Hello,

I haven't posted here or at the old Shooters forum much, but I was wondering if anybody can give me some information on an old Ideal single cavity mold. The numbers are 308329 and it drops a rather long GC spire point bullet that will weigh in around 195 grains with my alloy.
I don't really remember where I got this one but it works well in my Mosin Nagant M44 carbine as it drops from the mold at .313 and only requires I seat a gas check using a Lee .314 sizer and then tumble lube. Granted, "works well" with the M44 means the groups were under 5 inches at 100 yards. I have been experimenting with sizing the bullet to .309, and lubing it on my Lyman 450, for my .30-06. Does anybody have any experience with this mold or bullet style, some of the Lyman bullets listed in the No 3 manuel resemble it, but I don't have an actual Lyman bullet to compare to at this time. Thanks, Curly P.S. I just figured out how to use those little faces

James your alloy sounds a little soft, or more lead as a total percentage to achieve that weight. From memory that bullet goes around 187 grains with a check seated from ww alloy. Or your design is slightly different. What length of the bullet is full bearing surface or .313? What diamenter is that bore ride section ahead of the grooves and before it makes the pointed design?

Long spitzers need to be seated STRAIGHT and lined on the bore center. The more misalignment the more bend in the bullet at ignition-- which means larger groups. Try those bullets a larger diamenter in that 30:06 too.

That design performs very well if loaded correctly. Harder bullets deform less and often hold the rifling better and therefore are more accurate.

Curly James,
I just checked a few 311239 and 308239's I have and they weigh 191-193 ourt of WW's with 1% tin added. One is a Lyman and the other is an Ideal. I know Lyman bought out Ideal but the Ideal doesn't have vent lines. I use these moulds in a 1903 and a Madsen in 30.06 with good results. Orygun

Thanks Guys,

I had to go back and check my notes, the ones I weighed were pure WW and then oven hardened and were weighed after gas check and lube were in place. Mark, I never knew until you told me that the difference between Lyman and Ideal was the lack of vent lines. Learn somthin' new every day molding bullets. Since you seem to have had a lot of luck in your .30 calibers I'll size to .309, as my bore mikes out at .308 in the "06", and see what it'll do. Thanks, CJ

Curly James,
My standard size for 30 cals is .310. If .309 doesn't work you may want to try .310 or even .311.
Orygun

Curly, Orygun, etc.: If that "Ideal" mould has loose blocks, it was made by Lyman, with or without vent lines. Lyman acquired Ideal in late 1925, and introduced the interchangeable-block moulds about 1927 (copying the original idea developed by Modern-Bond a few years earlier). Older Ideal moulds had the blocks integral with the handles. Lyman continued to mark the blocks "Ideal" into sometime in the '60's, and then changed to "Lyman". The vent lines were added about the same time. Lyman/Ideal blocks carried the Middlefield, Conn. address until a few years ago, when they moved to nearby Middletown. Their recent moulds carry a "month/year" date, in addition to the batch code number that appears on both blocks. Don't worry about the 308xxx vs. 311xxx designations; these represent varying ideas as to how much oversize the bullets are to be sized, and the difference is not always reflected (in older moulds at least) in actual as-cast diameters. floodgate

I should have added that #303291 was added to the Ideal line in or about 1914, (Ideal Handbook # 24), when the Ideal line was owned by Marlin. floodgate

Orygun Mark, Floodgate, and No BS

Thanks for the info guys. I've been trying this mold in different calibers since I picked it up. My .303 Brit doesn't like it at all however my little Russian M44 printed a 15/16 inch group (3 shot) at 50 yards with it yesterday. I think it may do even better if the trigger wasn't so bad (heavy, very heavy with lots of creep)and it had a better person behind the sights. Thanks again, CJ