Lyman 358311

[Ben]

I have a Lyman 358311 RN HP mould that I got from a really good friend in Nebraska. As you can see in the photo below, the walls of the nose are almost paper thin. Makes for very difficult / consistent fill out. I was getting a fairly high % of rejects.
I finally ( today ) got tired of all of that drama and decided to make a RN flat point out of the mould. I took the HP pin and cut it off and by " trial and error " continued to shorten the pin with a flat file until I got what I wanted. I have a pair of lever action 38 / 357 rifles that will shoot this one like water running through screen wire.

The small flat on the end of the nose will offer me some peace of mind with cartridges that are stacked , end to end, in the tubular magazine of both rifles.

Ben

In this 1st photo , you can see the thin nose walls :

That problem is now history :

 

[fiver]

as it should be.

 

[CZ93X62]

THAT is a healthy-sized flat! That bullet would be right at home with #311008, #401043, or #427098 120 years ago.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Good solution.

 

[Brad]

Bet someone could make a smaller pin…..

 

[Ben]

Still time for that also.

Ben

 

[Petrol & Powder]

A smaller pin could certainly be made but I think I would rather have that flat point.
The weight is good, roughly 161 grains and the profile is good (RN FP).

The OP mentioned lever action rifles and that bullet looks to be about perfect for that application.

 

[Brad]

I only mentioned a smaller pin as being the person who made the original.

 

[fiver]

few minutes with a grinder would have made a big difference too.
just me but i'd have ground it to a nub then made the pin a part of the mold before i poured any lead in it.

 

[Ben]

If you want to see how the flat on the end of the nose is made :

I made more today :

Works real well :

 

[KeithB]

Sweet!

 

[Ben]

On the subject of Round Nose Flat Points :

I decided to change out the pins in my brass , 2 cav., MP 360460 mould to have it throw flat points. These should also run well in my 2 lever action 38/357 rifles :

 

[fiver]

that looks like a pretty darn good copy of the 358665.
little shorter nose, but super close otherwise.
only mold i bother with in the 92 anymore.

 

[fiver]

yeah,, i want to call it the 666 all the time, so i over compensated.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Both are great looking cast bullets!!! ‍