Lyman 429-640 Devastator

[long_arm]

Cast a few of these up. 12bhn.
I've never tried them hunting.. hoping those of you who have might share your experience.
Thanks

https://i.postimg.cc/FFgVgh1T/PXL-20220621-022710177.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Rqhtv57t)

[Larry Gibson]

I've been a fan of that bullet in my 44 Magnum handguns for numerous years. At first i cast them of COWWs + 5% tin then mixed 50/50 with lead. I found that expansion wasn't what it should have been as the alloy with antimony in it still wasn't malleable enough at 1200 - 1400 fps handgun velocities. I then have switched to a binary, lead/tin alloy. For medium range 44 Magnum loads or +P 44 SPL loads at 950 - 1050 fps 40-1 or 30-1 alloy works very well. For Magnum loads in 4" barrels that run 1100 - 1200 fps a 20-1 alloy is excellent. For my full bore 44 Magnum loads in 6"+ revolvers, my Contender or carbines running 1300 - 1600+ fps a 16-1 alloy works best.

[long_arm]

Larry,
Thank you for that thorough reply.
I cast these of 3:1 lead:lino with tin added. I think the blend is something like 95% lead, 3% antimony, and 2% tin. Or thereabouts.

[Ernest]

I have used that bullet cast of straight WW out of a 7.5 inch barrel on two small S. Texas deer and one 75 lb hog. It was devastating ! Took it to South Africa in a 4" mountain pistol and shot impala coup de grace of a spined zebra and hammered a steenbok. I am sold on that bullet for use in the 44 mag.

[long_arm]

Ernest,
Thank you for the info!

[Thumbcocker]

That boolit, in solid point from a Miah mold, is very accurate for me.

[long_arm]

Thumb,
Appreciate that.

[farmbif]

I havn t used my h&g 503 mold since getting the mp 432640. I use them in all my lever actions and handguns

[long_arm]

farmbif,
That's strong endorsement! If you're willing to share I would be interested in hearing about your alloy, game species, velocity, distance, etc

[Tripplebeards]

I’d tell you to use softer alloy. If check some of my old posts I made a mistake of casting them with to hard of an alloy. Two out three deer I shoot back to back made it over a 100 yards with no blood trail before dropping. I have since casted a bunch up in 16:1 pure lead and pewter. They have a BH of 7.5 but haven’t had an opportunity to test them on game yet.

Here is some reading of alloy testing for you…

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?362842-More-testing-with-the-Lyman-devistator-and-my-ruger-77-44/page2

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?365538-More-testing-with-my-ruger-77-44-and-the-Lyman-devastator

And my poor results with to hard of an alloy choice…

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?373867-First-deer(s)-with-cast-boolits!-Used-my-devastators!!!


I think my soft alloy of 16/1 with a 7.5 BH will shine if I ever see a doe during our anterless only and holiday hunts.

[missionary5155]

Throw into your need ... "What is the impact velocity"?
We hunt woods and river bottoms mainly east ILL-Nois . My farthest thwap with a handgun is still 14 yards.
A WFN made of range scrap with just enough tin to cast well at 950-100 fps does magnificent from 375 SM, 41 Mag, 414 SM, 45 Colt and 475 Linebaugh.
All cast are on the heavy side as the corn crunchers we pop are on the "well fed side" of table fare.
May one day use a 44 Special just to do so....

But if we change our AO to open ground then I will have to rethink and maybe up the mix and fps as Larry goes.

[Tripplebeards]

Larry helped me with the 16:1 alloy choice. Can’t wait to connect on deer with it for alloy testing. I’m loaded for best accuracy out of my 77/44 with it which averages 1575/1600 fps. I’m guessing my 15.4 BH 80/20 alloy would be good for hog’s shoulders if i had any in my state to shoot. I have t shot the gun in a few years and took it out last fall to see if it was still zeroed. I touched the outside of the ”x” at 100 yards the first shot so I figured I’d try 200 yards for giggles. I figured out the drop and guessed where to put my 3x9 vx2 crosshairs. I hit a 6” gong 3 out of three hits. Don’t want to jinx myself and put it away after that. If I remember correctly it’s about a 20” drop at 200 yards.

[farmbif]

farmbif,
That's strong endorsement! If you're willing to share I would be interested in hearing about your alloy, game species, velocity, distance, etc

I'm not much of a hunter, but I did get a deer this year on last week of season with 35 rem.
mostly all I ever cast with is clip on ww with a bit of tin added. the 667 and 640 design feeds well with no problem in my old Rossi and both marlins as well as a Redhawk that's why I like them and accuracy is very good with 21-23 grains 300mp which is near max load depending on which hollow point or solid with gas check . for me its just a bullet design that works well in the guns I have. there are others here that have proven loads with softer/different alloys

[fatnhappy]

I can tell you it's one of the few boolits that feeds reliably in both of my buddy's rifles. He has a henry and a ruger 77/44.
I have a lyman but it's been sitting idle since I picked up a dc cramer style brass mihec in the first group buy.
The few deer I've used it on were suitably impressed.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51141408472_2a2af7bdbd_z.jpg

[long_arm]

Thanks fellas for all your input. I cast another batch using a 30:1 binary alloy and I plan to put a few of them through this .44 SPL.

Fatnhappy, "suitably impressed".. haha. I may have to borrow that one
https://i.postimg.cc/FKvs9J9t/PXL-20220625-203440516.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Xr20LqGx)

[ChristopherO]

Long Arm,
Keep us posted on your results. That looks to be one expansive boolit to hunt with, alloy dependent. I love recoil in a rifle, but the 44 Mag full tilt loads aren't enjoyable, thus it mainly sits idle. I should craft some loads between the special and the magnum and revisit that round again. Your cast would be a dandy to work with.

[Jedman]

I used a 44 Devastator in a 44 spl. to take a whitetail buck that was quartering towards me and I was lucky enough to hit the heart. He raised up on his hind legs like a wild horse then tipped over backwards and was was dead. The bullet penetrated thru the deer so at modest velocity it is a effective hunting bullet.

Jedman

[Tripplebeards]

I did rid a nuisance rabbit from my garden with a 100% COWW Lyman Devastator. It was a 125 yards away. I was loaded around max book velocity with my Ruger 77/44. I put the halves closer together for the pic. They were about 15’ apart. Plenty of meat left. The boolit cut it perfectly in half. I ate good that night!

https://i.imgur.com/kQY8UqQ.jpg

[long_arm]

ChristopherO,
Will do.

Jedman,
That's what I like to hear. Good job.

Tripple,
Yowza! Borrowing a phrase from another poster, the rabbit seems "suitably impressed."

[Iwsbull]

Using the MP mold with about 8-9 bhn lead at about 1,000 FPS here are two bullets I recovered from a chert berm one from 50 yards and the other from 200. I was impressed that the 50 yards was lightly intact until I cleaned it and at the expansion it had at 200. 301597301598

[Gamsek]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220628/d6564d888ff769150f8f4f66d295a6e8.jpg
850fps, 20:1 alloy VS wet soft paper

[long_arm]

Impressive!