Lyman Handgun Bullet Mould Numbers

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by Harry O

This is a list I compiled of identification numbers for Lyman handgun bullet moulds. The numbers come from both old and new sources. In some cases, those sources conflict. I went with the majority whenever possible and guessed when I did not have more than 2 sources.

In 1982 the mould numbers were increased from 4 or 5 digits to 6 digits. (example: #311 8 became #311 008). I use 6 digits throughout even if the numbers were not originally 6 digits. Roundball moulds were no longer given separate numbers after Handbook #38 (1951). Their numbers were sometimes re-assigned.
The first three numbers are nominally the diameter of the bullet. However, they were changed from time to time by Lyman. For example, I have seen the classic 44-40 bullet (#427 098) mould with the first three numbers shown as 424, 426, 427, and have heard of a 429. When you get to 45 calibers, they can range from 450 to 457, all with the same last three (cherry) numbers.
The last three numbers are for identifying the cherry used to make the mould. There is some variation here, but less than with the first three numbers. I have read that Lyman has re-used some of these numbers, and that appears true (see #429 215).
The weights are approximate. Evidently, Lyman used almost pure lead for figuring weights early on. The early books show heavier weights than the same mould shows now (which Lyman says is based on the Lyman #2 mix – 90%Pb, 5%Sb, 5%Sn). Depending on the mixture you use, it could easily vary +5% from what is shown.
You could order a LOT of options in bullet moulds from Lyman in the past. Most moulds were also available as hollow points and a lot were available with hollow bases. In addition, some were made one or more lube grooves longer or shorter than the standard mould. This was done on longer rifle bullets most of the time, but I have seen a few handgun bullet moulds that way. Some non-standard ones I have seen had an "S" (for Special? or perhaps Short?) behind the mould number. "O" = Oversized. "U" = Undersized. "L" = Long. There are undoubtedly other letters on moulds out there.
Lyman also stamped a number (usually two digits) on the moulds to keep the two halves of the mould together during manufacturing. This does not help identify the mould in any way other than being assured that they two halves were manufactured together.
The bullet style shown in this list uses the following conventions: RN = Round Nose, SWC = Semi-Wadcutter (similar to Keith bullets), FP = Flat Point (usually used with RN to denote "Cowboy" type bullet shapes), HB = Hollow Base, HP = Hollow Point, Heel = Heel Base (for early Colt calibers), Spire = Pointed bullets, GC = Gas Check, TC = Truncated Cone, WC = Full Wadcutter. There are a lot of variation within some labels. For example RN-FP could identify the early bullets with a large round portion and a small flat. It could also be what is more popular now with less round and a larger flat. Also, the dividing line between what could be described as a SWC or as a RN-FP is vague.
According to Lyman the moulds usually cast 0.003" to 0.005"OD more than the first three numbers in mould number. You could special order some that would be only 0.001" to 0.003" oversize. And you could order some that were undersized by about 0.003".
I have not listed any of the 500 series cherries since they were proprietary. There were only a few of them anyway and most were to be used with a zinc washer for a gas check. Some 500’s look like heel-base bullets, but were actually to be used in swaging jacketed bullets.
Lyman has at least three standard handle sizes. One for single cavity moulds, one for two cavity moulds, and one for larger moulds (4 to 6 cavities). The two cavity moulds will usually fit single cavity moulds without change. If they don’t, very little filing will get them to fit. Sometimes it is the thickness of the front of the handle (usually from burrs). More often, you need to take a little off the front of the handle between the hole and the nose. You can tell this when you close the handles and see that the rear of the mould halves do not close completely. You can still use the filed handles on two cavity moulds.
Although some bullets can be used in both handguns or rifles, I decided to limit 32cal bullets to 120gr, 38cal to 195gr, 40/41cal to 240gr, 44cal to 265gr, and 45cal to 295gr. Others may use different cutoffs.
An asterisk (*) after the ID number means the mould is available from the factory today.

Nominal Mould Approx Top Bullet

Caliber * Number * Weight * Punch Style * Notes

25 cal. 252 435 * 51gr 203 RN .25ACP

257 420 * 65gr 420 RN-FP-GC .256 Win.

32 Colt 299 152 80gr 465 RN-Heel 32 Short Colt Heel Base

299 153 90gr 465 RN-Heel 32 Long Colt Heel Base

299 154 105gr 465 RN-Heel 32 Long Colt Heel Base

299 155 80gr 465 RN-FP-HB 32 Long Colt Hollow Base

30/32 308 009 100gr 8 RN-FP-HB Hollow base

308 011 100gr 8 RN-FP

308 022 108gr 465 RN

308 024 109gr 8 RN-FP-HB

308 240 92gr 465 RN Also in 311 240.

