38 / 40 mold raised from the dead

[Ben]

Recently I acquired a Lyman Ideal 38 / 40 mold. It was rusted ( although not bad...) , and coated with dirt, and old grease. Basically filthy. I had almost talked myself out of even trying to clean it up and cast from it. I spent about 2 hrs. cleaning the mold this morning. Once it was clean and totally degreased, I noticed some very light rust pitting inside the mold. I used the old trick of spinning a bullet at slow speed with a cordless drill with some fine valve grinding compound to smooth everthing up. Worked GREAT ! !

I'm well pleased with the results. I looked up my mold in an old Lyman listing of their molds., I was able to find a 401043, but not my mold which is a 400 43. The 401043 is listed at 175 grs. With W/W and a " touch of TIN " , mine are weighing 176.4 grs. So I assume it must be the same mold. My bullets are within .0003 of being perfectly round. Anyone have an educated guess as to the age of this mold ? ?

Here are some photos:
In this 1st photo, that is dust and lint particles that you see inside the mold cavity. The cavity is very clean now.
It is hard to tell a book just by it's cover......

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/38%2040%20Bullet%20mold/4445.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/38%2040%20Bullet%20mold/4446.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/38%2040%20Bullet%20mold/4447.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/38%2040%20Bullet%20mold/4448.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/38%2040%20Bullet%20mold/4449.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/38%2040%20Bullet%20mold/44420.jpg

The bullets are measuring .4027

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/38%2040%20Bullet%20mold/44411.jpg

[9.3X62AL]

NICE photos, sir!

.403" as-cast will fit a wide array of 38-40 bores.

[PatMarlin]

You autta see Ben's camera Al.

That's the secrete bout' his photos. I want one.. :mrgreen:

Nice work Ben!!


...

[PatMarlin]

I ressurected a total rusted basket case .50 cal Lyman BP mold for my neighbor.

Cast a little frosty, but I'll be darn if it's not more accurate than the nice one I own.

[Ben]

Like I said fellows......." Real hard to tell a book just by looking at its cover.

Best,

Ben

[floodgate]

Ben:

Going back through my listings from the various Lyman / Ideal Handbooks and cataloge, I find the last use of the #40043 designation ibn a chart dated 3/56. Starting in Handbook #47 it was re-designated #40143 (probably with no actual change in diameter). Tom Griffin at Lyman tells me they do not have the exact date at which they started venting the moulds, but that it was some time in the mid-1950's . That pins your mould down pretty close.

You did FINE cleanup job on it!

Doug

[Ben]

Thanks Doug for those nice comments and that good information on my mold.

Best,

Ben

[cherok9878]

Ben, exactly where is Cleveland, AL?....I am in Wetumpka, go ahead and laugh, everyone else has....................larry

[Ben]

cherok9878:

P.M. sent to you.

Ben

[Denver]

I just recieved the same mold today from a guy in Texas who responded to my ad on the SASS Wire Classifieds. It's probably about the same vintage as yours. Mine is marked "405" where yours has 454. It's real clean and I just hung it on the handles and went to casting. I tossed back the first 5 or 6 and the rest were keepers. Mine weigh about 178 grs and measure a fat .403 in WW. Got the box too.

[Ben]

Denver:
Your specs are very close to mine. My mold is a good mold, not a thing wrong with it.

Best,

Ben

[Rick N Bama]

Ben, exactly where is Cleveland, AL?....I am in Wetumpka, go ahead and laugh, everyone else has....................larry

:redneck:

Being from Cullman County, I know exactly where Cleveland is (Blount County) and I think I know where Wetumpka is. Why would I laugh, that's no worse than Mud Tavern, Punkin Center, or Chigger Ridge[smilie=1:

Rick