The Lost and forgotten Lyman 358477

[1_Ogre]

I don't know why, but none of the loading manuals display any data for loading the Lyman 358477 150gr SWC in the 38 Special. They have it for the 357 though. If I was limited to only ONE boolit, it would be the Lyman 358477, and I use it in both my 357's and 38 Specials and have had zero problems with stability, accuracy, leading, nothing. This is in my humble opinion one of the best all around boolits that's been designed. Yes, there are a lot of good ones out there, but if you had to settle on just one, my choice would be the 358477. It's not gas checked so you can't blaze trails with it, but for small game (up to and including small deer) it will get the job done, or just for plinking you can had a ball all day long and not get wrist cramps.
THIS LOAD DATA HAS COME FROM YEARS OF MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
For about 95% of my 358477 loads I use 4.0gr of Unique or 4.3gr of 231. Nice easy to control round and most likely more accurate than you can hold the revolver.
My weapon of choice is of course the Ruger Black Hawk or Ruger GP100 but they function perfectly fine in my Ruger LCR in 38 Special also. I have fired literally thousands through the above 3 weapons and to date I have had NO case buldges, misfires, split cases, primers popping out, nothing but pure fun and enjoyment.
I have a Lyman 358477 4-Cav mould, and in the past 2 days cast up right at 1500 of them, and they will soon be loaded and sitting on the shelf ready to do their duty, which is to give me pleasue.
If there's anyone else out there that uses the 358477 in a 38 Special, I'd like to hear from you because as I said previously there is NO loading information that I have been able to locate, so I did it on my own, which I usually do anyway.
Thanks for reading and if you have any feedback, please let me know.

Steve, s-3

[Blackwater]

It's not quite the same, but I've used tons of the little Lee 358-15-SWCHP's for many years, until my mould burned in a buddy's house after I'd loaned it to him. May it rest in peace. It sure served me well, and except for the HP, it's pretty close to your fave. Like you said, I found it killed any and everything I pointed it at, and it shot nice groups, too. Reduced follow up time on rapid fire (tactical) repeat shots, too, which was nice, and the HP worked VERY well when cast semi-soft and tin was added. A buddy shoots his deer in a .357 levergun with 140 gr. XTP J-bullets, and gets pass throughs on almost all shots. Only acute angling shots threaten to leave the bullet in the deer. Dang fine bullet wt. that gives great results with minimal fuss and bother, and allows faster follow-up, if they're ever needed. I like 'em too!

[MT Gianni]

I also have a 4 cavity 158 gr mold, profiles have changed over the years. I went with an accuracy load of 5.4 gr Unique forever straight from the lyman manuals. Currently anything out there shows 5 gr as a max load for the 38 special. It is nearly as accurate and small game doesn't seem to care.

[gwpercle]

That was the very first mould I ever bought, for a Ruger Blackhawk. I load 38 special cases with 5.0 grains of Unique, that was the most accurate load in my gun. I could never get satisfactory groups with less than 4.6 grains of Unique. I gave up trying to light load Unique and bought some Bullseye , Red Dot and 700X for those purposes.
I still consider the 5.0 grains of Unique & 358477 boolit my go to, standard velocity, favorite, all-around load in 38 special.
Gary

[waco]

I have the NOE brass four cavity 360477. I load it over 3.2gr of titegroup, 3.5gr. of Bullseye, or sometimes 4.5gr Unique. I agree. Great boolit !!

[Guesser]

Mine is an Ideal DC that drops at 148 grains made up of 50/50 PB/WW. Great all round bullet.

[tazman]

I have the 4 cavity from Lyman. Currently using it in 38 special shot through my 357 mag. I load it over 5.0 grains of CFE pistol.
I get just under 975fps with it and it is very accurate.

[rockshooter]

I have the NOE version, both plain base and GC. My normal .38sp load is 4.1 gr of 231. I use the GC version in .357. Great boolet!
Loren

[jeepyj]

I could agree more I use the 358477 as my "pet" load. I have cast and shot that Boolit 10 to 1 over all my others combined. I shoot at steel and silly-wets out of a Ruger Blackhawk, Smith 686 and a Colt Trooper III. Mostly out of the Blackhawk with a Millet red-dot. My preference is 5 grains of Unique in a 38 special. I agree with the OP about how good this boolit is and the fact it's hard to find any loading information for the 38. Honestly I can't remember how I came across this combination but for me it groups for me better than most.
I'll be sure to follow this post!
jeepyj

[Yodogsandman]

The 358477 is the only 38 SPL/357 mold I own, no need for another. I load the 38 SPL with 5.6gr AA5 for a full power load.

