What Mold for .38/.357

[hylander]

First the Criteria, Prefer a 2 cavity.
Revolvers: 4-5/8" OM Flat Top Blackhawk .357 and 4" SW Mod. 15 38sp.
Use: Mostly silhouette 50 - 100yds., Maybe a Coyote to 75yds.
What would be the best design and who to order from ?
Maybe a 158 Keith ?

[Ben]

This one would be hard to beat :

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?197294-NOE-360-SWC-Plain-Base

[hylander]

This one would be hard to beat :

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?197294-NOE-360-SWC-Plain-Base

Looks like a good Boolit, how does it shoot ?
Will the PB hold up to say 1150 FPS
Also can that had with a HP option ?

[williamwaco]

Looks like a good Boolit, how does it shoot ?
Will the PB hold up to say 1150 FPS
Also can that had with a HP option ?


You are kidding! Right?

That bullet will handle 1800 fps easily.

I load a half dozen plain base .357 bullets to that velocity in my rifles regularly.


.

[hylander]

You are kidding! Right?
That bullet will handle 1800 fps easily.
I load a half dozen plain base .357 bullets to that velocity in my rifles regularly.
.

Good to know

[L1A1Rocker]

I LOVE this boolit from Miha. Double crimp groove for the short cylinders to boot. It's currently available from his web site:
http://www.mp-molds.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=29&=SID

[hylander]

I LOVE this boolit from Miha. Double crimp groove for the short cylinders to boot. It's currently available from his web site:
http://www.mp-molds.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=29&=SID

Out of Stock

[H.Callahan]

I am kinda partial to the 358477 -- or more precisely, NOE's 360477 clone of it. 150gr is a perfect weight for 38/357. Best shooting bullet I have found for this caliber.

70893 70894

I don't know if NOE has any in stock or not. I am pretty sure Accurate has a close clone of this as well. If not, Tom could probably whip up a pretty close approximation.

[MtGun44]

Lyman 358477, RCBS 38 150 SWC (old 38 150 KT) are near clones (see above) with
the RCBS having a squarish lube groove and are really superb. The old standby
Keith 357429 at 173 nominal is a bit heavier and may do better at long ranges
perhaps, but is excellent in any case. GCs are not required for magnum
handguns.

All can be converted to HP by Erik at Hollowpoint Services, he does superb work,
strongly recommended.

Any of these PBs will run fine at full magnum velocities and more with a good lube, like
NRA 50-50 formula (multiple vendors) or the LBT soft blue. Hard alloy is not
necessary, by modern terms, our std wwt alloy is as hard as Keith mixed when he
was mixing pure lead with pure tin in a 16:1 ratio for his "hard cast" alloy. These
rock hard 18-24 bhn things are not needed.

Bill

[Bucking the Tiger]

The #358429 is a little heavy for .38 Special, but is a solid performer at distance in .38 Special or .357 Magnum. I prefer a lighter bullet( 150 to 158 grain for shorter range work)but this is great for long shots.. I shoot distance with this bullet(100 yards) and am very happy with the results.I have an old Ideal 4 cavity for solids and Al Nelson at NOE Moulds makes a #358429 hollow point mould( mine drop at 158 grains using wheel weight/range scrap) that is awesome. Had it for a little while and am very impressed.

[detox]

The new Lyman or RCBS 158gr Cowboy boolit has a nice long bearing surface that lines up nicely with cylinder throats.

[Cane_man]

what about the Lyman 357466? 160gr supposed to drop at 359-360

[Ben]

what about the Lyman 357466? 160gr supposed to drop at 359-360

Could you have your numbers wrong ?

Are you referring to the 357446 ?
As far as a Lyman mold " supposed " to drop at a particular diameter. It has been my experience that each is unto itself as to diameters, particularly in the past few yrs.

It is true that the old " IDEALS " will often cast a bit large ( which in my opinion is good ).

[357shooter]

I get the most accurate reults with a 358429 Keith. The shorter 145-150 grain bullets have been less accurate in my guns. The exception, for very 357 light loads (3.5 grains of HP38 is pretty light), is the Lee 125-RF which is a sweet shooter . But that's for shorter range work and not 100 yard silhouette.

The Keith was designed for 38 specials, so bullets cast with the orignial length nose may need to be crimped onto the front driving band. Which is how I shoot mine in 357 revolvers. NOE and others have cloned the Keith and shortened the nose to crimp in the crimp groove and fit most revolvers.

['74 sharps]

I've had fine results with Lyman's 158gr # 358665 cast with as close to pure lead as possible. Very accurate with zero leading. Used in a 38 snubbie and a 357 with 8 3/8" barrel.

[Cane_man]

Could you have your numbers wrong ?

Are you referring to the 357446 ?
As far as a Lyman mold " supposed " to drop at a particular diameter. It has been my experience that each is unto itself as to diameters, particularly in the past few yrs.

It is true that the old " IDEALS " will often cast a bit large ( which in my opinion is good ).

ya, got my number wrong! 357446... supposed to be the original design for the .357 mag

[HDS]

I'm looking for a 38/357 mold as well. I am considering the 158gr Snakebite bullet from BigLube since it'll be for BP mainly, but the Mihec 359-640 HP is looking really interesting too, quite a long bullet with an awesome HP design that's good for shooting plates and hunting. I would quite like that mold but it seems it's out of stock :/

[jdgabbard]

Good golly... this question has been posed at least a 1000 times over.... See what shoots good for you is the best advice I can give. But I personally like the 358477 and the 358429 for the particular application. But RD's 190 RFP is also a fav, but no longer available. But there is a similar copy, tho I can't remember who makes it.

[wlc]

I LOVE this boolit from Miha. Double crimp groove for the short cylinders to boot. It's currently available from his web site:
http://www.mp-molds.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=29&=SID

I've got that one too. It sure does cast some pretty boolits. Haven't been able to load any for the 357 yet. Too busy. Maybe this fall.

[MtGun44]

Lee 358 158 RF is another superb design. It is a BB, but it doesn't
seem to hurt it. Very accurate.

Bill

[Zim]

I shoot a lot of the 357156 thompson out of an NEI Walt mold. It is GC but it'll shoot without the GC installed.