Mold numbers

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05-14-2018, 05:30 PM
TaylorS

Mold numbers

Up for almost 48 hours so forgive me if I sound like a moron. So Lyman and maybe rcbs have the last 3 of there mold numbers as the cherry numbers, I have no clue what the first 2-3 numbers mean or what the cherry number is. I understand there are charts some place but those posts elude me at the moment. Maybe a more competent person could put a nice pretty sticky togeather with all the good little info. Really want to get more molds for when I’ve had the sleep to use them but Lee is all I know how to translate

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05-14-2018, 05:35 PM
StuBach

First 3 are diameter last three are cherry number.

Cherry number is just what number mold design that is for a particular manufacturer. E.g. 429 244 casts a bullet that is .429 diameter and was the 244th mold design made by company (Ideal/Lyman in this case).
05-14-2018, 07:27 PM
Minerat

1 Attachment(s)

Here's some info to peek your interest for Ideal Moulds.

Attachment 220445
05-15-2018, 02:12 AM
Cowboy_Dan

This table has all the Lyman/Ideal moulds that I have ever tried to look up. It even has moulds that haven't been made for decades, and some sort of picture and average weight for each. http://www.three-peaks.net/bullet_molds.htm

The designations for RCBS/Ohaus moulds is much like the Lee ones, 2-digit caliber, 2-3-digit weight, and an abbreviation for the boolit profile. Examples: 44 240 SWC (just what it looks like), 45 230 CM (230 grain .45 round nose flat point, I think CM stands for cowboy mould), 22 55 SP (55 grain .22 Spire point).

Saeco/Redding and H&G numbers are more confusing than Lyman/Ideal. Just a single number of up to 3 digits, like the Lyman cherry number, and no hint to diameter.

That shoild cover most of the non-custom moulds. I'm sure someone will fill in any I missed.
05-15-2018, 07:29 PM
TaylorS

Thanks y’all for the info

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuBach

First 3 are diameter last three are cherry number.

Cherry number is just what number mold design that is for a particular manufacturer. E.g. 429 244 casts a bullet that is .429 diameter and was the 244th mold design made by company (Ideal/Lyman in this case).

So you could have a 429244 and a 356244?

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05-15-2018, 08:31 PM
NoZombies

Quote:

Originally Posted by TaylorS

Thanks y’all for the info

So you could have a 429244 and a 356244?

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Generally no. The cherry designs for the older designs are dedicated to a caliber. There are a few exceptions where cherry numbers have been recycled, but the only cherry number I know of that covers a wide range of diameters was cherry #56 which was for their round ball molds, Ideal stopped marking their RB molds with the cherry number pretty early, but I don't know exactly when.

The three peaks chart is good, but far from complete. I have a number of Lyman and Ideal molds that aren't on their chart, and have seen a bunch of others. Examples include (just in .313 diameter) 313445, 313492, 31357 and 313631.
05-18-2018, 09:06 PM
gwpercle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cowboy_Dan

This table has all the Lyman/Ideal moulds that I have ever tried to look up. It even has moulds that haven't been made for decades, and some sort of picture and average weight for each. http://www.three-peaks.net/bullet_molds.htm

The designations for RCBS/Ohaus moulds is much like the Lee ones, 2-digit caliber, 2-3-digit weight, and an abbreviation for the boolit profile. Examples: 44 240 SWC (just what it looks like), 45 230 CM (230 grain .45 round nose flat point, I think CM stands for cowboy mould), 22 55 SP (55 grain .22 Spire point).

Saeco/Redding and H&G numbers are more confusing than Lyman/Ideal. Just a single number of up to 3 digits, like the Lyman cherry number, and no hint to diameter.

That shoild cover most of the non-custom moulds. I'm sure someone will fill in any I missed.

Download/print the three-peaks chart ...it has pictures of the boolits and descriptions....extremely helpful print out. Lyman will send a free catalog that has all the current moulds listed.
Between the two you will have a good reference of Lyman moulds.
Mould numbers are very confusing...sometimes there is no rhyme or reason to the system . Pictures of the boolits are worth 1000 words .
Gary
05-18-2018, 09:39 PM
jrmartin1964

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuBach

E.g. 429 244 casts a bullet that is .429 diameter and was the 244th mold design made by company (Ideal/Lyman in this case).

Actually, No.308244 (designed for the .30 Luger) was the 244th design by Lyman/Ideal. The number 244 was recycled in 1953 at the request of Ray Thompson (designer of No.429244) because his new SWC design's intended weight was 244 grains. The two No.244 designs appeared together in Lyman/Ideal lists and handbooks from 1953 until 1957 (after which No.308244 was discontinued). While a number of Lyman/Ideal cherry numbers were re-used over the years, this is the only instance where two designs bearing the same cherry number were catalogued simultaneously.
02-22-2022, 09:39 PM
ascast

The designations for RCBS/Ohaus moulds is much like the Lee ones, 2-digit caliber, 2-3-digit weight, and an abbreviation for the boolit profile. Examples: 44 240 SWC (just what it looks like), 45 230 CM (230 grain .45 round nose flat point, I think CM stands for cowboy mould), 22 55 SP (55 grain .22 Spire point).

Saeco/Redding and H&G numbers are more confusing than Lyman/Ideal. Just a single number of up to 3 digits, like the Lyman cherry number, and no hint to diameter.

as above : add in - Belding & Mull use the Ideal format, diameter then weight or style, Cramer seems to just make them up as they go along like Saeco or H&G preety much useless info.

NEI uses the Ideal standard but reversed, i.e. first3 are weight or style, 2nd 3 are nominal diameter.

Lee as stated, but they don't always mark the blocks, so what good is it.

NOE uses the standard, I think Accurate also.
03-01-2022, 10:32 AM
Bent Ramrod

I was always under the impression that the last three numbers on Lyman/Ideal moulds were the top punch numbers for the Ideal lubrisizer.
03-01-2022, 02:28 PM
Green Frog

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bent Ramrod

I was always under the impression that the last three numbers on Lyman/Ideal moulds were the top punch numbers for the Ideal lubrisizer.

It’s a chicken/egg situation, BR. The bullet nose was initially used to design a specific top punch early on, but then later on bullet noses that were a good enough fit to an existing TP were catalogued to call for the “stock” design. Witness the #8 TP called for by a variety of SWC 30-32 caliber designs. It was first used on the 3118 that is now the 311008. There are exceptions, I’m sure, but that’s the general idea.

Regards,
Froggie
03-09-2022, 07:44 PM
beagle

Adding a little bit to what froggie said. Not too long ago, Lyman got in a cheaper mode and stopped making a lot of the original top punches and they started listing TPs that would "work" for a mould instead of making one to the cherry. So, you have TPs for the old cherries out there and also TPs from the "new" system. Never pass up a "box" with TPs at a gun show. You never know what you'll find./beagle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green Frog

It’s a chicken/egg situation, BR. The bullet nose was initially used to design a specific top punch early on, but then later on bullet noses that were a good enough fit to an existing TP were catalogued to call for the “stock” design. Witness the #8 TP called for by a variety of SWC 30-32 caliber designs. It was first used on the 3118 that is now the 311008. There are exceptions, I’m sure, but that’s the general idea.

Regards,
Froggie