Another nice Boolit.. kinda.. maybe.. HELP!!

[pdgraham]

It's a Lyman #358477 that I picked up for $24 plus $5.55 shipping, casts to about 150 gr.

http://home.insightbb.com/~pdgraham/38_Bullet.jpg

See all the little dings in it.. that's crap in the mold.

I've been all over it with Dawn dishwashing liquid and a brass brush.. That got a lot of it off but there some that just isn't budging..

Should I try lapping it? If I do lap it should I use ZUD or Comet or Flitz?

Whats the top little belt ring for??.. Lube??? Why is it so small???

Is it salvagable?

[Bullshop]

I would try getting it up to casting temp and working on it with a hard sharp pencil. The pencil will not damage the mold and the graphite helps fill any small holes which helps release the boolit much easier.
BIC/BS

[9.3X62AL]

I've fired about a zillion of the #358477's from 38 Special and (less frequently) 357 Magnum. It has been an accurate little critter in both calibers, and I've run it well past 1200 FPS without leading. I have always used the bottom groove for lube and the smaller top groove as a roll crimp site.

The boolit even shot well out of my two piece-of-crap Colt Trooper MK-III's I used briefly in the early 1980's. I've had the mold for over 20 years. Based on its utility for me, the mold is worth cleaning up for sure. Some of my first "+P" 38 Special cast loads used this boolit, and at 1000 FPS it anchors small game and varmints forthwith. Run it to 1200+, parts of the target start flying off--if you get my drift.

After locating and using a #358429--and firing its castings from my 38's and 357's--the 477 only gives up a little accuracy to the 429 overall. There's a difference, but I have to use a rested revolver to find it. I haven't whacked enough critters with the 429 to say it's a better crittergitter, but neither boolit does a jackrabbit a lot of good when they connect.

[beagle]

The 358477 is a good number. I've blasted lots out of .38 Specials and .357 Mags.

The pencil trick works, molying and then burnishing with a soft pine stick also works wonders and so does repeated casting sessions. Seems as if everytime you fire it up and bring it up to a frosty casting temp, more of the crap flakes off if it's internal as the mould surface tends to expand under heat and the "boogers" flake off some.

Then, a bronze brush roatated in a DP works well also and so does bronze wool wrapped on the brush.

I'd try these methods and multiple heat/cool cycles. Pretty soon, it will be throwing good bullets. In reality, they don't look too bad now but I see the problem you're talking about./beagle

[slughammer]

I'd use a very small piece of scotch brite and the plastic cap from a pen to clean it up. (How do I define small?) A piece about .30 in diameter, use the plastic pocket clip from the cap to get down in the nook and crannies. I prefer to use the cap from a Med. Pt Black Bic Brio; if that makes any difference.

[pdgraham]

Thanks for the info guys.... I'm going to make an effort to clean up this mold...

[26Charlie]

I have used a pencil eraser to clean rust out of mould cavities. There is abrasive in the rubber. It may work on your mould, and you can get to it with a .357 mould whereas a .25 mould is harder to get into the nooks & crannies.

[Bullshop]

26 Charlie
A real handy tool for getting into the tight spots in small cavities is the old pencil type erasers for type writers. You sharpen them to a point in a pencil sharpener and they have a little brush on the back for getting the crumbles out. I am not shure if they are still available but I have a couple full boxes if you want one.
BIC/BS