Mihec .452-200 & 374 comparison?

[cs86]

Does anyone have the Mihec 452200 and 452374. I'd like to know how they differ in length and how the nose differs. Some pictures would be great.

[Jagdhund]

Mihec: I recently ordered a Lee 452-200 RFN mould. I have cast a couple batches of bullets, but have not put a lot of them down range, yet. I also have an old Ideal 452374 single cavity of unknown vintage.

The Lee bullet is 0.530" long. The meplat diameter is about 0.325" as near as I can measure it. The lube groove is about 0.040" wide and 0.025" deep. The bearing surface is hard to measure, but about 0.330" from base to the crimp groove. Cast of centerfire rage scrap, it weighs 205 - 206 grs. at a diameter of 0.4512-0.4515", but is not quite round. The two cavities are pretty consistent.

my 374 measures 0.655" or so long. The lube groove is 0.040" deep and 0.070" wide, so it holds substantially more lube. Weight from the same alloy is generally about 224 to 227 grs. and casts at about 0.4515". Bearing surface is similar to the Lee.

I have shot exactly one group with the Lee bullet from both a Kimber 1911 Target II and a new Ruger SR1911 CMD. I believe the load was 5.4 grs WW 231. I can did the velocity out of my log if you need it. That is also the load I generally shoot with 452374. The Kimber put 4 rounds in 1 5/8" with a flier to 3". The Ruger ran about 3.5", which may be about as good as it gets, but haven't shot it much. Range was 25 yds.

[alamogunr]

Mihec: I recently ordered a Lee 452-200 RFN mould. I have cast a couple batches of bullets, but have not put a lot of them down range, yet. I also have an old Ideal 452374 single cavity of unknown vintage.

The Lee bullet is 0.530" long. The meplat diameter is about 0.325" as near as I can measure it. The lube groove is about 0.040" wide and 0.025" deep. The bearing surface is hard to measure, but about 0.330" from base to the crimp groove. Cast of centerfire rage scrap, it weighs 205 - 206 grs. at a diameter of 0.4512-0.4515", but is not quite round. The two cavities are pretty consistent.

my 374 measures 0.655" or so long. The lube groove is 0.040" deep and 0.070" wide, so it holds substantially more lube. Weight from the same alloy is generally about 224 to 227 grs. and casts at about 0.4515". Bearing surface is similar to the Lee.

I have shot exactly one group with the Lee bullet from both a Kimber 1911 Target II and a new Ruger SR1911 CMD. I believe the load was 5.4 grs WW 231. I can did the velocity out of my log if you need it. That is also the load I generally shoot with 452374. The Kimber put 4 rounds in 1 5/8" with a flier to 3". The Ruger ran about 3.5", which may be about as good as it gets, but haven't shot it much. Range was 25 yds.

Are you asking Miha a question? If so, what is it? What did I miss?

[MtGun44]

If we are talking about the same design, the MP 452 200 is basically a 200 gr HP version of the
Lyman 452374 RN design, which normally runs 225-230 gr. Seat to the same base position
and they will be good feeders, but different LOA. The MP version is one of my most accurate
.45 ACP designs, with 452460 just about matching it at 25 and the MP pulling out a bit at 50 yds.

Here is what my MP 452 200 looks like after being shot into wet phone books. This is with
the pentagonal pin installed. Expect the same expansion and twice the penetration depth in
ballistic gelatin. I highly recommend MP molds - they are functional works of art.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=51815&d=1289713935

Bill

[Jagdhund]

OK, I messed-up. I thought the question was about the Lee .452-200 RFN instead of a hollowpoint 452374. My bad.

[DHC]

Are you asking Miha a question? If so, what is it? What did I miss?

I'll chime in with my understanding of what he was asking. Miha has offered molds he references as 452-200 and a different mold referenced as 452374. They produce quite different bullets. I have both molds, but have not gotten around to casting more than a handful of the 452374, hence, cannot offer any substantive response to the OP. In other words, the OP is looking for a direct compare/contrast of two (2) different Miha-produced molds.

IHTH

[cs86]

The main thing I was after is the overall length of the boolit. I wanted something with a shorter nose. It's been a month since my OP and I ended up selling the MP452374 2C and buying the MP452200 4C. I ran a ladder test with the 452200 as a HP testing Tightgroup, Powerpist, and I think W231 awhile back. I found that out of my XDM tactical Tightgroup gave the best results. Off a sandbag I was getting 1.5" to 3" groups at 15yds. Lubed with carnauba red.

[MtGun44]

Miha's 452-200 was designed as a HP version of Lyman's 452374 which is a 225 RN.
Without the HP pins - or with them reversed, it is a RFN with about 205 or 210 wt.
because the reversed pin is flat on the front.
Unless there is another boolit from MP with the designation 452-200 that I am unaware of.

Bill

[tomme boy]

Mihec made another HP mold designated 452374 HP. They are very different. The 200 gr HP of mine comes in about 207-09 grs and the 374 HP comes in at 225-227 grs.

[dragon813gt]

The 452374 has a cupped plug pin to cast round nose solids. Like all if his molds there are no specs given which means you have to assume it's going to work as advertised. I believe the 452374 is supposed to cast a 230 grain soild. While the 452200 drops a 215 grain solid. I haven't cast any of the 452374s yet but I do own the mold.

[cs86]

Here is a comparison if anyone wants to see it. I still have a few left over of the 452374 that has a little tumble lube on it (right side). Left side is the 452200. Both came from MP molds. Lube grooves are a little different also.

101725

[MtGun44]

OK, typically, when someone make a mold using an old Lyman number - it is a close
match to the Lyman design. Not so much in this case - different lube groove and
nose shape. Strange to use that number when it is such a well-known design in
the Lyman molds for about 90-100 years or whatever.

I have the 200 gr HP, and it was discussed as "basically a HP version of the 452374"
set to drop at 200 gr when the original group buy was going on (at least that is
my memory of the discussion, and why I bought the mold).

Bill

[dragon813gt]

From the 452374 Group Buy.

MiHec 452374 brass four cavity solid or two or four cavity hollow point
This is a sign-up thread for a copy of the Lyman 452374 hardball design........ It casts out at 0.454" just as the Lyman original does and sizes easily to 0.452". The original has shot very accurately in everything we've tried it in.

[cs86]

Keep in mind that the both are HP. MP experimented with the 452374 and added pins that would create a round nose. That would of made it stand just a little taller. I never had the chance to try it before I sold the mold.