Lyman 457122

[charger 1]

I just got done having kittens with lymans 577611 with the big HB pin. Is the gould 457122 a killer too? Anybody casting that mold with ww's? be curious what size yer gettin....Doesnt even look like theres a crimp groove on it?

[Baron von Trollwhack]

A 457122 is a bit easier than a minie' mould. Try to orient the angle pin on the hp pin the same evert time. Run your pot hot. You may have to open the sprue hole a little and lap the plate.

Using WW in that bullet in 45-70,anything much over 1100 fps will shatter the nose off on close shots to the neck bones, but hey, the deer is DRT. Mine is an old mould, .459. Single shot use, what's to crimp? BvT

[Mk42gunner]

My 457122 is dated 09-04 and is one of the easiest to use molds that i have ; when using a dipper. Mine measure .458+" almost .459".

I haven't got the hang of casting hollow points with my new Lee pro 4-20 yet. No more bullets than I will need hunting; it won't be a great hardship to go back to using a dipper if I have to.

Robert

[ktw]

I bought mine new a year or two ago. I get .458-.459 out of it using 8 BHN range scrap. I don't find it hard to cast with. I size to .457 and shoot them in a 45 Colt carbine. I lightly roll crimp over the top of the scraper band

-ktw

[crowbeaner]

There are a couple tricks to the 457122; mine casts right at .460 and the .459 die juust trues it up. Run your pot hot, tap the ladle to get any cold metal out of the spout, pour in one smooth motion, line the HP pin up the same each time, tap the hinge pin to loosen the HP pin before you try to turn it, and use an RCBS ladle. I had to cast about a small coffee can full to get everything working right, and once hot you can pour pretty boolits. At 3/4 oz. each you'll want a 20 lb. pot to work with. Mine is a little alloy sensitive but other than that it works fine. WW metal with 50/50 solder makes a tough yet malleable bullet. I even sized some down to .452 for a pal to use in his custom 5 hole Ruger. CB.

[beagle]

I have three different 122s and they're all different. One's even a BB and that was a surprise to me when I got it.

All of them cast well once the mould's heated up. Then, it's a matter of pacing yourself to get good bullets. Get it too hot and you get incomplete filling. Keep the mould hot and take your time and you get perfectly filled out bullets.

They're definitely not a high speed bullet and the nose shears off every time if pushed too hard.

Each makes a different diameter bullet. Most I've encountered run right at .458" from WWs so I tend to "beagle" them when casting for the .45/70 as I like mione at .460"./beagle

[JimmyDee]

Two posters have mentioned this so I've got to ask: why is it important to align the HP pin the same way each time you pour? What happens if you don't?

Thanks.

[Dale53]

I have a Lyman 458122 HP and plan on using it with a duplex load and black powder in my #3 45/70. I cast these bullets at 25/1 Lead/tin. They cast without problems (I kept the hollow point pin hot so I got good fill out next to the pin in the nose (the area most likely to cause problems). Mostly a matter of good technique when casting hollow points.

I have a friend who has Lyman four cavity mould listed as 458122 that is a SOLID point. I borrowed it and ran a bunch for practice (will use the hollow points just for hunting). If a person needed to practice a lot, that would be an excellent idea if Lyman would do it again.

Dale53

[charger 1]

Two posters have mentioned this so I've got to ask: why is it important to align the HP pin the same way each time you pour? What happens if you don't?

Thanks.

Ya if ya dont mind I'm goin to tide yer shirt tails on that question. I just HP's an RCBS 405 and put the pin in any ol way. I dont even look at what I'm doin

[StrawHat]

I believe they do it for consistency.

Some of the single shot guys and gals pin mark the mold. All bullets get aligned in the case, all cases get aligned in the breech etc. Supposedly helps with accuracy. Certainly can't hurt.

I don't go to those extremes and my scores reflected that. I am content with hunting accuracy which means minute of gallon jug for me.

Maybe one of the folks who align the pins will give their reason for it.

[hornetguy]

I believe they do it for consistency.

Some of the single shot guys and gals pin mark the mold. All bullets get aligned in the case, all cases get aligned in the breech etc. Supposedly helps with accuracy. Certainly can't hurt.

I don't go to those extremes and my scores reflected that. I am content with hunting accuracy which means minute of gallon jug for me.

Maybe one of the folks who align the pins will give their reason for it.

I would think that it would be a better "fix" if one could somehow tighten up the fit of the pin in the mold, so that it would ensure that the pin was hitting the cavity dead center every time. That action alone should tighten up accuracy greatly, correcting the "out of balance" condition.
I don't know how difficult this would be...

[jackley]

No problems with the 122 here. Once it gets up to temp. Been using it for 20 plus years.
Jerry

[crowbeaner]

Aligning the HP pin and marking the cavity with a prick punch helps when indexing the cartridge and case in the chamber for the uber single shot BP experience. Every cartridge is assembled and loaded to be fired in the exact same position every time. Just another trick to squeeze every bit of uniformity out of the ammo. I call it fastidious, some call it necessary.

[StrawHat]

I can understand the indexing idea for a target rifle.

The 457122 is a hollowpoint hunting bullet. I don't see the necessity in taking such action with a bullet that is, for me, a 150 yard projectile.

[Dale53]

StrawHat;
Every action that takes time has to be evaluated for it's worth to YOU. In my case, I shot BPCR Silhouette for fifteen years. My rifles will do under 1.5" at 100 (and I have shot 6" at 500 yards) and I decided that "for me" I wouldn't "index". I believe that the time is better spent on "trigger time".

My take on the 457322 is to cast these as well as I can (which is pretty dern good:-D) and then only shoot enough of them to sight in the rifle. I will practice with other, easier and faster to cast solid nose bullets. This is NOT a put down on this dandy game bullet, but just a statement as to how I plan to use them in my 45/70's (a #3 Ruger single shot and a Marlin Model 95 (first issue of the modern rifle with Ballard Rifling).

Dale53

[Old Ironsights]

I'm just starting to cast some of these up. I was suprised at how small the meplat & HP pin is though. I was hoping it would be more of a WFN.

Anyway, I just slugged the bore of my 1886. Drove a .490 Swaged RB down it and a .490 cast ball down it.

My caliper says .456. What Sizer Size should I get?

[Dale53]

If it were mine. I'd see if a .458" bullet would slide in a fired case. If it will, then THAT's what I would use. If it goes in a fired case without problems (using only your fingers) then you are assured that the case will release the bullet when fired. I full length size all of my cases and use a custom expander that will be .001" smaller than the bullet diameter. The natural spring back of the brass will give proper case neck tension without deforming those lovingly casted and sized bullets.

Dale53