Lyman Top Punch Changes

[Rich/WIS]

Just bought a new Lyman 311284 and a 467 top punch, which my Lyman CB Handbook lists as the top punch for this mold. Mold casts great, bullets fall right out and even with my mystery alloy forepart mikes .300. Went to size them and the top punch makes a ring on the bullet nose. Checked the box the mold came in and it lists the top punch as #284. Will order another top punch but anyone getting the mold needs to know that the older Lyman references are incorrect. Assume bullet profile changed somewhere along the way and older books are now out of date.

[Dschuttig]

I have quite a few older top punches with numbers that don't exist anymore. My guess is that they used to cut the top punch to match each mold, but to reduce the number of products and simplify production,they made some generic to try and get an ok fit to several different nose profiles from the same number.

[Wally]

Perhaps you can chuck the TP on a drill and take an unsized 311287 and cover with fine sandpaper...spin the top punch and carefully polish with the bullet/sandpaper. I've had that problem and this is what worked for me. I detest marred sized bullets...