Newbee Question on mold

[wendyj]

I'm wanting to start making some 45 bullets for my Henry. I can't find a 452 mold with a gas check. I'm told the Lee has a C in the model if it set up for a gas check. I'm wanting a 250 grain bullet. May be blind but couldn't find one on Amazon or Midway.

[high standard 40]

Accurate Molds can make a custom one to your order. http://www.accuratemolds.com/
He has some 45 cal gascheck molds already in his catalog.

[jdfoxinc]

At long colt velocities you don't need a gas check. Another option is a plain base gas check maker from pat marlin. You use soda/beer cans for material.

[Rcmaveric]

You can also buy plane base gas checks from sages till you save enough lunch money to buy one of Pats tools.

[tazman]

The only 452 diameter gas check mold that Lee makes is a 300 grain semi wadcutter. They don't make a gas check mold in a 250 grain boolit.

[Thin Man]

The original boolit for the 45 Colt cartridge is Lyman's 454190 (also 452190), a plain base design. The one shortcoming of this design is that it does not provide a crimp groove and boolits may telescope down into the cases when loaded in a magazine rifle. Your magazine rifle may benefit by your using a design that has a crimp groove.

The auction sites can be your friend (or frustration) when searching for a mold. I bought a Lyman 454485 mold that is identical to the 454190 with a gas check provision in the mold. Same design and weight (250 gr.) but with a gas check added. There is also the Lyman 452490, a lighter 230 grain SWC with gas check and a dedicated crimp groove. At least, that was Lyman's original design, but later they changed it to a 255 grain pattern. I can't tell you when or why they did this, but I have and love the 230 grain design. It works well in 45 ACP, 45 Auto Rim (in the 1917 revolvers) and 45 Colt (revolvers and rifles). With the increase in weight from 230 to 255 grains, I would question whether the heavier design would be too long (longer nose perhaps) to cycle through a lever rifle if the boolit was crimped in the crimp groove.

[Wayne Smith]

The only reason to use a GC for the 45 Colt is if you plan to use pure lead. 30-1 and harder does not need one. For long term happiness be willing to go to Accurate or NOE or MiHec for a mold that fits and works.

[fredj338]

IMO, you do not need a gc on any bullet traveling less than 1500fps.

[wendyj]

Good to know. I am running 1425 fps so I should be ok. BH 22 on the laser cast but I am not so fond of them. The Rimrock 250 BH 18 shoots better. Don't know why. Both under 9.5 grains Unique

[Wayne Smith]

I'm going 1400 out of a 20" Uberti Short Rifle in 44-40 with flat based big Lube boolits with no problems - full case of 3F does it.

[Beerd]

Good to know. I am running 1425 fps so I should be ok. BH 22 on the laser cast but I am not so fond of them. The Rimrock 250 BH 18 shoots better. Don't know why. Both under 9.5 grains Unique

The answer to your question is in the stickies.
..

[azrednek]

SAECO makes a 45 cal gas checked 255gr semi wad cutter mold. Cycles smoothly in my 45 Colt chambered Rossi lever action but you might need a round nose casting for smooth cycling in your Henry.

I suggest you try some commercial cast SWC's before investing in a mold. One big advantage of being a board member here. If a mold doesn't work well for you. You can recover a good portion of your investment selling it here.

[wendyj]

The flat nose is cycling fine. May I ask what is a stickie. I'm going to order some things today and will probably just use a melting pot and ladle pour in a 2 cavity mold. Maybe a six cavity but going to ask stupid question. 2 cavity comes with handles. Six does not. Doe it take just 2 handles bought to remove the spruce and open the cavity or is there a 3rd. I really want to know what a stickie is!!

[whisler]

Go to the top of this forum and slowly scroll down. The first topics you see are marked "sticky", as they were deemed important enough info to "stick" on the front page forever.
Lee six cavity molds come with a sprue plate lever handle but no normal scissor type handles. The scissor type handles are what you have to buy.
Hope this helps!

[wendyj]

Sure does. Thanks so much.

[DocSavage]

I load the 250 gr rnfp from an RCBS mold and crimp it on the front band. I leave about 1/16 of the band like I would on a 45 acp. I don't load for a rifle but I've loaded them to fairly stiff charges of 296/H110 and never had a bullet move yet when fired from a Blackhawk/Redhawk/Super Redhawk

[toallmy]

Don't overlook the Google box top right side , years of information in storage for cast Boolit shooters .

[Dieselhorses]

Good to know. I am running 1425 fps so I should be ok. BH 22 on the laser cast but I am not so fond of them. The Rimrock 250 BH 18 shoots better. Don't know why. Both under 9.5 grains Unique

BHN 22 is a lil hard. I don't even use that in my S&W 500. You don't even need 18. Wheel weights would give you pretty good obturation at 12-13 BHN. Wouldn't hurt to powder coat em too.