Is it asking too much....

[shaper]

I have been on the forum for a while now, asking questions, reading, learning, gathering in the items I need for my part of this sport. I still have not cast bullet. I am not the brightest candle in the room here and need to ask a question of the group. When you post a mold for sale, is it asking too much for you to also tell me what caliber the item is? This morning there is a mold up for sale, it is a 311413. This tells me nothing. By the time I go on line to look it up, it is sold and I again lose something I might have been looking for. On page 457 of my Lyman book it tells me everything about the projectile, but not the caliber. There are way too many differences in molds for me to remember all of them. So, I'm asking, please post the caliber so I can buy the items I need a little faster.

[Beagle333]

One way would be to print this out:
http://www.three-peaks.net/bullet_molds.htm
Then you could circle (or group) the molds on the chart with a highlighter or crayon or Sharpie or whatever, and write the caliber as a big number in the group. It'd be a quick reference for ya. It took me a lot longer to learn the second 3 numbers (the profile) than the calibers. But this does work!
Good luck!

[DeanWinchester]

Typically, the first numbers are the size. In the case of the 311413 it should cast a .311 boolit.

I feel your pain though. On a more locally based forum, Glocks came up for sale a lot. They'd never tell the caliber. Only the model, like I'm supposed to know all of them! I'd have to go look it up. Very aggravating when in two seconds, you can type it.

[waksupi]

It can help to research the designs that you would like for your firearm, and keep a list handy to reference.

[contender1]

Quite often on any sales ad,, the seller assumes that everybody knows what they are talking about when they list an item for sale. As such, they use abbreviations, model numbers, & other identifying stuff, that a lot of folks do not understand. (A good example is when a Ruger seller lists a KSBC-4 gun for sale, and not as many folks know that's the model designation for a stainless New Model Bearcat.)
Smart sales folks will provide details to try & get the sale completed. Pictures help a lot on any sale too!

I don't think it's asking too much to list details,,, but do not hold your breath for everyone to change.

[NewbieDave007]

I agree that it would be nice to have the information within the post, but at Beagle has pointed out in his link the caliber for lyman/ideal are the first three numbers. Also, like he said the profile is harder to memorize. While we are at it, I would personally like to see the approximate weight in a sale thread. All that said and it is unlikely that many will change and it is their right since it is their item that they are selling, so we will have to learn/memorize as we go. Plus we will have to hope that BrassMagnet is either sleeping or at work.

[jcwit]

Typically, the first numbers are the size. In the case of the 311413 it should cast a .311 boolit.

I feel your pain though. On a more locally based forum, Glocks came up for sale a lot. They'd never tell the caliber. Only the model, like I'm supposed to know all of them! I'd have to go look it up. Very aggravating when in two seconds, you can type it.

Agreed, but like Contender1 says

Smart sales folks will provide details to try & get the sale completed. Pictures help a lot on any sale too!

I don't think it's asking too much to list details,,, but do not hold your breath for everyone to change.

[RobS]

http://www.castpics.net/

In the References section there is mold information

http://www.castpics.net/subsite/CurMolds/default.html

[C.F.Plinker]

The Lyman mold numbers always give one very important piece of information and generally, but not always, give a second piece of information. The first is the diameter of the boolit in thousands of an inch. In the case you gave it is 311 so the diameter is 0.311 inches. This is for a 30 caliber rifle and would work, after sizing, in a rifle whose bore diameter measured land to land was .309 or greater. The second piece of information is the nose punch. This boolit would use the number 413 nose punch.

You may want to tackle this from the other end by going to Lyman's loading data for the caliber(s) you are interested in casting for and seeing which boolit designs they tested. For example, they tested the 311441, 311465, 311440, 311291, 31141, and 311407 for the 30-30. These vary in weight from 115 grains to 173 grains. Now you can decide which molds will satisfy your needs and just look for those

[Elkins45]

One way would be to print this out:
http://www.three-peaks.net/bullet_molds.htm
Then you could circle (or group) the molds on the chart with a highlighter or crayon or Sharpie or whatever, and write the caliber as a big number in the group. It'd be a quick reference for ya. It took me a lot longer to learn the second 3 numbers (the profile) than the calibers. But this does work!
Good luck!

Thanks for the link. That's a really useful reference.


As other have said, the first three digits tell you the nominal diameter. I do agree that the most useful ad is one that gives you a little more info. A picture of the cavity itself is always a good idea.

The Lyman mold numbers always give one very important piece of information and generally, but not always, give a second piece of information. The first is the diameter of the boolit in thousands of an inch. In the case you gave it is 311 so the diameter is 0.311 inches. This is for a 30 caliber rifle and would work, after sizing, in a rifle whose bore diameter measured land to land was .309 or greater. The second piece of information is the nose punch. This boolit would use the number 413 nose punch.

Huh? How uniform is this? I ask because I know I have a 311291 mold but I'm pretty sure it uses a # 465 top punch. I'm going to have to check the chart referenced above to see if there is a 465 mold with a similar nose.

[garym1a2]

A smart seller will list as much information as possible.

[historicfirearms]

Who keeps rating these threads negatively? Look at most of the posts on the "our town" section and look at their ratings.

Personally, I think that this is a good thread with a good, honest question. I just don't get the negative rating.

[Screwbolts]

I believe it was clearly pointed out what caliber the mold was for by just seeing 311413 as previously posted. T say what caliber a mold is for is almost infinet, I believe knowing the dia. of boolit is important to decide if it will work were I may want to try it.

