New Lyman 358311

[blue32]

I've read the previous posts about Lyman quality and decided it was time to buy a mold to review for my blog. I have experience with the 311008 (made 7/15) casting a bit on the small side so had an idea of what to expect. I always wanted the classic round nose 38 spl profile and decided to roll the dice again.

I ordered a 358311 two cavity from Midway last week and it arrived today. My mold was stamped with a date of 12/18. Finish was fine and the halves matched up without any light through the middle. I warmed up the mold on my Lee pot set at 750 (f) for about 12 minutes. Alloy used was range scrap with 3% Sn. First couple of casts were wrinkled on front band. Smoking both cavities fixed that immediately. Next casts produced well filled out bullets, clean sprue cuts, and no feathering on the seams.

Measured with calipers opposite of the seam, lower band is .3585". Middle band is .3585". Top band is .3535". A few of the lower and mid bands came out at .359" but that wasn't the majority. Lube'n load with a test in the 686 to follow but I wanted to put this info out there.

[OS OK]

I just love all the old profiles...been slowly finding the oldies and goodies . . . one of my favorites.

[blue32]

Ran another batch with straight range scrap. More rejects due to fill out but lower and middle bands are still casting as .3585". I'll go back to the tin alloy to make my time behind the pot more productive but wow, a new Lyman that casts over stated diameter with nothing but RS!

[tazman]

Ran another batch with straight range scrap. More rejects due to fill out but lower and middle bands are still casting as .3585". I'll go back to the tin alloy to make my time behind the pot more productive but wow, a new Lyman that casts over stated diameter with nothing but RS!

If you wish to use range scrap, the secret to good fillout is found in two things. You can "sweeten" the alloy by adding an ingot of linotype or some such to each pot or you can just run the pot at a higher temperature.
I do the latter. Turning the pot temp up is an easy fix for many issues in boolit casting. A little frost on the boolits doesn't harm anything and they shoot just as well.

[Ring3]

I just love all the old profiles...been slowly finding the oldies and goodies . . . one of my favorites.

Off topic but I have to ask, what are those bullets coated with, PC? Very cool looking!

[OS OK]

PC, a 50/50 mix of gloss black & white...i call it 'old lead'.

Wanted a color that'll look like the old rounds from yesteryear...the PC'd round in this lineup is 3'rd from the right.

[tazman]

OS OK--- That is excellent work. Good looking rounds. I'll bet they shoot as good as they look too.

[OS OK]

Thanks Taz . . . I've been watching the moulds 4 sale here for years, been slowly collecting them to have a selection of the .38/.357 casts, I enjoy that.



Just found this one to add to the line-up.

[blue32]

Is that a 358430 on the far right?

[onelight]

Those look more like art than ammo
Very nice !

[onelight]

How do you guys seat those HP bullets when cast soft and not deform them ?

[OS OK]

Yes it is blue32...good eye, the old 'Police Special - Pelvis Crusher'. At just 835FPS it'll pass through 5 water filled jugs @ 11BHN.

Thank you onelight.

I seat them carefully with a flat seater now days. Sometimes it closes the HP a wee-lil-bit but it can be opened right back to normal with an old punch and gentle force.
The one pictured above was seated in a RN seater and I had to re-open it a bit also.

I've been told that you can make custom seaters with some JB weld on a flat seater but haven't gone to that trouble yet.

[onelight]

thanks I was curious they look sorta fragile . If anything will expand at 38 special speed it looks like that one would.

[Ring3]

PC, a 50/50 mix of gloss black & white...i call it 'old lead'.

Thanks. Going to put those two colors on my list for next order. Really like the look!

[bedbugbilly]

The 358-311 is one of my favorite boolits - I have an Ideal 2 cavity mold. I particularly like to load 'em in 38 Special using my set of Lyman 310 tongs/dies - then shoot them out of a vintage Smith M & P or my 1910 Colt Army Special. It sounds like your new mold is a good one! I don't do coating but those that you've done OS OK are a thing of beauty and a work of art!