44 Lyman Devastator Mold question

[30hrrtt]

Can the hollow point pin on a Devastator mold be adjusted for depth or interchanged with others or do you need a whole different pin assembly?

Never seen one of them but am thinking about that mold and would like to mess with different pins, just because.

[rintinglen]

No, they are not adjustable. I suppose you could buy extras from Lyman and modify them to achieve the desired effect, or you could make them if you have access to a lathe. I tried using a thin washer on a Lyman HP mold to reduce the depth of the hollow point, but it didn't have the effect I hoped. I couldn't get the locking stud to work if I got too carried away with the washer thickness. Any thing thick enough to have a significant impact was too thick to allow the locking stud to catch under the screw.
If you are looking for a HP mold, you really ought to save your nickles and get one of Miha Prevec's outstanding cramer type molds. They work better, faster, and are easier to get the hang of. The only drawback is the cost and the weight--brass molds are heavy!

[Larry Gibson]

I'm sure one of the custom guys who HP moulds woul make up extra pins to your specifications. I use the Devasator "as is" and find it to be an excellent design......."as is". With that large HP the trick is to use the correct alloy for the impact velocity range and the intended target's composition.

Larry Gibson

[fredj338]

Erik @ HPMS made a cup point pin for mine. So now I have a rapid expanding 250gr for varmints & SD or a 270gr controled expanding for big game.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/fredj338/44-272.jpg

[cbrick]

Not the Lyman Devastator but take a look at the cover page photo on Glen Fryxell's book: From Ingot To Target. This is the RCBS 300 Gr GC FP, I sent two molds to Erik Ohlen and had both cavities of one mold Cramer HP and the gas check shank removed from one cavity. For the second mold he only removed the gas check shank from one cavity. So two 2 cav molds, four cavities and four different hunting bullets. One each of HP GC, HP PB, PB FP, GC FP. If you wish extra pins with different diameters and/or lengths can be made.

I also had Erik turn my Lyman Devastator into a PB and had an extra pin made for it so I have the standard Lyman profile pin and a Fryxell profile HP pin. (Fryxell Profile Pin - HP cavity of .150" diameter at the mouth, cavity with 7 degree taper and extended .250" into the bullet WITH a rounded tip).

Just ideas for you to mull over, no limit to what you can do.

From Ingot To Target (http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_textonly2.pdf)

Rick

[fredj338]

I like the looks of that RCBS mold sans gc. I found I get more uniform expansion w/o losing the nose, if the HP is shallow. It gives more support to the nose during expansion @ higher vel. Stock pin vs modified pin by Erik.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/fredj338/44-265.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/fredj338/44-272.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/fredj338/44-272-1K.jpg

[EDK]

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Never seen one of them but am thinking about that mold and would like to mess with different pins, just because.

Unless it closed since yesterday ,MIHEC has a group buy going on a four cavity CRAEMER stle hollow point mould...I'm eagerly looking forward to getting mine. He has multiple pin designs PLUS blanks. I have to add a third set of pins for mine asap...ordered large and small round pins and now I want another set to cast solids with.

I've got a LYMAN two cavity, but I don't need the gas check boolits for most of my shooting. The hollow points have interested me awhile and both the 38 and 44 hollow base wadcutter moulds cast like a champ once they get up to heat.

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[beagle]

I have a devestator and personally found the thin cavity walls too much of a good thing so I made an extra pin for it of .156" diameter and also a plug to make solids. Both of these work well in my .444.

I'm kind of a Keith guy when it comes to my SBHs and son't use the devestor in them./beagle

[geargnasher]

You have questions, they have answers! What a great thread!

Gear