358429

[boatswainsmate]

I recently got a 358429 used. It is casting at .363 and .3631/2 on the driving bands. Where should I start to size it down from if I want them to be .357. I am currently using 9 pounds WW and 1 pound magnum shot for casting. Thanks in advance Boats

[fecmech]

I'm not sure I understand your question but here goes. I would only size that down to a diameter that would chamber in your revolver if you want to keep that mold. Myself I would post it for sale as there are guys looking for oversize molds all the time and buy one that dropped in the .359-.360 range. You probably don't want to size to .357 anyway unless you have really tight throats and groove in your revolver. Also look closely at your mold blocks to make sure there are no lead flecks or anything that is holding the mold halves slightly apart, this could be the cause of your large bullets.

[HeavyMetal]

I like a somewhat over sized casting, it allows you to "adjust" boolit diameter to suit a specific revolver.

Lets do some " suposin" and "assumin" shall we.

Suppose you do all the checking fecmech suggested and you find nothing wrong with the mold. Suppose it keeps casting at .363.

Now we'll asssume your cylinder throats are .359 diameter.

I would want my boolits to be .360 diameter in this case, at least to start working up a load.

This means you now need to reduce your boolit diameter by .003.

I think thats a big "bite" for single pass sizing and lubing. I also think that if your not using a Star your gonna get boolits that are sized lop sided. If you are using a Star you may have fins on the base of your boolits.

Now we come to the creative part: I would, and have, had two or more sizing dies to deal with this particular issue. Each of the dies reduced diameter by .0015 until I hit my target size.

Please note that I made a reference to a Star sizer, which is what I use almost exclusively, and I nose size.

Having a Star is not a requirement for what you want to do, but inginuity is.

If your using a Lyman sizer I would make my first reduction as small as possible and lube them at that time.

Once lubed I would then remove the pin from inside my next sizer die take all the stuff under the sizer die off the machine and nose size the boolits. This adaptation will allow you to push the boolits in from the top, nose first, and have them exit the bottom of the die A La the Star system.

reduce diameter untill you get what you want.

Never having owned an RCBS sizer I don't know if this can be done with that machine. I have owned several Saeco's and this is even easier to do than the Lyman's.

Of course the "easy" way would be to sell the mold and buy another that casts more in line with what you want / need.

Where's the fun it that?

[MtGun44]

Boats,

Have you slugged or pin gage measured your throats in the cylinder? This is the front
diam and is very difficult to measure accurately with calipers. An expanding ball gage
and a micrometer (caliper is only +/-.001 accurate, not enough) can work. Removing
cyl and driving a soft lead slug thru and measured with a micrometer (again I stress that
a caliper is not accurate enough for this work) will give good info. Try for .001 to .002
over the throat diameter if it is in the normal range and slightly greater than the barrel
groove diam.

Please read the revolver accy sticky and do searches on many threads on fitting boolits to
revolvers. Easy if done right the first time, you can waste a lot of time rediscovering the
known.

Some revolvers have pathological dimensions, so report what you have if you know it, or
what you find if you do not.

Bill

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

If you really want .357, are you shooting these in a 9mm? Most revolvers want a bit bigger . . . measurements of the gun your shooting them in will dictate what size they need to be.

[boatswainsmate]

I cleaned the mold today with acetone and pre-heated to the mold to 400 deg. I made around 50 bullets and measured 20 from those with calipers. I am still getting readings at 363 to 363.5. I guess I will take the next step and slug the cylinder on the weapon I plan to shoot them in. Thanks for all the advice. Boats

[MtGun44]

Boats,

Calipers are marginal to worse for this application. You need a real micrometer.

Caliper accy is + or - .001. If you measure .363 it could be actually .362 or .364 or anywhere
in beween. A $25-40 micrometer is a critical tool in this hobby, really.

For example.

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=619-3106&PMPXNO=16720828&PARTPG=INLMK32

This should be a good one, accy is +/-.0001" what you really need, also has carbide faces
for wear protection.

You really do need to slug the cyl - make sure it is out of the gun! You can damage the
crane otherwise.

Bill

[boatswainsmate]

Thanks for the info Mtgun44.

[boatswainsmate]

I got my micrometer today. I measured the bullets at .3621. Thanks for all the help!