[primersp]

i have the rcbs version good shooter in my gp100 and and s&w66

[runfiverun]

I have 2 versions of the 477 one round on the nose and one more square.
they both have sharp square plain bases though.
pushed along at @ 750 fps with 4 grs of 231 in the 38 case they are stable over a looong distance, I have even penetrated 16" of cow down through the skull and into the jugular vein with that same combination a couple of times.
I'm trying to remember who put up the pic's [Gll [jerry] maybe] some time back, but airc he showed two more nose versions other than the ones than I have.
which reminds me I have about 1500 of them sitting in the tubes for the star I need to get sized at some point in the near future.

[Harry O]

I have used a bunch of 358 477's through the years. It is the most accurate .38 Special bullet I have up to about 25 yards in every gun I have tried it in. It is about equal to my 358 429 from there to about 50 yards. Beyond 50 yards, the 358 429 has the edge in accuracy. I use 6.2gr of HS-6 with homemade lube with the 358 477.

[Cherokee]

I've used 358477 4 cavity for over 40 years in 38 and 357. Great shooting boolit. My fav serious load is 5.5 Herco @ 1.462" OAL for full power, it hits 950 fps from 6" 38 or 357. My fav normal load is 3.5 231 that hits 8010 fps from 6" guns. That boolit will work with any sutable powder, a great design.

Edit - you guys have fun, the 8010 shoud have been 810 fps.....

[tazman]

My fav normal load is 3.5 231 that hits 8010 fps from 6" guns.

That's some seriously impressive speed.

[MtGun44]

Yeah, I can barely reach 6000 fps in my rifles, let along 8000 fps in a pistol!



Joking aside - I have several 4 cav old style 150 gr 358477 molds and this is a very good
design, essentially identical to RCBS 38 150 SWC (old molds were K or KT rather than SWC).

Bill

[Cadillo]

The 358477 is also my favorite bullet, and I cast a lot of different slugs. About a year ago I read an article in the Cast Bullet Association Newsletter in which the writer recommended 4.3 grains of 231 under it in a .38 special case. This was a little hotter than what I was loading at the time, but I tried it, and found it to be quite accurate. It will shoot more accurately than I can shoot it. So, 4.3 grains is now my standard loading. The same charge of 231 also works good under my checked 358156 bullets. It's just a good powder charge with either of those bullets.

[greenwart]

I really like this bullet. I have been drifting to shooting 38 sp in my 357's because I came across 1500 38 special cases. My problem with this mold is I have a single cavity lyman. I am tempted to buy a 4 gang mold and wondered if the new ones are as good as the old ones. They are $78 at midsouth and seem to go for that amount on fleabay. I like the way it shoots with unique, but I have 4 lbs of bulllseye and 8 lbs of reddot on the shelf so they get used first.

[tomme boy]

I just got a really nice 5 cavity of this design from NOE. This thing is awesome! Drops right at 0.360" So anyone with more data it would be great. I have not loaded any yet as the gun is at Ruger right now.

[Petrol & Powder]

I don't have the Lyman 358477 but I do have the RCBS .38-150 SWC which appears to be very similar to the Lyman.
It delivers outstanding all-around service. Acting on advice from knowledgeable members of this forum (mostly Mtngun44 - THANKS! ) I purchased that mold. I've since obtained other .358" molds but I use the RCBS 38-150 more than any other .358" mold, by a large margin. That mold drops bullets close to 158 grains and around .359" -.360" with my alloy, which is just about perfect for my needs.

WW231 has been my powder of choice for 38 Special for longer than I can remember and 4.4grs of WW231 behind that SWC produces very good results in all of my revolvers.
With WW231 being just about as difficult to obtain these days as plutonium 239 and maybe a bit more expensive ; I've been searching for a replacement powder. Hodgdon CFE Pistol seems to be a good powder for 38 Special. 5.1 grs of CFE behind that same bullet works very well.

I completely agree with the OP that the 358477 or one of the clones is an outstanding 38/357 bullet. I would be perfectly happy with just that one mold to feed my 38 Special revolvers and in fact, I practically do just that.

Hand loading can be an incredible journey and there's tremendous fulfillments in exploring and experimenting but sometimes it's easy to get lost in the tall weeds. Simplicity has a value all to its own.