357446s

G

GP100man

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A thread over on Castboolits got me to lookin at my 357446 molds ( I have 2 DC & 1 SC) some casters were haveing bad luck with em .

My GPs shoot em purty good when I do my part !!

Anyways , the ?? came up about a 357446A mold , it`s gotta be a runnin change because I have a 357446DW & a IDEAL 357446 & it looks totally different from each other from the second band up :confused:

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So I cast some up at the same time , let em cool a bit sized&lubed 12 of each .
WWcases ,CCI 400 small rifle primer, 8.0grs. of IMR 800X HI SKOR powder.
Shot in a drizzle, wrists laying on a towel , 25yds.

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Not alot of difference that I can tell from my shooting !!!:o
 
Didn't Lyman dance around with Keith's 44 as well as his 45 designs over the years.

Don't quote me on this but the 357446 design, I believe' predates the more popular 358426 and 358156 designs.
 
salvadore

That`s someting I had`nt thought about , the overlapp of production of the 358429 & the 357446.

The large front band probably helped the 358429 alot !!!

Wonder who designed the 357446 , Ray Thompson or Elmer Keith or john Barlow ????

Had to be John Barlow

Check out this link : http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=24
 
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According to what I have read, the 357446 was designed in house in 1936 and featured in the Lyman #33 handbook and borrowing some features from the obscure and butt ugly 357443. Keith designed his in 1928 and 358156 came out in the early fifties. It seems the 357446 was the go to bullet for the .357 magnum for a lot of years.
 
Great article with even more info than the one I read. I have a 358344 design, except from modern bond that I can find no info on, it's a wadcutter that crimps with about 1/3 of the bullet extending out of the brass.
 
Borrowing some features from the obscure and butt ugly 357443.
Click to expand...

I resemble that remark,I picked up that mold with a pair of handles for $25 at a sale and its been one of my best shooting bullets in my Taurus M65. It is kinda unique feeds great in the 357 lever gun as well.

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But the 357443 is soooo long , 3 lube grooves !!

Basically a wadcutter with a nose !!!


I think that`s where Elmer got his ideas from !!! ???
 
Your probably right,it was the first mold Ideal designed for the 357 Mag. but it never caught on probably because of the hairline crimp groove on the front driving band. It's an excellent bullet in several of my revolvers,I've always like odd ball stuff so it fits me to a T.
 
Well I found an artical on Elmers bullet designs & 1 requirement ha put on the 358429 is it be as long as his 429421 he designed for the 44s.

Thats why it`s such a long bullet !!!
 
I'm enjoying this thread!

I haven't begun to cast my own yet, but enjoy reading and learning just the same. You guys are so far into it, that I feel like a kid sittin' on my grandpa's lap asking about the sky.

Great information and a great link! Thanks!
 
357446 is basically a plainbase 358156. The man that taught me to reload even had an original HP mould for it. Check the as-cast diameter if you have a newer mould- sometimes the newer ones are smaller in diameter than the old ones. I have several; one, two, and four bangers.
 
Here`s Ray Thompsons 358156 HP with the GC removed , I lube the lower crimp groove & it seems to help accuracy & leading in the forcing cone a bit .

Very similar but the POB is further back on the 358156 than the 357446 & I think that`s the biggest contributo to it`s accuracy .

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