I am assuming you do have internet access, by being a member here for 25 months and posting 115 times. If you were to learn how to use any one of the many search engines that are readily available to use on the internet , in a matter of seconds you can find more info on any subject than can be comprehended by most.

As an example, I simply typed "311413" in a new tabs search window that is for googgle seartch, in .21 sec. I got about 138K of answeres, here is what appeared in1/3 of my s available veiwing screen on my personal choice of computer monitors:

About 138,000 results (0.21 seconds)





Search Results

1. lyman #311413 / 169gr spitzer [Archive] - Cast Boolits
   
   castboolits.gunloads.com › ... › Molds...Maintenance and Design
   Apr 1, 2009 - 38 posts - ‎25 authors
   Also, given #311413's lesser bearing surface, I'd make doubly sure that they're sized to fit your bore and maybe even a bit larger; .311" or perhaps even .312".311413 and 358311 SC Molds with handles in box.
   4 posts
   Jul 20, 2014
   
   Lyman 311413 Mold
   8 posts
   Sep 6, 2011
   
   So, what's wrong with the 311413
   27 posts
   Apr 9, 2005
   
   More results from castboolits.gunloads.com
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Lyman #311413 - Shooters Forum
   
   www.shootersforum.com › Handloading › Bullet Casting
   Jan 25, 2004 - 3 posts
   Has any one had good results with Lyman #311413. What alloy and lube were used? Also when I wont to post somthing is it best to use a new ...
   
   
   
3. Lyman 311413/169 Squibb questions - Cast Boolits
   
   forum1.aimoo.com/.../Lyman-311413-169-Squibb-questions-1-956196....
   
   Mar 8, 2004 - These days this bullet in general and the Lyman version in particular (311413) seem to have a poor reputation for accuracy at speeds of more ...
   
   
   Your question reminds me of a seen in "Good Will Hunting" . Will asks the professor played by Robin Williams, as he looks over all the diplomas, "Doesn't it really Piss you off that everything you learned to get these is available for a $.40 library card? The use of search engines is todays library cards.
   
   Ken
   
   
   
   

[462]

When in the market to buy something, diligent homework is necessary.

Not always are the last three numbers of a Lyman mould the number of the correct top punch -- the 311291 comes readily to mind.

[MBTcustom]

After a while you get to where you know most of the common mold designs by heart, but it's nearly impossible to remember all of them.
Often I recognize the size and the basic design right off the bat, but I need details quick when looking at a for sale thread.
In that situation, I high lite the mold number and hit "Ctrl C" (that's copy)
Then I open a new page on a Google search and hit "Ctrl V" (that's paste)
Mash "Enter" and I can usually find the pertinent information I need in mere seconds, make a decision, then go back to the original castboolits page and either scream "I'll take it!!!!" or think, "you can keep your janky fishing sinker caster upper" and move along to do all if this over again. LOL!

What really stinks is when you have all the time in the world to research a certain obsolete mold design, and you just cant find jack squat anywhere. I'm currently trying to find information on a Lyman 311329 and the pickins are mighty slim!
but I digress.......

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Patience young shaper, it takes time to become wise to the ways of the boolit!

[koehn,jim]

Goodsteel a google search showed the 311329c as dropping a 210 grain spitzer with a gas check. Hope this helps.

[Hamish]

I had to smile when I saw the OP,,,,,,,,

I know I am not the Lone Ranger when I say that I lost count a long time ago of the number of moulds and what not I missed out on or felt clueless in a thread until I went and did a search of "Lyman mold chart". I still do it, A LOT.......

The cast boolit hobby, like any other, has a learning curve. If you are doing it right you are always learning more.

As Waksupi wisely said, searching out information about what Boolits generally work best with the guns you are interested in shooting and then studying up on those models and WHY they work will do more to help you along than any thing else when it comes to learning the numbers.

You have to remember that much of the numbering system comes from a time when in actuality, the numbers system had been, for the most part, changed over from a 4 digit system. And there was no uniformity of numbering. If I was XYZ Co. And I wanted to make a .38 wad cutter, whatever I deemed appropriate, from the letter A, to the number 1, to the size it actually was projected to cast plus my personal model designation was fair game.

It doesn't take long to learn the Lyman system, and kind of overlapping our "modern" way of the size and then the grain weight will get to be old hat, just like anything, from learning baseball scoring, to arrow spine in aluminum, aluminum carbon composites, and carbon.

As far as the way that an item is presented for sale without a doubt, Ben consistently makes the most informative and visually pleasing sale posts. With pictures of the mould, the boolit it drops, and all pertinent info on the model and the alloy and weights. Just outstanding.

shaper, I really do empathize with your frustration, especially so since I was the guy that glommed onto that 311413 that had been plain based by Buckshot. (I could not believe that it had sat unclaimed for half an hour!)

Hamish

[NVScouter]

Molds go very fast in S&S. I've known the mold and still been beaten out by 2-3 fellas. Better yet put up a post for WANTED" _______

[mold maker]

I've cast since 1962, or at least most of that time, and the numbers only make sense part of the time. Especially when so many cast off size from the indicated number. The boolit style can also be very different from what is listed in manuals, and mold lists, because of all the group buys and custom molds produced.
We do need a standard that can be a reference to all. I'm sure it would benefit more than shaper and I.