Lyman 358480

[mac1911]

Picked one of these in a box of stuff.
Was thinking of some 38spl loads.
This by far is the most heavy duty mold i have aquired. What a beast.
Any good info , please share.

[USSR]

Great mold. I got one of these when they were closing them out just prior to Lyman dropping the mold from production. Makes a great heavy bullet 9mm load. In .38 Special, since it doesn't have a crimp groove, you can crimp over the leading edge of the driving band.

Don

[MT Gianni]

2 versions with the same #, 150 and 195 gr.

[USSR]

2 versions with the same #, 150 and 195 gr.

Um, 1 version,133gr.

Don

[jrmartin1964]

2 versions with the same #, 150 and 195 gr.

You're thinking of No.358430.
For a minute, so was I.

Jim

[mac1911]

mold is just getting to temp, I used the alloy that came with the boxOstuff. seems very hard. It went fluid at around 550ish . I usually run straight COWWs.
they are falling a little light and both are running .359"+ had a few at .360

[Ben]

358480

they are falling a little light and both are running .589"+

Something isn't right here ? ?
You need to check your numbers one more time.

[mac1911]

358480

they are falling a little light and both are running .589"+

Something isn't right here ? ?
You need to check your numbers one more time.

not the numbers, I need to stop posting on my phone! corrected .359" Sized and lubed some to .358" with newly acquired Lyman 450.

sizing and lubing I started to think. Is the top grove a lube grove or a crimp grove ?
Will one lube grove for low velocity 38 spl be enough. I am currently just using the Lyman Alox sticks that came with the molds. I will be loading these for plinking from a 2" revolver.

[Chill Wills]

It is a very good SWC in my experience. It was the first mold I owned for the first 38 Special, only because it was the only mold the local gun store has on the shelf. In those days pretty much all my shooting needs were from the local gun shop. I've cast and shot countless numbers of them. It turns out I don't regret it. It makes up a fine light recoil load and can be very accurate.

I lube both lube grooves and crimp in the front groove as well. I can't see crimping in a groove that has lube in it hurts any.

I think I read the bullet was first designed for something other than the 38 Special and the molds all cast 0.360" or even 0.361" to meet that need. 38 S&W or something British maybe. Mine produce bullets about 0.361 as cast.
4 grains of WW-231 is good.

[USSR]

The top groove is a lube groove. While you can just put lube in the bottom groove and use the top one to crimp into for low power loads, you will end up not resizing the driving band. It is my understanding that this bullet was designed for the .38 Super, hence no crimp groove.

Don

[mac1911]

I picked up this mold cheap enough (part of bulk buy) to play around with them.
Picked 50+lbs of some hard alloy with it.
I will play around with seating depth and see what happens.

[MT Gianni]

You're thinking of No.358430.
For a minute, so was I.

Jim

Thanks as a reminder that I have old eyes.

[Thin Man]

This "480" pattern is the only boolit I load for my .38 Super (pre-70 Commander). I have given thought to using the top lube groove as a crimp groove for .38 Spl., just never got around to it. If anyone reading this thread has tried this boolit in a revolver, please share your experiences. Thanks.

[USSR]

I load this bullet in light .38 Special loads. I put lube in both grooves and crimp over the leading edge of the driving band.

Don

[Chill Wills]

It is a very good SWC in my experience. It was the first mold I owned for the first 38 Special, only because it was the only mold the local gun store has on the shelf. In those days pretty much all my shooting needs were from the local gun shop. I've cast and shot countless numbers of them. It turns out I don't regret it. It makes up a fine light recoil load and can be very accurate.

I lube both lube grooves and crimp in the front groove as well. I can't see crimping in a groove that has lube in it hurts any.
Mine produce bullets about 0.361 as cast.
4 grains of WW-231 is good.

Thin man wrote:
" If anyone reading this thread has tried this boolit in a revolver, please share your experiences. Thanks. "

Post #9

I agree with USSR - great light revolver loads. On the rare times my wife and daughter shoot, it is the load they like best in the S&W M-67 and M-10.

[la5676]

If anyone is interested in a double cavity 358480, I've got one I'd let go real reasonable. I've just got too many other mold weights close in weight, and it's somewhat duplicitous. It tosses them at 132.2 +/-. I need to start thinning the herd anyway, or the wife unit is going to give them away or toss them when I assume room temp. You know how that goes.