Any reason NOT to buy a new Lyman mould?

[KevH]

I want a four-cavity 429421 mould. Is there any reason not to buy a current production one? Current Lyman stuff doesn't seem to get a lot of love around here.

[badgeredd]

I want a four-cavity 429421 mould. Is there any reason not to buy a current production one? Current Lyman stuff doesn't seem to get a lot of love around here.

The problem has seemed to be that several molds have been received that cast boolits on the small side. I recently purchased a new 225415 mold and it was dead on. Be aware that it MAY come to you undersized. That being said, you decide whether you could tolerate a mold slightly undersize. Chances are customer service will not be overly helpful if you get one undersized. I believe that the lack of concern at the customer service level is at least the very close second reason Lyman is out of favor here. Getting a mold undersized would be the first reason. Also one thing one must remember is Lyman molds are spec'ed for Lyman #2 alloy so if you are using a different alloy you'll have a better than even chance the boolits will drop smallish. YMMV.

Edd

[geargnasher]

For the same money, if I were you I'd ask Tom at Accurate Molds dot com to make me a three-cavity brass version of that boolit in exactly the size I wanted to fit my revolver's throats. You will have his guarantee that it will cast the size you want (+.0015", -0) with the alloy you specify, and if you don't like any of his cataloged designs you can make changes to an existing one or have him design one from scratch. Same price custom, modified, or standard.

Gear

[stubshaft]

I haven't had any problems with Lyman recently. But as stated, make sure of the alloy you intend to use as it will affect the diameter of the boolit.

[runfiverun]

i ordered one at the first of the year and while waiting i went to the auto parts store and got some lapping compound.
good thing too.
85 bucks for a 4 cavity that'd make some pretty good 240 gr 44-40 boolits.
it's good now.

[white eagle]

no problems either
I just ordered one but
I got a mold that I wanted so
I sold the Lyman but as far as I knew no problems with the cast from it

[mooman76]

Or you could try to pick up a used one in good shape that some already knows what size it drops.

[9.3X62AL]

I went "Accurate Molds" for my 44 Mag and 45-70 mould needs last month. I could not be happier with Tom's products!

Lymans are a ****-shoot, I have a #266469 that needs a test-run with some #2 to see where it sits dimensionally. My rifle isn't wide-bodied, so the risk is minimal. S'posed to rain tomorrow, might be a fine day to spend pouring molten metal!

[canyon-ghost]

NOE has group buys on that one, in aluminum custom molds.

[GaryN]

With the access to custom molds that is now available, I don't know why anyone would even consider a lyman. Custom molds might cost a little more but by the time you get finished tuning up the lyman so you can use it, it will be cheaper to buy the custom. And a whole lot less aggravating.

[Ola]

Some time ago I ordered 2 Lyman molds
-the .429 4-cav OP is interested in
-.310 2-cav.

Both look great and feel like quality products. Casting with them is easy too. But in .310 the other cavity makes oval boolits (.310 <> .306) and .429-mold the boolits come out as .248 (WW).

Because I'm stuck with these Lymans, I'm going to do everything I can to fix them. I'll try beagleing and lapping and every trick I can find. Probably will ruin them. But maybe I'll learn something in the process.

But for OP my advice is: Listen To GaryN!!

[Mal Paso]

I bought 2 Lyman 429421 molds 3 years ago. They were from 2 different production runs. Both were identical, cast undersize and had a taper with the forward band being smaller. I think it's a fudge to make the bullet chamber in all guns but it really messes with Elmer's idea of a full diameter forward band to engage the rifling and prevent stripping.

If you want to cast now Tom/Accurate

If you can wait:http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=122019 I have one of the early run.

[ioon44]

I want a four-cavity 429421 mould. Is there any reason not to buy a current production one? Current Lyman stuff doesn't seem to get a lot of love around here.

Lyman customer service is why I will not buy any more Lyman products.

I bought a new 429640 HP mould from a online dealer and the HP pin was .010" too small and made a fin on the nose of the bullet.
Lyman said I could send it to them and they would charge me for working on the Mould because I did not buy it directly from Lyman.
I sent the Mould to Lathesmith and he is making a new HP pin for me.

[Forrest r]

I bought a new 429421 mold earlier this year for mid-south ($75.37).
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000152670421

I just use hill pickings to cast with & my bullets drop @.4305 & I size them to .430.
This has been a great boolit for me giving me excellent loads in a 624, 629 & a T/C contender. I like steal molds in general & steal molds with bigger holes even better.

