Need .452 Advice

[compass will]

I am starting cowboy action shooting, plus I am doing lever action shooting this summer. My revolvers and rifle both shoot 45 colt.

I been shooting 250 gn lead.

Now here is the delema. I have been buying 250 bullets for $15.00. I figure I might use somewhere over 1500 this summer.

I plan on buying casting stuff anyway since I also shoot 32 winchester Special in the lever action matches (but I already have 500 boolets for it I bought that were .002 to large, so I already went out and bought the sizer/luber. And I love to play with my 45-70.

So far I have collected around 300 lbs of WW and lead mix. I think I got a line on 100 additional lbs every 3 weeks (until some with deeper pockets discoveres them).
I have my smelting stuff ready for cleaning up the lead, all I need is a casting pot and some dies.

I guess I should go ahead and buy the Lee 452-255-RF 6 holer and the sizing dies for my lyman and get busy? Anyway I look at this, as long as I don't count my time (or have to pay gun dealer prices for lead) I will be ahead by casting my own?

for shooting real close steel targets, what mix do I want? I want to try to prevent lead flying back and hitting me from those close SASS targets. Do I want to go harder, or softer?

[Calamity Jake]

Been doing the CAS thing for about 15 years now, cast all CA boolets with 50/50 WW/lead a very good alloy for this game.
Slug the cylinder throats on your 6 guns and if possible size them 452-255RF's .454Ø and never look back.

[compass will]

When I measure the outlet side of the cylinder, its .452. I did not check the one I bought today, but its the same Uberti as the first one.
I been buying .452's and they seam to shoot better then I can standing up. for a 452 chamber are you recomending 454?

Will straight WW be to hard? I find them easier then straight lead. I never did try the scrap yard since they will want top dollar for straight lead.

[xr650]

I thought CAS and SASS used a lighter boolit.
Are 250 gr. the norm or required?

[Leftoverdj]

Straight WW should work fine. It's not particularly brittle.

If .452 has been working for you, there's no real reason to change. CAS does not call for extreme accuracy. If you are curious, you can hand lube or LLA some bullets as cast to see if they shoot better than the .452s. Many CAS shooters do use lighter than standard bullets for reduced recoil and faster time back on target, but that can be a problem with fixed sight guns. If your pistol is shooting to the sights, stick with the same weight.

btw, if you bought .323s for the .32 Win Special, you got the right size already. No need to size them down. They should be a little oversized.

[compass will]

We had a whole other long thread going on about my 32 Win Special. My gun is a 1921 Marlin 93. This was the first year after bankrupcy and first year for model 93. (Its not an 1893, they only call it a 93). The chamber is tighter then the "newer ones". Sundog send me some samples in .321 and .323. With .323 boolets the cartridge don't even go all the way into the rifle. Once the boolet is seated It hits on the neck of the brass at the top 1/8". Even if you don't crimp it it still don't seat. .321 works perfect. Before that long thread, I had a 20% off coupon at Midwayusa that was about to expire, so I bought a box of 500 .323. Now I have the .321 sizer and they work perfect.
I think it was only those first couple years that the marlin had the tight chamber. Everyone else replied there X gun feeds .323 with no problem.

[mroliver77]

For what your doing 50/50 lead/WW will be fine or about any combination you come up with. I have been shooting pure lead with about 1% tin in a .38 with full power .38spcl loads and no leading good accuracy. I would size .452if the comercial are working for you.
J

[Crash_Corrigan]

I shoot straight ww's water dropped and sized .452 in my Rugher BH. Lubed with lars carnuba red and never a problem with leading.

[WyrTwister]

I am starting cowboy action shooting, plus I am doing lever action shooting this summer. My revolvers and rifle both shoot 45 colt.

I been shooting 250 gn lead.

Now here is the delema. I have been buying 250 bullets for $15.00. I figure I might use somewhere over 1500 this summer.

I plan on buying casting stuff anyway since I also shoot 32 winchester Special in the lever action matches (but I already have 500 boolets for it I bought that were .002 to large, so I already went out and bought the sizer/luber. And I love to play with my 45-70.

So far I have collected around 300 lbs of WW and lead mix. I think I got a line on 100 additional lbs every 3 weeks (until some with deeper pockets discoveres them).
I have my smelting stuff ready for cleaning up the lead, all I need is a casting pot and some dies.

I guess I should go ahead and buy the Lee 452-255-RF 6 holer and the sizing dies for my lyman and get busy? Anyway I look at this, as long as I don't count my time (or have to pay gun dealer prices for lead) I will be ahead by casting my own?

for shooting real close steel targets, what mix do I want? I want to try to prevent lead flying back and hitting me from those close SASS targets. Do I want to go harder, or softer?


If you have not bought a melting pot , I reccomend a bottom pour . Being cheap , mine is Lee .

Measure your as cast bullets . Most cast bullets shoot well around .002" oversize , or slightly more .

Buy a bottle of lee Liquid Alox & try shooting some as cast , not resized . And if that works well & you want to use the re-sizer , consider a .454" die .

God bless
Wyr

[Calamity Jake]

If your cylinder throats measure .452 then by all means use .452 boolets. Straight WW is fine, I just like the 50/50 better.
Between me and my better half there 8 uberti's 45's in the safe, all have .454/.455 throats so I us a .454 boolet.