Casting Hollow Points?

[crabo]

I have a Lyman Devastator Lyman 1-Cavity Bullet Mold #356637 124 Grain Devastator Hollow Point mold. Could someone please tell me their poceedure for using this mold with the hollow point pin?

Thanks,

Crabo

[Dale53]

I pre-heat the mould by laying it on a hotplate set at "medium" while the lead is melting (I use 20/1 lead/tin-my schuetzen mix). It is really important to have the hollow point "pin" hot. Occasionally, I heat a pin on a reluctant hp mould in the flame of a propane torch. It is a good idea to work quickly, with the lead at a measured 800-850 degrees. I have very few problems with the few hollow point moulds I have in getting excellent bullets. The trick, if there is any "trick" is to keep both the mould and the pin hot (using the torch on the pin if necessary).

Dale53

[1Shirt]

I dip the HP pin in the molten lead. Been doing it for many years, works well for me.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Buckshot]

............Once the alloy is to temp with the mould preheating, dip both the mould blocks and seperate HP pin in the lead for a slow 10 count. Assemble and begin casting. It may take some few seconds for the sprue puddle to set up on the first couple pours. Maintain a steady tempo that is as rapid as is comfortable. You should be getting good slugs immediately.

Usual problems have to do with heat (lack of). If you can't realisticly increase your speed, increase the pot temp until you get good slugs. If you get voids above the HP pin, try tipping the blocks slightly and allow the alloy to kind of sluice off the edge of the spruehole countersink into the cavity. This will casue the alloy to swirl as it fills. You must also be sure to have a good supply of lead over the fill hole. As the lead cools it will draw in more lead from the sprue.

If there isn't any there you'll get a void in the nose or over the HP pin. You also have to have a good flow of lead into the cavity. Be sure the pot's orifice is clear and you're getting the ful stream. You should see the alloy 'Bounce' up through the spruehole as the mould comes up full.

...................Buckshot

[Wayne Smith]

I made a little holder out of a piece of coat hanger to hang on the side of the pot and place the pin so that the tip stays in the melt. Works for me.

[leftiye]

Take the wooden handle off of the hollow point pin and handle the pin with pliers (it's hot - we hope) while casting. This will allow the pin to remain in the mold while you apply the whole shebang to your heat source of choice. I set my molds directly on a heating coil made out of a small Lee pot with an upside down can over it all (door cut out) to keep more heat around the mold. Or, you could use a propane torch. This applies heat directly to the pin and the bottom of the mold while assembled, and does away with the pin cooling while you assemble it in the mold.