308 244 89gr 465 RN .30 Luger

311 008 * 115gr 8 RN-FP Classic 32-20 bullet, also as 308 8.

311 010 100gr 465 RN Also seen as 308 10.

311 014 100gr 8 RN-FP

311 033 100gr 8 RN-FP-HP Same as 311 8 except Hollow Point.

311 227 90gr 465 RN .30 Luger

311 245 87gr 465 RN

311 252 * 77gr 465 RN .32ACP, also as 308 252

311 255 115gr 465 RN Also as 308 255.

311 257 110gr 465 RN Also as 308 257.

311 316 112gr 8 RN-FP-GC 32-20 Rifle

311 359 * 115gr 359 Spire-GC .30 Carbine

311 419 87gr 8 RN-FP-GC

311 441 115gr 8 TC-GC

311 465 122gr 465 RN-GC

311 576 120gr 465 RN-GC

True 32 313 055 85gr 8 RN

313 057 100gr 8 RN-FP .32 Long, .32 Magnum , 32-20

313 226 95gr 226 RN Classic .32 S&W Long Round Nose.

313 249 * 85gr 226 RN

313 445 93gr 445 SWC Also in 311 445.

313 492 93gr 445 WC

313 493 104gr 8 RN-FP

313 631 100gr 445 SWC-GC

9mm 356 242 * 120gr 311 RN Also in 90gr & 107gr. Also 358 242.

356 402 * 120gr 402 TC 9mm Luger

356 404 95gr 495 TC Short TC, almost a wadcutter.

356 472 140gr 429 WC Small bump on nose.

356 632 100gr 395 RN-FP

356 634 130gr 395 RN-FP

356 637 * 125gr 637 RN-FP-HP Also in 147gr.

38/357 357 443 158gr 395 RN-FP Seats deep in case.

357 446 162gr 429 SWC Original .357 Magnum bullet.

357 453 150gr 429 SWC

358 063 148gr 344 WC

358 064 140gr 395 RN-FP Also in 155gr

358 070 150gr 311 RN-HB 38 Long Colt Hollow Base

358 071 146gr 311 RN Also as 360 71.

358 072 115gr 430 RN

358 073 105gr 430 RN-HB Same as 358 072 except Hollow Base.

358 075 160gr 429 RN-FP Also in 200gr.

358 087 125gr 311 WC Also in 140gr.

358 091 * 150gr 495 WC Bevel base, small bump on nose.

358 093 * 125gr 93 Spire-GC

358 101 75gr 495 WC Very short WC.

358 156 * 155gr 429 RN-GC Was SWC in the past.

358 159 125gr 311 RN-Heel 38 Short Colt Heel Base

358 160 150gr 311 RN-Heel 38 Long Colt Heel Base

358 161 145gr 311 RN

358 210 167gr 311 RN

358 212 146gr 311 RN

358 246 147gr 311 RN

358 250 156gr 311 RN

358 269 129gr 311 RN

358 302 112gr 302 WC Large bump on nose. Also 360 302.

358 311 * 160gr 311 RN Classic .38 Spl. round nose.

358 313 170gr 449 RN-FP

358 339 136gr 430 RN Blunt RN.

358 344 150gr 344 WC Also as 360 344.

358 345 115gr 429 TC Very short TC

358 356 108gr 430 WC Small bump on nose.

358 363 70gr 395 RN Very short. Also as 360 363.

358 385 150gr 311 RN

358 394 87gr 430 RN-HB

358 395 148gr 395 WC-HB Classic .38 Spl. target HBWC.

358 416 158gr 311 RN-FP

358 425 121gr 402 WC Also in 112gr.

358 429 * 170gr 429 SWC Keith

358 430 * 195gr 430 RN Also in 158gr

358 431 160gr 429 SWC-HB Keith, same as 358 429 except HB

358 432 148gr 429 WC Also in 160gr.

358 439 155gr 429 SWC-HP Keith, same as 358 429 except HP.

358 477 * 150gr 429 SWC

358 480 133gr 429 SWC

358 495 141gr 495 WC

358 665 * 158gr 495 RN-FP Cowboy .38 Spl., .357 Mag.

360 271 150gr 429 SWC 38 S&W, also in 358 271.

