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Thread: Lyman 429 303

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    Lyman 429 303

    I just picked up 2 of these at a local sale. 1 lyman, 1 ideal

    One is a 1 cavity the other is a 2 cavity

    Anyone have any experience with these? Advice

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    I have heard they are an accurate design. They made it's twin in .35 caliber. I had both and found them royal pains to cast with and sent both down the road. Check on Ebay selling prices before you part with them, they usually go on the high side.

  3. #3
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    Poygan's Avatar
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    I have a double cavity mold. Very difficult to get boolits to release because of the deep lube groove. Somewhat better with a softer alloy with a gas check. Don't care much for it and would sell it if I had the gumption.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy Johnny_Cyclone's Avatar
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    Very difficult to get boolits to release because of the deep lube groove.


    No truer words will be spoken this day.. lol

  5. #5
    Boolit Bub
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    Funny the single one has a bullet in it right now..Nice looking bullet though

  6. #6
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    All the above; This has been my experience too. Got rid of mine. I am sure there was something intended this design to be good at.
    The reason I had one is an almost give away deal on a two cavity.

    Anyone know why at came to be?
    Chill Wills

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chill Wills View Post
    Anyone know why at came to be?
    Lyman 429303 High Velo-Pen (for High Velocity Penetration) mold was designed by Carl Hudson, and is described by him in an article in the first edition Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.
    Last edited by rwadley; 11-04-2016 at 09:34 PM.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

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    My understanding is that it was designed after the TRÈS HAUTE VITESSE bullets:

    http://www.quarryhs.co.uk/THV.htm

    and that they are capable of punching through 3/16" steel at 25 yards (I have been told), no personal experience though.

    I have to think that the comments about difficult mould release are very real due to the deep lube groove and slight angles on it. nonetheless, it is a mould I would like though I would have to load only two into my Marlin due to pointy boolits in tube magazine.

    NOE ran a group buy on a similar design in a variety of weights.

    Longbow

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by longbow View Post
    My understanding is that it was designed after the TRÈS HAUTE VITESSE bullets:

    http://www.quarryhs.co.uk/THV.htm

    Longbow
    Very interesting reading

    Thanks all for the great info. Part of the fun of this for me is gaining all the knowledge.

    Definitely want to see what these things will punch through now!

  10. #10
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    From Lyman's Handbook of Cast Bullets (July 1958):
    Attachment 180126Attachment 180127
    I apologize for the poor quality of the images, but if you download them they can be enlarged to something a bit more readable by any image software.

    The earliest reference I could find comes from a supplement to Lyman Handbook No.41 (July 1957), amongst the .44 Magnum data on the second page:
    Attachment 180128

    I can personally attest to this design punching through 3/16" steel plate when loaded with 26.5 grains of 2400, but I must repeat Mr. Hudson's advice: THIS LOAD MUST BE APPROACHED WITH THE UTMOST CARE.
    Last edited by jrmartin1964; 11-05-2016 at 11:50 AM.


  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
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    Thank you for this information

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    I had this design in both a modified 2C plain base, and a 4C gc, and sent both "down the road" due to extreme difficulty getting the boolits to drop outta the moulds due to the deep grease grooves. Have fun...........and get a leather mallet for a mould handle hinge beater!
    It's all chicken, even the beak!

  13. #13
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    I had a 2 cavity clone mold from an unkown maker. It also was difficulate dropping the boolets. It went down the road leaving me with the Lyman correct top punch.Robert

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hardcast416taylor View Post
    I had a 2 cavity clone mold from an unkown maker. It also was difficulate dropping the boolets. It went down the road leaving me with the Lyman correct top punch.Robert
    I, too, kept the Lyman 303 top punch. I have found it to be real handy for a lot of different designs.
    It's all chicken, even the beak!

  15. #15
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    You'll find the 429303 a two edged sword, you'll hate casting but love the performance!

    I've hd both the 429 and 358 designs, both are a pain to use and both went down the road after a member here Honcho'd a group buy, after much debate over design changes, for a clone of the lyman 429303.

    Cooler heads prevailed and we got a 240 grain plain base 429303 clone with out the harsh lube and crimp grooves as well as a 150 grain 358 clone with the same changes.

    I bought Four of this group buy, two 358 and Two 430 diameter designs. one each for me and my BIL.

    the design change allows for the boolits to drop pretty quick and never needs the harsh treatment the Lyman molds do to get boolits out of them.

    I'll suggest the OP make 100 and then check back with us on his experience with this beast of a mold!

    He might get lucky and find someone who want to part with his Group Buy Pointed SWC mold, if you do you better be fast cause it won't last long.

    As far as performance goes??

    A coworker back in Christmas of 1989 had a BIL getting a Colt Anaconda for Christmas from his wife, co workers sister, and he had had the chance to shoot some of my loads with the original Lyman 429303 out of my 8 3/8's Model 29.

    He asked if he could buy a few rounds to let the BIL shoot the new Colt on Christmas, I gave him a box of 50 in new Winchester case's loaded with WW 296.

    I advised him to be careful where he shot the gun and advised him of two thing: the load would go through a telephone pole and I wanted my brass back!!

    New Years eve we worked a half day and the co worker had brought me my empty case's with the acknowledgement that the load would go through a telephone pole and the stop sign behind it!!

    The BIL kept six rounds for the house and I never wanted to know where he actually fired those rounds!!

    Good luck with it, HM!

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy GWM's Avatar
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    NOE has several of their own versions available, in .38/357 .44 .45 and .50 cal
    http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=37_199
    I have a couple of them as well as an original 429303, but I haven't done much shooting with them yet.
    In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.
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  17. #17
    Boolit Mold
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    used one in the early 60`s. cast of linotype it would penetrate 3/16" mild steel consistently and 1/4" in 2 out of 6 shots. 26.0 gr. 2400 in a flat top Ruger. loads tend to be more conservative inthis day and age. picked up a 2 cav acouple years ago. still doesnt cast any easier than my original.havent loaded any yet. Lyman still had 5 or 6 tp's and seating stems at that time. definitly a special purpose pill! might be good medicine for a big bear skull. I'll watch if you want to try it! Have fun!

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Why he didn't use a proven body design that cast and released easy then add the pointy nose I don't know. Deep almost straight sided lube grooves are just asking for stickers. Makes one wonder. It would be good for penetration but for big bear protection I think a heavier design would be much better.

    If you want to punch through steel plate or whatever it seems to be an optimal design though.

  19. #19
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by longbow View Post
    Why he didn't use a proven body design that cast and released easy then add the pointy nose I don't know. Deep almost straight sided lube grooves are just asking for stickers. Makes one wonder. It would be good for penetration but for big bear protection I think a heavier design would be much better.

    If you want to punch through steel plate or whatever it seems to be an optimal design though.
    youre right - heavier bullet with decent grease grooves would be much better.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master

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    Ignorance must be bliss or something like that. Got a single cavaty Ideal mold for this one about the time I got my first flatop in the late 60's. Never had any problem getting nicely filled out cast in either wheel weights or lynotype. What the good Mr. Hudson had to say I found to be the truth. The lighter target load has been one of the most accurate loads I have ever tried and remains my standby to this day. The heavy penatration load has done everything the good Doctor said it would do with water chilled lynotype. What it did to a old Chevy 6 cylinder block had to be seen to be believed. Give it a try. You might be supprised.
    Facta non verba

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check