Choices...358429 or 357446

[Uncle Grinch]

I have the chance to buy a Lyman 358429 or a 357446 mould and need some help making a decision. I have a stainless 4" Ruger Service-Six that is used mostly for target practice and general carry-gun while scouting.

Any thoughts?

[runfiverun]

the 429 swc style is usually a good one, but the 446 gives you options as to where you crimp.
which in theory should allow you to use 38 brass and still get the oal of the longer 357 brass.
and still have the grease groove in the case.

[Down South]

Do you mean the 358446? I don’t know of a 357446 but that doesn’t mean that they don’t exist. The 358446 is a discontinued mould I think so that indicates you are buying used. Either the 358429 or the 358446 would be good. I never shot the 358446 much less ever seen one. I shoot the 358429 in my GP-100 and it does well. The 358429 is a Keith design and a favorite among many .38/.357 shooters. The boolit itself is a little long for some S&W cylinders but should work well in your Ruger.

On edit, There was a 357446 built by Lyman/Ideal too.

[mroliver77]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=50545

Here, read this, then decide.
Jay

[mroliver77]

Actually it was a 357..446;) Here is good pic of lots of Lyman molds.
Jay

http://www.three-peaks.net/bullet_molds.htm

[Firebricker]

I've got an old 357466 4cav casts good boolits. It was a topic in another thread here and cleared up some mysterys its known to shoot poorly in light loads in some guns. When I load it in full power loads it gives good results. I read an old article Sceeter Scelton wrote were he said it one of his favorite moulds. That being said seems like 358429 might be more versatle but I have not tried 358429 so not sure. FB

[MtGun44]

I have had very good accy with the 358429, in solid & HP version, and esp at medium to hot
loads for .38 Spl and .357 Mag. Doesn't seem to do as well in real mild loads.

This boolit shoots far better in my Ultralight S&W J frame than any other
one that I have tried, and to the sights. I have not used the 446.

Bill

[DuaneH]

If both of those molds are available, you should really buy 'em both. I've used the 358429 extensively and like it. Its pretty hard to make an inaccurate load with that one. I have limited experience with 357446 (limited to just 1 gun). Several loads gave poor accuracy and none exceeded the results with 358429.

[MT Gianni]

I have had both and no longer own a 357446. That shouldhelp you decide. Accuracy was poor.

[EDK]

358429 has a long nose...designed for use in 38 brass in 38/44 Smiths...precursor to the 357 magnum. I am loading in 357 brass and using a taper crimp with part of the front band inside the case for my 357 MARLIN Cowboy rifles.

357446 has some history. Go to Glenn Fryxell's articles at lasc.us and do some reading. I got leading with it over 5.0 TITEGROUP and no leading with 358665 with same load, alloy and boolit lube. It sure looks good, but maybe there's a good reason it was discontinued.

Just to be contrary, consider LYMAN 358665...the round nose, flat point cowboy boolit. It casts easy, big meplat for stopping power, feeds in cowboy rifles or speed loaders in 357 brass. AND readily available in a 4 cavity LYMAN mould or the LEE look-alike. It works for me.

And look at the group buy for 360180...even better.

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[beagle]

Boys....... We just hashed out the mediocre performance of the 357446 last week. Check the thread.

There is something inherrent in the design that causes flyers at .38 Special velocities. You don't have to be a pistol whiz to test this out.

Load some .38s with this number at .38 Special velocities. Take them to the range. Select a small target the 50 yard berm and shoot six off a sandbag and call your shots. I'm betting that at least one and probably two will be fliers that will be grossly away from the impact point that you called.

If this don't make a beleiver out of you, select a target on the 100 yard berm and have at it. The error is amplified at this range and you start getting fliers in the 2 foot arena. I've tested this bullet on 300 yard metal sillouhettes in a dusty military impact area and the error gets up around 50 feet.

I have never had a bad shooting 358429, 358429HP or a 358439 (the HP version) and I have half a dozen variations in my stable of moulds.

If you don't want the weight of the 358429, get a 358477 and enjoy.

Just don't waste your hard earned bucks on a 357446 and expect to get a lot of satisfaction out of it. It's a great looking bullet but that's it. It's all blow and no show./beagle