Lyman 44 Devastater

[Bass Ackward]

What kind of bullet diameter are you guys getting from more modern production runs of this 429640 mold? Please state the age of the mold and what mix you are using. Thanks.

[AnthonyB]

Bass, I bought a Devastator back in 97 or so that dropped around .432 if I remember it right. Alloy was "pure" WW. Paul Hale (Hail?) from the old Shooters board opened up the gas check shank for me, and I later traded it Shuz for a NIB version that I haven't tried yet. I don't think Shuz would take two new molds for the modified one...Tony

[LET-CA]

I just purchased one several weeks ago and get .431-.432 using a mixture that's about 50/50 linotype/wheelweights. I've also got the flat-nose version of the same bullet. Both are great moulds.

[Lloyd Smale]

mines about 5 years old and it casts 432 out of 5050 ww/pure

[Bass Ackward]

mines about 5 years old and it casts 432 out of 5050 ww/pure


Lloyd,

Did you write that up there? Surely you meant 50 50 WW / .... lino .... right?

That is what we wanted to see was some of the softer mixes would produce at least .431. My buddy needs .432, so he may have to conjur up a mix to get it. I might splurge for one of these myself. Ho, Ho, Ho.

Lloyd, you aren't becoming a closet softie on us are you? :grin:


Anthony,

<<NIB version that I haven't tried yet.>>

I know there is a story here. Don't care for the single cavity or what?


Let,

That is fairly close to Lyman #2 in what it would throw in diameter. Sounds like they are still trying to hold to the same standard. Once Lloyd clarifies his mix, I may feel better.


All,

I kind of figured that this would be a more popular mold than what is turning out. Thanks for your responses.

[AnthonyB]

Bass:
No problem with the mold at all, I just haven't needed to cast any because I had a stash from the first mold stored away. It will probably take me a long time to use up the ones I have now, but I'll get to that new mold eventually. The cavity on the Devastator was a little wide for me, so I made a second pin for it using my redneck lathe. That slowed down expansion some and would make a better deer boolit, I think, but I haven't shot anything more than wet paper with it yet.
As much as I like the Lyman HP molds, Buckshot's converted two-cavities are better machined and far more versatile. I have a pile of molds ready to ship to him when I get back. Tony

[Bass Ackward]

The cavity on the Devastator was a little wide for me, so I made a second pin for it using my redneck lathe. That slowed down expansion some and would make a better deer boolit, I think, but I haven't shot anything more than wet paper with it yet.


Anthony,

Interesting that you mention this. I thought that the cavity looks too wide also. Especially at the nose. Not so much for expansion, but for handling and seating softer bullets.

I was already planning on pin surgery to cut a little of the taper off at the top of the bullet. This should stregthen the nose area some and maybe make them a little easier to mold. But I don't want to go over 270 grains iffin I can help it. You can still drip a couple drops of candle wax in the smaller cavity if you want rapid expansion.

[Lloyd Smale]

sorry to dissapoint you pal but even i use soft lead once in a while!!! Even this bullet tends to shoot better in my guns a little harder but with the hp it just made since to cast it soft enough that it would expand. I shot a doe a couple years bac with that bullet cast like that out of an inline muzzleloader with a sabot and it hit like a bomb!! Tore the deer about inside out with a chest shot!! One of these days I want to try it in a handgun on deer. Id about bet it would be a great bullet on thin skinned game shot at about 1000 fps.
Lloyd,

Did you write that up there? Surely you meant 50 50 WW / .... lino .... right?

That is what we wanted to see was some of the softer mixes would produce at least .431. My buddy needs .432, so he may have to conjur up a mix to get it. I might splurge for one of these myself. Ho, Ho, Ho.

Lloyd, you aren't becoming a closet softie on us are you? :grin:


Anthony,

<<NIB version that I haven't tried yet.>>

I know there is a story here. Don't care for the single cavity or what?


Let,

That is fairly close to Lyman #2 in what it would throw in diameter. Sounds like they are still trying to hold to the same standard. Once Lloyd clarifies his mix, I may feel better.


All,

I kind of figured that this would be a more popular mold than what is turning out. Thanks for your responses.

[GLL]

I bought a new 429640CV #497 (1-02) earlier this year. Casting with ww+2%Sn produces .430". I can get .431" only if casting very hot.

I must say this mould is the one of very best casting HP moulds I have. Good fill-out. The pin pulls very easily and the bullets drop by simply popping the mould. No "encouragement" required !

Very pretty bullets as well ! :)

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/F04171536B60FBE/standard.jpg

[Bass Ackward]

[QUOTE=GLL;123173]I bought a new 429640CV #497 (1-02) earlier this year. Casting with ww+2%Sn produces .430". I can get .431" only if casting very hot.
Jerry


Jerry,

I figured that there would be someone under those "ideal" dimensions and was waiting. It would be my luck to get one. It took me 5 different 311284s to get a large enough nose. Then when I finally got one (.302), the dang mold throws .3075 to .3085 for the body. I give up. Strangest thing is that is probably the most accurate 30 caliber bullet I own if you let it dictate load. Danged thing outta round and outta balance will hold less than an 1/2" at 100, day in, day out.

Have I ever said how I hate factory molds! Just venting.

But wowie! That cavity is so thin at the nose, how would you load a soft bullet without the correct punch? Must open up in the air once it leaves the muzzle. Pin surgery would definately be required for my purposes. Nice picture though.

[mr mom]

ive got 1... i didnt like the way it poured, but ive been playing with it and it got better...
i didnt have the right top punch for it , but i have been useing a .45 roundnose punch on it and it closes it up a little ....

[LET-CA]

I had a session the other evening making up some more of these hollow-points and found that if I hold the mould against the spout on my RCBS bottom pour I get a perfectly filled out bullet each time. The extra pressure exerted on the flow really reduced my rejection rate and the bullets were more consistent that anything I've ever made before. Most were withing 2/10ths of a grain of each other.

I do need to figure out some kind of tool to burnish the nose though. Many of them have a small amount of flashing on the very tip that can be rubbed off with my fingers (with some effort). A small metal tool would be just the ticket to make them all real pretty. Any thoughts from the group on a suggestion? (Or should I just run them through a Lyman 450 with the correct nose punch? I've been using a Lee push-through sizer thus far.)

Thanks in advance - Lenny :Fire: