Your choice of a mold

[wv109323]

I need a .358 mold to cast a 158 gn. RN or SWC boolit. I shoot NRA distinguished revolver with a S&W model 14. This requires 50 yard accuracy. My alloy is COWW and range scrap. The bore slugged at .3580.
If you were buying a mold today what would you buy? I would like a 4 cavity or larger with a flat base.
I have a Star to size/lube with but I am open to tumble lube or PCing.

[Outpost75]

What are your cylinder throats? Bullets should be 0.0005" under diameter of cylinder "ball end" gage pin. Best to get custom mold which drops round bullet of proper size requiring no sizing, or only minimal sizing with square base.

[gwpercle]

A "sleeper" design , that has proven the most accurate in all my 38's and 357 magnum revolvers is the discontinued Lyman #358432 in the 160 grain weight ( it was also made as a 148 grain weight).
It is a wadcutter design , and being near 158 grains, shoots to point of aim with my fixed sighted S&W's .
Have tested many different boolits and this one is the accuracy winner.
NOE has recreated it in their 360-160-WC-PB. It casts .360 in wheel-weight and is large enough to size .359 . I no longer shoot NRA Bullseye Match so 25 yards is my typical shooting distance and there it takes first place.
Might be worth a try. Gary

[Guesser]

I also like the Lyman 358432 in 160 gr. weight. Works very well in my Colt Officers Models Target & Match

[country gent]

Ideally it would be best to let the pistol decide. Put a want to buy trade for 158 round nosed bullets in swapping and selling asking for test samples and the mould makers, mould numbers and such. If its a discontinued muld Noe, accurate, or one of the custom makers may be able to duplicate it for you. A 4-6 cavity mould or another thought is 2 2 cavities cast in tandem filling one while one sets up. This later can produce alot of bullets as normal wait time is being utilized for actual casting. Since you are probably looking to shoot lighter loads here ( similar to wadcutter loads power wise) a longer driving band area and slightly shorter nose may help

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I really like NOE's 360-160-SWC with the double crimp grooves. I have a Alum 5 cav PB mold.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/images/N.O.E._Bullet_Moulds_360-160-SWC_(PB).Jpg

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=35_308&products_id=2240

[wv109323]

Outpost,
My cylinder throats are (1).3570, (2) .3572, (2) .3577, (1) .3580. The bore is .3580 as close as I can measure the 5 groove barrel.

[GWM]

I would hope it is the grooves and not the bore that is .358, but with the throats smaller it could be a problem. You may need to open up the throats.

I like the Ideal/Lyman 358311 when it throws a large enough boolit. The NOE 360-150-RN looks even better.
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=35_290

[Gus Youmans]

WV109323,

My recommendation is the Lyman 358311. It is the "classic" 158 grain round nose bullet and seems to be accurate in several of my revolvers.

Gus Youmans

[tazman]

I also have a really nice shooting S&W Target Masterpiece. This particular revolver likes everything I have run through it. For longer ranges it prefers the Lyman 358311, which has been previously mentioned, and the Lyman 358429. They seem to hold their accuracy better beyond 25 yards.
The 358432 that has been mentioned is a very accurate boolit. I just haven't tried it at longer distances.

[Bigslug]

Outpost,
My cylinder throats are (1).3570, (2) .3572, (2) .3577, (1) .3580. The bore is .3580 as close as I can measure the 5 groove barrel.

Find a V-anvil micrometer of the proper angle for your bore slugs, as that would seem to be your major question right now. The Chinese ones aren't all that pricey and it's invaluable if you find yourself dealing with a gun like that. I've tried the paper-wrapped bullet trick and found it unsatisfactory. Once you've got the bore hashed out, the needs of the revolver will be a lot clearer. If you really ARE running with a .358 bore, throat enlargement may be the ticket.

[Mk42gunner]

I know you asked about a RN or SWC, but a full wadcutter cuts so much nicer holes for scoring. You might only pickup a few points per target, but they do add up.