There's a lot of excellent quality molds out there, good luck

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/429421pink.jpg

[Hardcast416taylor]

A bit over a year ago I bought a new Lyman #314299. It sat on my bench for about 6 mo. till I cleaned it for use. The mold had OVAL shaped holes! I talked to Lyman customer support, they said send it back. I did and about 5 weeks later I get my mold back that had been re-bored to .314" dia. on the nose! They included sample castings of both cavities aptly identified of #2 alloy. A letter explaining what had been done and spec. numbers for each cavity was included. So, I really can`t say much bad about their tech. support or making right something that shouldn`t have escaped the production shop inspectors. Their new mold handle design is a throwback to implements used by mad scientists like Frankenstein for being misaligned and pinching your hand - won`t buy any more of these!Robert

[zomby woof]

offset halves
undersize

[sig2009]

Yes 2 and 4 cavity molds take forever to cast bullets. I now only use 6 cavity molds.

[41 mag fan]

With the access to custom molds that is now available, I don't know why anyone would even consider a lyman. Custom molds might cost a little more but by the time you get finished tuning up the lyman so you can use it, it will be cheaper to buy the custom. And a whole lot less aggravating.

+1 million

[JIMinPHX]

Some people have been saying that Lyman quality has been slipping lately. I haven't seen it myself, but then again I haven't bought any new Lyman molds in a few years. Personally, I am not boycotting Lyman at this time. My last Lyman was good to go right out of the box & is one of my best running molds. I do find their 4-cav molds to be a bit heavy though. I usually get 2-cav steel molds & go for aluminum on the bigger ones.

[9.3X62AL]

Casting report on the NIB Lyman #266469.......made Oct 2011 per the note in the box.

Alloy used was Lyman #2 @ 750*. First 10-12 pours were wrinkled due to cold and possible out-gassing of oils, I did give it a thorough mineral spirit bath before starting. Once the good ones started falling they continued for 2 hours+, and I filled a 1# coffee can in leisurely fashion.

Diameter would be problematic for someone with a milsurp--.265" to .2655" is as wide as they go in #2. I size at .265" for a .2645" throat, so I'll be all right. Otherwise the mould performed very well for me.

[DIRT Farmer]

I have one Lyman mould I have trouble with, 311-291. I bought the mould in 1969, and have only cast 1k to 1.5k through it a year, I have some misalignment of the halves and a little flashing on one nose.

Think I should consider a rebuild?

[Reload3006]

best reason not to buy something that I can think of is NO Money :( Lyman quality is not what it used to be but that doesnt mean that everything that comes out of their factory is junk.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I have quite a few molds made by Lyman and they are good ones quality-wise and of the correct diameters. But they were purchased/acquired in the sixties and seventies
before a lot of things changed. I would not buy another one from them now for the simple reason that when you put hard earned cash on the table you have every right to expect to get the correct merchandise. Their molds...manufactured for quite some time now are in the category of "might" and "maybe" in terms of the right size and in some cases "quality". One of the most annoying things is to buy something and then come home and have to fiddle around with it to get it to work right. Or to have to send it back and have to argue about it. Those situations are just not good enough for me so I'll just stand pat until things improve...if they ever will. LLS

[MtGun44]

The latest versions of the Keith designs from Lyman, 429421 and 358429 have been
very much like they should have been all along. Three substantially equal driving bands,
deep, flat-bottomed lube groove and proper nose shape. I can't speak to the diameter
issues, but when you see some of the amazingly odd looking molds that have been
sold as 429421s over the years, it is good to see them pretty much back to a good,
Keith conforming design.

Bill

[9.3X62AL]

My 429421 is as described by Mtn Gun, and falls out at .432" in 92/6/2 alloy. I size at .431". so that works for me.

Took me a while to get on topic, I know. That's retirement for ya.

[casterofboolits]

My last two Lyman buys were:

1. two four cavity 401638 40-175-TCBB

2. two four cavity 452664 45C-250-FPBB

these four moulds cast exactly to as needed for these calibers and within one grain of weight.

However a four cavity 452374 45-225-RNPB I bought 10 years ago ws total junk!

[Keith Sacane]

I just posted in another thread, but I just cast my first bullets today from a Lyman 429421, and I'm totally pleased with it. I've done a lot of casting with aluminum molds, and they always shot great, but the Lyman bullets look a lot better. I know looks aren't everything, but it's exciting to see. They drop at .432, and they're the nicest looking cast bullets I've ever cast.

[Humbo]

I bought 2-3 Lyman molds some years ago. They all dropped undersized and out of round boolits. I contacted Lyman, and they would not do anything unless I sent the molds back to them for inspection, which would have cost me half of what the molds were worth. I got rid of them, and told myself never again. Last year I gave them another chance, and bought the #452664, and it was totally something else. Perfectly round boolits that dropped .001 over advertised diameter. Maybe I was lucky, or they did actually got their act together. I hope for the latter, so I will try Lyman again.