Lyman 457125 & 457132

[chuebner]

Do these Lyman molds drop the bullets at .457 or are they larger. I have the opportunity to get each of these at a very reasonable price but would pass if they cast that small. My smallest 45-70 slugs at .449 X .456 and the largest at .450 X .460. Opinions welcome.

Charlie

[beagle]

My 457125 drops them right at .458" or maybe just a bit under. Just about all of the Lyman #457XXX series run small in my experience./beagle

[chuebner]

I guess my next question would be why Lyman would make a .457 mold when the majority of 45-70 rifles have a .458 or .459 groove diameter or I should say amongst the nine 45-70 rifles I and my friends shoot. I thought the conventional wisdom was to shoot a cast bullet .001 to .002 over groove diameter. My only experience with Lyman molds is with the 311XXX series of which the ones I have drop right at .311. Lot easier to size down than up.

charlie

[beagle]

Ah! That's the question. Over the years, the old tap dance from Lyman has been that they use a different alloy to base their calculations on. My answer to that is why aren't you basing your calculations on what the customers uses as an alloy...wheel weights.?

It seems that Lyman, RCBS and Redding get their minds set on what the SAMMI specs say for a caliber and to hell with what people are using. There appears to be no marketing sampling or anyone keeping their finger on the pulse of the field of cast bullet making and shooting.

I know for years, Lyman recommended the use of .311 bullets in .30 cals based on their handbook. I know I started loading a 1903A1 Springfield with .311 bullets in 1958.

Since then, the customers of these companies have gotten smarter but the companies haven't. I guess their philosophy is to "let them eat cake"./beagle

[chuebner]

Well beagle, I guess that is why we now have to "beagle". It still surprises me that companies in this day and age refuse to listen to customers and they are still in business. Go figure.

charlie

[SharpsShooter]

I have a early 457125 that is .459 on the bands and .440 on the nose. Shoots very good and will weigh 530gr with 20:1. It is a fine boolit for 45-70 and upward class cartridges, 458 etc

SS

[montana_charlie]

I guess my next question would be why Lyman would make a .457 mold when the majority of 45-70 rifles have a .458 or .459 groove diameter
My impression of Lyman's 'numbering' is a coagulated hodge-podge from reading a bunch of comments by others who seem to have some actual knowledge of their intent.

That impression is...
The '457' means the mould produces a bullet that can be sized to .457" without excessive distortion.

Lyman #2 alloy (which will cast larger than many alloys) is their 'standard' for sizing all of their casting tools.
CM

[beagle]

Yeah, that's why we "beagle" bullets. Really, I started messing with that on a small diameter 457191. Finally I had that one bored out with a boring bar and now it casts about .463" and sizes nicely at .459".

I just can't figure a company as savy on cast bullets as RCBS, Lyman or Redding making small diameter moulds when so much has been written on the net about the use of oversize bullets./beagle

[Sixgun Symphony]

I believe that wheelweight manufacturers are going away from lead. So the calculations for wheelweight alloy is not going to be relevent in the near future.



Ah! That's the question. Over the years, the old tap dance from Lyman has been that they use a different alloy to base their calculations on. My answer to that is why aren't you basing your calculations on what the customers uses as an alloy...wheel weights.?

It seems that Lyman, RCBS and Redding get their minds set on what the SAMMI specs say for a caliber and to hell with what people are using. There appears to be no marketing sampling or anyone keeping their finger on the pulse of the field of cast bullet making and shooting.

I know for years, Lyman recommended the use of .311 bullets in .30 cals based on their handbook. I know I started loading a 1903A1 Springfield with .311 bullets in 1958.

Since then, the customers of these companies have gotten smarter but the companies haven't. I guess their philosophy is to "let them eat cake"./beagle

[Catshooter]

chuebner,

If you don't want to buy that 457132 I sure would.


Cat