Went mold shopping

[dubber123]

After joining this site, I got a renewed interest in picking up some more molds. I went to a shop I remembered having a few boxes of molds in the back room, with the intention of finding a .30 cal mold. Well I didn't get a .30 cal, but got a Lyman 311316, a 112 gr. gas check for 32-20, a Lyman 35864, a fat, .360ish RN for my .38 S&W's, and a 358430, a plain base .358" bullet I believe weighs 190 grs. The last 2 I have been out bid on many times on E-bay. All 3 molds are new in the boxes, with crumbly plastic still clinging to them. I got all 3 for 75$, so I'm pretty happy! I'll try to cast some out of each today. There was a ton of other molds I liked the looks of, including a Hensley and Gibbs .45 Colt hollow point mold. I will make another trip over soon.

[homefront]

Yep, older gunshops have good stuff tucked away. I just picked up a Lee .44 mag 6-holer, complete with handles, for $25. I'm looking at others he has, and cash talks loudly [smilie=1: .

[Buckshot]

.............dubber123, good haul! I bought a 4C Lyman from a board member for MY 38 S&W V model. It was the 35863 which drops full WC's at .363". Works like a champ.

................Buckshot

[dubber123]

I can't tell you guys how tickled I am to have found these molds. All 3 are ones I have thought of getting, or have been out bid on. I am headed out shortly to cast with each of these. A quick question, I am guessing .30 cal gas checks are correct for the 32-20 mold, is this right? It seems to be the closest to the final diameter I size to, .312". There are alot of other molds at this shop, a NIB 429244, a NIB 405gr. FN Lyman for 45-70, a few Hensley and Gibbs, just a bunch, I hope the price stays the same, (the shop owners a little moody), 25$ ea. is just fine with me! Thanks for the replies.

[dubber123]

Well the mold I thought would cast at .360" casts at .358". Bummer. The supposedly 190 grain mold casts at 160 grains, the bonus is that it casts at .362", great for my .38 S&W's. The 32-20 mold casts at .312" and change, which is perfect. All drop bullets well, and are well within .001" of round. Not really what I thought I got into, but not bad overall.

[26Charlie]

Dubber123, If you have any need for those calibers you should pick up the H&G moulds before someone else finds them - they are the finest quality. Also, HP moulds are rather rare.
I have a few, and although the larger ones have questionable utility (if you hit something with a .44 or .45 bullet, does it matter whether it is hollow-point or not?) the smaller ones are good.
I use 31133 (HP version of the 115 gr. 3118) in all the .30 rifles with 5 gr. of Bullseye as a varmint bullet, and also in the .32 S&W Long for my wife's Colt Detective Special in that caliber. I also use the 358156 150 gr. GC HP as a varmint bullet in the .357 Mag.

[Ricochet]

That #311316 seems to have a strong resemblance to the Lee "Soup Can" that's a big favorite .30 caliber boolit with many members of this board. (See the ongoing Group Buy.)

[dubber123]

Thanks, guys, I am trying to figure out when I can make it over to the shop again, next Sat. would likely be the first opportunity, but I have a pistol shoot! I may have to play hookie from work one day. The one H&G mold I looked at was neat, one cavity was a solid SWC, the other cavity was a hollow point version of the same bullet. There was at least 2 more H&G's, but I can't remember what they were. The new 429244 needs to come home too. The molds sit in the back room, and unless you know they are there, they are safe, (hopefully).

[birdhunters]

Dubber123
In answer to your 311316 gas check question.....Yes you would want to use 30 gas checks.

[dubber123]

Thanks, birdhunters for the reply. Too bad I missed out on the group buy on .30 cal. checks.

[versifier]

Dubber123,
What alloy are you using? Different alloys will cast to different sizes with the same mould, likewise the weights. You might be able to get the .360" that you are looking for. (WW generally drops fatter and heavier boolits than lino or mixtures.)
311316 is the Lyman/Ideal version of what we call the "soupcan" and is a very versatile rifle boolit and in great demand. As mentioned, there is now a GB for a 6cav .312" version of Lee's .309" standard.
358430 was used to describe two different moulds, 150 & 200gr - sounds like you got the smaller version, still a really good boolit, though.
Especially since the prices are so reasonable, I would recommend snapping up whatever they have left. What you don't want, members here will trade or pay you fairly for them.