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Im looking for a good general purpose bullet (mold) for loading my .357 mags.
I’d like 4 cavities or more. I’m looking at the NOE 360-154 SWC and the NOE 360-158 WFN.
I’m not looking for hollow points or gas checks. It’ll get shot at more steel and paper than anything. Maybe something with fur, but rarely.
What do you all think of the two mentioned, and are there any other that you would suggest?
I have the NOE 360-160-SWC plain base style (it's a older mold and is likely that same as the 154-SWC, as I have noticed Al does adjust the numbers/weight of his mold names).
Anyway, It is my favorite for standard loads and also some H110 loads. If fact I just shot some this week with in a new to me revolver.
I just bought NOE's TL-359-178-RF. It works nicely in a 2 inch snubby and as a quiet light boolit in my .35 caliber rifle. It might be a good one for a .357 rifle too. I pc this one and size it to .359.
I like a Keith type SWC. I have two, a 150 grain and a 170 grain. They shoot very well but you may have to crimp them over the driving band for some revolvers.
The NOE 360-158 WFN would be my recommendation. That nose profile would be good for accuracy and useful for everything you mentioned.
I owned an earlier version of that mold and it worked very well.
I have several 357 molds, and they are all good. These include a noe 359-173 wfn, an mp-molds 359-hammer hp mold, and a lee tl 358-158 swc. For just plinking, the lee mold is an accurate bullet.
I have found excellent service in the Lyman 358429. It and any of its clones seem good. MP Molds are in my opinion the best made molds presently available. I've been waiting on an 8 cavity version in the group buy like for a year now. I have the HP 4 cavity brass version and it rocks.
I've had 3 Lyman versions. Love iron, but why cast two when you can cast 4 or 8?
I also really like the RCBS 358-158-SWCGC. This is the one to go with if you plan on shooting it out of a N-frame S&W or a carbine. The shorter nose on this version feeds and isn't too long for the short cylinder N-frames. Also, I have found gas checks to be essential in carbines. If you prefer a non-swc design the MP Molds 359 Hammer is a pretty outstanding design.
My 'go-to' for .38/357 is the Arsenal 360-162 RF which, except for having a single lube groove, is pretty much a clone of the NOE 360-158 WFN. I size .359 and load it to 'standard' .38 Spl. level for practice/general plinking and to 'mid-level' .357 Mag for more serious applications. Btw: My Rossi 92 also likes those mid-level .357s.
Bill
nothing wrong with the Lee 158 RF either. And you can cast 6 at a time.
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Either of those should suit your purposes just fine.Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveN
Ditto on the Lee RF. Piles of pretty,nice shooting boolits! Tim
I have the Miha 358429 8 cav. and boy,it puts out a lot of boolits. The Lee 158rf is another one I use a lot (6 cav.).
I recently acquired an NOE 184 gr RF -pb in a four cavity mold (#360-182WF). It might just be to your liking. I like the heavy drive band and have driven it to 1350 in my 357 Max with no leading and in my 357 mag, 4.7 gr of Bullseye gives me a very pleasant to shoot 995 fps +/- 10 fps out of the 4" barrel.
The Keith bullet with 10 grains of Bluedot will always be my standard that all others are measured by. I like the NOE 360-176-SWC best.
AMEN!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by megasupermagnum
My all time favorite is the 358429. Hands down. I just yesterday received a 358429 HP mold after wanting one for years.
Attachment 257360
Truth told most all mentioned here will suite ya fine. I’m no LEE fan but must give credit for cheap it’s hard to beat and nothing to say bad about the 358158. Maybe only mine drops a lil small. But with PC it’s just fine.
NOE/Accurate/Mina/Aresonal make awesome molds and I have some of each. Your in good company with all these choices.
Do yourself a favor work up to and at least try this BlueDot load. It’s a goodun!
CW
Have to love the .357. Hard to find a bullet it will not shoot. Looks like you're mostly plinking with it. My plinking bullet is a 130 gr RNFP and I would be OK using it on coyotes and such. It uses less lead and delivers a bit less recoil if that matters.
