KeithB
Resident Half Fast Machinist
I have wanted to own Lyman (preferably) molds in a round nose style for every centerfire revolver I own. It wasn't much trouble to get a four cavity 358311 for my .38s and .357s since they are still in production and available both new and used. The same for a four cavity 452374 for my .45ACP/AR M625. That left a 429383 for a 246 gr round nose for my .44 Specials and Magnums, and a 410426 for .41 magnum.
A member here recently sold me a four cavity 429383 that is in excellent shape, I'm looking forward to using it. That mold makes a bullet that duplicates the traditional factory bullet/load for the .44 Special. I have to believe that this mold was reasonably popular at one time, enough so that it was offered in four cavity version. I have seen several one and two cavity molds on eBay over the years but I wanted a four and finally got one. I have a six cavity Lee that makes the same weight/style bullet but I've wanted the Lyman version also.
My last Grail mold I've been searching for is a 410426 which was originally designed for the .401 WInchester Self Loader rifle. While this firearm was popular for a while it has long been out of production and the cartridge is obsolete. I doubt (w/o any real info to back up my opinion) that Lyman/Ideal didn't make as many of these molds as they did the -383s and similar.
To find one at all is great, to find one in four cavity - well wow! A member here saw my post and sent me a "project" mold to examine. It has been badly Bubbaed but after careful inspection the cavities - 3 out of 4 - look good and the mold itself while kind of ugly has flat faces and seems to close w/o seeing light between the halves. The sprue stop pin had fallen out so Bubba brazed in a short threaded stud. And melted the edge of the mold! The alignment pins have been replaced (Ideal/Lyman never used pins like that to my knowledge) and the two on one end are ok but the one on the female side on the other end has fallen out again and the hole has upset into the side of one of the cavities. I am going to try and peen that cavity to see if I can upset the material back where it should be but if I'm not successful I'll just use it as a three cavity. I need to make a new sprue plate anyway so if it won't make a good bullet I'll just put three holes in the sprue plate and lock that cavity out.
I've heard that these molds run small for .41 Magnum, but several Lyman handbooks list it as a .41 mag mold and if it is undersize I can always (a) lap it out, (b) beagle it, or (C) powder coat the bullets.
My Grail 410426 project mold
All the cavities on one side are good, 3 of 4 on the other side are fine also.
Bubba's sprue plate stop pin and melted edge of mold from brazing!
]
This cavity has had some material displaced into the nose from the female alignment pin hole.
A member here recently sold me a four cavity 429383 that is in excellent shape, I'm looking forward to using it. That mold makes a bullet that duplicates the traditional factory bullet/load for the .44 Special. I have to believe that this mold was reasonably popular at one time, enough so that it was offered in four cavity version. I have seen several one and two cavity molds on eBay over the years but I wanted a four and finally got one. I have a six cavity Lee that makes the same weight/style bullet but I've wanted the Lyman version also.
My last Grail mold I've been searching for is a 410426 which was originally designed for the .401 WInchester Self Loader rifle. While this firearm was popular for a while it has long been out of production and the cartridge is obsolete. I doubt (w/o any real info to back up my opinion) that Lyman/Ideal didn't make as many of these molds as they did the -383s and similar.
To find one at all is great, to find one in four cavity - well wow! A member here saw my post and sent me a "project" mold to examine. It has been badly Bubbaed but after careful inspection the cavities - 3 out of 4 - look good and the mold itself while kind of ugly has flat faces and seems to close w/o seeing light between the halves. The sprue stop pin had fallen out so Bubba brazed in a short threaded stud. And melted the edge of the mold! The alignment pins have been replaced (Ideal/Lyman never used pins like that to my knowledge) and the two on one end are ok but the one on the female side on the other end has fallen out again and the hole has upset into the side of one of the cavities. I am going to try and peen that cavity to see if I can upset the material back where it should be but if I'm not successful I'll just use it as a three cavity. I need to make a new sprue plate anyway so if it won't make a good bullet I'll just put three holes in the sprue plate and lock that cavity out.
I've heard that these molds run small for .41 Magnum, but several Lyman handbooks list it as a .41 mag mold and if it is undersize I can always (a) lap it out, (b) beagle it, or (C) powder coat the bullets.
My Grail 410426 project mold
All the cavities on one side are good, 3 of 4 on the other side are fine also.
Bubba's sprue plate stop pin and melted edge of mold from brazing!
]This cavity has had some material displaced into the nose from the female alignment pin hole.
That's the result of speed reading.
Not true................have physical therapy Monday afternoon.
