Lyman 358345 115 gr boolit in a .380 ??

[Ohio Rusty]

I have the Lyman 358345 115 gr. SWC mould. They look like a tiny flat nosed SWC boolit. I have about 3 or 4 dozen I cast up. Sized at .358 and lubed, they all weigh between 110 and 111 grains. Has any list member ever sized these to .356 and tried them in a .380 ??
Ohio Rusty ><>

[BigAlofPa.]

I have done the opposite ran 95 grain in 9mm. But never tried 115 in .380

[Ohio Rusty]

I bet that 95 grain boolit was supersonic !!
Ohio Rusty ><>

[BigAlofPa.]

Yes probably. I didn't chrono them. I did it before i had a chronograph. I'll load some again and check them.

[mattw]

I would try it in a heart beat in 380, start low and look for function.

[poppy42]

I use that boolet in a 38 special over 3.4 grains of sr7625. I worked up (or should I say down) to make a lite load to teach the wife to shoot. I have ya tell ya it’s a hoot to shoot! Has the recoil of a 22 long rifle! And 3/4 inch groups at 25 yards. Unfortunately, I’m down to about 1/4 pound of 7625. Boy I sure wish they still made that powder!when it’s all gone ( and I shoot the 1000 round I have loaded) I’ll have to start all over again with a different powder. Oh and In case anybody’s interested I called Hodgdon and ask their tech what he suggested for a replacement and his answer was tightgroup. Sorry I cannot help as far as loading it for a 380. By the way my weight the same as yours, 110,111 grains. No where’s near 115 grains the Boolets are Supposed to weigh!

[jcren]

I have used the simular lee bullet un several 380's. Load it like a 45 hg68 style bullet and remember to keep the powder charge light with that much lead in the case. Btw, I size mine to .357.

[Outpost75]

I use the Accurate 35-120H with 2.5 grains of Bullseye in my Ruger LCP, Beretta 1934 and SIG P230.

Attachment 264119

[rintinglen]

I have one of those molds, but I have yet to try it in an Autoloader. I do intend to try it in my 1907 Husqvarna 9mm Browning Long, but that is down the road. Mine is one of the most cantankerous molds in my rather extensive collection. I seldom get better than 70% keepers, try though I will. At first I thought it was because there was so little lead in the mold, but my 90+ grain 358-242 casts just fine with the same alloy.

[Outpost75]

I have one of those molds, but I have yet to try it in an Autoloader. I do intend to try it in my 1907 Husqvarna 9mm Browning Long, but that is down the road. Mine is one of the most cantankerous molds in my rather extensive collection. I seldom get better than 70% keepers, try though I will. At first I thought it was because there was so little lead in the mold, but my 90+ grain 358-242 casts just fine with the same alloy.

Sounds like you might have some zinc contamination in your alloy, or else the mold simply isn't hot enough. When I get a new Accurate aluminum block I brush the blocks with Palmolive dishwashing detergent, then boil in tap water for 30 minutes. With whatever minerals are in our municipal water supply the blocks come out a uniform, smooth gray color and if you preheat the mold on a hotplate calibrating with a 400 degree F Tempilstik crayon, you should get good bullets from the first pour. I seldom reject any unless I open the sprue plate too soon. I maintain the melt at 730 degs. F and alternate between to sets of blocks to set cadence.

[rintinglen]

If it was just a one time event, or if other molds didn't cast well from the same pot, I might suspect zinc contamination. But I've had this old, iron, two-cavity mold for 25 years and it has always been a stinker. When ever I get to thinking I know it all, something like this comes along to teach me a lesson in humility.

[Boogieman]

I used it in a PPK 380 with 231 powder It fed 100 % and grouped better than the factory test target

[Piedmont]

rintinglen, I had a 358345 2 cavity that cast worse than yours every time I would use it. Several years back I got some replacement sprue plates from a board poster who was selling them. I think it was Red River Rick but I am not sure. I remember he was in Canada. The new sprue plate turned it into a good mold. The new plate was a bit thicker and I think I remember the sprue holes were smaller. The difference in casting was night and day.

[Good Cheer]

Used a factory hollow pointed #358345 mold in the early eighties.
Was in a piece with the polygonal bore, a very accurate tomato can slayer.
Never, ever jammed. Chasing brass sure was a pain.
Looked for you but didn't find the load data. Pretty sure the boolits were sized .357 or .358.
Most likely I was loading Unique.

[mattw]

If my 911 were home, rather than in for service... I would try this Arsenal 122TC. The dummy I loaded is sized .357, will size test rounds to .356. Next to it is the Lyman 358242, great bullet, very accurate. BTW, the cases are not as rough as they look, lighting made the cases look really bulged.

[Ohio Rusty]

My Lee .356 sizer arrived !! Looking forward to getting some 358345's sized and loaded. I have 2 pounds of Vhitavori N310, but I may use red dot as my load powder and use the 120 grain load data for .380. Thanks all for the info !! I'm encouraged ....

Ohio Rusty ><>

[lotech]

I've used the SAECO 122 grain flat nose (truncated?) 9mm bullet in several .380s. Sized .356" with velocities up to around 850 fps; best accuracy was at around 800 fps. I no longer have any .380s, but as I recall, loads with this bullet functioned reliably.

[DB404]

Yes, I have used 358345 quite a bit in a locked breech .380, 3" barreled Iver Johnson Pony, and it's predecessor, the Star DK. Bullets drop from the mold at .3605' and are sized to .3560" in a Lyman lubricator/sizer. Lube was LBT soft. Slugs weighed 110 grains cast from my metal. Most accurate load was with AA#7, taper crimped lightly a bit behind the front edge of the front band. Velocity was 950 fps, with 3.0" groups at 25 yards. (Doubt my much older eye balls could hold the sight picture well enough to duplicate that these days.) COAL was 0.920". Lyman #47 has pressure tested data for the .380 with cast bullets up to 121 grains in weight. BTW, all the test loads (lots of them) with this bullet shot tighter groups than the factory loads did (lots of them) regardless of powder type.

All the best,
Dave

[Boogieman]

I loaded some 358345 with 231 using jacketed data, from Lee. It would stay on a B27 target at 50 yards, 2 hands standing.