41 Colt 386 176 163gr 167 RN-Heel 41 Short Colt Heel Base

386 177 196gr 167 RN-Heel 41 Long Colt Heel Base

386 178 200gr 178 RN-HB 41 Long Colt Hollow Base, Blunt RN

38-40 400 090 168gr 43 RN-FP-HP

401 043 * 172gr 43 RN-FP Classic 38-40 bullet

401 088 170gr 43 SWC Designed by D. Sorensen

401 452 200gr 452 SWC Designed by G. Boser (Keith style)

401 633 200gr 43 RN-FP-BB

401 638 * 155gr 43 TC-HP 40 S&W, 10mm

401 654 * 150gr 43 TC-BB

403 095 195gr 95 RN Also in 145gr.

403 168 200gr 43 RN-FP Also in 225gr.

41 cal. 410 026 199gr 402 WC 41 Mag

410 027 217gr 402 WC-HB

410 028 212gr 43 RN-FP

410 032 200gr 429 SWC Available in several other weights.

410 214 181gr 43 RN Also in 101gr and 141gr

410 426 240gr 263 RN

410 459 220gr 43 SWC

410 610 * 215gr 43 SWC-GC

44-40 424 100 170gr 263 RN Also as 427 100 & 429 100.

424 102 155gr 263 RN-HB

427 098 * 205gr 43 RN-FP Classic 44-40 bullet, also was 424 98

427 099 200gr 43 RN-HP Same as 427 098 except HP

427 666 * 200gr 649 RN-FP Cowboy 44-40 bullet.

44 cal. 429 104 110gr 251 RN-HB

429 105 130gr 251 RN

429 106 175gr 251 RN

429 107 160gr 421 RN-FP-HB

429 184 235gr 251 RN

-- 429 215 -- 205gr -- 251 -- RN -- T. Anderton target bullet.

429 215 * 210gr 421 SWC-GC Number reused.

429 220 175gr 220 WC Large bump on nose.

429 239 125gr 251 RN "Collar-Button" style, very short.

429 244 * 255gr 421 SWC-GC

429 251 255gr 251 RN .44 Russian

429 303 * 200gr 303 Spire-GC

429 336 250gr 421 SWC Designed by C.E. Heath.

429 348 175gr 348 WC

429 352 245gr 348 WC Designed by M. L. Holman.

429 360 232gr 360 SWC Designed by Gordon Boser.

429 383 * 245gr 251 RN Was SWC in the past.

429 384 241gr 251 RN

429 398 248gr 98 WC-HB Small bump on nose.

429 421 * 245gr 421 SWC Keith

429 422 235gr 421 SWC-HB Keith, same as 429 421 except HB.

429 434 221gr 98 RN-FP-GC

429 436 214gr 251 RN

429 478 210gr 251 RN

429 640 * 250gr 649 RN-HP-GC

429 667 * 240gr 649 RN-FP Cowboy .44 Spl., .44 Mag

430 185 210gr 303 RN-Heel 44 Colt Heel Base

45 cal. 450 225 170gr 374 RN Very short.

450 229 180gr 460 SWC Almost a TC. Also in 155gr HB.

452 066 215gr 460 SWC

452 374 * 230gr 374 RN Classic 45ACP bullet, also in 180gr.

452 389 185gr 374 RN Small round button on top.

452 400 240gr 374 RN

452 423 240gr 424 SWC Keith

452 424 * 255gr 424 SWC Keith, also in 454 424.

452 428 230gr 348 WC

452 460 * 200gr 460 SWC

452 484 225gr 374 RN-GC

452 486 193gr 460 SWC

452 488 195gr 374 SWC

452 490 * 255gr 424 SWC-GC Keith. Also in 230gr.

452 491 220gr 424 SWC-GC

452 630 * 200gr 460 TC

452 664 * 250gr 649 RN-FP Cowboy .45 Colt

454 067 200gr 374 RN

454 068 175gr 460 RN-FP-HB 45 Colt

454 190 * 255gr 190 RN-FP Classic .45 Colt bullet.

454 309 235gr 374 WC 45 Auto Rim, round bump on nose.

454 485 250gr 190 RN-FP-GC

457 122 290gr 191 RN-FP-HP Also seen in 322gr solid point.

457 127 210gr 374 RN

457 128 195gr 191 RN-FP-HB

457 130 145gr 130 RN "Collar-Button" style, very short.

457 131 285gr 190 RN-FP

457 191 * 293gr 191 RN-FP

457 195 225gr 191 RN-HB 450 Webley bullet.

457 196 290gr 191 RN-HB 455 Webley bullet.

457 401 193gr 401 WC Large bump on nose.

Contact Harry O harryo@tconl.com