SC small block

[Guesser]

When did Lyman discontinue the single cavity small block molds?

[GP100man]

The best I can cipher is mid to late `70s.

[Guesser]

Too bad, the design and size are my favorite, regardless of bullet.

[rintinglen]

The problem was, nobody was buying them, and it took nearly as long and cost nearly as much to make one as it did the much more popular double cavities, which sold for half again as much...

[Guesser]

Yeah, I understand "marketing". Just like what I like. Fortunately there are a lot of them for sale at gun shows, etc. for littlanuttin. The feature that I'm most fond of is the fact that they drop the same bullet every time.

[Green Frog]

Older casters and shooters like Ned Roberts said the larger blocks (even those for single cavity designs) were a waste of iron and just made the mould slower and more tiresome to use. I agree wholeheartedly and for my rifle bullets look for the pre-War, very small, single cavity moulds.

Froggie

[9.3X62AL]

Good points made above, and for bolt- or single-shot rifle usage a single-cavity mould can serve well. I still like two-cylinder moulds for lever rifles and revolvers, though. A 4-cavity for revos and stutterguns works well, too--though the steel Lymans are a little fatiguing without a mould guide on a bottom-pour pot.

I have a single-cavity #257312 that pours a gorgeous boolit at .261". It is a delight to use. All that said, it takes a month of Sundays to fill a 1# coffee can with castings of that size. Its understudy, the RCBS 25-85-CM (2-banger) fills the can in half the time, as does Lyman #257420--another 2-cylinder tool.

[TCFAN]

I too like the Lyman single cavity mold for rifles especially if the mold says Ideal on the side....Terry

[GLL]

I am a very big fan of the older IDEAL/LYMAN single cavity molds !

http://www.fototime.com/720B35FD551CEF8/orig.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/E574E14FBE964F2/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/FC1FBCABD1CE997/standard.jpg

The light weight allows for very quick cycle rate with a ladle.

Jerry