Need a little Lee mold advice for 1911...

At this point, I've been using Lee's TL452 230 2R mold for my Rock Island 1911 and it feeds/shoots beautifully. I'd like to try a semi wadcutter design so I've been looking at their 452 200 SWC. I have a couple of concerns though before I decide to buy it.

I just used a Hensley and Gibbs #130 to cast a bunch of very nice looking semi wadcutters........but they wouldn't feed! In fact, they jammed the gun so bad I had to disassemble it to restore function. I attribute this to the "curved" shape of the boolit, combined with a shorter overall length which cause feeding problems. I can't seat the boolit out any farther, as the sharp edge would be beyond the case mouth....headspace problems.

So, has anyone here used the Lee 200 grain semi wadcutter in their 1911? Is it the same length as the 230 grain? Any major headaches, failures to feed, etc.? Thanks in advance.

I use it for two different 1911’s.
You will have to work with the seating depth to get the feed right but it will cut clean holes in paper

Thanks Pablo, sounds encouraging!

If I understand how you are loading the current SWC's, they are too short. You do seat them so the major dia of the bullet is out of the case. The pistol will still head space on the case mouth, not the bullet shoulder, if everything is sized correctly.

A big help for me was using a proper taper crimp die and adjusting it correctly.

I used the Lee SWC, round nose and TC molds and all worked in several 1911's. You might have to change the OAL a bit to make them feed well. If your feed ramp on the barrel in in the frame are not polished you might also have some problems there.

The 200g. TL would not feed 100% in my Colt 1991A1 or O.M. The other Lee 200gr. SWC feeds in both guns with an 1.250" OAL

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Originally Posted by charlie b

If I understand how you are loading the current SWC's, they are too short. You do seat them so the major dia of the bullet is out of the case. The pistol will still head space on the case mouth, not the bullet shoulder, if everything is sized correctly.

A big help for me was using a proper taper crimp die and adjusting it correctly.

I used the Lee SWC, round nose and TC molds and all worked in several 1911's. You might have to change the OAL a bit to make them feed well. If your feed ramp on the barrel in in the frame are not polished you might also have some problems there.

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This is my first attempt at loading SWC's for an auto pistol..........can you tell? :) I think I'll try that Hensley and Gibbs mold again.........it's beginning to sound like operator error. Oh, I AM using a taper crimp die. Thanks everyone.

H&G 68 copy works well in all my 1911's. RCBS 45-201-KT or Accurate 453200H. Sorry, never tried the Lee, but those two really work well for me in Colts, Kimbers, & GI.
4.0 grains of Bullseye seated to 1.250 OAL. Taper crimp to .470-. Size .452. 50/50 WW & Pb. NRA Beeswax/Alox lube. Both are accurate, function flawlessly, and don't beat you or your gun up. Give that a try.
There are other SWC's that are just a little shorter & stubbier out there that gave me fits. The old standby #68 cured all my problems.

The object when loading SWC bullets in the .45 acp is to get the nose of the bullet to contact the feedramp at the same place the RN bullet does. That's what the H&G 68 did so well. It was designed for just that, hitting the feedramp the same place as the 230 gr. FMJ bullet does.

Hope this helps.

Fred

I have FNX45 that wont feed SWC of any type including H&G 68. My CZ97 on the other hand has no problems with those at all but comparing those two CZ has longer ramp at lower angle not as sharp and short as the FNX45 so not all guns like SWCs. I do have RIA 1911 but in 10mm and with that ramped bull barrel I dont have any problems with SWCs but I'm not sure if your 1911 has the same ramped barrel though because I think that helps.

The Lee 452-200-SWC is, as mentioned, a close facsimile of the H&G #68. I have used a lot of actual H&G #68, commercial cast equivalents and now my own Lee 452-200-SWCs. I have found them to feed just about 100% in every M1911...old non-throated feed ramped, new throated feed ramp and those with integral ramp on the barrel. I've also shot lots of them through several different subguns and of course a lot through my Rhineland M98 conversion which feeds them from the M1911 magazine.

As mentioned also, the H&G #68 was designed so the bullet nose hits the feed ramp and the top of the chamber in the same place the 239 FMJ "hardball" bullet does. That is why the H&G design feeds so well in most every M1911 type handgun.

The 452460 LYMAN (200 SWC) is a tack driver, haven't played with the Lee 200 SWC

Lee, powder coated. Shoots like a champ up to 850 fps or so. Attachment 250846

Run this load in RI tac 5" among others

I have used the Lee H&G68 clone, Lyman 452460, Lee TL452-200-SWC, and the Lee 452-200-RNFP in my 1911 pistols. All fed well when loaded to the proper OAL.
The Lyman 452460 is marginally more accurate for me.

https://i.imgur.com/lqGcs10.jpg

"LEE TL-452-200-SWC a pretty dang good choice"

"Get a Cookie Jar for your favorite 1911"

https://i.imgur.com/wd4bd7D.jpg

Jelly beans!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tazman

Jelly beans!

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That's what I thought too...got tired of having to deal with all the colors so I'm now mainly an 'old lead' color user....life is much simpler and I always get good coverage.

https://i.imgur.com/lzLlih9.jpg

The nice thing about all the colors, you can color each boolit design a different color. That way you know what the boolit is just by a glance.
Since I don't powder coat, I have trouble differentiating some of the SWC designs after they are in the case. The nose profiles look very similar.
I use labels on the boxes or markers to write on the storage bags, depending on what I have stored the loads in.

You may need some freebore in the barrel. Then you can seat out as long as the magazine will allow, this greatly improves feeding, AND accuracy.

Manufacturers couldn't be bothered to even put a SAAMI spec throat in the barrel, as long as factory j words at .451" work, sell it and ship it. You have to more times than not set up a barrel for cast for it to work really well but once done will run like a Singer sewing machine with those 68s and any other boolit style you choose.


Left = stock RO with no throat. Right = same RO after throating.

https://i1202.photobucket.com/albums...ps0aqi32iq.jpg

DougGuy is correct about the majority of semi-auto barrels needing to be throated for best cast usage.
I have found that some barrels will work well without the extra work. That said, you have to try them out to see if they will.
I have used DougGuy's services and can testify to how well his throating work improves feeding.