Seeking Information on the History of the Lyman 35793 Boolet

[goodwrenchldj]

I bought a four cavity 35793 mould in 1969. The 3rd Edition of the Lyman Pistol & Revolver Handbook has 9 mm and 357 Magnum loads listed which I use. It also lists 38 Super loads that I don't use. On 02/18/24 I posted here trying to find published 38 Special loads complete with velocity and pressure (V&P) data. A couple of responses/suggestions were received but nothing yet with V&P data.

Lyman technical support was helpful but could not provide 38 Special loads either. The man I spoke with told me the boolet probably dated to the 1950’s and that it had been reintroduced as the 357093/358093 in the 1980’s. One of the responses to my prior post said that the 35793 is based on its big brother, the 429303, which is in the 2002 Lyman catalog. This piqued my interest on the history/origin of the boolet itself.

This morning I asked Lyman if they had an archive of catalogs in an effort to find the oldest one that listed the 35793. Hopefully they have an easily searchable one. I will be at my Virginia house next month. Lots of interesting records have been found during my prior visits to the Library of Congress and the NRA archives. Maybe those sources will work this time. Does anybody out there in booletland have an archive or have any suggestions?

[20:1]

It appears to have been first catalogued in 1962 in .358. It's a recycled cherry number, the original was a 403 093 that originated in the earliest days of Ideal. I can't even find a pic of the original design.

All of Ideal/Lymans records were destroyed when the Lyman family sold the company in 1970. The design is a downsized copy of 429303. All we have to work with is the old catalogues, and occasional windfalls of information from estate sale treasures and such. There's a guy trying to sell one on ebay, but his mold isn't the rare piece he proclaims it to be. It's a poorly cut down Lyman mold in sad shape. It has been for sale forever...

[rintinglen]

In the Cast Bullet Handbook No. 1, pp 154-155, there is a report written by Carl F Hudson, the designer of the 429-303. He discusses his goals and accomplishments with his then new design. That the 358-93 (093) was a 38 caliber, reduced caliber, version of the Hudson mold is clear to see, but exactly who was responsible appears to be lost in the mists of time. Was it some un-named mechanic at Lyman fiddling with a design he admired, hoping that the mold would sell well to the vastly larger number of 38 Special users? Did Mr. Hudson revisit his design, like Elmer did with his 44 and 38 special boolits? If anybody knows, I am afraid they ain't telling. More likely, those concerned can only be reached via Ouija Board.

[20:1]

I just read Carl Hudsons article last night. He was quite proud of his design even though I don't see what it brought to the table that different designs couldn't provide. The Hi-Velo-Pen name was pretty humorous even though the designs light weight and resulting higher velocity was responsible for the designs penetration, not its nose design. He tested it against factory 240 gr lead ammunition and his faster (1815 fps), lighter bullet penetrated a sample of 3/16 mild steel where the factory ammo didn't. In his defense, such knowledge is far more commonplace these days than in the mid '50s.

[Dutchman]

I started casting 35893 (later as 358093) in the 1980s in .38 Special with no gas check and .357 Magnum with gas check. The old S&W MP shot them very accurately as did the S&W Model 28 Hiway Patrolman.

I have this one old box of .357 and no load data inside! Dagnabit.



Not too long ago purchased used single cavity 429303.

I really don't like single cavity molds

[hermans]

Very interesting post! Thanks for all the information regarding this "old" boolit.

[ascast]

Just from memory, foggy,only 1 coffee-- I seem to recall this style was developed to shoot fish, but it was discovered it would punch a hole in steel plate. I think that was in 1 of the older5 Ideal books.

[goodwrenchldj]

Many thanks for your response and for the other responses. This sure is easier than the types of searches I was considering! My four cavity mould for this bullet and for the 35891 and 358242/95 were purchased, together with the appropriate top punches and a Lyman 450 in 1969. All have served me well. The Pistol & Revolver Handbook, 3rd Edition, on page 143 lists this bullet propelled by 3.6 grains of N340 as its "most accurate" load. It works well in both of my Erfurt Lugers, my S&W Model 39 and a friends Sig 210.

[TRAPDOOR 4570]

I had a 4 cavity 35893 years ago, I think it had an Ideal stamp. Sold it off, it had square groves and there was no amount of mold release would that let it drop slugs with linotype. Never had a worse mold, was pounding it with a leather mallet a dozen times to get them to drop. Have a 2 cavity with round groves and they just drop right out. Never could get a good load for it, it is not that accurate for me in the .38, .357 or 9mm. Have a lot of more accurate molds to run my linotype into.