Robert

[dubber123]

The 358311 shoots well at 50 yards, I think you will likely find it outshoots a full wadcutter at that range. I did a bunch of testing a few years back and I recall it averaged around 2" at that range from one of my Model 14's. I tested a lot of wadcutters, and it was tough to get one that did much better than 3" at that range. BRP's 360640 150 gr RF is the accuracy champ for me, averaging 1.5", but he isn't cutting molds any more. The358311 is also very easy to find in 4 cavity versions. Good luck.

[wv109323]

The Rules for NRA Distinguished Revolver demand a 158 gn. bullet of RN or SWC. I might cheat by using a 160 gn. but to be honest I will stay in that 158-160gn. range. True Wadcutters are not allowed, must be lead RN or SWC. So by weight and bullet configuration the 358429 (170 SWC), 358432(160 WC) and 358477(150 SWC) are rulled out.
I have a bullet mold configured like JonB shows but I can not get the boolit to group. Accuracy is 30" at fifty yards if you can find all the bullet holes.
I have a RCBS 158 RN and it shoots OK but it is a 2 cavity mold. I want a 4 or 6 cavity for casting purposes. I would like to steer away from Lyman molds because I do not have Lyman handles. I was looking for advice and experiences with a NOE or Accurate mold.

[dragon813gt]

Is there a reason no one has mentioned the 358156? I haven't shot it at distance in a revolver. But it's plenty accurate out of a 1894C.

[TXGunNut]

When I shot PPC I didn't cast, I bought 158 SWC bullets from Delta Precision in MS. IIRC the mold was rumored to be a Star design. I got some pretty mind-boggling groups from that boolit in my 14 and 586. Pretty sure I still have some around here but no idea what condition the lube is in. PM for samples.

[Mk42gunner]

The Rules for NRA Distinguished Revolver demand a 158 gn. bullet of RN or SWC. I might cheat by using a 160 gn. but to be honest I will stay in that 158-160gn. range. True Wadcutters are not allowed, must be lead RN or SWC. ...

I did not realize that, my apologies.

In that case I have read that the 358311 is a very accurate boolit; it just doesn't do well on flesh and blood targets, so it should be fine for punching paper. I have been tempted to get one just for the ease of casting.

Robert

[GWM]

I wouldn't let a lack of handles stop me. But you'll need to try any boolit in your own gun before you know which shoots best.
For example in my Colt the Accurate 36-160M does even better than the Lyman 358311, but it may or may not in another gun. The 358311 usually works.

Accurate or Mountain molds don't do RN so it would have to be SWC then. No true SWC has been as accurate as a RF or RN in any of my guns. But then again in a different gun who knows.

[gwpercle]

The Rules for NRA Distinguished Revolver demand a 158 gn. bullet of RN or SWC. I might cheat by using a 160 gn. but to be honest I will stay in that 158-160gn. range. True Wadcutters are not allowed, must be lead RN or SWC. So by weight and bullet configuration the 358429 (170 SWC), 358432(160 WC) and 358477(150 SWC) are rulled out.
I have a bullet mold configured like JonB shows but I can not get the boolit to group. Accuracy is 30" at fifty yards if you can find all the bullet holes.
I have a RCBS 158 RN and it shoots OK but it is a 2 cavity mold. I want a 4 or 6 cavity for casting purposes. I would like to steer away from Lyman molds because I do not have Lyman handles. I was looking for advice and experiences with a NOE or Accurate mold.

Lee 6 cavity handles fit Lyman double cavity moulds and they fit NOE 3 and 4 cavity moulds , I have used them on every one of these moulds with no modifications at all. I would buy an NOE over the Lyman...NOE are SWEET casting and beautifully made.
Gary

[StrawHat]

When I shot PPC, I used a wadcutter for most of the shooting but for Distinguished Matches, I used the 358156 loaded in 38 Special cases over a good dose of 2400. It shot as well as the target wadcutter rounds.

Kevin