Lyman Ideal molds...help me out please

[whelen fan]

I got a 686 smith on the way and a buddy gave me a bunch of "old" molds. They are all Lyman Ideal molds. Would someone advise me on which one of them would work with the 686?

356/402
356/472
357/446
358/432
358/246
358/495
358/63 (only mold that's a 4 banger, all the other ones are single)

Thanks fellas

[tazman]

Any of the molds beginning with 358 will work with your revolver for sure.
The ones beginning with 356 may work if they drop boolits large enough(.358 or larger). They were intended for 9mm/38super.
The mold beginning with .357 should work but you will need to cast with it to make sure the boolits are the right diameter.

[polara426sh]

They should all work fine if they cast large enough in diameter. I would start off with one of the wadcutters myself in some 38 brass (358-63, 358-495, 358-432). The 356-402 is a design for the 9mm, but that doesn't mean that it won't work.

[TXGunNut]

I'd go with the 358-63 simply because it's a 4-cav. DEWC design is always a good choice for the .38. A RN or TC design might be better for .357 loads.
Welcome to the affliction!

[whelen fan]

Thanks all. I have no 357 mag brass but a few thousand 38 special so that's most likely all I will be using. I have a ruger sbh in 44 mag if I want to make big booms. Don't need a 357 for that.

[texassako]

I would cast with them all just to see what they drop at. Even if they are to small, you can at least let the next owner know what size they drop. I agree that the 35863 is probably going to be the most useful being 4 cavity and a double ended wadcutter.

['74 sharps]

For wadcutters, the alloy is generally on the soft side...

[Dutchman]

357446 is an excellent plain base SWC for .38 Special and .357 Magnum. Elmer Keith liked it.

Dutch - who cast and shot many 357446

[Catshooter]

They may, or may not all work. Of all the .357s I've ever measured, my two 686s were the tightest at .3555 for each.

Welcome to the forum.


Cat

[Forrest r]

You have been given some interesting molds, nice.

The 35472 is on the rare side, not many were made. It was designed as a "target wc" boolit for the 9mm. The 358432 was made in 2 different weights, 148g or 160g. And the 358246 was designed for the 38s&w & usually cast a .359 boolit but the same mold could be bought to cast a .357 boolit. The .357 version has a U stamped on the mold, the U stands for undersized.

Enjoy your new molds.

[rhead]

I would cast with them all just to see what they drop at. Even if they are to small, you can at least let the next owner know what size they drop. I agree that the 35863 is probably going to be the most useful being 4 cavity and a double ended wadcutter.

Translation:"you will know which pistol to buy."

[jonp]

I am having a lot of luck with the 148gr wc in my BH.

[Lance Boyle]

another happy user of the 358446, mine casts about 160 grains with COWW.