It is good to get out with an OLD friend.........

[Ben]

MANY, MANY years ago ( when I was a much younger man ), I bought this IDEAL 358477 single cav. mould. I read in the late 50's and 60's about the popularity of this particular design.
Along with the 358156, the 358477 was very popular with Skeeter Skelton. This mould cast a nice round bullet at .3595" and sizes out perfectly round at .358" with ACWW's .

I figured today would be a good day to spend a little bit of time with my old friend, the IDEAL 358477.

One of my favorites in the 38 Special and the 357 Magnum !

Ben





I know that in this day of volume casting, using a single cavity mold may seem to some modern day casters like driving a T-Model. However, I find it to be an enjoyable experience . Less weigh on these old hands and joints. A plus to using the single cavity mould is you don't have a lot of weight variation, cavity to cavity.

 

[waco]

I have the NOE version of this mold. Mine is a four cavity brass mold.

 

[quicksylver]

Boy do you bring back the memories !
Before bullets became available on line these were my favorites.
For the last 20 yrs or so they were regulated to the back of one of my drawers.
I was thinking about pulling them out along with my 44 cal molds.
I still have my 3 screw Rugers in 357 and 44 and S&W mod 29 with an 8 3/8" barrel.
Could be a fun trip back, flat bases and all.
AHHHH the smell of 50/50 in the air!
My original 45 Colt mold throws a bullet too long to chamber in anything but a Ruger, BUT it will put 5 rnds in one hole @ 50'.
Best shooting gun I ever bought for $85.00.




Thanks Ben

 

[Ben]

Sometimes, it is just good to take a stroll down memory lane...............

 

[quicksylver]

Ben I find myself in an embarrassing situation.
I said twenty years, but I started pouring 50 yrs ago.
So I guess my molds are now "vintage".
Boy what value!

P.S. That was when we did it on the kitchen stove!

 

[Ben]

Yep, we are just taking a stroll down memory lane today...............

My hair is turning grey.
I told my barber about it.
He said......." Don't worry about it turning
grey, worry about it turning loose."

 

[quicksylver]

Ya. I keep remembering this old guy that used to stop by the farm every once and a while.

He was trying to explain getting older,
he put it this way, There are three things that happen,
one ,your knees buckle but your belt won't
two, he kept chasing women but couldn't remember why and
the third one he couldn't remember.

 

[Rick]

My hair is turning grey.
I told my barber about it.
He said......." Don't worry about it turning
grey, worry about it turning loose."

Hhmmm . . . Seems that happened first.

 

[9.3X62AL]

HA HA! Still have most of my hair, but it sure got gray and white over the past few years.

The original subject here--Lyman/Ideal #358477--prompted thought of my years of casting (34 and counting....) and that #358477 is probably my most-used mould design, owing to its accuracy and extreme utility in the 38 Special. It served for many years to make practice rounds for my service sideiron, and after my shop went bottom-feeder in 1987 the bullet's good work kept it alive in the varmint and small game venues. It still use A LOT of #358477, not only in 38 Special but also in my Kit Gun From Hell--a 1920 Colt Police Positive x 4" in 38 S&W. 3.0 grains of Unique prompts 700-725 FPS, and the load prints right where the sights look at 25-35 yards. This has spelled CURTAINS for many a ground squirrel and more than a few jackrabbits, and the 38 caliber slugs anchor these varmints with aplomb--despite their modest speeds. To this day, I don't think I have loaded a single one of these into 357 Mag cases, though. Heresy warning.......#358477 has served me so well for so long that it wasn't until 2003 that I obtained an example of the Keith #358429. Assign penance as indicated.

 

[Ben]

Al,

I find the group of followers for the the 358429 to be somewhat divided.

Group 1 :

Many say that in the 38 Spec., the 429' is just too heavy and the 38 can't ( with safe and sane pressures ) move the bullet at respectable velocities.

Then again, many 357 revolvers won't allow you to seat the 429' to the crimp ring and still be able to chamber the round. In those revolvers, you'll have to " deep seat " the 429 to get it to chamber properly. These points drive away many casters / reloaders with respect to the 429'.
_________________________________

Group 2:

These shooters / reloaders say that the 358429 is the best bullet ' bar none ' for the 38 Spec. and 357 Mag. They wouldn't be without one.

_________________________________

I reside in Group 1.

Ben

 

[9.3X62AL]

The #358429 is "all right" in 38 Specials and some 357 Magnums. I think the #358477 is better and more useful, esp. in 38 Special. Both are more accurate than I am, for sure.

 

[Brad]

Never shot a 477, have fired many a 429. My GP100 eats them up in a mag case. Khornet is a 429 guy and since he taught me to load his preferences were passed along.

I may need to look for a 477 mould. You guys have piqued my interest. Then again, I have a nice 158 SWC plain base Lee 6 cav that does most of what I need. Sure wish they still made that one instead of the GC version.

 

[KHornet]

I bought a double cav 477, not to long after JFK was shot, and I had just bought used a Colt 357, and 6 bx of factory 38S. WC's came with it. Believe I still have a few of those cases. Paid retail price for the mold if I remember right. I lubed back then with what I could afford which was bees wax, vasioline, and Crisco, with a spoonful or two of fine graphite. It was a dirty lube, and smoked a bit, but it was what I had. I loaded it in 38S w/3.2 gr of Bullseye for a number of years, and enjoyed it as a fine plinking load. Only loaded it in 357 a few times as Brad mention, I like heavier bullets for 357, and in my opinion, Kieth designed the 429 about as perfect a bullet for the 357 as could be asked for for hunting or paper.

The 477, was one of the first half dozen molds that I bought. I am glad that you dug yours out Ben and reminded me of a lot of fun shooting in times past. Think I will have to sit down in the next couple of weeks and run 4 or 5 hundred of them. It is good to remember the old times. Think I will have to try the 477 in my 94Win 357, with moderate loads of unique in 38 brass. It is also a lead saver at least to a degree compared to 429. New is not always great, and old is not always bad, applies to people and molds in my opinion.

 

[Ben]

If I've ever seen a quotable quote, you have it here :

New is not always great, and old is not always bad, applies to people and molds in my opinion.