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Thread: Mold help please!

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
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    Mold help please!

    Hello all!

    I recently acquired a used Lyman mold that was not represented as having an issue. Fortunately, the seller refunded the purchase price, but told me to keep the mold. When I contacted Lyman I was advised that the mold is out of production without support.

    The mold: Lyman 429360DM. Marked: W1 818.

    The problem: the two halves do not fit flush. A seam about 0.010" exists between the halves, and they "rock" on the alignment pins. The outside diameter of the alignment pins measure between 0.156" - 0.157". The inside diameter of the female alignment holes is a uniform 0.150".

    Help requested:
    A) might anyone have an old rebuild kit for sale (or 0.150" OR pins) ?
    B) can anyone recommend a moldsmith that they would trust to either open up the female alignment holes while maintaining alignment, or able to turn down the current pins?

    Goal: to make this mold usable again without costing an arm and a leg!

    Thanks in advance for your advice!

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    Have you tried reseating resetting the pins in the block. If you have .157 pins the holes for them are probably .1565 for the correct press fit. .150 pins will be loose in them. The ends of the existing pins should be a full radius and resetting them should allow for alihnment on the light chamfer on the mating holes.

    I would recommend a good scrubbing first with a solvent then dish soap water. clean the mating holes with a bronze bore brush. check it may be burnt lube, wax, or carbon build ups causing this. Next examine the edges of the holes for burrs wear and dings also the pins them selves. then if that dosnt help with a brass punch and hammer set the pins slightly deeper into the block and check again. I find it easier to drive the pins in farther so there is play on them and blocks seat flat together then slowly work out to the true alighnment point.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    toallmy's Avatar
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    I have found that a lot of the molds I bought off of ebay needed to have the alignment pins adjusted one way or the other but unless someone has swollen the pins by trying to drive them in a mold half holding the pins by just banging on them you should be able to get them adjusted so the blocks close up good . There is a lot of information in the mold maintenance and design section on adjusting mold alignment pins . I'm pretty sure you can do it yourself with a little time .

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    toallmy's Avatar
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    Oh by the way be careful to not mess up the mold face , take a second and think before hitting them with a hammer . Keep asking questions until you understand what your trying to do .

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

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    I suggest you debur the holes first. Generally this is where the problem is. Guys get to going fast and slamming the blocks together. I use a round pointed stone on the dremel tool. If you take off too much, it won't hurt anything; just don't go deep. You said 0.010"? I would try to go not much past that. Try shaving it with a single razor or good sharp pocket knife.. That will find any bur that is there. How did you measure the inside hole? calipers? maybe not true size. Are there dimples on the faces were the pins have been hitting the other block on closing? If so, that might account for bent or mushroomed pins. Also take out raised edge of these dimples. If need be the pin heads can be sanded off and pins driven further out. I ALWAYS avoid driving them back in as I have missed a time or two and it can get ugly.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Dragonheart's Avatar
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    I would suggest you polish out the open pin hole with a Dremel rubber polishing tip, which is a lot less aggressive than metal or stone. Put a few drops of Kroil Oil in the holes with the pins and give it a little time to work. Using a round flat tip punch that is close to the size of the pin hole, tap the back side of the pins out a bit and check the alignment. You might want to put the blocks together and lock them in a vice before taping on the pins.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    Is the seam around the pins?
    Where is it?
    Where the trouble is begs different methods to fix.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I didnt see if anyone mentioned it, but if you're measuring the holes with a caliper, you will get a false reading. If this is the case, you're hole diameter most likely is correct and you only have a pin depth adjustment needed.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    If the mold is rocking, the pins or pin is out too far and needs an adjustment inward or like said above there might be a dent or something in the mating hole. I would get a magnifying glass and have a look see with some good light.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    I've used lapping compound to mate pins to holes with good success.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    An easy way to reset the pins back into the mold half is to use a vice. The back of the mold with the pins in it is placed on one half of the jaws of the vice, and the other vise jaw is used to carefully to push the pin back into the block a very small amount. Try the blocks together again, and if there is no daylight to be seen between the blocks, try to rock the blocks in a clock wise direction back and forth. If there is a bit of movement, a flat punch and light hammer is used to punch the pins to the inside of the blocks. Sometimes it takes very little movement of the pins to make zero movement in the blocks. You can punch the pins back into the blocks by using the other side of the mold blocks to support the top half while you tap the pins in. A heavy steel block is placed under the two blocks and provides a good surface to tap on. The toolman.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master


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    Consider yourself fortunate that you got your money out of it. Do a search on the 429360 and the results that myself and others have had with it and you will see why I say this. It's inaccurate and you'll get many flyers out of shooting a box of ammo. Something about the aerodynamics of the design. Get a 429421 and don't look back./beagle
    diplomacy is being able to say, "nice doggie" until you find a big rock.....

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Maven's Avatar
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    Exclamation

    LRR, beagle said what I was thinking when I first read your post. #429360, while a nice looking bullet, was not designed with current .44cal. dimensions in mind. Even in my very accurate Ruger SBH (10.5" bbl.), I'd get two, maybe three touching @ 25 yd. (from a rest), but the rest were dispersed widely, e.g., 6"+, on the target. Get rid of -360 and as beagle indicate, get #429421 or the RCBS equivalent: You won't be sorry you did!

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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
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