First .357 Mag. mold?

[Woodwrkr]

I just received my first mold, a Lee 452-230-TC, 2-cavity. I'm almost through with the lementing process but havn't used it yet. I've been rubbing the edges of the cavities with a scrap block of hardwood (hard rock maple if it matters) and I'm hoping I can avoid working on the cavity itself using that tooth paste technique.

Now I need to purchase another mold for .357 Mag. in my S&W 686. The Lee website claims their .358-150-1R gives good accuracy and I've also read on the forum that some people are using the Lee .358-158RF. Another mold I've been reading about is the Lyman 358477. I'd prefer to start out low budget but if one of the more expensive iron molds will give better accuracy than the aluminum molds I'd be willing to go for the more expensive iron mold.

Does anyone have any recommendations on a first mold for the .357 Mag.? Either one of the above or any others?

[AlaskaMike]

My first .357 mold was the RCBS 38-150-SWC, and I'm pretty happy with it. At a gun show one time I bought a bunch of the 158 grain (small lube groove) Lyman 358477 and I liked those pretty well. Unfortunately I don't have any experience at all from the Lee molds you've mentioned, so I can't compare them.

Mike

[9.3X62AL]

Most of my use of #358477 and #358429 have been in 38 Special, and both do VERY well at those velocities (800-1000 FPS). I like #358156 or its Lee imitator for velocities over 1200 FPS.

[Skrenos]

I use the Lee 358-150-swc as my .38/357 bullet. Seems to be reasonably accurate, but I havent measured how tight of a group it shoots. If you want this mould, Lee doesnt carry it on their site anymore, nor does Grafs. Midsouth has it still. It's the 90320 mould.

[fourarmed]

The best accuracy I have gotten out of .38 sp., .357 mag, and .357 max. revolvers has been with 358429.

[EDK]

The classic Lymans include 358156, 357446 and 358429. I am currently using the Cowboy Boolit 358665 in Vaqueros and Bisley Vaqueros and a Marlin Cowboy rifle for Cowboy Action Shooting. They are all capable of better accuracy than I am--especially when I'm using the Vaqueros and their less than ideal fixed sights!

Gas checks are an unnecessary expense if you are not into higher end reloads.

Iron versus aluminum moulds will be argued from now until H--- freezes over....and probably afterwards. I prefer Lyman 4 cavity, but a six cavity mould really flies. That means aluminum Lees until you get into a Ballisti-Cast or a used Hensley & Gibbs....and you're talking some money there. I recently got 2 Group Buy LEE 6 cavity moulds in 44 and have began to think better of the LEEs' quality.

I'd use the 358665 for ease of casting and use in a rifle. 357446 is a plain base version of 358156--both good. 358429 has nose length issues in 357 brass in both rifles and revolvers. The LEE equivalents are good and moulds are less expensive also.

:castmine: :Fire:

[shooting on a shoestring]

You won't be disappointed with the Lyman. You may be disappointed with the Lee. The Lee's do have some questionable quaility moulds, but I've never had nor heard of problems with Lyman, RCBS, Saeco, NEI etc... Lee's are cheap, but a bit of a gamble on roundness, alignment and longevity.

I've personally bought 4 Lee 6 cavities, 2 of which are great, 2 are not, 2 Lee 2 cavities that are fine. I've bought 3 Lyman 4 cavities, all super, and 6 Lyman 2 cavities, all super. I've decided to bypass Lee for my future purchases. After I've had a mould for 6 months to a year, it really doesn't matter how much I paid for it, but if it is still an aggervation to use, that doesn't change.

[Kraschenbirn]

The Lyman 358156 has shot well in every .38/.357 I've ever owned. Cast from straight wheelweights, I've loaded it without gas checks up to around 900 fps without leading or noticeable loss of accuracy. With gas checks and cast from a hard alloy, at 1200-1250 fps it makes for a darned good small game or Hunter Pistol silhouette round. Just my two cents.

Bill

[Shiloh]

The best accuracy I have gotten out of .38 sp., .357 mag, and .357 max. revolvers has been with 358429.

My accuracy comes from the Lyman 35891 at about 800 FPS in the .357.


I recently acquired a 358429 and just haven't shot it enough to develop an accurate
load. It was purchased because a couple of fellows I know have great performance with it, as well as reports of fine accuracy on the gun boards. I can seat the boolits in the crimp groove and not have it seize cylinder by the rounds being too long.

I have the Lee 6 banger in the 148 gr TLWC. This shoots well with the old standard
target load of 2.8 gr of Bullseye with the boolit set to the first groove and lightly crimped there.

All are sized at .358. I will probably play with sizing diameter a bit in the spring.

Shiloh :castmine:

[JSH]

I have had good luck with a RCBS 150+ SWC mould. There are no other markings on the blocks, so I can't give you a number. I have read sevral times of how good the 358156 is. I have not shot this in anything that is any better than other moulds I have.
I have just started playing with the 358429, looks very promising so far.
The RCBS 180 SIL design has shot very well in my TC in 35 Rem rimmed and my 357 barrel. That one tends to show it's best when pushed pretty hard.
ANother one that has shown to be good and is a Lee bullet, was the round flat nose, 150 I think. I am not at home or I would give you a #. One of the fine gents here to the bevel off of the base. This was done before I tried the BB, so can't give you any feed back it made a difference or not.
jeff

[45r]

It's hard to beat the lyman 358156 over 14.0 grains 2400 in my S&W.

[trickyasafox]

Lee .358-158RF

I have never cast with this mold- but i tried 50 that a fellow caster here gave me- they shot and worked great! i only shot the one box though and didn't get to use the mold itself though.

mine were shot in a 2.5 in security six.