Best cheap/fast Lee 6-cav for .45ACP? TL452-230-2R vs. 452-230tc

[C. Latch]

I have two molds for .45ACP right now (Lee 200-grain SWC 68 clone and a NOE 452-230-hp) but I want to add a third mold strictly for making high-volume plinking bullets. My 1911s seem to prefer 230s over the 200 SWC.

It seems like the lee 452-230-2r would be 'most likely to feed well' but I'm not sure how well taper-crimping a TL bullet works - is there much danger of crushing the lube bands and hurting accuracy?

The other option is the conventional-groove 452-230tc. Any known problems with it? If the design feeds well it would have the advantage of having a meplat that would help with tissue damage if I actually shot one at a live target.
Which one should I get?

[petroid]

452-230-TC. TL or conventional lube groove. Your choice

[bobthenailer]

Since you already must have a lube/sizer I would go for the 230gr TC mould , I just bought one a few weeks ago and it works alot better! no break in needed ! and it has some design changes that my previous other 6 cavity lee moulds did not have. ive made over 1,600 of the 230-TC so far , I'm getting my buddy to mill .80 of of the top of the mould blocks next week to make it a 200 gr tc bullet.

[Shiloh]

I'm partial to the.452 LEE 200 gr. SWC. I had Buckshot shave off the bevel base.

Shiloh

[reloader28]

I like the 230 TC.
I did shave out the bevel base and made a plain base mold.

[jcren]

For 230, you can't beat the 230 tc. I also have the tl version and seated to 1.170 Lal it feeds in all 5 acp's I load for. Very accurate and hits like a hammer!

[TXGunNut]

Why do your 1911's prefer the 230's? If it's feeding issues because of the shape of the nose the 230TC may not be a good choice. If it's cycling issues due to the weight of the boolit either will do. Personally I'd address the preference for a heavy boolit with lighter springs and the preference for RN boolits with feed ramp polishing as needed. Using 15% less lead is no small thing for a high-volume shooter. Less recoil, less drain on lead supply...and those 200 gr SWC boolits are pretty accurate as well. Taper crimp works fine with TL boolits and I prefer TL for high-volume casting.

[mdi]

If you "crush" the T/L grooves, you're using too much crimp. I don't crimp any of my semi-auto ammo, I just straighten out any flare with a taper crimp die, even when I load my Lee 230 T/L bullets for my 45 ACP...

[DerekP Houston]

cheap/fast for me was the 432-230gr TL with alox :D. Still use it occasionally and its a common weight to find load data for.

[C. Latch]

Why do your 1911's prefer the 230's?

It's an inertia issue. I could chase down the problem with different spring weights but it's easier to standardize on one bullet weight.

[imashooter2]

I've shot a big pile of the 452-228-1R. They work just fine film lubed, I've used Rooster Jacket and JPW/LLA blends. I've never had much luck with Lee's microband designs. If I were choosing from the 2 you listed to make piles of plinking ammo, I'd get the TC, film lube it and load it as cast.

[Lefty Red]

I use about every DC Lee makes for 45ACP loads for my friend's Colts and my RIA 1911s. Not a lot of difference is any one of them. If fact, at the velocities the 45 ACP runs the TL design runs just as good too. I gave up on the TL designs on other calibers due to the thin rings. But if you do like it's been suggested, just smooth out the flare/very little crimp, then it's the fastest casting for a pile of TLed bullets ready to load up.

BTW, I dip lube my bigger caliber bullets cause I don't shoot a lot (>150) at a time. I dip the bullet in White Label's 45-45-10 up to half of the lube rings. When the bullet is seated, the rest of the lube is smeared into the rings and the mess and build up is lessened. Or when the bullet is sized in a Lee sizer, when the bullet is base first loaded.

[Djones]

Since you already must have a lube/sizer I would go for the 230gr TC mould , I just bought one a few weeks ago and it works alot better! no break in needed ! and it has some design changes that my previous other 6 cavity lee moulds did not have. ive made over 1,600 of the 230-TC so far , I'm getting my buddy to mill .80 of of the top of the mould blocks next week to make it a 200 gr tc bullet.

hey bob, 0.80? Don't take off too much or you won't be left with a mold.

In all seriousness make sure you look at the clearance of the sprue plate hardware before you take the 0.080" off. The sprue plate handle bolt doesn't have a very big space between it and the handles.

To the OP. I'd go with the TC

[mjwcaster]

452-230-TC standard Grove, tumble lubes just fine with 45/45/10.
Just getting into casting, only shot a few thousand so far with no problems from the Lee 6 cavity mold.
Cannot say the same for the 2 cavity version.
I really like TC designs.

[dudel]

Another vote for TC. Interesting read on the TC design in current issue of Handloader.

[C. Latch]

Thanks, folks. I guess the overwhelming support for the TC design is enough of a hint that it will suit me.

[Centaur 1]

I also use the 230-tc bullet with the standard lube groove, and I tumble lube using straight Johnson's paste wax. Everyone who's tried my bullets loves them.

[EDK]

Standard designs can be tumble lubed...and if TL doesn't work, go to a conventional lubri-sizer. Haven't tried tumble lube designs in the STAR
.
I bought the 356 120 TC mould for my 9mm GLOCKS and tumbled lubed and sized in a 357 push through and re-lubed. Good in factory barrels and better in KKM replacements. THEN I started lubri-sizing them in the STAR at 358 (LARS' 50/50 and B-A-C) and liked them better in the KKMs. Not much sizing at 358...just kinda cleans up the surfaces.

I'm using up some old H&G #68 from way back when in GLOCK 41s with KKM barrels; tried the LEE 452 165 BUT the d*** thing only comes in a two banger! so I ordered a 45 175B from ACCURATE last week. The LEE 45 230 TC will be on my next order from GRAFS.

In case you didn't notice, I LOVE KKM PRECISION barrels in my various GLOCKS. I've got a STORM LAKE in my GLOCK 26 also.

[Smk SHoe]

i have 2 of the 6 gang lee 230 TC. man you can turn out some bullets with them. about every ten pours i swap molds to keep them from getting to hot. I load for about 9 different .45's friends have and this bullet design works well in all of them.

[Moonie]

I have the Lee TC in 9mm (120gr), 40 (175gr) and 45 (230gr) and like them in all 3, the feed very well with the right COL. My favorite 45 cal boolit in 45acp is a 200gr SWC however, the lee 6 cavity works very well.

[bobthenailer]

hey bob, 0.80? Don't take off too much or you won't be left with a mold.

In all seriousness make sure you look at the clearance of the sprue plate hardware before you take the 0.080" off. The sprue plate handle bolt doesn't have a very big space between it and the handles.

To the OP. I'd go with the TC

Took off 0.80 the top of mould block, had to slightly shorten the rear sprue plate hold down bolt a few threads to clear mould handles , front sprue plate pivot bolt needed no modification as handles don't go up that far.
Have made almost 2,000 of the new 200gr TC so far with no problems , casts just as well as before modification. no problem with clearance with sprue plate & mould handle pivot bolt when bolt comes from the top

[quilbilly]

I am also partial to the Lee 200 gr but the RF plain base. The boolits actually drop at 215-217 gr. I have also used them in a sabot for my 50 cal muzzleloader for deer and they are quite accurate out to 150 yards (best I can do with the legal iron sights and my eyes).