Looking at a 25727 HP Lyman

[Three44s]

A friend and member of this forum found a 25727 HP Lyman mold (single cavity) for me that I am looking over.

I have some number of quarter bores to try this out on....... the most notable are a .25-35 Win 94, a Remington 14 in .25 Rem. and Savage bolt gun barrels in .250 Savage and .257 Roberts.

I also have some .25-06's and a .257 STW barrel but I don't think they are going to be very practical.

I notice the HP pin is very long ........ long enough to nearly go to the base.

This mold is a non gas check design and looks like it was set up as a bevel base.

I am a little concerned about the bevel base portion ......... as the mold edges at the junction of the blocks are eroded or chipped away slightly. The rest of the mold cavity is pristine. The HP pin looks pretty straight. And the blocks close pretty well.

The top of the mold shows that the sprue is riding more on the corners of the block and less on the center (where the base of the boolit forms).

I believe that the HP pin should be shimmed out some (shorten the HP cavity) or better still make or have made a new shorter pin.

There is no index provision to keep the pin in place while you pour ......... you have to hold it in or rest it on something to keep it from falling out.

As I assess this ......... it seems like it might be a good project for Erick (the mold rebuilder)?

Best regards

Three 44s

[texassako]

Sounds like it might get pricey to have Erick rebuild. Sprue plate might be that way to index the bullet, or just an ill fitting replacement. Cleaning out the bevel with a straight plain base or a skim cut on the top of the blocks sounds like it would clean up the chips. The lack of hardware to lock in the HP pin sounds like a homemade conversion, maybe a good candidate for one of he captured pin conversions he offers.

[square butte]

Once in a while I find an HP mold that has the wrong HP pin with it. Most notable ones were found in boxes of other molds. No other HP molds in the box - But since these were in box of for sale molds, my theory is someone took away another HP mold with the wrong pin. You can shorten the pin to what is desired or have Buckshot make you a new one. Won't cost you too much either way.

[45 2.1]

A friend and member of this forum found a 25727 HP Lyman mold (single cavity) for me that I am looking over.

Buckshot did the same mold for me. The base was distorted some. I had him shorten it some and remove the last grease groove to make a sturdier base band. The results were quite well done. He can make you a new HP pin also. I highly recommend his services.

[Three44s]

Thanks for all the replies thus far!

I think the first thing I want to do is cast a few slugs with this mold as it is and see what diameter it produces. If if produces boolits with enough diameter, it sure looks like contacting Buckshot would be a good next step.

I like the idea of skimming the mold and correcting the base/bullet juncture and making a different pin for the HP. That would solve all the problems I can envision in one fell swhoop!

Thank you and best regards

Three 44s