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Thread: Lyman 45 Devastator success

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy c1skout's Avatar
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    Lyman 45 Devastator success

    I shot a doe in PA's early muzzleloader season this year. I use a 50cal NEF Huntsman and load it with a 70gn charge of 777, and a 200gn 45cal boolit in a Harvester sabot. Last season I used a Lee 200 RF boolit and that worked well, expanding to .68" and stopping against the offside hide.
    This season I used the Devastator cast from WW with a touch of tin. I was sitting on a stump near the top of a ridge when the doe crashed through the brush in front of me and ran past on my left. She was moving too fast to get a shot! A few seconds later I thought "I don't think she kept going, I wonder if she stopped?" So I stood and turned to look behind me and there she was, standing broadside at about 35 yds. At the shot the doe fell over with her legs straight up.... then fell onto her side and didn't move again.
    The boolit went through the top of both lungs and exited, breaking 1 inbound and 2 outbound ribs, and the shock damage to the spine was easily evident. I looked around a bit to try and find what was left of the boolit (to examine and weigh) but I couldn't find where it hit the ground.
    I'm happy with the cast hollowpoint's performance in this instance. Plus I've got meat in the freezer! Sorry I got no pics.
    Now I have to find a buck to try out a Gould express from my 45-70.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    I do something similar.
    I use the Lee 200gr H&G 68 style SWC, cast from W/W. I've found that sized to .450" they seat much easier and are more accurate.
    I too found 70gr 777 more accurate. However I originally used 80gr Pyrodex RS.
    I bought about 500 MMP 50/45 sabots on a close-out for $1/50.

    I've only had one kill that wasn't a pass-through, a 150lb 8pt, that was shot at 12yds, facing me. It stood him up, dropped so fast, I lost sight of him from recoil/smoke. Bullet broke his neck, took out about 3" of spine and lodged somewhere in the rumen full of chewed acorns.
    I didn't dig it out!!!

    Most memorable was first I shot with this load. A doe broadside at 45yds. She bolted at the shot, ran a semi circular path around me, pumping a half inch stream of blood out both sides, hit just above heart. About a 40yd blood trail. Second doe with her ran off ~50yds, and watched me reload. I shot her through the middle of white throat patch, bang/flop.

    I knew then I had a winning combo...

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy

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    Good job!

  4. #4
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    Smoke4320's Avatar
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    Very good .. That big lead HP is a deer killer

    I too use a cast bullet in a sabot .. Its a NOE 460-350 HP
    powdercoated then sized down to 425 and loaded in a Knight 50 cal sabot ..
    I average 2 deer a year with the muzzleloader Until,. this year nearly a one had taken a step .. this year a approx. 90 LB button buck made it a whole 10 to 15 yds .. double lung shot
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Doesn't .425" leave a lot of slop in the sabot?

    I've used a Lee .452" 310gr FNGC, but accuracy suffered. My CVA in-line has a 1/28" twist. Inadequately stabilizing longer slug. A 250gr FTX does ok, but has failed to expand on a few occasions.
    Shot them up in my .45lc. M94 Winny.
    Last edited by GooseGestapo; 11-25-2017 at 04:25 PM.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy c1skout's Avatar
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    Smoke musta meant .452.

    I'm glad to hear I'm not alone with the "light" boolit load. It's become a proven performer for me!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check