.358 148gr wc moulds

[ndhole]

I'm in the process of piecing together what I need to start casting and picking up stuff when I run across it. I've ended up with 2 different moulds for a .358 148 gr button tip wc and wanted opinions whether one casts a better boolit than the other so I can decide which one to part with. One is a 4 cav Lyman 358432 and the other is a 10 cav H&G #50. I know the H&G would give me buckets of boolits faster but I won't be loading a bunch of wc's so quantity doesn't really matter.

[Heavy lead]

Whichever shoots better, my hunch is they will both be fine. If it were my decision, I'd sell the H and G, it'll go for more than 300 bucks, maybe 400 and you could by a used Smith 19 with that, I like the Lyman 4 bangers myself, a lot of guys use H and G's and they are great moulds, but in a 10 hole, that's a bit hard to manuver.

[missionary5155]

And before you start castings buckets.... Slug your cylinders and barrrel and find out what size boolit you need to fill those cylinder throats. With the real diameters you can then cast a copuple from each mold and figure out which FITS your "Iron".

[Hardcast416taylor]

In my PPC shooting days, quite a few days ago, I used the same Lyman 4-holer and a single cavity together. I can`t begin to estimate the thousands of these little fellas I made. Having a friend that owned a service station I had an unlimited supply of wheel weights. I used straight weights with 3.3 gr. of either HP-38 or Win. 231 powder and Fed. primers. I won a match or so using this load and still rely on it. My lube varied with what I could afford, then a friend started making a formula similar to RCBS green, but softer. It worked great with no leading or similar problems. Alas he has gone to the great melting pot beyond with his formula still his secret. By using 2 molds when casting 1 is cooling while the other is being filled. I`ve used about all manner of melting pots from range top, oops sorry dear! to Lee pots , and now RCBS pots. Start where you can afford and graduate up as you can.

[GabbyM]

The H&G #50 may cast a bit small for you. It's for the Clark conversion 38 specials based on 38 Super barrels in the 1911. Mine drops .358" bullets with alloy at about 3% antimony. Upside is you could probably just tumble lube them with carnauba wax and shoot unsized.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Hi, 148 grain WC's are pretty much the target bullet and weight for bullseye work with the 38 special and/or the .357. The so called button tip is the most common. The 358432 by Lyman is an older design that has worked quite well over the years. The H&G #50 unless it is specifically marked 356 in its serial number should cast at .357-.358 and is a classic design for the 38 special. It has been used as a classic loading in front of 2.7 grains of Bullseye (as well as other loadings) for decades by target shooters. Yes it is true that a ten cavity H&G mold will deliver bullets in astounding numbers if you can...in the proper rythm.... get a pot to keep up with it. The problem with a ten holer is it does weigh a lot and many users complain about getting tired in the wrist and arm. Thats a fact! I have 3 H&G 6 cavity molds and they wear me out after a few hours. H&G molds are the Rolls-Royces of bullet molds. Yes it is true that they do command comparatively high prices/values....when they were new and now as well. But they cast quality bullets like no others and I'm talking about any rejection rate ever exceeding 1-2% either/or both in weight and fillout. That means specifically that when metal, temp and casting rythm are right.... no more than 2 out of every hundred have to be tossed back in the pot. They are also solid, smooth running molds. To be fair about the answer to your question about which one to get rid of, I would say to you to cast a batch from both molds and load them and shoot them and see which mold does better according to your standards and judgement and then make a fianal decision. Good casting and shooting. LLS

[Buckshot]

..............Several of us did a test of 38 wadcutters. I lost the data about a year and a half ago in a computer hiccup. We all had K38 S&W's and we all used the old standby load of 2.7grs of Bullseye. IIRC there were about 7 wadcutter designs, and a couple were in a couple different alloys.

