finding the right molds for .41 and 38/.357

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  • Last Post 27 November 2011
countrygun posted this 21 November 2011

I spent about an hour on the 'net trying to find “just the right molds. It's a bit frustrating. Normally I cast for the .44 mag/special with a Lymand 429431 (IIRC) and an RCBS 250K and a couple of .38 lee and lyman 158 swcs

I want to cast for my .41 mags and all of them prefer a 220+ gn bullet. I found some custom cast a an out of the way gunshop and they worked great but I am out and can't find the mold. I did find a Lyman but the profile wasn't the same.

I also want a KSWC type for the .357 in the 170-180 gn region.

being a heavy for caliber guy is a lot of work

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CB posted this 22 November 2011

Yup, the semi-wad cutter CBs are still hard to beat. In your .41 mag, NEI list a few CBs in the 220+ weight you are looking for http://www.neihandtools.com/index.html

In the .357 for KSWC cb, Lyman still has the 358429 at 170gr you can purchase new. NEI also has a few heavy .357 SWCs in the heavy range. The #160 at 180grs can be made without the gas check shank for a little bit lighter cb..........Dan

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Brodie posted this 22 November 2011

You could try Ranch Dog.  He has a good looking 255gr. rf.

B.E.Brickey

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Tom Acheson posted this 22 November 2011

Veral Smith (LBT) made a nice 4-cavity mould for me that weighs about 230-grains. The Saeco #415 is also a good mould (I also have their #410 plain base). The LBT and the #415 both use a gas check but Hornady quit making them (leaving Lyman as the only source) so I've had good results using the Hornady .416 GC. But the dia. of the gas check shank of your particular mould may need to be checked first. I have about 10, maybe more, .41 moulds, all at 215 gr. or heavier (excluding a Lee 170-grainer which is useless). The heaviest is a Hoch nose pour of 323 grains followed by a SSK of 296 grains. Between those two moulds I've taken (22) deer with an iron sighted revolver (most are Mule Deer in WY).

Reports on this forum and others about the good results achieved with the Lyman #410459 are something I've not yet been able to do. I've tried it in (3) revolvers and with a huge # of powder/primer combinations and ...nothing. Could be an “unhappy” mould. The RCBS 215 gr. KT bullet works well with 7.0 of Bullseye, at 1,000 fps out of a S&W Mod. 57 8 3/8” bbl. In a Mod. 58 4” bbl., the H&G 220-gr Keith type (4-cav.) plain base using SR 4756 is quite accurate.

Best overall moulds are the H&G and the Saeco #415. Also have (4) .40 cal. BPCR moulds but all are too heavy for a revolver.

Tom

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countrygun posted this 22 November 2011

Tom Acheson wrote: Veral Smith (LBT) made a nice 4-cavity mould for me that weighs about 230-grains. The Saeco #415 is also a good mould (I also have their #410 plain base). The LBT and the #415 both use a gas check but Hornady quit making them (leaving Lyman as the only source) so I've had good results using the Hornady .416 GC. But the dia. of the gas check shank of your particular mould may need to be checked first. I have about 10, maybe more, .41 moulds, all at 215 gr. or heavier (excluding a Lee 170-grainer which is useless). The heaviest is a Hoch nose pour of 323 grains followed by a SSK of 296 grains. Between those two moulds I've taken (22) deer with an iron sighted revolver (most are Mule Deer in WY).

Reports on this forum and others about the good results achieved with the Lyman #410459 are something I've not yet been able to do. I've tried it in (3) revolvers and with a huge # of powder/primer combinations and ...nothing. Could be an “unhappy” mould. The RCBS 215 gr. KT bullet works well with 7.0 of Bullseye, at 1,000 fps out of a S&W Mod. 57 8 3/8” bbl. In a Mod. 58 4” bbl., the H&G 220-gr Keith type (4-cav.) plain base using SR 4756 is quite accurate.

Best overall moulds are the H&G and the Saeco #415. Also have (4) .40 cal. BPCR moulds but all are too heavy for a revolver.

Tom

thanks for the info I have a 58 9SAPD marked) and my wife just gifted me a 8 3/8 57 as well. I just had the 58 and my 4 5/8 Blackhawk when I bought those bullets by pure serendipity. I have some left but they are loaded in cases. they were were the same profile as a Lyman 429/431

when I loaded the first batch I trotted outside to test them at 15 yds in the 58. the wind was rocking the target holder so I fired “double taps” between gusts. this, and a lousy photo, was the result,

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Tom Acheson posted this 22 November 2011

Countrygun,

SAPD=San Antonio Police Dept.? Some departments had guns made for them by S&W.

If you are a CBA member, you should try the new Timed Fire Postal match that is being started. See the post in Postal matches.

Thanks!

Tom

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countrygun posted this 22 November 2011

Yup. San Antonio and San Francisco were the SF had the ACLU on their side with the premise that it was more “humane” to shoot a bad guy once with a big bullet than lots of times with a small one. I cannot think of the writer, it may have been Tom Arnold who was on the SAPD ant reported a string of 12 “one shot” stops within the Department.

I will check on those matches right now.:D

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shastaboat posted this 22 November 2011

Lyman 410610 is a very good bullet design and Lee made a .410 mold that was 210 grains. I used to own molds in both sizes and they both worked very well. As I recall they both had gas checks. Try EBAY.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEE-BULLET-MOLD-TL410-210-SWC-2CAV-41-MAGNUM-/270855205071?pt=LHDefaultDomain0&hash=item3f103a70cf

Because I said so!

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countrygun posted this 27 November 2011

well some research has led me to believe they were from a Lyman 410459 possibly, but, unfortunately when I went to the Lyman website there was nada in .41 cal at all.

The good news is my stepdaughter moved back east with her boyfriend the day after Thanksgiving and my reloading room is all mine again,

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Dan Cash posted this 27 November 2011

I too have a .41 mould from Veral Smith for my S&W M57. It throws a 250 gr flat point that works very well in that revolver. Veral made it spot on based upon my measurements and the results are most satisfactory with 5.5 gr Unique for a short range plinking load or a substantial dose of 2400 for serious work.

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countrygun posted this 27 November 2011

Well, I am seeing a pattern here and I am a fairly efficient kind of person and the thought of having a custom mould made is not exactly dreadful to me. I need to do a bit of study on some of the finer details, so I know what questions to ask, and look into this option. I am certain that my guns and I need something heavier than the stock 210 but, around here it doesn't need to be heavier than my refridgerator.

I suppose step one will be slugging all my .41 barrels to see if I can find a common denominator and go from there. I do have the hunch that the barrels are pretty uniform but cylinder throats and forcing cones may be the big issue.

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Tom Acheson posted this 27 November 2011

The new Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th edition, does not list a .41 mould made by Lyman. That's because they dropped their .41 moulds. Therefore they listed moulds made by other companies in the new book. There is a Lee, an RCBS and two Saecos. The 3rd edition (1980) had 5 Lyman moulds.

Tom

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