Magma molds?

[j23]

First and foremost, what is the quality of their molds?

Secondly, I was thinking about picking up the 38-230 FP BB, similar to the Penn Bullets Hammerhead bullet, designed for bowling pin shooting. I feel that the wide meplate would be a devistating bullet for a hunting load... anyone used the bullet?

I was thinking of loading it in 38 special cases for use in my Puma levergun? Think they would feed??? ...not all that much velocity, however I think the impact would be pretty deadly?

Thoughts? Opinions?

[Willbird]

I have one of their molds, a 38 wadcutter mold, they are quite heavy and well made, you need to really grind the heck out of a set of rcbs mold handles to use them on the magma. They use a bolt that boes clear through the mold block top to bottom for the sprue plate to pivot on, it has a coil spring on the bottom end of it to tension the sprue plate.

I'm not in a bog hurry to get another one for use with handles, tey may work great in the machines they are made for but they are very heavy for a 2 cavity, and the spring and nut sticking out the bottom is a PITA.

My 38 one is for sale on swap and sell with no bites.

Bill

[GabbyM]

Just happens I've one of the 230gr lead pencil molds on order for a couple weeks now. They are busy like everyone else in the field. When it arrives I'd be happy to send you some bullets to test. Don't think they will work for what you want though. But who knows?

The 200 grain Lyman #358430 would be more accurate for sure. I have that mold too but it's going back to Lyman as one cavity drops a perfect .3595” round bullet while the other drops a .354” bullet. I've a #375449 with the same problem that's going with it. In the past they've re cut the cavities and returned a good mold. Just a PITA. I have a handful of the 200 gr bullets cast I could send along.

You should be able to get around 1200 fps with the 200 gr in 357 mag brass from the rifle.
My guess would be the 200 is about as big a bullet as you can stabilize.
With the range bowling pins are shot with revolver. Stability takes a back seat.

Send a PM if you're interested in the samples.

[garandsrus]

Willbird,

Magma has a "conversion kit" that allows you to use their molds with handles. I believe that you can order them for handle or machine use.

John

[legend]

i used to own wyoming casting company,i started with 16 sets(8) ea of thier molds. two and a half years later i had 33 sets when i closed the business.
i never had any problems with any mold they made and guess this can be what most people would tell you about thier molds.
nice people to deal with,i would buy thier products again in a heartbeat.

[j23]

...I really appriciate the offer... the only mold I have currently for the 357 is a 358429 Lyman (Keith.) ... so I would offer to do some bullet swapping, but Im dont know if you would need, or want to try them.

I would only need maybe a dozen or so, just to see if I can get any accuracy potential, and if they would even feed through that 92 Puma. I would at the least probably have to run them through 38 brass.

Just drop me a line if you can remember whne you get the mold and have time to drop a few of them... Ill shoot you my address and send you a little something for shipping.

Thanks again!
Joe

[Willbird]

Willbird,

Magma has a "conversion kit" that allows you to use their molds with handles. I believe that you can order them for handle or machine use.

John

I ordered my mold that way. It is still a PITA for the reasons I stated. Here is a picture of what I am talking about, if you "freehand" your molds and do not use a mold guide it may work fine for you. Also if you look closely you can see how close that pivot bolt is to the screw that holds the mold on the rcbs handles, you have to grind a LOT of metal away to get the handle to fit in there.

Excellent quality mold, poorly suited to use on rcbs handles IMHO.

Bill

[GabbyM]

...I really appriciate the offer... the only mold I have currently for the 357 is a 358429 Lyman (Keith.) ... so I would offer to do some bullet swapping, but Im dont know if you would need, or want to try them.

I would only need maybe a dozen or so, just to see if I can get any accuracy potential, and if they would even feed through that 92 Puma. I would at the least probably have to run them through 38 brass.

Just drop me a line if you can remember whne you get the mold and have time to drop a few of them... Ill shoot you my address and send you a little something for shipping.

Thanks again!
Joe

Just cover the shipping will be good.
Don't know when to expect the mold in. This may be third week since I placed the order. I've three new ones comming. A 44-240-swc-bb and a 45-405-rnfp-bb.

[BD]

Magma makes excellant molds, and I own about 25 of them for the master caster, but if I was after a new mold mold for hand casting I'd be more likely to get it from Mountain Molds.

BD

[fredj338]

I have several for a Magma Caster as well, good prouduct. I would probably not buy one for hand casting, Lyman or Saeco make nice 4cavs for a bit more that would be more productive.