There was NOT one clear winner. All the revolvers showed an individual preferance for a couple, but there was not one that did best in all of them. Basically it was the same ole thing. At the correct size, not over lubed, not re-sized via overtight cases, and thoughtfully loaded They ALL shot well in all the revolvers, and better in some then others. A lot could have had to do with how a shooter was feeling and doing that particular day too.

I was happy to see that the ubiquitous Lee 358-148WC from a 6 cav mould shot well enough in most the guns to be a consideration for producing mass quantities, vs a 2 cav design by another maker. If I were you I'd cast from both moulds and try them in your pistol. Then keep the one your gun shoots best. If they both do well keep which ever mould you prefer.

...............Buckshot

[Shiloh]

I have a LEE six banger tumble lube 148 gr wadcutter mold and a old Lyman 35891.
Both turn out perfect boolits and give fine accuracy.

Shiloh

[leadeye]

I have a LEE six banger tumble lube 148 gr wadcutter mold and a old Lyman 35891.
Both turn out perfect boolits and give fine accuracy.

Shiloh

That's good to know, I just bought the Lee and it is turning out nice boolits, have not shot any as of yet. Will try in the next few days.

[beagle]

Ric...the article you mention is under castpics....the articles section. Testing was carried out by Daune Bogen up in WA.

Several emerged as better shooters than others but not by much./beagle

..............Several of us did a test of 38 wadcutters. I lost the data about a year and a half ago in a computer hiccup. We all had K38 S&W's and we all used the old standby load of 2.7grs of Bullseye. IIRC there were about 7 wadcutter designs, and a couple were in a couple different alloys.

There was NOT one clear winner. All the revolvers showed an individual preferance for a couple, but there was not one that did best in all of them. Basically it was the same ole thing. At the correct size, not over lubed, not re-sized via overtight cases, and thoughtfully loaded They ALL shot well in all the revolvers, and better in some then others. A lot could have had to do with how a shooter was feeling and doing that particular day too.

I was happy to see that the ubiquitous Lee 358-148WC from a 6 cav mould shot well enough in most the guns to be a consideration for producing mass quantities, vs a 2 cav design by another maker. If I were you I'd cast from both moulds and try them in your pistol. Then keep the one your gun shoots best. If they both do well keep which ever mould you prefer.

...............Buckshot

[ndhole]

Thanks to all of you for your input. I believe I'll have to go with casting some and see if my s&w 27 likes one over the other.

Until I started browsing around on here I never could figure out why someone would want to shoot a flat ugly looking wadcutter when they could be shooting a nice looking swc using about the same amount of lead to cast either. Then I ran across someone talking about using the wadcutter for a defense load and how devatating it would be and that changed my mind completely about a wadcutter and it's uses.

[mooman76]

If it were me and both bullets load and shoot the same and they probubly will unless there were big difference in size. I'd go with the 4x. The 4x should be easier to kick out a few bullets quick and easy. The 10x will fatigue you quicker and yes it will crank out allot of bullets but unless you shoot a real lot the 4x will crank out allot quick too. I have a Lee 6xand it cranks out enough bullets in 4 hours to last me several years. I'm thinking wad cutters shoot basiclly the same (as long as they are the correct size)with some minor differences. They are rounf with a flat end. But yes I would mould up a few and see how each loads and shoots first.

[dardascastbullets]

The H&G #50 will probably be your best shooting bullet. It has been the 'main course' (besides meat and potatoes) in our area for many a decade.

[fecmech]

Machine rest testing some years ago in 3 Smiths and a Colt showed the H&G # 50 a clear winner over a 4 hole 358495 that I owned at the time. That said my H&G is also a 4 holer but they sure are beautiful moulds. Having never used a 10 cav mold I don't know how tough they would be to use.

[anachronism]

Take a couple of weeks & do some dedicated casting with the H&G mould. Build up a big stockpile of bullets, then sell it if you really don't want it. Personally, I'd keep it, it will only appreciate in value. The 358432 is just another wadcutter mould....