Cast bullets for SA 1911 45 cal

[Cloudpeak]

I just ordered a SA Loaded, full size Stainless 45 with adjustable sights, my first 1911.

I've shot around 5 thousand rounds of 40 S&W through my SA XD-40SC using Lee TL401-175-SWC bullets lubed with liquid alox in a reduced load for practice and our club's steel plate shoots. I've come up with a very accurate load and would like to do the same for my new 1911.

I'd like to stay with the Lee tumble lube design of which they have a 200 gr. SWC, a 230 grain round nose and a 230 grain truncated cone style bullet. Id' be interested in opinions on which weight and/or style is best suited to the SA 1911.

If I remember right, you can tumble lube other bullet designs with liquid Alox but I've had such good luck with the TL design in my XD40 that I'm inclined to stick with this design.

I should size these to 452, right?

BTW, I like using the Lee six cavity mold.

Thanks,

Cloudpeak

[dragonrider]

You should slug you barrel and then you will know what size to use. Clean the barrel thouroughly, lightly oil it then push a soft lead slug though it. measure it, generally a boolit 1 or 2 thou over groove diameter works best. A little experimentation will tell you what your gun needs.

[DLCTEX]

I find a trunacated cone design works in all 45's I've tried them in, and it's semi wadcutter design cuts paper well for cleaner scoring. I'm referring to 190 gr. plus as I can't get the lighter ones to feed well.

[KCSO]

I shoot the T/C and have had good results. I am still using bullseye powder as this was my most accurate load. I size mine to 452.

[GooseGestapo]

Try the Lee .452-255gr FN
If you size to .452 and tumble lube, you can seat these and crimp in the foward groove. If your gun has .454" throat, just tumble and load.
The similar 200gr is also good, but will shoot low with fixed sighted guns

I especially like these in my Ruger RedHawk over ~8.0gr of Unique, and in WinM95 Legacy at 10.0gr. Less in the rifle gives a bit of blow by as it has a 24" bbl, and case won't remain obturated for duration of barrel travel at less than 10.0gr.

7.6gr of Win231, or 6.0 Bullseye dosen't do that. ~850fps from Handgun, 1,100fps from rifle. Rifle is a joy to shoot at metal plates at 50yds.

Best accuracy in these modern firearms has been with #2400 under the Lee .452-310 WFNGC, at a charge that will wreck your Colt SA, or clone.

1,175 in handgun (~1.0" 5-shots@ 25yds; ~One hole groups)
1,575fps in rifle (1.5" 3-shots@100yds); sometime with 2 or more touching. Really hurt some feelings at the range on "sight-in days with this one; really embarasses the J-bullet crowd)


JUST A "LEEE-VER ACTION" YOU KNOW !!!!

[Cloudpeak]

Thanks for all of the tips so far.

I'm going to try & work up a load using Power Pistol as I have a lot on hand.

One thing I'll have to come up with is a new, higher capacity ladle. When casting 175 gr 40S&W bullets out of my Lee 6 cavity mold, I sometimes run out of lead for the 6th hole with my old ladle. Any recommendations for a ladle large enough to pour 6, 230 grain bullets at once?

Thanks,

Cloudpeak

[Beau Cassidy]

.452 dia. It is universal for the .45 ACP.
200 Gr. SWC. Any style/brand should work. I am partial to the H&G 68.
Try 3.7 grains of Clays, 4.2 Gr. of WST 3.8-4.0 Bullseye.
You will be a happy camper (shooter?) with any of those loads.

Beau

[Char-Gar]

.452 is the size you want. The Hensley & Gibbs 200 grains #68 SWC is as good as it gets in the 45. Every maker on earth fields a clone of this bullet and Lee has one in tumble lube as well.

This bullets produced great accuracy when it moves along about 850 fps. Recoil and wear are a little less than hardball due to the lighter weight bullet. However it has plenty of power for anything you want to do with a 45 ACP round.

I have used Bullseye, 231, Unique, AA5, HP38 and Univ. Clays powder but as long as the velocity is in the 850 range, the performance is the same. Take you choice.

[ron brooks]

Concerning the ladle, look at the ladles at http://theantimonyman.com.

On the bullet I would suggest the 200 grain.

Ron

[Blacktail 8541]

H&G #68 with 5.5 grains of Universal Clays is a great combo.

[Ldgat]

I bought the Lee Tumble lube 200gr SWC and feel that the nose is too short. I dont think that it will function well in most guns. The Lee 200gr flat point round nose that some people call the 200gr cowboy is an excellent bullet and will function great in most guns.
Dewayne

[Cloudpeak]

I bought the Lee Tumble lube 200gr SWC and feel that the nose is too short. I dont think that it will function well in most guns. The Lee 200gr flat point round nose that some people call the 200gr cowboy is an excellent bullet and will function great in most guns.
Dewayne

Dewayne,

Are you going to try them out? If so, let us know what happens. I'm going to hold off awhile until I do more research before ordering a mold. Guess I'll have to shoot some WWB through the 1911 to get some brass to reload:-D

Is the 200 gr cowboy bullet the 452-200-rf? That sure looks like it would work but isn't a "tumble lube" design. Does liquid Alox work well with this style of bullet?

Thanks, Cloudpeak

[imashooter2]

LLA works just fine with standard design bullets.