Ideal 3118 Four Banger

[Green Frog]

As I stated in the "Makes me cringe..." thread, for many years I spent time chasing casting precise, matched bullets for the demanding game of cast bullet rifle shooting, I tried to do everything possible to make each bullet like the one before it and the one after. Among other things, this made me cast with single cavity moulds to avoid introducing variance from two or more cavities. Now, as I spend more of my time shooting revolvers in less strenuous events and with less demanding standards of bullet production... not sloppy, but not what some here think of as completely OCD.

Years ago I bought an oooold example of the single cavity Ideal 3118 to make bullets one at a time for my 32-20 high wall Winchester. It was (and is) a joy to use and gives a batch of bullets as much alike as possible. Then when I got interested in shooting 32-20 and 327 Fed Mag in revolvers, I needed to get a little faster, so I found a similar vintage double cavity and my production of bullets just about doubled. Fast forward to this week when I saw a listing in "Swapping and Selling" offering a four cavity Ideal mould in the same pattern. I got in touch with the seller (who happened to live fairly close by) and now it's mine! I see a big jump in my production of bullets for the 32 H&R and 327 FM I've come to emphasize in my shooting program lately. They may also end up showing up in some 32 S&W Ls too, even if I don't get around to loading for the 32-20 that started this whole mess.

Well that's it. I just had to brag a little about my newest acquisition and thank my new friend, phaessler, who made this buy possible.

Froggie

[Conditor22]

Congrats on our Ideal 4 banger. I haven't met a bad ideal mold (or OLD Lyman mold). the same can't be said for newer Lyman molds

You'll find the 4 bangers will get heavy a lot faster than your 1X

[Wayne Smith]

Aaah, Froggie. You saw it before I did. I have a single cavity Winchester mold that I use for my Remington 25.

[Bohica793]

I just had to brag a little about my newest acquisition and thank my new friend, phaessler, who made this buy possible.

Froggie

Yeah, that friend of yours, phaessler, is quite the enabler. He has fed my addiction on a couple of occasions as well including one recently. I think I am starting to get the shakes again.....

[psweigle]

Bet that will be a good 327 FM boolit for sure. It's one of the moulds on my short list.

[Green Frog]

Friend Outpost75 pointed out the shortcomings of this design in another thread some time ago. While it has about the perfect profile for the heavier 32s (is that an oxymoron?) it has a glaring design flaw... there is no crimping groove unless you use the front grease groove for that purpose. Bullet designs that have been developed later open up the lower grease groove and convert the upper to a proper crimping groove, but that becomes a different design.

The old 3118 design ( in Ideal and Winchester moulds) has soldiered on for about 125 or more years now, so it must be OK, but it s not perfect. Did that stop me from jumping at buying this mould? Heck no! Neither I, nor my guns, nor my ammo are perfect either, but this seems to work pretty well and I’m pleased to have it to work with. My old Uberti SAA copy in 32-20 and my 327s will just have to “suck it up, buttercup!”

Froggie

[Green Frog]

Now if I could only find a 4-banger Ideal 313445!

So many great moulds and so little time (and money! )

There are so many things to do with the 32s, but they’ve been the red headed step child to the bigger calibers from Smith. It’s truly “the path less traveled.”

Froggie

[redhawk0]

Yeah...Phaessler has gotten to me a few times too...I already had a single cavity 31141 and he posted up a 311041 double for sale...I can only make 3 at a time (with two molds)...but it works for me.

I'm glad you found a 4-cavity for your 32s. It really does help to bang out more in one action....especially for handgun shooters.

redhawk

[mattw]

Green Frog, if one of those show up... I will beat you to it! The 313445 is my hands down favorite in the 32 H&R.

Now if I could only find a 4-banger Ideal 313445!

So many great moulds and so little time (and money! )

There are so many things to do with the 32s, but they’ve been the red headed step child to the bigger calibers from Smith. It’s truly “the path less traveled.”

Froggie

[Green Frog]

Mattw, I have a DC example of the 313445 and it does quite well for me, but since so many of my 32s seem to have that as their favorite diet, I'm thinking I might be better off to have a 4 banger for that one too. A couple of folks have commented on how heavy the 4Cs are and how fast you get tired casting with them, but as long as I don't get worn out more than twice as soon as with the DC I should come out ahead. If I can rig up a roller type rest on my lead pot, I should be able to work it OK. Regardless, I need to do some casting with some of these moulds I've gotten and see how well they will suit my needs.

Up until now, I've generally used DC moulds for my "high volume" production, so I'd better try out the new-to-me 3118 X 4 and see how I like it before I go crazy buying more.

Froggie