What size bullets can I expect a Lyman .358" mould to drop?

[Sig]

I'm new here (lurking for a couple of years). I'm ready to take the plunge into casting. I've been buying boolits for my .45 & .357, but I'm concerned about the availability in the future(I live in NY). I plan to start with the .357. The boolits I've been buying are sized on average about .3585". I really like their accuracy & lack of leading. I'm looking at the Lyman Four Cavity Pistol Bullet Mould #358665 38/357 Caliber 158 Grain. I'm also planning on getting the RCBS Lube-A-Matic 2 Bullet Sizer/Lubricator. I have a fair amount of sheet lead from old shower pans that I smelted, fluxed & cast into muffins that plan to use. My concern is with the mold being .358", will the boolits be at least as large as what I have been using? I searched around here for a couple of hours without any luck.
Thanks,
Sig

[fecmech]

Lyman has lately had a bad rep for some undersize molds but you may do alright. That said if you are casting with only those straight lead pans or pans with a little tin added even if you get a good mold your bullets will be on the small side. It would be helpful if you added antimony and a small amount of tin to fill out the mold cavity better. Welcome to the board and let us know how you make out if you do purchase the Lyman mold.

[Sig]

Lyman has lately had a bad rep for some undersize molds but you may do alright.
Would you suggest I look to a different mold maker? If so which one? I'd like to make this work & don't want throw good $$ after bad.
Thanks,
Sig

[ShooterAZ]

You would probably get that if you ordered a NOE mold.

[GLL]

Contact Tom at Accurate Molds and have him design you a duplicate of the LYMAN in the exact diameter you want !

http://www.accuratemolds.com/

Jerry

[fecmech]

Would you suggest I look to a different mold maker?
I would second Accurate Molds,NOE, or Dan at Mountain Molds. They will cost more but IMO worth the difference.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i use a Lyman 358477 it drops right at .358.5 150gr
and a Lyman 358242 that i can size to .358 125gr
but both of these molds are older look for a used
mold and ask if it drops at the size that you need
good luck

[stubshaft]

+1 on the older Lyman molds. If you go the custom route make sure you let them know what alloy you plan on using.

[MtGun44]

Might as well ask "How high is up?". Differences in production and in alloy and in
casting techniques will cause huge variation. Lyman is a quality maker, some have had
undersized molds recently, but all of mine have been fine, although I must admit that
most of my Lyman molds are older ones.

Bill

[Larry Gibson]

Might as well ask "How high is up?". Differences in production and in alloy and in
casting techniques will cause huge variation. Lyman is a quality maker, some have had
undersized molds recently, but all of mine have been fine, although I must admit that
most of my Lyman molds are older ones.

Bill

+1

I have a standing offer to buy any such Lyman mould that will not cast to nominal diameter with the correct alloy. I've yet to buy such a mould. With a correct alloy (comparable to #2 alloy for Lyman's) you will probably get as cast bullets of .359 - .361.

Your lead sheeting will not produce such a bullet as it has no tin in it. If casting for the .357 Magnum I suggest getting some tin to mix with your sheet lead and use a 1-30 tin - lead alloy for practice loads of .38 SPL - +P levels. For magnum loads a 1-20 tin - lead alloy is usually fine but for true magnum level loads I prefer a 1-16 tin - lead alloy. The 1-20 and 1-16 alloys will cast to nominal diameter if you use a correct casting technique.

Undersize bullets from a mould are almost always operator error; either from an incorrect casting technique for the chosen alloy or because the chosen alloy is incorrect for the mould design.

Larry Gibson

[1Shirt]

Over the years I have had .358 molds that drop at .356/.357/.358/.359, some of which depended on the alloy that I was casting.
1Shirt!

[Sig]

+1


Your lead sheeting will not produce such a bullet as it has no tin in it. If casting for the .357 Magnum I suggest getting some tin to mix with your sheet lead and use a 1-30 tin - lead alloy for practice loads of .38 SPL - +P levels. For magnum loads a 1-20 tin - lead alloy is usually fine but for true magnum level loads I prefer a 1-16 tin - lead alloy. The 1-20 and 1-16 alloys will cast to nominal diameter if you use a correct casting technique.

Undersize bullets from a mould are almost always operator error; either from an incorrect casting technique for the chosen alloy or because the chosen alloy is incorrect for the mould design.

Larry Gibson

I was planning on adding tin to my lead. I just figured it was better to have pure lead ingots & then add the tin. I didn't want to have all of it alloyed since I've never casted before. Once I find the right mix, I'll probably cast what works into ingots. Thank you all for your thoughts.

Sig

[mdi]

Alloy and temperature (mold and melt) play a major part in what diameter a finished bullet will measure. Lyman molds are designed for #2 alloy and your alloy may not reach the same deminsions. I've found that the coolest alloy temp. I can get away with produces the largest bullets (around 100 degrees above liquid). Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook has a chart on what to expect from various alloys per caliber (mine is out in my "gun room" so I can't quote it right now).

[RG1911]

I got a newer Lyman mold for .38 Special when I mislaid my old mold. I cast 1,000 boolits from COWW, only to find they were coming out around .356. Talked to a pleasant person at Lyman, who asked what allow I was using. To make a long story short, he said the molds were cut based on the behavior of Lyman #2 alloy. So I melted all the boolits, added enough linotype to get the tin content up, and cast a few. This time they came out right at .358 or so.

So it seems that, if you plan to use COWW only, Lyman molds may not be what you want.

BTW, I then found some of the old .38 boolits I had cast with the old Lyman mold, circa 1972, and miked them. (Didn't have calipers back in college.) I had used wheel weights and, sure enough, they came in closer to .355-.356.

Richard