Paul G
I am Retired, I was tired yesterday and I am tired today!!!
I size that boolit to .358 for my Beretta 92. Works a treat. The most accurate boolit I have for the Beretta. Utterly reliable feeding.
I just loaded some of those up for my 38 special to see how they work. I'll find out nest time I go to the range.
Well it seems that this is more common than I actually anticipated it being. I think I really ought to lay mine out and get a better handle on what I have. Sad thing I got the new NOE 358429 that just completed still in the box unopened yet, and the HP version is enroute from Mihec. And I just added the Lee 105 SWC and 125 RNFP. To conserve lead when plinking at steel plates. It's a sickness.
Last edited by RedHawk357Mag; 03-22-2016 at 01:37 AM.
Ruger RedHawk 357 Mag 44 Mag GP100 Davidson Exclusive 5" Security Six 2 3/4", Speed Six 4"
Smith Wesson 629 PP and 686 PP, 617
I have almost the same issue that Tazman does, and I just picked up a shiny new NOE 360-180-WFN mould.
Apparently I'm an addict, and the first step is admitting that I have a problem.
- Bullwolf
It is really hard to turn loose of a boolit mold that produces great performing boolits, no matter how little I use it or how many molds I have.
In a practical sense, I need only one mold of a given type. Theoretically, I could end up with 3-4 molds and get by just fine. However some of these "duplicates" serve a somewhat different purpose. I have a couple of different full wadcutter molds that serve more for defense puposes than just target due to the design. One has a full flat on the front even sharper at the edge than a double ended wadcutter. Another is designed to be loaded with less boolit inside the case allowing heavier powder charges(358432).
I have/had SWC designs that have hollow points available although I am not certain how well they actually perform.
I guess, I just find it hard to limit my options. Not really certain why. Kind of like having so many guns of the same caliber.
It appears I am an addict in this also.
Rule number 1, never sell anything that works. If it does the job it is supposed to do, correctly, why sell it?
Rule #2 if you like rule 1 buy a BIG house.
I have sold guns, like the .410 double that had the right barrel shooting 3 feet high at 50 yards, left barrel shot 3 feet right. That is not going to work, gun is flawlessly pretty, dump it, get your money back and move on.
I have yet to sell a mold. But, most calibers I do not have a long list for, I have 1 or 2.
Find a box, label it, put all but 3 .357 molds in the box.
I can't help with the issue of too many molds but I agree with Char-gar that about three molds will feed a 38/357.
Some 155-160gr. SWC
a good WC around the 148 gr weight
maybe a round nose or a round nose with a flat point.
I'm really into simple logistics and a lot of my decisions are made around that philosophy. I'm just happier when I can keep things simple.
I would pick the 158 gr SWC mold you like best and sell off the duplicates
Same for the WC's
If there's not a distinguishable difference between the molds they become duplicates.
For 38 special and 357 mag I have and use A) a round nose, H&G # 39 weighing 158 grains, B) a 148 grain double ended full wadcutter...specifically the H&G #251, and C) a Keith style 158 grain Semi-wadcutter...specifically H&G # 51. Those three do all that I need to do. If I want to shoot something lighter I use Lyman 358242 which is a 120 grain round nose that I normally use for my 9mm loadings...I also have on occasion used RCBS 115 grain Truncated nose cone which just happens to cast at .358. Enough variety for me and they all shoot well. These were my original molds for the calibers indicated and I have always been satisfied with them so never added to the list. LLS
I feel inadequate I've only got 3 moulds in .358 ,2rcbs and 1lee will just have get more.
Be glad you don't shoot 35 cal rifles. I would keep one wc mold, one 150-160 gr swc and one heavy 170 gr+ mold. I would eliminate all that have a gc and if they shoot equally keep the ones with the highest # of cavities. I have a 160 gr wc that I love but the futility of casting for a revolver with a single cavity mold can get to you. If you shoot speed games nothing seems to reload as fast as a rn so keep one of those. Keep any that could have double duty in a 9mm. That should cut you down to 4 or 5 molds.
[The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze
I only have two and they are both old and a plain WC style w/button. These have been narrowed down to one, as the old Ideal needs handle work. I hope to get a RN and a SWC I find used stuff, a lot, but so far few moulds.
Us mould junkies don't sell moulds....it's just not right !
Keep them...keep them all. Mine are like my children, they bring back nice memories , I still have every mould I ever bought....all the old single cavities from when I started...it's not the moulds, it's the memories and stories that go with them.
I guess I'm just a sentimental , old mould junkie ,
Gary
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |