Lyman Devastator

[JDNC]

Does anyone have any experience with the devastator in 45 cal using a bigbore air rifle. I just ordered a mold and have later read that it drops small diameter .450-452" bullets.

The mold is a 180 gr., I assume using lyman #2. If so, I was hoping to cast a little heavier using a softer alloy but that would cast even a smaller diameter. I need at least groove diameter which is .453".

JD

[HollowPoint]

Back when I owned a SamYang 45 caliber I used my 200 grain devastator mold to cast the bullets I shot out of it.

It was plenty accurate out to 50 yards. Beyond that distance and I could tell that maintaining hunting accuracy would get harder and harder. I was shooting with iron sights. With a scope mounted I think it would still have given me sufficient accuracy to take out a coyote at 100 yards or slightly beyond.

If your incoming mold drops bullets slightly small, you can use the "Beagleing" method to increase the diameter. My particular mold did drop slightly small diameters but, I made myself a reamer of sorts to open up the diameter of the driving bands. I over did it with that reamer but, it worked out in the end because I was able to size them back down to the diameter I needed.

Also: Eric over at hollow pointing services offers the service of opening up the driving bands on just about any given bullet mold.

HollowPoint

[W.R.Buchanan]

I am absolutely amazed at how Eric can open up the driving bands of a mould .001-.002 and actually get it right everytime.

Absolutely blows the machinist in me's mind.

I would never attempt such a thing and have spoken of my willingness to send the work to "them that knows," at the drop of a hat.

Understanding your limitations is a very important component of overall competence.

I almost have it beat!

Randy

[JDNC]

Thanks for the prompt replies gents.

I've been using bullets in the 370-380 range at about 810-830 fps. Recently I've been thinking maybe I would be better off using bullets 200-27grn. Best shooting bullet in this rifle so far is a bore riding type, but of course as you know that's with the nose fitting correctly to the bore ( which is a pita when changing alloys). Meplat on this bullet is .300" and this bullet is cast with #2 alloy to keep that nose fitted to the bore. I would like to use a softer alloy and also have a accurate molds WFN that drops at about 375 with 20:1. Looking for a good deer bullet. Most I've talked to think that the heavy bullets are too much, but at 800 fps I don't think so. Anyway I'm a WFN guy and usually think of HP's for a down range aide but I'm going to try this mold and hopefully I can get a bullet heavier than 180. I should be able to push it over 950 fps.

JD

[HollowPoint]

On my Devastator mold I found that the hollow point it had from the factory tended to mushroom a little to much for my liking . I made up an adjustable hollow point spud that allowed me to increase or decrease the depth of my hollow point cavity and thus regulate the weight of my cast bullet.

If I remember correctly, when I first started casting I used only "Stick-On" wheel weights. I got them for free at work. That's generally as close to pure lead as I we can get. I knew very little about bullet casting at the time so I thought all I had to do was melt the lead and pour it into my mold; and that worked OK for a beginner.

With my adjustable hollow pointing spud at full depth, my bullets generally weighed close to the 200 grains that this mold was listed at. With the spud set to a depth of a shallow "Cup-Point," my bullets weighed closer to 220 grains and the expansion I got when shot into a toppled over sahuaro cactus was just about right for hunting game animals; unfortunately for me, at the time I owned my SamYang 45 caliber air rifle, it was illegal to use it to hunt anything but rabbits. I sold it shortly after buying it.

Arizona hunting regulations have changed now. It is now legal to hunt large game with PCP's of 35 caliber and up. Now I wish I hadn't of sold it. Live and learn.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that in its present configuration, your Devastator mold is dropping lighter than desired bullets, it is possible to increase the weight by shrinking or eliminating the hollow point. You may be able to just flip your hollow pointing pin around and just casting your bullets as flat-points.

HollowPoint

[HollowPoint]

On my Devastator mold I found that the hollow point it had from the factory tended to mushroom a little to much for my liking . I made up an adjustable hollow point spud that allowed me to increase or decrease the depth of my hollow point cavity and thus regulate the weight of my cast bullet.

If I remember correctly, when I first started casting I used only "Stick-On" wheel weights. I got them for free at work. That's generally as close to pure lead as I we can get. I knew very little about bullet casting at the time so I thought all I had to do was melt the lead and pour it into my mold; and that worked OK for a beginner.

With my adjustable hollow pointing spud at full depth, my bullets generally weighed close to the 200 grains that this mold was listed at. With the spud set to a depth of a shallow "Cup-Point," my bullets weighed closer to 220 grains and the expansion I got when shot into a toppled over sahuaro cactus was just about right for hunting game animals; unfortunately for me, at the time I owned my SamYang 45 caliber air rifle, it was illegal to use it to hunt anything but rabbits. I sold it shortly after buying it.

Arizona hunting regulations have changed now. It is now legal to hunt large game with PCP's of 35 caliber and up. Now I wish I hadn't of sold it. Live and learn.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that in its present configuration, your Devastator mold is dropping lighter than desired bullets, it is possible to increase the weight by shrinking or eliminating the hollow point. You may be able to just flip your hollow pointing pin around and just casting your bullets as flat-points.

HollowPoint

[melloairman]

Thanks for the prompt replies gents.

I've been using bullets in the 370-380 range at about 810-830 fps. Recently I've been thinking maybe I would be better off using bullets 200-27grn. Best shooting bullet in this rifle so far is a bore riding type, but of course as you know that's with the nose fitting correctly to the bore ( which is a pita when changing alloys). Meplat on this bullet is .300" and this bullet is cast with #2 alloy to keep that nose fitted to the bore. I would like to use a softer alloy and also have a accurate molds WFN that drops at about 375 with 20:1. Looking for a good deer bullet. Most I've talked to think that the heavy bullets are too much, but at 800 fps I don't think so. Anyway I'm a WFN guy and usually think of HP's for a down range aide but I'm going to try this mold and hopefully I can get a bullet heavier than 180. I should be able to push it over 950 fps.

JD
If you want . Put some of your numbers into this site . It might give you some useful info .Marvin
http://www.handloads.com/calc/index.html

[JDNC]

I think I will have to use something heavier than 180 gr for sure. Will save for my 45 acp's.

Thanks,
JD