Lyman vs. RCBS Hodgdon-Style Mold

[apriestley]

Hi all,

Since starting Skirmishing this year, I have been working with a teammate to cast my bullets. He uses an RCBS .580 hodgdon-style bullet which we have found shoots exceptionally well in my Zouave when sized to .578. About a month ago I ordered one of these molds from Midway USA, and it is still backordered. I was really hoping to be casting my own bullets by fall nationals, and noticed that Dixie has a Lyman .578 hodgdon style mold in stock right now. While I know the RCBS bullets will work very well in my musket, I would be willing to give the Lyman mold a try. Has anyone ever compared these bullets side by side?

[Harry Gaul]

Aaron,

If you are going to the Regional Shoot this weekend at Fort Ross, you should talk to Moose and Moosette of the 56th PVI. He makes a very nice mold. If I was in the middle of my skirmishing career, I would certainly give Moose Mold a try. With several more years left to skirmish, I am going to limp along to the end with the molds that I have. If it works out with Moose Molds, see if you can cancel your order with Midway.

True Blue and Diamond Hard,
Harry
3rd US
03626v

[John Bly]

I shoot bullets from a Lyman Blue- Gray mold. Side by side they are hard to tell apart. The biggest thing is the base plug which must be manually removed in the Lyman mold and is mounted on a sliding plate on the bottom of the RCBS mold. I have to run the lead HOT to get good skirt fill out on my bullets. I modified mine slightly by reducing the depth of the main grease groove and extending the skirt to be just a little longer but it will be fine the way it is made.

[george7542]

Something to consider noe molds makes the Hodgdon mold in 2 and 4 cavity I believe. I do not have any experience with this mold but a few people on here have them maybe they can chime in.

[PoorJack]

I don't have any experience with the Lyman, but I do have the RCBS. It has a captive bottom pin and I swapped it out for the larger pin from John at NE Traders. How does it shoot? Out of my 62 Springfield, meh, ok but not earth shattering. Out of my 1st gen PH and my Whitacre barrelled musketoon, ooooh yes! Both guns shoot one ragged hole at 50yds with this bullet, and at 100yds, both have shot 1.5moa off a rest at 100yds.

When casting with the RCBS, I have to run the pot at max temp to get a consistent fill out and a fairly low reject rate, but I've found that to be pretty much true with all hollow base molds I have.

[stubshaft]

I have tried both molds side by side in my J. P. Morgan. The Lyman was all right and gave 2" groups at 50 yds. The RCBS cut that in half at the same distance.