Lyman 358091: Anyone have a pet load for this mold?

[Ole]

I bought one off Fleabay today for $19+$5 for shipping. Only issue is it doesn't have a sprue plate. A buddy of mine told me that's not a big issue. Hey $25 Lyman double cavity mold, hard to go wrong, right?

I've been wanting to shoot some full wadcutters in my GP100 and came across this.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/Ole1830/Lyman358091.jpg

Any good loads to share? 7yard - 25yard pop can hunting/paper cutting?

I was gonna try 3 grains of Bullseye to start but if you guys can save me some trouble. :popcorn:

Thanks in advance. :)

[bhn22]

Try 3 grains of Tightgroup or Bullseye, I've gone up to 3.3 grains, but they weren't relaxing to shoot. A Lyman 2 cavity mould rebuild kit is like $8.00 from Midway.

[MT Gianni]

2.7-3.0 gr bullseye has worked well for me.

[Glen]

3.0 grains of Bullseye is my standard target load. A 148 grain wadcutter at 900-950 fps makes a great small game load too.

[HighHook]

Yep 3 gr of Bulls, Light EVEN crimp. Bada bing

[ofreen]

3.0 gr Bullseye/35891 in .38 Special shoots well in every .38 I've tried it in. It averages 795 fps from my 6" K38, right at 700fps from a 2" M10 Smith.

[heebs]

I use 2.5-2.7 gr of Clays. Makes for a popcorn fart load, but is accurate at the distance your talking about. 50 yd shots take a while for the hit on a steel plate. Use this load in a smith rev for steel challenge. Can cover 6 shots with a quarter at 25 yds.

Heebs

[catboat]

I have a similar WC mold, Lyman 358495 141 grain flat base wadcutter-yours is a bevel base mold. I shoot it it our winter indoor bullseye league. I load it in a 38 special case, but shoot it in my SW 586 and SW m28 (both 357 mags, with 6" barrels).

I've shot 2.5-3.5 grains of Bullseye, with 3.5 grains being the most accurate. For seating depth, it shot best with both the first small crimp groove and the forward lube groove exposed. This gave me an overall length that allowed the leading edge of the bullet to just kiss the entrance of the throats.
This gives me 5 shots groups in the 1.5" range at 50 ft.

If you are using 357 mag brass, you will gain an extra ~0.10" overall length from the case itself (compared to my loading with a 38 special case). You may do just fine with criming to the shallow crimp groove, or perhaps into the forward lube groove. In any event, try a seating depth that permits the leading shoulder to just enter the throats, and compare that to the seating depth at the shallow crimp groove.

You're on the right track with 3.0 grains of Bullseye as a good starting load. I'd use that load, and experiment with seating depth/overall length as your first variable to try. I'd size it to at least .358", or bigger if possible.

For a giggle, I seated 5 of the bullets upside down, on top of 3.5 grains of Bullseye, and shot the best group-about an inch at 50 feet. I want to retest this to see if it's valid.

You only have to lube one groove. One lubed groove shot more accurately than lubing two or more grooves. Lube was 50/50 beeswax/alox. I sized the bullet to 0.360". Alloy was straight wheelweights.

Note about your GP100:
I have a stainless 4" barreled GP100 357 mag. I used to get 4-5" groups at 25 yards with the Lyman 358429 Keith bullet (172 grains SWC, sized 0.358"). I measured the throats of the GP100, and got variable readings from .355" to .357". I sent the cylinder off to the cylindersmith.com and had the throats reamed to a uniform .358". It will now put the same load/bullet (172 grain Keith over 5 grains Unique) into 1.5" round groups at 25 yards, instead of 4-5" groups. Something to think about. Measure your GP100 throats, and get them reamed if they are too tight and non-uniform. You'll save yourself frustration, time and money (by not wasting powder/primers on trying to shrink throat-caused bad groups).

Good luck. Let us know how it shoots.

[Jal5]

My S&W M66 loves this boolit over 3.4gr bullseye. I need to try it with a longer OAL, I have just been crimping in the crimp groove so far in 38 spl. cases.

Joe

[crowbeaner]

I have both the 35891 and the 358495. I use 3.1 of Bullseye and size to .358". CB.

[ofreen]

You only have to lube one groove. One lubed groove shot more accurately than lubing two or more grooves. Lube was 50/50 beeswax/alox.

That is my experience, too.

[Hardcast416taylor]

When I was involved in shooting indoor PPC I had 2 Lyman 358495 molds for casting my ammo with. Can`t even begin to think how many I cast up in the course of 12 years out of straight wheel weights mixed 50/50 with reclaimed range lead. My favorite was 3.3 gr. of HP - 38 or Win. 231 with Federal std. primers. This is a great bullet and powder load for teaching as well as just plinking. Another 2 cavity sprue plate can be gotten from Lyman in their repair kit.Robert