Ideal mould

[gwpercle]

I just purchased a mould marked IDEAL , Middlefield, Conn. U.S.A. # 358432 the inside block faces are smooth, no vent lines. It throws a 160 gr. 38 cal. wadcutter, very interesting looking design. What year, or there abouts, did moulds go from being marked IDEAL to the now familar LYMAN mark ? And does anybody know the reason for a 160 gr. wadcutter? It seems like the universal wadcutter weight has been 148 grs. for as long as I can remember .

Any insight into this one would be appreciated..... gary

[462]

I have an Ideal 308291 that doesn't have any vent lines. Out of curiosity, I e-mailed Lyman, asking when the name change-over was made. The reply said "sometime in the 60s". I suspect that the ventless moulds are much older.

The 358432 was offered in 148 and 160-grain versions. I had one of 160-grain, but didn't like it, because its rounded shoulder didn't cut a clean hole (looked like a 358311 hole). I replaced it with a 141-grain 358495 (also out of production) which cuts proper holes.

[Dschuttig]

I was told a few years ago by a fella who collects antique bullet molds that they ran out of ideal marked blocks around '62. This guy seemed to really know what he was talking about, said that had tons of blocks that had not been cut yet and were still marked ideal. They used these untill they were gone, around '62.

[Will]

I have the same mould that someone cut some crude vent lines with a file. It produces perfect boolits and they shoot good groups. With the big flat nose you would think it would be a good self defence or hunting round.

[Cord]

I believe the factory cut vent lines were added
in the early 1940s, around the time of WWII,
I have always considered smoothies as being pre-war.
.

[gwpercle]

462, this mould which is marked 358432 does not have the rounded shoulder, it is sharp just like the 140 gr 358495 and the 150 gr. 358091 . I remember seeing the round shouldered design in a catalog dated 1968. How , why or when this sharp shouldered design happend is a mystery to me unless it is older than I at first thought. It is in very good condition... looks as if it was used very little... so I assumed it to be early 60's. Maybe it is older than that.

The reason I got it was I have a fixed sighted K frame S & W 38 spcl. , the fixed sights are regulated for 158 gr. standard velocity ammo. This might shoot to piont of aim and I rather like the flat piont ( wadcutter ) design... suposedly more impact than round nose. Might be excellent for the night stand gun.

It would have been nice if Ideal / Lyman would have marked them as to when made but I know Lyman changed designs on many different moulds over the years... and with designs changing and numbers staying the same it gets confusing fast.

Thanks for help.... gary

[462]

Gary,
My 358432 was a Lyman, so it was much newer than your Ideal ventless. It may be that the rounded shoulders were due to a worn cherry (evidently a common Lyman problem, what withthe profusion of under-sized cavities) but I've seen others that were rounded, too.

Anyway, you have a nice mould, and I hope your gun will like it

[gwpercle]

Will

Was your mould round shouldered or sharp like my unvented IDEAL mould.
Do you have any idea as to its age ? Cord thinks the smooth block mould could pre date 1940. If mine is that old it sure looks good... its a nice bronze color, the sprue plate is blue... Does that mean anything?

[Will]

Don't know the age, got it off ebay. It does have a fairly sharp edge and shoots good groups.

will