	Lightweight, heats quickly, durable.
Sprue Plate	Steel	Ensures clean cuts and long lifespan.
UPC	734307904498	Universal Product Code for precise identification.

Benefits at a Glance

Category	Advantage	User Outcome
Economy	Significantly reduces bullet cost.	More shooting for less money.
Performance	Enables custom bullet properties and tuning.	Improved accuracy and ballistic consistency.
Independence	Self-sufficiency in ammunition production.	Reliability in component supply.
Versatility	Ideal for hunting, target, and plinking loads.	Broadens shooting opportunities.