ideal mold 358429

[rkwrichard]

I have an Ideal Mold 358 429 Keith design that was given to me 30+ year ago. Is anyone still casting with an old mold or should I just retire it and opt for one of the newer molds. My mold has a little history in that its owner was an ex Texas Ranger that I hunted with until he passed away about 22 years ago.

The mold is in great shape but I have not used it for 20 + years. What kind of value do the old molds have?

[Nueces]

Well, Sir, I've been guilty of spending a largish sum to acquire an older 358429 with the square lube groove, and with no history attached either.

With the mojo yours has, I'd say to keep it just to kick off the memories. You can't buy a story like that. If it'll still cast good slugs, so much the better. Those'd be my 'special day' loads, ya know?

One man's opinion,

Mark

[rkwrichard]

Mine has a lube grove more like the Keith designed 358439 but is marked 358429 both of which are Keith's designed bullets. I don't know if that make any difference

[mstarling]

I regularly use old moulds ... some that I bought nearly 40 years ago. They include Lyman (single, two and four cavity) and H&G (four and six cavity) moulds.

If the question is are they as good as current moulds ... the answer is "yes!" If the question is "are there better designs?" you'll have to answer that one on an individual basis.

The good quality stuff I bought back then is still in use. The junk has long since been tossed. I think there is a lesson there.

[frank505]

The 358439 is the hollow point version of the 358429.

[rkwrichard]

I am looking at an old profile book that has a 358429 with a flat bottom lube channel and a 358439 with a profile that has a concave lube channel. My Ideal throws a bullet with a concave lube channel. I am not sure the difference and maybe a different old manual will look different.

[rkwrichard]

Here is the Bullet it cast.


http://www.gageocaching.com/images/358429ideal.jpg

By the way the bullet is a lot better cast than it looks in the scan.

[cuzinbruce]

I have that exact mould, old single cavity, 358429, with the rounded grease grooves. It is well worth using. Mine is the most accurate 38 Special mould I have used. In a Smith model 15 and a 1905 Hand Ejector Target Model. The bullet is Elmer Keith's design for the 38 Special. It is an outstanding design.
Age of the mould is immaterial. Condition is what counts. I have old Ideals (pre-Lyman) and Hensleys that cast beautifully. If they ar rusted and pitted, or someone has pounded on them with a steel hammer, it can be trouble. I have had excellent results with one of the old Ideals where the mould and the handles are one piece, don't detach.
And YES, they still have value.
Enjoy It,
Bruce

[Sundogg1911]

Keith molds never go out of style. I love mine. Accurate and they make a nice round hole for punching paper and my neighbor took a Deer with one that I cast for Him last year. (I did the same with a .44 Mag Keith boolit)

[fecmech]

I have a 4 cavity bought new in 1970. It has the round grease groove and I've cast I don't know how many thousands of bullets. Great mould and a great bullet!

[GLL]

The two bullets on the left are 358429HP (square grooves) while the two on the right are 358439 ( rounded grooves).

My old unvented Ideal 358429 (non HP- squared grooved) mould is one of my very favorites. Sorry I have no photo of bullets for comparison.

The second photo shows a 358429HP next to 45 2.1's design for Catshooter's original Group Buy bullet. These GB bullets are OUTSTANDING !

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/20C8CBD1480048F/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/FEE5D7B5C7C372A/standard.jpg

[rkwrichard]

I can't wait to cast a couple of hundred and try it out. :Fire:

[Blammer]

Stop it!

Now you've gone and got me wanting a HP like the above....

[Blammer]

What do they weigh?

[crowbeaner]

I have one of the old 358429 one holers, and it still works great. I think the 358439 is the old Ohaus bullet design. I cast up 1000 of Lyman 357446s this summer with an old Ideal mould. I have a 358429 4 holer that I bought at the gunshow for $35. If you want the base band to fill out nice and square by all means use the ladle to cast with. If you pour them with the spout the base doesn't come out square but rather a bevel. I can get around 3 bullets per minute if everything is up to snuff. Enjoy. CB.

[Morgan Astorbilt]

In 1966, shortly after becoming a cop, I ordered a Lyman double cavity mould in 358429 & 358495, a 141gr. WC. Don't remember If I had to pay a premium for it, Ordered it at Leslie Edelmans, a large gun shop in Nassau County, NY. Probably would have been better off buying two different molds. I was newly married, casting on the gas range, and loading with a 310 tool watching TV. Didn't have a powder measure, just a scale, and made dipping measures out of .22LR and mag cases, soldering a piece of #12 copper wire as handles. Used Bullseye for the WC's, and 2400 for the Keiths. Spent a lot of quality hours with my wife loading with that old hand tool. Now, a regular progressive isn't fast enough for me, I'm thinking of a Dillon 1050 with lust in my heart.:-D:-D:-D
Morgan

[beagle]

Interesting thread.

Lyman/Ideal made the HP version as #358439 and also made #358429HP moulds so stamped. I had a 358429HP with a .125" cavity pin and most of the 358439s have .156" pins./beagle

[rkwrichard]

Well the old mold still casts great. I have about 200 cast and sized and ready to load. I think I am going to try them out with the old Keith Loads 38 ++Ps in my 38 Special Marlin and in my ruger 357. They should work great in both. I made up a dummy load and it cycles great in both guns.
:Fire:

[crowbeaner]

I used to load the 358429 over 12.5 of IMR 4227 in a 38 case for my Marlin 1894c in 357. The little red treerats did NOT like it. The only problem is that you have to cycle the action gently to avoid shaving the front driving band. If you load the bullet in the 357 case over 13.5 of 2400 and seat it to crimp just over the front driving band like you have to for the S&W M27 and M28 it will feed a little better. Great timeless design by the late old Montana cowpuncher. Enjoy. CB.

[rkwrichard]

I used to load the 358429 over 12.5 of IMR 4227 in a 38 case for my Marlin 1894c in 357. The little red treerats did NOT like it. The only problem is that you have to cycle the action gently to avoid shaving the front driving band. If you load the bullet in the 357 case over 13.5 of 2400 and seat it to crimp just over the front driving band like you have to for the S&W M27 and M28 it will feed a little better. Great timeless design by the late old Montana cowpuncher. Enjoy. CB.

My gun is a 38 special so I will be shooting the 13.5 gr of 2400 in a 38 case. It will be hot but should work well in my Marlin Limited 38 special. It's the same gun as many of the cowboy 357s but chambered and tuned for the 38 special. :Fire:

[crowbeaner]

I used to load the 38 case with 11.0 of 2400 for general purpose work. The 13.5 will work OK but the cases won't last as long. While you're at it try the 357446 in your carbine. Mine used to love that bullet. If you seat the bullet out and crimp in the lower groove, you can use the 13.5 charge also. CB.

[nighthunter]

My understanding is that the original 358429 had a shorter nose length and would work in .357 Mag's without crimping over the front driveing band. I don't know when it was changed but I wish it wasn't.
Nighthunter

[crowbeaner]

You could seat it normally in the S&W M19 and M66 as they had the longer cylinder as opposed to the 38 length cylinder of the M28 and M27. CB.

[fecmech]

My understanding is that the original 358429 had a shorter nose length and would work in .357 Mag's without crimping over the front driveing band. I don't know when it was changed but I wish it wasn't.
Nighthunter
I believe the original "Keith" 358429 was designed before magnum cases and was used by Elmer Keith in .38 Spl cases.