Lee 358-178 1R

[jonp]

I bought this on Ebay 4 or 5 years ago with other stuff and posted a thread asking what it was for then promptly forgot about it. I was digging through some stuff and found it on a shelf.

It's a single cavity and round nose. I can't find any information on it and Lee doesn't have it on their website so I'm wondering if someone special ordered it? Any ideas what it is for?

[jonp]

No love from Lee. All they could say was it was either a custom or before 1982. Less than a day for a response so typical good customer service from Lee. Guess I'll cast a few, measure and post the info with a picture

[smkummer]

I believe it’s a long nose design made for 38 S&W to replicate the WW2 British service load. Do you have a pic.

[gwpercle]

It could be used to replicate a similar load like the old 200 grain RN 38 special
" Super Police Load" of yesteryear. Instead of a 200 grain bullet the 178 grain bullet could be used and driven just a little faster . Elmer Keith seemed to like 170 grain boolits in the 38 special and all things considered the 178 grain boolit might have been designed to split the difference between 200 gr. and 170 gr. and get a little more velocity out of it .

It could be used in 35 Remington as a light weight plinker .

Lyman # 358430 is a round nose design that came in two weights 150 grain and 200 grain...
does it look like #358430 ? If so ... it would be right in the middle of the weight range .
Gary

[jonp]

Here is a picture I took today and I think Gary is near the mark on this one. I cleaned it up and cast 10 or so just to try it out. Boolits dropped clean with no problem and do look like the Lyman 358430. I'm going to try it in both the 38sp and 357. Might make a nice plinker in my 35 Whelen. If I can find a nice 357Mag carbine I think it would be a lot of fun