Ben
08-30-2007, 10:02 PM
When I was in college in 1967, I saved what little money that I had and bought me an old model ( new when I bought it...wished I still had it! ! ), 3 Screw , Ruger .357 Mag. with a 6 1/2 " barrel.
Money was tight, to say the least , back during those days. I remember once I was able to buy the pistol, going to a hardware store to buy some Winchester 357 Magnums. The guy wanted $6.00 for the box ( which I didn't have....), so he sold me 12 rounds ( all the money I had at the moment ).
I said that day, that I'd save my money and start reloading so I would no longer have to buy factory ammo for my pistol. I kept that promise ! !
A yr. or so later, I had enough money saved ( how I did that now I don't know ? ? ) to buy a bullet mold for my pistol.
When trying to make a decision as to which design to order.... the selection was broad and wide then ( 1968-69 ), as I remember there were 3 times more molds available from Lyman as compared to today's offerings. There were so many offered, I found it all confusing and really didn't know which mold to buy ? ?
Back during this time period, I read everything I could get my hands on that was written by Skeeter Skelton . As you know, Skeeter thought that there wasn't a better bullet for a 38 Special or a 357 Magnum than the Lyman 358156. He thought that it was at its best in HP form. If it was good enough for Skeeter, it was good enough for me.
So I finally found a new HP Lyman 358156 bullet mold and ordered it. That mold has served me well during the past 40 or so years. I could shoot sub inch , 6 shots groups with that Ruger 357 magnum pistol with 14 grs. of 2400 with the 358156, gas checked, HP back in those days from sand bags at 25 yards.
Look at these photos , you can see the production date in the top left hand corner of the mold....this is an old one.......I can't see me ever selling this mold...it brings back many memories ! !
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/358156/PICT0001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/358156/PICT0003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/358156/PICT0008.jpg
Still cast great bullets almost 40 yrs. later.......These are sized thru a Lee Push thru, nose 1st., .357 " with the gas check installed and are about to be pushed into an H & I die that is .358 " for lube. I'm shooting these out of a Model 627 , 5.5 inch now. They shoot GREAT ! !
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0008-4.jpg
Money was tight, to say the least , back during those days. I remember once I was able to buy the pistol, going to a hardware store to buy some Winchester 357 Magnums. The guy wanted $6.00 for the box ( which I didn't have....), so he sold me 12 rounds ( all the money I had at the moment ).
I said that day, that I'd save my money and start reloading so I would no longer have to buy factory ammo for my pistol. I kept that promise ! !
A yr. or so later, I had enough money saved ( how I did that now I don't know ? ? ) to buy a bullet mold for my pistol.
When trying to make a decision as to which design to order.... the selection was broad and wide then ( 1968-69 ), as I remember there were 3 times more molds available from Lyman as compared to today's offerings. There were so many offered, I found it all confusing and really didn't know which mold to buy ? ?
Back during this time period, I read everything I could get my hands on that was written by Skeeter Skelton . As you know, Skeeter thought that there wasn't a better bullet for a 38 Special or a 357 Magnum than the Lyman 358156. He thought that it was at its best in HP form. If it was good enough for Skeeter, it was good enough for me.
So I finally found a new HP Lyman 358156 bullet mold and ordered it. That mold has served me well during the past 40 or so years. I could shoot sub inch , 6 shots groups with that Ruger 357 magnum pistol with 14 grs. of 2400 with the 358156, gas checked, HP back in those days from sand bags at 25 yards.
Look at these photos , you can see the production date in the top left hand corner of the mold....this is an old one.......I can't see me ever selling this mold...it brings back many memories ! !
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/358156/PICT0001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/358156/PICT0003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/358156/PICT0008.jpg
Still cast great bullets almost 40 yrs. later.......These are sized thru a Lee Push thru, nose 1st., .357 " with the gas check installed and are about to be pushed into an H & I die that is .358 " for lube. I'm shooting these out of a Model 627 , 5.5 inch now. They shoot GREAT ! !
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0008-4.jpg