I built a bullet trap last year and will be switching over to a heavier bullet as more effective general purpose option. Also looking at a 158 but the RNFP from Magma as I will be using a Master Caster. I like the RNFP as I think it may feed better in the lever actions rifles. (3 rifles and 4 pistols to feed)
+1! It's my go-to boolit for .38-.357.Quote:
Originally Posted by Beerd
The 358429,,with about 2 grs under max,of 2400,,,will shoot exellent,in every .357,ive ever shot.
I have used the Lyman 358477 for years in both 38 Spl and 357 mag. In the distant past, I used a hollow-point mold; the one I have now is a two cavity SWC. They both shot very well, with almost any powder. I can't think of a reason to get a different mold.
Wayne
My favorite, hands down is the RCBS 150 SWC-K!:grin:
I have that mold, it cast a great bullet. But I have turned away from the SWC design because I got tired of the SWC edge always getting snagged on the chamber mouth edge.Quote:
Originally Posted by sniper
I have switched to a smooth RNFP bullet from a Lyman mold 358665 it just glides into the chambers.
One thing I may have missed is what kind of guns you're shooting these in? I love 358429 and I love S&W N-frames but the two don't play well together. In rifles, the RNFP generally feeds really well. Also didn't mention range. Shooting steel at 15ft or 200 yards? Full power or just light plinking loads (or both). Paper and steel up close I'd consider a button nosed wadcutter like Lyman 358432 (not sure how it would feed in a rifle though). I have an RCBS 38-150-KT that I like a lot as a generalist bullet. Then again I've never heard anyone complain about anything from NOE.
My go-to is the Lee 358-158RF. It just does great in all my revolvers, Leverguns and even my 38super. I’ve tried others but keep coming back to it.
I used to have a 4cav NOE 360-158 RF. It was a beautiful, excellent mold. I liked it and it did well, but no better than the Lee 358-158RF and it’s a 6cav.
Now all I have in 38/357 caliber is the Lee GB 358429, Lee 358-158RF, Lee GB 358156. The 358-158RF being the most used 38/357 bullet.
I like NOEs, they make an excellent mold, I have several in different calibers. But for ME, in 38/357 the 358-158RF does it all. That being said, the NOE 358-154 SWC looks very interesting lol.
https://i.imgur.com/pTB0ogt.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by Beerd
Quote:
Originally Posted by lightman
https://i.imgur.com/k66Li4s.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/P3QcAgg.jpg
Well, I sent Midway some money and a Lee 358-158rf 6 hole is on its way. I got in on the group buy for the Mihec 358429 clone as well.
This ought to be fun.
You will be knee deep in proper boolits in short order!!
Good luck
CW
Something to keep an eye on with the 158 358 RNFP the sprue plate bolts seem to like to adjust themselves. I am definitely going to install some headless allen bolts to provide tension on both bolts the next time I cast with this mold. Also a very small piece of copper wire clipping between the bolt and Allen bolt will protect the sprue plate bolts threads. Some folks use a piece of lead shot.
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I am watching for a Keith typeish swchp mold for my 38 357s before i mold anything besides simple roundballs in lead. I just saw one of these sell for nearly $200 wow. Only a Cirillo type deep cup sharp edged DEWC mold might change my mind about priorities depending on cost and cool factors. I have not seen any in real life iirc. I might try bowling pins again. Might want a special bullet there too.
I had the same problem with a Lee 2 cavity mould. The sprue plate bolt kept coming loose so I took it out and used the part of a pair of pliers that is designed to grip round objects to slightly bugger the threads. Put it back in and have had no more loosening.Quote:
Originally Posted by RedHawk357Mag
Have any of all you all cast the keith swcs as gluelets?
I’m tired of doing my moonclip and speed loader practice with snap caps and wax.
Practice with rn bullets isn’t helpful.
My experience is the same as has been mentioned , Keith are my favorite style but they don't load with a speed loader near as smoothly as a rnfp .Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoe50
No gluetts here. But I did find a untouched 358466 in a box of stuff I bought. Im havingbit HP'ed as we speak.
That favorite 358429 has a long nose thats NOT FRIENDLY in my Marlin! This 358466 is much more friendly in nose length!! The HP is just something I enjoy.
CW
Same here also have the lee 158 gr swc both work wellQuote:
Originally Posted by Beerd
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