Mold numbers????

[RU shooter]

I am assuming the first three numbers are the dia. but what are the other numbers about? what do they designate or represent ?

[Ricochet]

In Lyman's system, the numbers after the diameter were just an arbitrary reference number for the cherry used to cut the mould.

[floodgate]

RU shooter:

What are the numbers on your mould? (Also any letters, and if it is a Lyman / Ideal mould, there should be another small set of matching numbers on both blocks - to keep the set together during finishing and packaging.)

Your avatar: "Russia - Armed Forces"???

floodgate

[RU shooter]

RU shooter:

What are the numbers on your mould? (Also any letters, and if it is a Lyman / Ideal mould, there should be another small set of matching numbers on both blocks - to keep the set together during finishing and packaging.)

Your avatar: "Russia - Armed Forces"???

floodgate

It was just a general question I dont even have a mold yet ! just wondering about what the numbers ment . And da Russian Armed Forces is correct, Tbe Gavarutie pa Ruski ? My spelling is probably off in the transliteration, I havent been overthere for 2 yrs and my language skills are fadding fast!

[floodgate]

RU:

Da, neskol'ko slov...

A brief summary of current Lyman mould markings. Of the six-digit numbers, the first three are the (very!) nominal size-to diameters, and the last three started in a chronological sequence in 1896-7; we call the latter ones "cherry numbers", as that is how Ideal's John Barlow kept track of his mould cherries. For the low numbers, what used to be #3118 is now #311008 - six digits to keep the computers happy. But many of the cherry numbers from dropped designs were recycled; an old short-range #3089 for the .30-30 was dropped early-on, and was revived many years later as #3589, the .35 caliber "hammerhead" of lamented memory, then as #358009 until it, too, was dropped. In a very few cases, Lyman was able to pick a "cherry number" from the scrap heap that matched the bullet weight; an example is the Thompson SWC gas-check #358156, but this was not normal practice. Cherry numbers in the -400's and above are Lyman designs from 1925 on; the -500's were reserved for special - mostly custom - designs like the Harvey zinc-washer-based "Prot-X-Bores" and cores for his "Half-Jacketed Jugulars"; they are now into the high -600's.

Second, there should be matching one-, two- or three-digit numbers on each block; these - as I said above - are to keep the block pairs together after cherrying (a cherry is a contoured, fluted, hardened steel cutter of the shape of the intended bullet, rotated with heavy lubricant flow as the block halves are squeezed together in a double-acting vise, to form the cavity).

Other letters preceding or following the bullet number can be an identifier for a particular cherry of several for a specific bullet (like #311291AV), or can indicate "undersized": U- or -ES: "extra-small"; or, sometimes -S for "small"; "S" is also occasionally used for "short", where a shorter version of a particular bullet is made by inserting the cherry less deeply) . Where a bullet is available in multiple lengths/weights, the weight is also sometimes given in grains; I have a DC mould for #311241 cut - and marked - for the 125 and 150-gr. versions of this round-nose, plain-base .30-30 bullet.

A small, single number may identify a particular tool operator; another letter which I can't recall just now ("C", "X" ???) indicates a mould that for some reason did not pass inspection and was sold as a "second"; a bunch of these came on the market in 1982-3, and those of us who have tried them generally have found them quite serviceable. The Lyman-made loose-block moulds from 1925 on (earlier "Ideal" moulds had the blocks integral with the handles) were marked "IDEAL" until around 1964, when Lyman decided casting and reloading tools were a major part of their business (formerly, they focussed on sights and Cutts Compensators) and changed the stamp to "LYMAN". In 1995, the factory moved a few miles, and the address changed from Middlefield to Middletown, CT. Starting in 1997, they began to add a stamped month/year date, eg,: 7/98 for July, 1998. Lots of information there, some of it still not fully understood.

That's just for the Lyman/Ideal moulds, my main specialty; other makers used different numbering schemes, a few of which have still not been fully "decoded". Modern-Bond had a truly weird system, but I won't go into that until you stumble across one.

RU, are you still there? RU...??? Well, you DID ask!

Do svidanniye!

floodgate

[John Boy]

Floodgate, that's the most informative post on Ideal/Lyman molds I have ever read. Thank you kindly, Sir!

Now, to pick your knowledge base: A friend lent me his Ideal 375 - 83 mold. It drops a 150gr bullet (380 dia), excellent for my 38-55 in gallery shoots. I'm going to have to give it back to 44wfc and cry at the post office.

Do you know where I can buy this mold?

[floodgate]

John Boy:

Thanks for the good words!

Aside from eBay, and posting here, you might want to check with Jon Vivas at Western Bullet Co. There's also a lady mentioned here a couple of days ago, but whom I have never dealt with who offers moulds for sale; can anyone point John Boy to her website?

floodgate

[kywoodwrkr]

Doug,
Do you mean Bullet Lady on Auction Arms.
She does seem to come up with a large variety off and on.
She's been running a bunch of NEI Magma moulds if I remember correctly.
Business was Liberty something or else.
Just remember their brochure had a picture of her on a sofa with her hubby behind her ala mid 1800s.
Catchy brochure.
Pleasure to deal with.
She currently has no auctions going.
You can search for ended auctions though and then e-mail her.
FWIW
DaveP kywoodwrkr

[John Boy]

Thanks Gents for the leads. Since I found out how well this bullet shoots, I've been working eBay and several of the guns for sale site ... not Auction Arms though.

Will continue the search or make 44wfc an offer he may not want to refuse

[John Boy]

... guess it pays to advertise. Ideal mold 37583 on it's way from a Cast Boolits Forum member.

Merry Christmas, John Boy