Heavy plain base?

[Blackhawk45hunter]

I'm looking into getting a mold from mountain molds in another few months and have a few questions.

I want a heavy weight bullet for my 45 colt, so I'm looking at a 360 gr Keith. Can I have it as a plain base without leading or should I use a GC? I'd like to go PB because of economy reasons.

Also, should I alter any dimensions from Mountain Molds' pre-set Keith design or is it good as is? I will be shooting as cast and pan lubed with lithi-bee

[Blackhawk45hunter]

Anyone?

[Blammer]

I'd say a plain base would be just fine for that wt boolit.

[Ben]

I've never shot a 340 gr., but I shoot a 325 out of my Casull in 45 Long colt cases. Seems to be doing just fine :

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=82864

[stubshaft]

I used to shoot a 375gr PB out of my 45 LC and Casull. At the velocities you are going to be getting with the LC you won't have to worry about leading. The boolit is so long that even if you fill a case full of 296, you'll just be hovering around 1000 fps. With a boolit that heavy you may need to get a higher front sight also.

[Blackhawk45hunter]

According to Hogedon's site I can get up to 1150 with h110.

[Bulltipper]

I'm shooting a 375 PB to 1400FPS and getting no leading...soft loob works best!

[Bret4207]

The biggest difference between a GC and PB is that in almost every case the GC simply makes finding good loads easier. It's not magic, but it does simplify things. So if you are willing to fiddle fart around and work with the PB you should find workable loads.

[Naphtali]

I'm looking into getting a mold from mountain molds in another few months and have a few questions.

I want a heavy weight bullet for my 45 colt, so I'm looking at a 360 gr Keith. Can I have it as a plain base without leading or should I use a GC? I'd like to go PB because of economy reasons.

Also, should I alter any dimensions from Mountain Molds' pre-set Keith design or is it good as is? I will be shooting as cast and pan lubed with lithi-beeWhen I bought my first Freedom Arms 475 Linebaugh, the revolver came with 400-500 400-grain WFN PB bullets ready to shoot. Since this purchase, I have fired these bullets, Hornady 325 and 400-grain FTX's, 400-grain WFN GC bullets from LBT AND Mountain molds units. While the LBTs and Mountain Molds bullets are nearly identical to those original plain base bullets, except for gas checking, those plain base bullets remain my most accurate hunting bullets. Fifty yard groups from a sitting-supported position (my most accurate big bore revolver shooting position) is slightly larger than an Eisenhower coin dollar. Unfortunately, I can tolerate 400 grains @ 1350 fps for only three shots per session. Changing from H110 to IMR 4227 does two things: velocity lowers to about 1150 fps; muzzle blast changes from "Oh my god," to something I can shoot for 40 rounds without a problem.

The plain base bullet Brinnell's (SP??) at 22. LBT and Mountain Molds lookalikes are cast with WW+2 and air dropped. Hardness is about 18.

Hope this helps.

[onondaga]

The 457-340-RN-F from Lee can be sized to 45 Colt. I cast this bullet for rifle and just got another 2 cavity mold from MidwayUSA:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=186608

I cast Wheelweight:Lino at 7:3 , bullets test 14 BHN at 7 days and weigh 328 grains with my alloy. Pat Marlin is working on a PB45 CheckMaker for me to use on this plain base bullet for my Colt Sauer Grand African .458 Win Mag sport rifle. I presently shoot this plain base bullet at 1610 fps with no check and the rifle groups them less than 1 inch at 50 yards. Higher velocity than1610 opens up group size for me.

I do use BPI Original ballistic filler in my .458 loads with this bullet and the combination of powder/filler at 104% capacity compressed loads. This particular filler does act as an effective gas check to a point in velocity. I am anxious to use the new PB checks to explore higher velocity with this bullet in my rifle.

A few people on the board do use this bullet sized for the 45 Colt and claim to be very happy with it in their handguns.

Gary

[RobS]

According to Hogedon's site I can get up to 1150 with h110.

The Keith design is going to seat further in the case vs a Cast Performance LFN or WFN design that is in the Hodgdon reload center and is something to keep in mind for pressure reasons. As for the MM settings for the original Keith then you'll want to change the meplat to 72-73% if you are after a true Keith meplat. The nose might also be a bit long at .420 for your cylinders???? so you may want to double check this with proper length brass. I would leave the lube grooves alone as the presetting as there will be plenty of lube and having more by adjusting the lube groove angles will probably not help any and might just make accuracy worse. I know the original Keiths have a wide/deep crimp groove however the .055" long crimp groove is more than ample and is actually easier to get brass to roll into the boolit. IMO the longer crimp groove of .070" is more difficult for crimping.

[Blackhawk45hunter]

Well, I ordered my new mold today from Mountain Molds.

I decided to back off to 325 grains for now, if I still feel the need for more overkill I can always get another made up. :P

I got a PB Keith with 2 lube grooves and a 72% meplat.

I've been using Lithibee for my rifle bullets but wanna try Dar's lube for pistol due to cost.

Will Dar's lube hold up to hotrod Ruger loads with this bullet?

[Lead Fred]

Head over to Ranch Dog, and get one of his molds, then pay the $6 bucks to have the gas check removed.


http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/bin/TLC454290RF/bullet/sketch.jpg

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_5_28&products_id=25

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=41&products_id=72

[tommygirlMT]

For 45-Colt a PB is no problemm --- no problem at all --- have at it

[Ranch Dog]

I actually have a TL454-290-RF, notice no "C" in the prefix, that came from Lee as a plain base mold ($60). Save the plain base fee.
New TL454-290-RF (http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_36_42_45&products_id=73)

Then I have the same mold, TL454-290-RF, that is used ($30). This was my test mold that lead me to gas checking the bullet. Please remember that I'm working with these in Marlin rifles at 40.0K PSI. Nothing wrong with a plain base bullet though.
Used TL454-290-RF (http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_36_42_45&products_id=73)

At 290-grains, this might be lighter than the original poster wanted. I placed both fo these molds up for sale yesterday along with some others, most of which are already gone.

[RobS]

Well, I ordered my new mold today from Mountain Molds.

I decided to back off to 325 grains for now, if I still feel the need for more overkill I can always get another made up. :P

I got a PB Keith with 2 lube grooves and a 72% meplat.

I've been using Lithibee for my rifle bullets but wanna try Dar's lube for pistol due to cost.

Will Dar's lube hold up to hotrod Ruger loads with this bullet?

Well I think that 325 grains will be right where you want things with a Keith design. The heavier you go the more of it will be in the case reducing the volume. Being quite honest, for the Ruger class 45 colts and even the 454 Casull 340 -350 grains LFN/WFN is about it for the practicality of the two cartridges. A person can go heavier but has one of two options stacked against them. 1) Keep the pressures at safe levels had have slower moving boolits that may not stabilize due to the weight/length or 2) run the velocities quicker with increased and possibly unsafe pressures to stabilize the boolits.

As for lubes........that one is a million dollar question that will give you many different answers. My experience with revolvers is to stay soft with a decent quality lube and things run fairly smooth. I've never used Dar's lube so can't comment on it other than it being a softer lube……maybe too soft with its original recipe.

[Blackhawk45hunter]

Well, I just tried the Dar Lube on my 452-200-RF @ 1000 fps today and no leading.
It's messy as heck and a pain to apply but it works great and it's cheap!

I'll give it a try once I get the mold in and I'll post my results.