357mag mold advice

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Thinking about investing in a new mold for 357magnums in a Ruger GP100. I use my GP100 as a side arm while hunting and hiking. I really like the look of the Lyman #358429 170gr SWC and the Saeco #351 200gr FN. Neither of these molds are a gas check design, should I be worried about leading problems using wheel weights? This might seem like a stupid question, but do these two molds cast a bullet with a flat base or a bevel base? Will I run into C.O.L problems? Advice and opinions on these two molds will be most appreciated.

[BCB]

2ndAmendmentNut,

That is the only boolit I shoot in my 357 Magnums. One is an old Ruger Security-Six and it shoots great! It is a Keith style boolit and it is a plain base and I can load it to the crimping groove as the Ruger cylinder is long enough to accomadate the length...

Yep, I do get a bit of leading, but after all, I am shooting lead boolits! It is minimal...

I use Lee Liquid Alox--maybe a different lube would eliminate all leading--I don't know...

It also is very accurate in my Marlin 1894C with micro grooves...

Good-luck...BCB

[Hickory]

No reason to worry about leading with a plain base boolit.
Concern yourself with proper sizing, and hardness, the 358429 is an exellent choice.:drinks:

[Rick N Bama]

Welcome to the board. I think that most here will agree with me when I say that leading from a properly fitted boolit is not as difficult to remove as is copper from the condom type bullets.

I don't know about your GP100, but the 358429 shoots just fine in my 357s.

Rick

[LAH]

The Lyman 358429 is a very good bullets for the ole three five seven. I've shot thousands of them. Another bullet to consider is the Lyman 358665 a RNFP.

As a start size to .358 & lube with some good White Label, Felix, or LBT soft. Using air cooled wheel weights I try 20,000 psi loads to began.

[kyle623]

not to hijack the thread, but bcb, i read marlin says not to use lead in microgroove barrels. you dont have leading issues on yours? might try with mine then.

[LAH]

Plenty shoot lead in the microgroove.

[LAH]

I forgot, welcome to the board and another good one is the Lee 38-158-RF.

[243winxb]

Lymans drop the bullet very close to the correct diameter, very little sizing. Saeco's run .002" to .004' larger then needed for me.

[BCB]

kyle523,

Yep, I have read the same about the microgroove barrels. But, that is the only boolit that I could get to shoot with grood accuracy. I tried dozens of different condom bullet and powder combinations but the 358429 was the correct one! Minimal leading also. It is all I shoot in my 357's and 38's...BCB

[RayinNH]

I agree with LAH, the Lee 38-158-RF is a mighty fine boolit. It shoots well in my Ruger 50th Anniversary Flat Top and the Service-Six. It has a slight bevel base but poses no problem when lubing...Ray

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Thanks guys! You have helped alot. I think I will buy a 4-cavity Lyman 358429 mold.

[GrizzLeeBear]

My GP-100 won't chamber a 358429 loaded to the crimp groove. I had to crimp in the middle of the front band. Guess I got one with chambers a little on the short side. So, just be aware that not all GP-100 are exactly the same. I sold the mold and shoot the Lee 358-158-rf with medium loads and the Lyman 358156 GC boolit with full power loads.

The micro groove barrels tend to be on the "fat" side for diameter. I think Marlin's warning comes from reports of leading, etc. when people try shooting .357 boolits in .359 barrels. They get lots of leading and blame the microgroove barrel.
Cast Boolits 101: slug the barrel and size .001 - .002 larger.

[45r]

the rcbs 158GC is a good mold and the lyman 358156 shoots well also.

[zxcvbob]

Lee 38-158-RFVery nice boolit. Has a wide flat nose with sharp corners.

[Down South]

My GP-100 won't chamber a 358429 loaded to the crimp groove. I had to crimp in the middle of the front band. Guess I got one with chambers a little on the short side. So, just be aware that not all GP-100 are exactly the same. I sold the mold and shoot the Lee 358-158-rf with medium loads and the Lyman 358156 GC boolit with full power loads.

This is the first time that I have ever heard that a 358429 would not chamber in a Ruger. It makes me wonder if the mould wasn’t a fluke and not the revolver. The 358429 chambers perfect in my GP-100. I think this boolit is one of the better choices for a Ruger 357 Mag.

[beagle]

Go with a DC 358429 and have buckshot HP one cavity. The best of both worlds...../beagle

[anachronism]

This is the first time that I have ever heard that a 358429 would not chamber in a Ruger. It makes me wonder if the mould wasn’t a fluke and not the revolver. The 358429 chambers perfect in my GP-100. I think this boolit is one of the better choices for a Ruger 357 Mag.

I'm betting that you're correct here. From what I've seen, Lyman never seems to make any 2 mould cherries exactly the same. One of their little issues seems to be nose length, from the crimp. Last months "Handloader" had an article by a guy who has 3 different 45 cal Keith mould and they're all different as far as nose length is concerned.

[fecmech]

This is the first time that I have ever heard that a 358429 would not chamber in a Ruger. It makes me wonder if the mould wasn’t a fluke and not the revolver. The 358429 chambers perfect in my GP-100. I think this boolit is one of the better choices for a Ruger 357 Mag.

I have a 358429 that I bought about 1970, it will not fit in my Ruger gp 100 crimped in the crimp groove. I lightly taper crimp it just ahead of the crimp groove.

[theperfessor]

My GP100 won't take my 358429s crimped in the crimp groove either. It's about .010" too long. I don't have any data on the "proper" crimp groove - to - nose length dimension for this bullet, but after checking several other Lyman molds that I have I agree that there is some variance in length in Lyman molds from different eras/cherries. Only have one GP100 so I don't know if the cylinder length varies on them either.

No problem, I use a 358447 and 358156 for my GP100 and my 358429 crimped in the crimp groove in my New Model Blackhawk. And no, I'm not going to shorten up any .357 brass just to get a 358429 to work in one gun.

[Echo]

The best load I have found for my BH is the Lyman 358156 (or it's Lee equivalent) and 15 grains of (old)2400. I reduce to 13.5 for new 2400, and press on - with NO leading.

[HeavyMetal]

I have a 358429 single cav HP mold and you casn't believe how many 357 wheel guns won't take this load if it's crimp in the crimp groove!

This mold has been reservered for my contender. For the wheel gunners I knoe that shoot both 38 and 357 I cast the RCBS 150 grain SWC. This boolit fits everything and shoots great!

It's PB so no gas check hassle, singles lube groove so no lubing hassle, I use the RCBS and a Saeco 3 banger ( same basic boolit) in tandum and sort when sizing.

Take a look at the RCBS you might be impressed!

[PatMarlin]

Years ago right when I was thinking about taking a look at casting, I was at the BIG Reno show. Came upon a table with a huge mold collection, and guys hovering over it like vultures.

I picked up a mold that caught my eye cause it said .38/.357, and it was an old RCBS 38-175-RN. I asked one of the experienced guys looking at molds if it was a good one, he said it was a great mold, and went on to explain and shared a lot of info with me on casting. Probably was one of our members here. ...:mrgreen:

Well he was right- it's a great shooting boolit out of my Smith's and Colt.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Still any opinions an a Saeco 200gr mold? I have seen Double Tap ammo in this weight for 357mag, and the factory claims 1200fps from a 4" barrel! Also the factory claims that they are safe to shoot in ANY 357mag. However they advise against using them in snub-nose revolvers do to recoil. Take note I always like to play it safe when reloading. I am just asking because I have seen factory loads with 200gr bullets, so I assume that it can be done safely.