which Lee mold for .45 ACP and 1911

[corvette8n]

I seem to be able to cast with Lee molds fairly well, so I would like to stick with them. Have an Argentine Colt and wondered if I can get it to feed cast.
Only casting rifle bullets now. .308 150gr.,.323 180gr,. 460 420gr.
for my .30-30, .32ws and .45-70 Marlin.
thanks for any and all input.

[mooman76]

The 1911 depending on the brand though is kind of finicky about cat bullets. I would either get the Round nose 1st choice or Trunicated cone 2nd choice. I got the SWC for my Llama and it didn't like them so I switched to a round nose and no problems. Also you could clean real good and plish your feed ramp and that helps and where the cast gets hung up.

[rebliss]

I shoot the Lee 190gr LSWC. I just traded a 2-holer on a 6-holer. It feeds well in my Kimbers. Not sure how a SWC will do in your Argentine without modifying your feed ramp. The 190gr seems to match the radius of a RN boolit quite well, which contributes to feeding well. I think Lee has discontinued the 190gr, and are replacing it with the 200gr. so watch their closeout page for those moulds.

[fecmech]

[ I think Lee has discontinued the 190gr, and are replacing it with the 200gr. so watch their closeout page for those moulds.[/QUOTE]

Just checked the close out page, yes they are there but at $50.!! Too bad I would have gone for one at their past price of $25 on close outs.

[35remington]

Corvette8n, Rebliss is right, and it may be just as well that you didn't get the 190 grain. It's more of a target type SWC for bullseye guns or modified guns tuned to feed it. It has a shorter loaded OAL length (about 1.190" is typical) that many stock guns don't want to feed. The H&G type 200 grain SWC bullet they offer is more likely to work in a stock or milspec gun, and of course the 230 grain RN with the 2 ogive radius is the most likely to feed out of all the Lee offerings. Very similar to standard ball.

I have one of the 230 2R moulds in a six cavity myself and this bullet feeds flawlessly, loaded to 1.270" and taper crimped or Lee Factory Crimped. This is out of one of my stock Colts, circa 1944. If your gun won't feed this it probably won't work with anything.

Beware of modifying your frame feed ramp. Changing the angle of the frame ramp or setting it back will cause misfeeding. It is designed to be a certain distance from the loaded round in the magazine so the cartridge will go into the barrel at the proper angle and slide under the extractor. Unless it is rougher than a cob, polishing it is also overrated. Home gunsmithing on 1911's is probably the major source of feeding problems. If you overpolish or improperly angle/cut back the frame feedramp you'll have to throw it away and buy another. Not cheap.

If you do anything, experiment with magazines that have tapered lips and those with controlled release points and parallel lips. One type may work better than another, and it's a relatively inexpensive way to alter feeding characteristics of your gun.

[IcerUSA]

I shoot cast in both my 1911's, one is a Kimber and the other is an old Hardballer, just had to work the ramps a little and polish the heck out of them :) Had some condom HP's from evilBay that would not load so I worked the ramps to make them load good and the Cast Boolits just fell into place , just remember they make 1911's to shoot 230gn hardball ammo, not anything else, Mil Spec or nothing LOL

[mag_01]

----I have had good luck with the Lee 200gr. swc in my Ballister Malina---That 200gr boolit is available also in a tumble lube configuration. I have the 190gr. and never did as well with it as the 200swc---also tried the 255 swc which in my estimation is too heavy for the 45 auto----(ACP)-------Mag

[Baldy]

I buy cast in 185gr, 200, and 230gr. I have 2 S&Ws that shoots them real good. I have loads worked up for them and I get little to no lead clean up. They are very accurate loads.

[Bubba w/a 45/70]

My Colt 1991A1 digests both 185 SWC's and 230 RN cast interchangeably. I buy all of my pistol boolits yet, so I can't really tell you which type of boolit design won't work; I've yet to have a cast one fail me in feeding.

[Larry Gibson]

I have the Lee 190 gr SWC in a 6 holer, I shoots very well and feeds and functions fine in both my C Commander and M1911 Colt. It also is my most used bullet in the M1917 S&W .45AR and the .45 Colt for the Uberti SAA and the Rossi Rifle. You may have feeding problems with it but then you may not. "Ramping" your pistol is an easy fix and you may want to do it regardless of which cast bullet is used. I've also the H&G Lee mould. It is a BB bullet and is a pain lubing in a lubrisizer.

Larry Gibson

[UweJ]

I´ve got the Lee 200gr SWC in my Springfield Trophy Match.It´s just about perfect for competition shooting. I´m loading 4.5 Bullseye.

[mag_01]

-------- Thats one thing about Bullseye in the 45 ACP----all loads from 3.5 to 5.5grs. shot well. just different levels of recoil ----Some shooters prefer light and those that thrive on the heavy loads also shoot well----Just a thought but heavy loads require more discipline to preform well--Talking off hand shooting-----Mag

[BD]

I put about 18,000 lee 230 TCs through my kimber before the BDacp and a master caster showed up. I carried these to many a match and lent them out quite a few times. I never found a 1911 that wouldn't feed them loaded to 1.50"
BD

[Forester]

A large percentage of my shooting is with 1911s and I have found them to feed cast just fine. I like a 200gr LSWC like Lee's alot and it feeds in every 1911 I have tried it in thus far. Its hard to go wrong polishing the feed ramp and the inside top of the chamber just be carefull not to actually remove any metal.

I tried some 225gr Truncated Cone boolits that I really liked the looks of, and the mould cast really well but of the two 1911s I shoot most one didnt like them at all and one fed them perfectly.

I have settled on the Lee 200gr LSWC for mine and the 225gr TC is gathering dust now.

FWIW my load is:
200gr LSWC
4.8gr Bullseye or 5.1gr of Win 231
OAL 1.225"
Crimp .469"
CCI Large pistol primer

[Tom W.]

I'm shooting the Lee TL452-230-SWC from my Colt Government model, as well as my Ruger Convertable Blackhawk. As long as I seat them deep enough, there is no problem with feeding the Colt.

[dot6]

Take a peek at CatShooter's .45-210 in the group buy section. Looks to be a great bullet.