STI Targetmaster & Keith 452423

[bearstopper]

I just ordered the pistol and I have this mold already. It shoots beautifully in a 625 JM and believe it or not in the beloved by all and high $ High Point Carbine 😉. I am hoping to get some excellent results out of the STI with it. I read some articles of good results in some 1911's but I parted company with all 3 of my pistols of this kind prior to trying it out and the Target Master was calling my name as a great cast bullet canidate! I do have several other more appropriate molds that will do the trick if this doesn't work out. Anyone one else running it in a 1911?

[Bigslug]

Been down that road extensively. This may help: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?237958-Reliably-Feeding-the-452423-A-Science-Project

Also check out the link I edited into to the first post. Ultimately, my conclusion after a lot of hard research was that, while it can be done, that bullet is not really what an autoloading pistol wants. I also experimented and had good results (prior) with the Accurate 230F, and found Nirvana with the LBT 230 LFN (post). Dialing back the meplat a tiny bit, eliminating the SWC shoulder, and keeping the weight closer to GI operating parameters makes the 1911 a much happier pistol.

[Char-Gar]

I believe I was one of the first to use 452423 in the 1911 autopistol semi-successfully back around 1961. This was at a time, when everybody wrote that it just could not be done. I wrote this up in a Fouling Shot article some years back and it was republished on John Taffin's web site. I think it is still out there in cyberspace.

In the past decade or so, others have taken a run at using this bullet in the 45 ACP autopistol with mixed results. I still use it for that purpose from time to time, but I must be truthful and say that it is far from the best bullet suited for the purpose. There are some other designs with a large meplat better suited for use in the 1911 autopistol.

The bullet was designed by Keith for the 45 Auto Rim in revolvers and will also make a decent lighter bullet in the 45 Colt. It's practical range in the 45 Colt stops at about 100 yards. After than accuracy and velocity starts to fall off pretty quickly.

If you already have the mold and want to give it a try, then have at it. Just remember that seating it so it will work through the 1911 magazine and feed requires rather deep seating which cuts down on the powder space. Powder charges must be adjusted. I have used 4.5 to 4.7 grains of Bulleye with good results having killed a couple of Texas Whitetail with the load.

Be certain to use a good taper crimp as the meplat edge will strike the feed ramp pretty hard as it moves up into the chamber. You do not want that feed ramp strike to shove the bullet any farther down into the case, raising pressure beyond the red line.

The extra weight and big meplat causes this bullet to hit the target with noticeable authority.

Bottom line is there are much better bullets for the 1911 autopistol and I would not recommend anybody purchasing one for that purpose. However, if you already have one, then enjoy playing with it. I would not use this bullet in any pistol for self defense. It may feed like a champ for 50, 100 or 200 rounds, and then decide to jam up the pistol. You don't want that jam to occur at a delicate moment in your life.

[bearstopper]

Probably your article I read that got me wanting to try it out. Thanks for the tips and info guys!