Who doesn't like the Lyman 358311 158 RN ?

[Winelover]

I've never trimmed revolver/pistol brass. Not even that, which is shot in my carbines. Most of the time, I don't even bother to separate headstamps, especially for 38 Special. Can't say that I ever taper crimped 38 Special, either. I don't compete with 38's , so I'm not after MOA belly gun ammo. I roll crimp almost all revolver loads and taper crimp the semi's. Exception, is the one example, given in a prior post.

That being said, there is usually enough leeway, in the crimp groove to absorb the small variations in brass length. For the occasional short brass, it will become apparent if you crimp in a separate operation. Just set them aside and adjust the seating die to seat them a tad deeper, before applying the crimp.

Most Hornady pistol brass is short, IME. I just toss them in the scrap.

 

[Wallyl]

Well said...there is enough leeway to account for the small difference in case length in the crimping groove. I do wipe my loaded rounds after loading and do a quick inspection--those that look different, I will adjust the seating die and do a "do over". There are very few that I need to do this with.

 

[fiver]

you could just put a cannelure on the bullet.
that's how I get them where I want them.

 

[Wallyl]

You could, but that requires another tool and step....not worth the hassle IMHO.

 

[Winelover]

Went down to my reloading shop and dug out the 158 RN RCBS mould and a couple of bullets. Last time I used this mould was November 2014.................almost five years ago. Have over 500 lubed bullets in inventory.



Can clearly see the bullet does, in fact, have a crimp groove. This is an older mould that I purchased used, off e-bay, years ago. Casts at .360 diameter with my alloy.

 

[Wallyl]

It sure does, you are lucky to have that mold; however the current version doesn't have a crimpng groove.

Here's what the Lyman 358311 looks like...IMHO it looks prettier....however I'll bet that either will shoot as accurately as the other. The RCBS version can be loaded in a .357 Mag case and fit a Model 27 cylinder--a big plus.

 

[JSH]

Lyman 358311 was the first 4-C mold I got. Came from a gentleman in Idaho years ago. This one drops about .360 and has done well in all things 35. I have used it in 38SW through 35 Whelen and everything in between. I probably have 4-6K of them cast up waiting to be sized and lubed. Along with several hundred sized for various services.
It will take a ram over at 200m when launched from 357,357 maximum and my trusty 35 Remington rimmed.

 

[CZ93X62]

I have never owned a Lyman #358311 or its clones by other makers. I did buy a box 500 158 grain RN from a commercial caster very early in my metallic loading career, and I was impressed by their accuracy and by how well they loaded from the HKS loaders I used in the Academy and afterward. My usual home-casts in 38 Special used #358477, and those fed almost as well from the HKS--but nothing fed as smoothly as #358311 and #358430.

By the time I began casting in 1981, I was thoroughly immersed in Keith & Thompson SWC Orthodoxy for my revolver shooting. RN worked fine in balky bottomfeeders (which were easily found in the late 1970s and early 1980s). The bullets might not make neat, clean holes in target paper for easy scoring--but any creature on two or four legs that gets struck by one won't have his health improved by the experience.

 

[Bruce Drake]

That mold makes a great bullet for my 9mm Largo and 38ACP-level loads for my Star Super Model A pistol and for my Taurus model 66 revolver in 357 Magnum/38 Special.
My preferred load for both pistols is 4.1gr of Unique with that 158/160gr bullet which puts the bullets at about 800-850 fps for both pistols. and it seems to duplicate the official police loading for 38 Special.

 

[Wallyl]

IMHO an excellent use for the 311 bullet.

 

[Cherokee]

Never owned the mold. Before I started casting I bought my 358477 bullets from Green Bay Bullets until 1968 when mail order became illegal. After that I bought some 358311 because that was the only thing available locally. I don't recall how the 358311 did but never bought any more and my first molds were 358477 & 358495.

 

[Wallyl]

I also have the 358477 & 358495; both produce excellent cast bullets that are accurate in all my .38 caliber guns. I do shoot more of them than I do the 311's, but I never gave up casting/loading/shooting them either

 

[Klaus]

i like them much
have on stock my old double mould and a new 4 banger
use ist for S&W Mod. 14 and my Hege Uberti `66 carbine

Klaus

 

[Wallyl]

Klaus, Have you ever compared them with other cast bullets for accuracy. I am told that the 358311 is superbly accurate. In my "tests" I found that it was not, However that's not to say that it was inaccurate...it was slightly less so in my .38 Specials. I tried it in a Marlin 1894C and it was surprisingly disappointing. I don't use it in the .357 Magnum as my Mo 27 has a short cylinder and I insist on crimping in its' excellent crimping groove, so I will only load it in the .38 Special for it.

 

[Klaus]

Wallyl, yes i have, tried some other Bullets cast from Lee`s Moulds in 158 grs or 140 or the 160 flatnose

but all are not as accurate in my Guns as the Lyman 311 with my loads. ( expect full wadcutter Bullet in my Mod. 14)

my old Win 66 Carbine shoots coverleaves groups at 50 meters with 5,6 grs Lovex / Accurate No 5 Powder

Klaus

 

[Wallyl]

Great...I have read posts from others claiming that the 358311 was as accurate as any WC cast bullet they have tried. I just cast up 500 of them that I'll shoot in my .38 Special revolvers...will try them again in my 1894C.

 

[Klaus]

some luck for you

 

[Charles Graff]

I am a big fan of 358311 and the Cramer, Belding and Mull and H&G versions. It is my most loaded and shot bullet in my 38 Specials. I load it with 3/BE for an easy shooting load in all my my 38s including the old pre-war M&Ps. It is not for paper punching or killing anything with muscles, blood and nerves.

 

[Charles Graff]

I always trim revolver brass and never understood the "cheats" in tooling etc. to avoid doing it. Just do it and you don't have to work around not doing it. I don't drink much wine, either, unless it's my own, so FWIW...

Yes, I also trim revolver brass. A proper crimp (roll or taper) requires a uniform case length and straight case mouth. This yields gains in accuracy.

 

[John]

I have only experience with a single cavity 311. I liked they accuracy of it but got rid of it when I saw the results on a group of sage hens. Legal to shoot in MT with a handgun, I put two shots in two birds that kept walking away when the rest of the group flew. A speedloader full of 358477 fixed those two with one more shot each. I have moved away from RN in almost all I shoot.