Want to work up a load for the 444 with the Lyman mold #2660650 which is a .429 300 grainer would be interested if anyone has one for sale...thanks Flem

Have you a mould number to with the part number?

Yep #429650 think its a double cavity but not sure.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000152660650

Ranch Dog
http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_5_11

Flyboy you might also consider the RCBS version of this bullet. I cast it & customers say it does well in the 444.
Bullet on right.

Have you done a 'directed search' on eBay for that mold?

If not, then 'WHY NOT!!' I've found many good molds on eBay.


By the way, that 300 grain .44 mold may be available in a 4-cavity as well as 2-cavity. (look on MidwayUSA.com)

And if that mold was ever previously made by Ideal before Lyman, it may be possible to find it (on rare occassions) in a 1-cavity mold, great for modifying into a "hollow-point" mold (whether for revolvers or rifles! That boolit in a 300grn HP would be formidable as hell from wheelgun or .44 cal rifle; .444Marlin or .445 Super Mags especially).

Thanks Creeker was looking at that Lyman but this one came recommended and it was cheaper..although I've never liked aluminum much and have mostly Lyman molds.Will give it a try in the 444 and report later.Thanks guys for your input!!

Woody, have you ever used the Lee molds? I currently have three and feel they are an amazing deal. They cast much better than they should. One thing to watch on those two cavity molds is to make sure they completely close before refilling. Something that works for me is this: after dropping the bullets, and the mold is still open, turn the sprue plate to it's "closed" position and then close the mold. Since the two cavity doesn't have the best alignment pins, that closed sprue plate acts as extra alignment and makes sure the mold seals up tight when closing.

I recently splurged and bought a Lee six cavity to feed my .38 special. What a difference in workmanship over the two cavity version. The face of the mold is better machined with much better vent lines and it has true aligment pins as opposed to those little sideways dowels on the 2 cavity type. True, they are a little more and you have to buy handles, but they are still cheaper than most of the other manufacturers and you can fill up a bucket of bullets in a hurry.

That 310gr .44 is one that has intrigued me for a while, I am really eager to see how it works in my Redhawk. Keep us updated on how it works out for you.




Creeker, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of lubesizing set up are you using there?

Yep I've had Lee molds but many moons ago and I didn't care for them then.Thought they were too finicky about holding an even temp and always liked the Lymans for that very reason.I was also looking at the "Ranch Dog" version which is a 350 grainer for the 444 but don't know if will stabilize one that long and also it's a six cavity.If this one works well I'll certainly let you know and may try the 350 down the road..

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_5_11

I have eyeballed the Ranchdog molds for a while now. When I first got into casting, I thought "great, a 300gr bullet with a tumble lube design." I didn't want to have to invest in the lubesizers so the tumble lubing really appealed to me. Now, I am looking at investing in a lubesizer and am trying to get away from the tumble lube molds. On that note, my experience is that you can tumble lube a non-TL designed bullet but you can't lubesize bullets of a TL design.

Also, I like the wider meplat of the Lee design over the Ranchdog version.

Very good point that's exactly one reason I went with the 310 grainer!!

The lee 310 gr mold is an excellent design, and very accurate. If you don't like the 2 holer molds, and I'm not hugely fond of them, get a 6 cavity lee. Still 1/2 the cost of a two cavity iron mold, and lees 6 shooter is a good mold design.

I am working with a Lee 2 cavity for my 45 ACP. It is a real deal for the price but I hate how fickle it is on closing and temp. If I stay with tumble lube I think I will go with a six cavity. I like the alignment pins much better.

Yeah, I was amazed at the difference in the two products. They definitely put more into the 6 cavity molds than they do their 2 cavity molds. Much happier with the alignment pins on the 6.

Thanks. I did not know that.

I found that if I lubed the mould every time before I cast, the stars and planets line up quite nicely. Just the sprue bushing, the alignment pins and the "V". No trouble with alignment. I just hold the hardwood dowell under the mold body while I'm closing, and all is well. So don't toss the two cavity when you get the 6.

I have a 3/8" thick steel plate I set the mold on to align the mold when I close it. It may help keep the mold from getting too hot as a side.

What do you use for a lube in your mold?

I have an old stick of lube that I used when I had a Lyman lube sizer. It only takes a touch, and be sure not to get any on the mating surfaces or in the mould cavitiy. It's like Brylcream -- a little dab'll do ya.

Got it. Thanks

Hey Woody, have you been able to play with this mold at all yet? I just ordered one for myself except a 6 cavity instead of the 2 cavity--got to keep the revolver supplied

WE..Funny you should ask just in the process of alloying some ingots,will be pouring next week I hope.The 444 shoots great so far with 240gr Sierra HP's. Been talkin with ET about planting it on top of some BP at about 1400 fps.You probably will beat me to actually pouring bullets so be sure to give me a heads up!!Thanks

I will let you know when I get it going. Budget has been kinda tight here lately so I wasn't able to get a few of the other supplies I needed. Another week or so and I will order some gas checks and I still have to get some sizing dies and top punches for a new (to me) lubrisizer since I am trying to get away from tumble lubing.

I also have to do some alloying and smelting myself. My brother just gave me about 25-30 pounds of pure sheet lead. Gonna fire up the turkey frier this weekend for that.

War Eagle just now sunk in a six cavity eh?.. probably should have gone that route myself.ET told me the same that the the 6 cavity may eliminate the headaches of holding a more constant heat..be real interested to hear your results!!

Yep--6 cavity

Actually, I went with it for the better quality mold. Better machining on the vent lines and hella better alignment pins. I won't knock the 6 cavity but I definitely think if Lee applied their 6 cavity manufacturing techniques to a 3 or 4 cavity mold, they would really have something.

I never really had any heat consistencies with the 2 cavities before. I did run to molds though so I wasn't getting one screaming hot.

Anybody know where I could lay my hands on a #280468 or #280473?

Sure it's not a 287? Checked Lyman's site, and they've nothing listed in 280 prefix.

Not Creeker, but it's a Star Sizer. They are made my Magma Engineering now, there is nothing like them although they do take a little longer to set up.

http://magmaengineering.com/products/54-magma-star-lube-sizer

Just thought I'd let you know after being too busy to try the double cavity and with your input on the 6 cavity I returned the double cavity yesterday and ordered the 6 cavity.I like the idea of the larger mold area to keep temp spikes down and also the way the closer pins align the mold... You cast any yet??

Actually, I have. My biggest hold up was waiting on a lubesizer die. That showed up Tuesday. I proceeded to install gas checks and lube about 100 of them for load testing. I have 30 loaded up with gradually increasing loads of 2400. With luck, I will make it to the range this weekend.

The only reason I hadn't posted an update is because I hadn't had a chance to take any picutes. I will update and let you know how things go whenever I get back from the range.

I really think you will be happy with the 6 cavity versus the 2 cavity.

Have you miked them to see if they are .430 ..and what alloy are you going with?

I won't gas check as I'll be working up some BP loads and will be interested to chrono them while checking groups.

I am in the market for a mic but using my dial caliper, they are slightly oblong. Measuring the diameter at the mold line, I get 0.431". Measuring the diameter 90 degrees from the mold line I get 0.430".

I am sizing to 0.430" so I don't know if the slight out-of-round condition straight from the mold will be evidient when shot.

My alloy is 50% wheel weights and 50% pure lead; the bullets were water quenched also.

check your twist rate on the 444, I have a 44mag and have difficulty stabilizing the big heavy ones. (330gr or so)

Here's a few that I cast.

What do ya do in your spare time.