Info on Lyman 57730

[gunshot98]

Can anyone here tell me about this mold? Its a lyman 57730 58 Cal. 570 gr minnie boolit. Don't have a gun this cal. Thinking bout selling it but don't know what its worth.

[fouronesix]

I believe that was one of the Minié molds Lyman made for heavy game hunting (think Africa). IIRC, it has a fairly thick skirt to withstand heavy charges. It's one of the bullets the Kodiak double rifle shooters used (and may still?). I think, but not sure, it requires a heavy charge to properly expand the skirt and needs something of at least 48" twist to stabilize. Ebay had one on 2-3 months ago that sold for about $50- but generated only one bid.

[gunshot98]

Thanks i knew someone would know about it.

[sav300]

Gunshot98,pm heading your way

[OverMax]

For those who shoot a 58 cal. Great mini ball for moose elk and bear. Don't see these old discontinued {heavy weight} molds much anymore. Everybody these days are into Power belt's & such. But,~~Both the P/belt and this Mini operate on the same principal {expanding skirt theory} For a twist rate to accommodate such a heavy nose projectile. Maybe 1-48 is about the tightest twist wanting and quite possibly the most preferred. 1-60 to 1-78 could be used also. I don't think a 1-24 1-28 1-32 or a 1-38 could possibly work with such a heavy weight design as this is. As far as a decent price wanted for your mold. No doubt this is a collectable. As it is no longer made and is a hard to find mold. If the mold is in excellent condition. Consider: a new Lyman mold these days cost around 70.00$.~~ You should at least get that >and more for this old Lyman/Ideal mold you have..

[fouronesix]

Ya, hard to say what the ideal twist would be for that bullet. At 570 grains with a heavy charge, the basic "accuracy" of the combination may be compromised by recoil! I really wouldn't enjoy shooting that with even a reasonable 100 gr charge in something like the Navy Arms Hawken Hunter or TC Big Boar.

While the 530 gr Lyman 577611 has the thickest skirt of the series and is the bullet of choice for truly heavy loads of 140-150 grains, that 57730 over even 1/3 less powder would be a challenge in a short barreled, "relatively" light rifle of 10 lbs.

Also, I've never had much luck with accuracy from the Lee Improved Minié and that Lyman 57730 design looks fairly similar to the Lee Improved. Even Lyman stated in their 1975 Handbook that accuracy from the 57730 fell short of expectations in slow twist Minié rifle muskets but held out hope the newer 48" and 60" twist bores would do better. So who knows???

[Rattus58]

Ya, hard to say what the ideal twist would be for that bullet. At 570 grains with a heavy charge, the basic "accuracy" of the combination may be compromised by recoil! I really wouldn't enjoy shooting that with even a reasonable 100 gr charge in something like the Navy Arms Hawken Hunter or TC Big Boar.

While the 530 gr Lyman 577611 has the thickest skirt of the series and is the bullet of choice for truly heavy loads of 140-150 grains, that 57730 over even 1/3 less powder would be a challenge in a short barreled, "relatively" light rifle of 10 lbs.

Also, I've never had much luck with accuracy from the Lee Improved Minié and that Lyman 57730 design looks fairly similar to the Lee Improved. Even Lyman stated in their 1975 Handbook that accuracy from the 57730 fell short of expectations in slow twist Minié rifle muskets but held out hope the newer 48" and 60" twist bores would do better. So who knows???

For one thing, you don't need 100 grains of powder to shoot this bullet or the 577611 which I have. For any deer or close range for anything like huge pigs, 70 grains does the trick. You only have to get the bullet moving... it'll do the rest. I've never shot a moose or an elk, but I'd not be looking for heavier loads for them much beyond 80 grains either.

Aloha..

[fouronesix]

For one thing, you don't need 100 grains of powder to shoot this bullet or the 577611 which I have. For any deer or close range for anything like huge pigs, 70 grains does the trick. You only have to get the bullet moving... it'll do the rest. I've never shot a moose or an elk, but I'd not be looking for heavier loads for them much beyond 80 grains either.

Aloha..

No one is saying anyone has to load this design (or any other) up to those levels. Really, it makes sense to load any of the Miniés with the charge that is most accurate. Even with a normal 50-60 grain charge then what are the advantages for launching this 570gr large meplat Minié design compared to other proven designs in the 400-500 gr range-- the big nose/wide meplat looks cool? more recoil? lower velocity? more accurate than other designs? collectible mold that Lyman discontinued? proven game getting advantage over other 58 cal Miniés?

[Good Cheer]

Had one without the plug.
Now it's an adjustable .69 cal paper patch mold with two interchangeable plugs.

[masscaster]

The #57730 was designed for the Parker Hale .58 Cal. M/L. But really can be used in several different .58's in the .575 - .580 range of bores.
I have one running at .577 and one I lapped to cast @ .581.

Jeff

[hvanhorn@msn.com]

I use it for my Lyman 58 cal. and for my 577 Snider.

[Good Cheer]

#57730 was designed so that a physical expansion plug could be used in the rear as was done in the 1800's. It was one of the means experimented with before people settled on making the skirt expand with just the gas pressure instead.
An alternative design of base plug could probably improve its performance in slower twist barrels.

I have two of them now. One of them has the plug reworked to make a cylindrical cavity instead of tapered. Don't know why. Was that way when I got it.