Need some help with mold selections for a newbie

[Wadestep]

I'm new at casting, but have about 3-4 years of reloading under my belt, and many more years of hunting. I'm looking for a couple suggestions for my first molds (I do have a lee c309-180-r but haven't casted it yet). I've been perusing the Mihec and NOE group buys, but just can't seem to make a decision. I want to start out tumble lubing. 3 molds wanted:
1) 38spl/357 preferrably plain-based, mostly for plinking. I was going to hunt with this but recently I got:
2) .45 long colt - heavy boolit for handgun whitetail hunting in a Ruger Blackhawk. gas check OK. Also would like this boolit to double as a blackpowder rifle round, in a sabot, so heavy is better (I think). Then I get confused about weight, meplat, etc...
3) 30/06 rifle round, for hunting whitetail. Gas check OK. not lighter than 150gr, but hopefully a 160+. Velocities at least 2,000 fps.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, as I'm very new to casting. The hunting will be for hogs and whitetail deer in Florida. Deer average 110-130 lbs. I don't mind and even enjoy experimenting, and I've read the Lyman and Lee manuals, but I'd like to start with as much chance for sucess as possible.

[runfiverun]

you don't need a t/l design to use a tumble lube.
i noticed you have no plan for sizing,it really sucks when you try to chamber a round and it jams in the rifle especially when you just drove 2 hrs in the dark to get there.

a 100 lb ummm deer, isn't even gonna slow a 158 gr boolit down much.

good luck on the 2,000+ fps thing.
i can help you with that if you really wanna do the work to get there.

[Wadestep]

Maybe my question was too vague or covered too much ground. My plan for sizing is to start with the Lee sizer. I'd love to have a lubrisizer but funds are limited and I'd rather place them into a good mould (or two...).
Thanks for the info that a t/l design is not necessary, I wasn't 100% sure on that.
At least for me, a 158 gr boolit in a 357 mag is minimal for whitetail. they can get to 150#. FL record is in the 180# range. I would consider 158 gr undermatched for some of our hogs.

Anyways, I was looking for recommendations for moulds in these calibers, for specific purposes. Maybe that's not the type of question to be asking, and maybe it's asked too much to get much of a response. If so, that's OK, but I'll be just guessing. I've never used SAECO, Mihec, Lee, etc... moulds. Never used brass vs aluminum vs steel. I'll get started one way or another, but I don't have $$$$ to throw into getting 10 moulds right now.


good luck on the 2,000+ fps thing.
i can help you with that if you really wanna do the work to get there.

I'll let you know... hopefully....
wade

[nhrifle]

For either of the pistols, I would look into a heavy weight boolit with a wide flat nose to give shock and knock down power. I shoot the 311299 in my 30-06 and it is wonderfully accurate. NOE lists that item in their catalog and I am sure their mould casts much nicer than my Lyman. That boolit weighs in the neighborhood of 200 grains lubed and checked.

[CWME]

For plinking with the 38/357 I have been using the NOE 358242 90gr boolit. No need to kill the paper target with any more lead than needed. For a bigger boolit the 358429 is my choice in the 357.
The 311041 should do what you want in the 30cal for hunting.

For the 45 I have the lee 255gr RNFP but never shot a critter with it so I am not much help here.

[Wadestep]

Thanks for the replies. I'm getting the 30/06 narrowed down quite a bit. Going Heard lots of good things about NOE and Mihec, will try to further pursue those two.