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Thread: Bullet Molds

  1. #1
    NCREBEL is offline
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    Bullet Molds

    When reading a bullet mold, ie., 515121, what do the last three numerals mean?

  2. #2
    jmiller is offline
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    Re: Bullet Molds

    the last numbers are the weight of the bullet in grains.
    1st MD Cav. CSA

  3. #3
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    Re: Bullet Molds

    Should be--but I'm thinkin' that's a mighty short bullet for a .50 cal. (515 means .515" diameter).
    14th Miss Inf Rgt, CSA/N-SSA, NRA Life Mbr, no longer shooting

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    Re: Bullet Molds

    Quote Originally Posted by NCREBEL
    When reading a bullet mold, ie., 515121, what do the last three numerals mean?
    With moulds by Lyman or Ideal, those last three digits (sometimes just one or two in the early Ideal designs) are the cherry/design number. They have nothing whatsoever to do with bullet weight as you will frequently have a higher number mould throwing lighter weight bullets or vice-versa. This coding goes all the way back to the first Ideal moulds, so now some of the numbers are high!

    Froggie
    Charlie Shaeff
    1st Valley Rangers
    N-SSA # 12345

  5. #5
    NCREBEL is offline
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    Re: Bullet Molds

    I too always thought the last three numbers described the weight of the bullet, but when I saw the low numbers, I couldn't imagine a bullet that small. So if I am reading correctly, the last three numbers could mean on some molds the bullet weight and on others the cherry/design. Thanks for your help.

  6. #6
    Southron Sr. is offline
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    Re: Bullet Molds

    There is no "hard and fast" rule what the numbers mean. Yes, it would be logical to use the first three numbers as the diameter of the bullet and the last three, the weight of the bullet; but each different manufacturer adopts his own system.

    In the mean time, just guess what the following mould would cast:

    575628376750898#126354

    Yup, a mould manufacturer could use that number to designate one of his moulds-if he wanted to!

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