Minimalist mold choices

Jeff H

NW Ohio
Glad I don't have to make such a choice.
He who dies with the most molds wins. If Imelda Marcos can have 500+ pairs of shoes, I can have as many molds as I want/afford.
For me, I didn't have to, it was a choice I made long ago, and only somewhat recentyly finally got some traction on. I married early and have stuck with the same gal, but boy, I played the field on guns. Tired of trying to keep track of all of it, and "settling down" with just a few. Life has become so much simpler.

Now, my best friend, he seems to have to have the biggest, the baddest, the latest and greatest and at least one of EVERYTHING. It's funny that it's difficult to share our greatest common interest in discussion, because we are at opposite ends of the the range, but we get by just fine.

I can't/won't try to convince anyone else that fewer moulds and fewer guns is "better," and I doubt anyone would convince me the opposite is true either. I'll just accept that I'm in the minority (OK, weird) and roll with it, but I still enjoy seeing and hearing about all the stuff everyone else likes. If everyone only liked what I liked, I'd get bored.

Shoot, I even have a succession plan (REgression plan?), in case things get tight - I know which would be the first to go/last to go. I will die with AT LEAST my 357 mag, 3", 5-shot stainless revolver and the 360-180 WFN mould.

EDIT: You boys (17 to 97) inspire me with your energy and vigor to continue to "play the field." I respect that, but know my own limits.;)
 
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Missionary

Well-Known Member
I will go with "heavy for caliber" every time.
.358 at least a 170 gr
.41 265 gr, or +
.44 265 gr. or +
45 Cot 285 gr. or +
I can always slow them way down but I can also speed up and punch through any critter I need to.
All our rifles get the same "heavy" treatment.
 

Jeff H

NW Ohio
I will go with "heavy for caliber" every time.
.358 at least a 170 gr
.41 265 gr, or +
.44 265 gr. or +
45 Cot 285 gr. or +
I can always slow them way down but I can also speed up and punch through any critter I need to.
All our rifles get the same "heavy" treatment.
Love the variations of logic in this thread.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
200's are awesome in the 44-40.
mine also likes 240's.
just like my 44 special, and 44 mag. which also seems to like stuff up to about 270grs.
the 445 dotes on stuff like 300-315grs. in weight.
i can't even get my 44's to agree on much of anything.

they could all be force fed the 429667 and be fine [except the 445 it would boob and complain like a 40 short shooting 150's]
 

JonB

Halcyon member
I'm not sure why I am about to participate in this thread? But here I go.

While I may post something else later on, today, this post will only be about 41 cal, since that is the caliber I am most obsessive about. If there's a mold for 41, that I don't have, and it get's listed somewhere, I'm likely to buy it, sooner or later (sooner if it's used listed by private party, or Later if it's listed new on a manufacturer's website).

When I started loading my own cast bullets, I tended to lean toward heavy for caliber. Today, I lean toward middle of the road, to slightly light for caliber.

With all that said, I have a number of 41 cal guns. The most picky has been my Henry BBS. It likes the Lee 410-195-SWC. But it's not available in the 6 cav blocks. After a couple phones calls with Jared at Arsenal molds, he cut me a 5 cavity custom version of his standard SWC but with features that the Lee 195gr has....and with a precisely placed crimp groove for the perfect COAL for the Henry, as well as radiused edges on nose and leading edge of driving band, to facilitate smooth cycling in a lever action. While I didn't want it as heavy as it turned out (205gr), that was a compromise for the nose size and length needed for COAL...he even made the lube groove larger to drop some weight.

So, if I were to only have one 41 pistol caliber mold, it'd be this (I should have had him make two molds, LOL)
\/ \/ \/

boolits only Arsenal 41 205 SWC close up 350 pixal for artful.jpg

Mold boolits and dummy rounds Arsenal 41 205 SWC 350 picsal for artful.jpg
 
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fiver

Well-Known Member
i have a Lyman that looks like that Jon, only it has the other 10 or so grains of weight.
hate the tiny thin front drive band it has though.