MiHec 358156 HP or Solid

[Buzz64]

Not used in .357 but in .38 w/ 4.2gr HP-38 I get the ole raggedy hole at 15yds (S&W 66)

[dragon813gt]

Don't tell me that
I just got the redelivery notice for a plain base mold today. I still haven't casted w/ the gas check version. I have high hopes for the PB version since it saves me gas checks and makes lubing easier.

[JWFilips]

Somethings funky, I just got to figure it out:

for my testing all the boolits were closely inspected and weighed out in 1/10 grain groups. these groups were loaded & marked as different batches. Can't figure out why I can't get them to shoot like my other SWC of similar weights in my 357 mags. Sizing was right on for my two pistols, No leading nothing unusual. & as a control I fired a few groups of proven
rounds 358311 HP, 358477 & lee 358-158 swc just to be sure it wasn't me having a bad day and they did what I thought they would. Something's different here & I got to figure it out. The boolits cast beautifully from that mold

I may put this 357mag testing on hold for warmer weather and move on to testing in my S&W 15 ( .38 Special) That pistol has never disappointed me when doing tests of most all the boolits I have cast

[GLL]

My 4-cavity GC solid just arrived !
Many thanks to Mihec for sorting out the billing problem.
I bought three different variations of this 358156 mold design and each is a beautiful example of his detailed craftsmanship !

Jerry

[dragon813gt]

Man was I having issues w/ the PB mold yesterday. I haven't cast w/ the GC version yet. My cull rate was in the range of 50-75% w/ the large pins and about 50% for solids. 96/3/1 alloy and the pot was PID controlled at 715 degrees. Mold preheated on a hot plate to the point of the lube smoking, like every other one of his molds. And I treated the pin points to a pencil before I started casting. And the bullets were jumping off the pins.

But now the problems. The sprue was hardening in five seconds. But the noses kept tearing w/ the hollowpoint pins. Waited a few seconds after opening the sprue plate and the noses stopped tearing. But then the top driving band would be wrinkled. Tried every combination of timing and couldn't find a sweet spot. I wasn't going hotter w/ the alloy because the sprue would take to long to harden and I was already having issues w/ the noses tearing.

W/ the solids I was getting the same wrinkles in the top driving band. I would also get them in the base and lube groove randomly. It seemed to be coming from the same cavity because they all looked the same and I wasn't getting four rejects at once. I eventually started to cast as fast as possible. Once the sprue hardened I would cut it and open the mold immediately. Wrinkles went away but then I got tearing of the top driving band. This thing seems to have a small zone where it works perfectly.

I know I will figure it out. But I cast maybe 500 total of these in the same amount of time that it took me to cast over 1k of two different 45 cal designs. Both of them are MP molds as well.

[JWFilips]

Maybe it is our state we are located in ( geomagnetic waves & such) I got great cast but I can't get them to shoot at all in my any of my .357 mags I'm on to testing in my 38s ...........I'm kind of aggravated since I have Lee TL's that outshoot them!!! go figure!

[dragon813gt]

Maybe it is our state we are located in ( geomagnetic waves & such

I'm thinking it's the Reading Prong
I was in my garage w/ the torpedo heater running while temp ranged between 25-35 outside. The 45 cal molds I was using dropped perfect bullets from first to last pour. I've had issues w/ some 9mm molds before so I will eventually straighten everything out.

[JWFilips]

Once I can cast again in my casting area ( just too cold with the polar things happening) I'm going to put in the solid pins and cast up a bunch to compare to my other SWC moulds I wish I did that when I got it but I was all excited about those big HPs. Never thought about the solid to compare apples to apples. I got to figure this out. And I only thought the hard part would be learning how to cast with a brass mould!

[Rodfac]

I got mine a cpl weeks ago, but was busy with some 452374's for my 1911's and didn't get around to trying the new mold right off. I degreased it with Carb cleaner, lubed the alignment pins with the supplied bottle as well as the sprue pivot, top of the mold and the tips of the hollow pt pins. I carefully wiped as much of the lube off as possible and got started.

I cast for the most part, with a 1:3 Pb/WW alloy and only add minute bits of tin solder if there's a problem with fill out. This mold is a heavy one, and took some time to adjust to the add'l weight. Too, I had to readjust the Lyman 20# furnace's mold support to the right height, figure out the timing for keeping it up to temp, and get to work. Apparently, I still had too much lube in various places, because the bases were wrinkled and I had a frequent void/vein down the side of the farthest away cavity (two cavity mold). I set it up with the round HP pin in the nearest cavity with the solid nose one in the farthest. It took about 50 bullets to get the mold/sprue plate up to temp, and burn off the excess lube but then they started to come out just fine. This mold requires a faster casting cycle than I'm used to...say 3-5 seconds to knock the sprue off after color change, a little quicker than I like but doable. Oddly enough, the HP cavity gave me keeper bullets faster and with fewer rejects than the solid.

I use a #2 pencil on the top of the mold after it's up to temp, about every 50 bullets or so and that keeps the free swinging sprue plate free and to pick of stray bits of lead/slag etc! The machining is so good and sharp on that sprue plate, that I find I can cut the sprue sooner then normal with no tear out at all. Additionally, I had no problems with HP nose tear out with the round pin, but haven't tried the penta style yet. Just looking at the round pin HP, I think it's going to be a problem sizing and seating it without damaging that thin nose section. Wish I'd ordered a smaller pin, but that thin nose should open up and most any velocity with a medium alloy.

Sizes with the alloy above run 0.360 to 0.3605" for both cavities...(I'd asked for a 0.360" dia.) Well done Mihec! Bullet weights run 143 gr for the HP round pin cavity, and 153 gr for the solid, again with that 1:3 Pb to WW alloy. I'll size some to my standard 0.359" tomorrow morning and try them out...it's +10 degrees out now here in Kentucky so range time on our farm here is going to minimal at best. I went out to feed the horses this pm, wearing every stitch of clothing I owned and padnuh...it weren't enuf!...How you guys in Minnesota do it is beyond me!

Also haven't tried my go-to GC...Hornady's...as yet, but I'll seat 'em in the Lyman 450 sizer as I lube/size tomorrow AM.


This is my third Mihec mold...and all of them have been winners for me...I especially like the H&G 4-Cavity for Keith's old 429421 bullet. That one will easily give me 1000 for a morning's casting session...and it's only problem is trying to keep the 20# Lyman furnace supplied with up to temp alloy.
Hope you all are as satisfied as I've been...all the best & HTH's Rod

[cja245]

Not calling you's guys liars, but I've had good luck with the PB bullet in 357 and 38. I started with some light 38's in about the 7-800 fps range with Unique (don't remember the exact load). I shot about a 5/8'' 6 shot group at 15 yards from the bench. I loaded some stout 357's to try and test the limits of the plain base. 17 gn. of h110. Bullet seated to the bottom groove. I crono'd those at 1380 fps out of my 6.5'' blackhawk. Basically the same one hole group, maybe slightly larger. I shot 50 of each and had a clean barrel. I was using 1:1 WW to pure, water quenched, lubed with carnauba red. I allowed them to harden for about 3-4 weeks before loading and shooting them. This was all with the plain base penta hollow point. I was referencing 150 gn. lead data from the Lyman cast bullet handbook.