can someone help to identify a mold

[many ponies]

I have a mold i have had for many years, bought it at a yard sale, because I wanted the handles to put on a minnie ball mold I had.
It has the following identifying markings.

IDEAL
MIDDLEFIELD, CONN,USA
323 470

below that on each half is what I presume to be a serial number,,566.

I have never cast a boolet with it.
When i got it I took the handles off, put them on another mold, greased it down and stored it.
I am hoping it is for a 8mm mauser, as I have aquired one, and would like to shoot some cast boolets in it.
Does anyone know anything about it?

Many thanks.

MP

[Fixxah]

.....

[dominicfortune00]

If you check the Lyman boolit table in the Classics & Sticky section from three peaks, it shows the 323470 as a 165 grain GC boolit.

The Classics & Sticky section is your friend, don't be afraid to go there; many questions you have will probably be answered there in Sticky form.

[AZ-Stew]

If you check the Lyman boolit table in the Classics & Sticky section from three peaks, it shows the 323470 as a 165 grain GC boolit.

As above, and it is a Loverin-style boolit (multiple driving bands and lube grooves) that should work well in 8mm Mauser. If you should decide you don't like it, please put me first on your list of potential buyers. I'd love to get a chance to work with it.

Regards,

Stew

[mooman76]

I have the same exact mould. It is a good shooter. I have yet to use it but a friend gave it to me because he had some extras when I picked up a lot of reload stuff and got a double cavity one.

[John Boy]

http://www.three-peaks.net/images/323470_165g.gif 165gr (GC)
323 designates the bullet diameter

Ideal was one of the prominent mold makers in the US from the turn of the century. They were bought out by Lyman in the early 1970's. 8mm Mausers have a 323 bore diameter

[Bret4207]

Actually Lyman bought Ideal from Marlin (?) bacK in the teens or 20's, Marlin got it from the original owner John Barlow IIRC. Something like that anyway. Lyman copntinued to use the Ideal name into the 30's or 40's at least, perhaps later. All the info is in the Lyman Cast Bullet handbook.

FYI and be aware- 8mm Mauser barrels have a GROOVE diameter that runs .323 nominally, but they vary widely and the early barrels ran as small as .318 +/-.

[badgeredd]

On the groove variation, my Mausers have bores of .324 and ,326, but I have a friend that has three that vary from .322 to .324. I have noticed that many barrels made before WW II seem to be closer to to .323 as a rule if not over used. I'd love to get a 323470 of my own. :grin:

Edd

[beagle]

I have a 323470 that drops bullets about .325" so you may get lucky./beagle

[Bret4207]

On the groove variation, my Mausers have bores of .324 and ,326, but I have a friend that has three that vary from .322 to .324. I have noticed that many barrels made before WW II seem to be closer to to .323 as a rule if not over used. I'd love to get a 323470 of my own. :grin:

Edd

BORES or GROOVES?

[many ponies]

thanks to all for the replies, i have came down with a terrible cold
last night, and been too sick to get on here.
i'll be back when i get to feeli
ng better.

MP