Moulds for 38/357

[Groundpounder17]

I am wanting to start casting and reloading for the 38/357 mag. It will be used in a wheel gun, colt’s new python 6”. I was hoping some with experience can give me their experiences with these moulds: LBT FN in 160 grain, MP Keith 358429, and also the MP 360460.

[smithnframe]

Can’t go wrong with Elmer’s bullet!

[Land Owner]

After casting thousands of 156 grain solid and 145 grain HP in both a 2-cav. MP 358-429 and 4-cav. MP 360-156, they're excellent brass molds that make satisfying, fully formed, flat based, sharp, and clean lined cast boolits of 49/49/2 percent - Pb/WW/Sn alloy. Powder choices include miniscule amounts of IMR 700X, SR 7625, Unique, Universal, Clays, or IMR 4227.

[Forrest r]

You might want to check the oal of that "keith" bullet when crimped in the crimp groove and seated in 357mag cases.

Never used the lbt 160 fn bullet but I've shot piles of the mp 359640's. That 640 series bullet has been extremely accurate for me in several 38spl & 357mag firearms.

[hc18flyer]

I have the Mihec 360640 and a 358477 sec molds. They shoot great out of my 4" K-frame S & W .38 Special. I use Win 231, Clays, Bullseye. All my .38 molds are plain base,, not gc. You are using the perfect molds. .358 sizing should work, see how large they will push thru your cylinder throats? hc18flyer

[hc18flyer]

Lyman 358477 swc

[Thumbcocker]

If you are on a budget, the Lee 158 rnfp is a very good boolit and a 6 cavity mold will make a bunch in a hurry.

[hc18flyer]

I would be 'fat and happy' with the LBT 160 fan! I am hoping NOE has a year end sale, so I can get a big fn .38 mold. I have the 2 cavity Lee 158 fn, with the bevel base, prefer a flat base.

[gwpercle]

Skeeter Skelton's suggestion of the Lyman 358156 ... a 155 grain GC SWC ... is still a good one in 357 Magnum and 38 Special +P and 38/44 HD loads .

A favorite of mine is the Lyman 358432 a plain based , 160 grain , Wadcutter boolit that is not loaded level with the case but has the nose exposed like a SWC ...it is very accurate !

NOE has re-created this mould in 38 cal , 41 cal. and 44 cal. ...it's a winner , I have both the 38 and 41 ...
the 41 cal is a delight in the model 58 in my avatar !

Gary

[txbirdman]

I’m a fan of the RCBS 150 gr ( more like 155 with wheel weight alloy).

[Alstep]

RCBS 38-150-SWC is a favorite here. 3.0 gr of Bullseye is a nice light accurate load in all my .38's. Works well in .357 too.

[358429]

they scale approximately 150 grains. It's the miha keith 38 bullets

[avogunner]

A lot of good molds listed already but all my 38/357 needs are satisfied by 3 Lyman (Ideal) molds:
358311 160gr RN - good performance but mainly because I just like the look of the loaded 38spl with this boolit
358432 148gr WC - with a modest charge of Bullseye, it's a tack driver in my pre-war S&W M&P's
358156GC 158gr SWC - the only boolit I use for .357mag.

[derek45]

Keith....if it will fit ?





It's close on a GP100



I really like the LEE 158 RNFP



358477 is wonderful, but mine is a single cavity, so I don't use it much.



LEE 125 is a good one also ( blue )





357 mag versatile, accurate and fun to experiment with

[mdi]

While I have an excellent Lachmiller mold for a 160 gr SWC, I don't hunt with my 357 revolver and find lighter bullets more fun to shoot over the long run. I have had very good results with a Lee 358-125 RF which is pretty accurate in my 357s and 38 Specials. I PC a lot of them and they also shoot quite well in my 5, 9mm handguns. I also have a Lee 358-148 BNWC, that when cast fairly hard (15 BHN) and loaded over max loads of W231 (not +P) is kept for one of my house gun loads. I also have a Lee TL358-158-SWC but mostly PCed and loaded kinda light. I occasionally use an old single cavity Ideal mold for a SWC of about 150 gr. These keep my 38/357 handloads pretty well covered for anything I may need for my 38 caliber revolvers...

[jonp]

If you are on a budget, the Lee 158 rnfp is a very good boolit and a 6 cavity mold will make a bunch in a hurry.

I've cast and used quite a few of these in my Blackhawk, Target Masterpiece and Combat Magnum. Nice boolit

[El Bibliotecario]

Emulating the late Charles "Skeeter" Skelton' and beginning with the Lyman 358156 bullet saved me a lifetime of searching for the 'best' .357 Magnum bullet. I think the driving band on this bullet isn't wide enough, but the bullet apparently doesn't care what I think because it shoots more accurately than I can. I only wish Skelton had also advised that buying a two-cavity mold is false economy given the extra hours of casting time.

[358429]

Yeah man if I was casting these with the two cavity mold I'd lose my mind.

It is such a nice day today how many of y'all have a turkey fryer lit with a lead pot

on top, ladle casting in the breeze on the second lowest heat setting

[Huskerguy]

I too like the RCBS 150 which is not on your list. Arsenal makes a clone of that same bullet. You may want to consider rounding up a few examples to load up and try. I would be willing to send you some.

[Groundpounder17]

Thanks for all the replies so far! Now I have even more options to research