New Lee 200gr. 452 rnfp mold.

After finding the Lee 200gr. LSWC wouldn't work in my Witness and XD Mod2 I was offered a mold swap for a Lee 200gr 452 RNFP mold.

I received the mold and have already cast 76 good bullets with COWW's and have also already made up a dummy test round with it. So far it is looking very promising as this test round drops in and out of the barrel just like a jacketed factory round. 100% better than the LSWC ever did and this being done with an unsized bullet.

Now my question is are any of you also using this bullet in the 45acp and if so to what length are you loading this to? To accomplish this plunk test I had to seat what seems to be exceptionally deep.

My OAL is 1.150. I am basically loading it so the crimp groove is just covered by the case mouth. None of the flat drive band is above the mouth of the case.
You can see where the full size of the drive band ends when you look at a sized boolit.
It feeds well in three different 45ACP pistols. A Springfield Armory MilSpec 1911, a Springfield XD45, and a Springfield XDM45.
I am getting great accuracy with all three pistols.
I am currently using fairly light loads and am going to work my way up to nearly full power to see how it does.
It looked short to me also, but it works so I don't question it.

I use the same mold for 45acp and 45colt. Both unsized, seated so I can crimp on the cannelure. Feeds great through both firearms

Thanks guys, but I am much shorter than that! MUCH!

Correction to my previous post. I went to my reloading room and made a couple of them up. hey are running 1.150.

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Originally Posted by tazman

Correction to my previous post. I went to my reloading room and made a couple of them up. hey are running 1.150.

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I'm still shorter than that at 1.112

just checked my notes. It says 1.145 with 4 gr of Bullseye. That fed reliably and shot accurately in a PPQ 45. Don't have the chrono numbers for that though. I can't run much longer than that and get reliable chambering in either 45.

Just finished up doing a quick weigh check on these casts and they are running pretty heave. Mold is listed at 200gr but is dropping around 220.5gr so not sure if that is unusual or not when using COWW alloy. Also after some quick math the case volume with this bullet seated to this depth is almost identical with what I had with the LSWC so I should be good to go with the starting load I had for that bullet.

Mine casts at 225gr.

Just finished tumble lubing these and will size them in the morning and then lube them again before loading.

Thanks for that rockrat!

I shoot it in my Kahr CW also with a verrrry short throat yes you need to seat it fairly deep mines abouts 210 grs

You will LOVE that cast boolit ! It shoots right on target out of my old Ruger P90. Cheap to cast, accurate, what’s not to love??? Hahaha!!! PC in clear, sized to .452, 700x powder, it’ll get the job done. Just my opinion.

I load them at 1.20 , but my 1911 barrel has been throated. I've had them up over 900 fps but normally run in the lower 800s to stay closer to the sight setting for my 200 swc target loads.

That bullet is not a reliable feeder in my P-14 with integral barrel feed ramp.

I have five 45's and they flat eat them up at 1.170 and 208gr

I shoot a .45 acp revolver so feed is not a problem for me. The most accurate bullet I have cast for the 200 grain weight was that Lee 200 RNP, un-sized but tumble lubed. My 2 revolvers loved it. But like a dummy I just had to try other weights and shapes and I sold the Lee mold to pursue other weights and shapes---big mistake. I haven't found anything that would shoot as well since although one or two came close. my experience anyway, james

Wow, thanks everyone, this sounds encouraging!

Actually just woke up as I was interrupted by a phone call at 5am. Wife was on her way to work and was struck by a deer about 5 minutes from home. The thing crushed in the rear passenger door of my Toyota Highlander. She never even seen it.

So as soon as I wake up a bit I will go size these up and get them ready to load. Also will slow down a bit and see if I can move these out a little as I got a little anxious yesterday and also will see if sizing makes a difference.

I like that the boolit is generally running heavier than 200. This boolit profile would make a great candidate for HP modification and hopefully still weigh 200. Of course, at ACP speed, the RF should do just fine on 'vermin.'

Update and correction!

I must have forgot how to read a balance scale once it's past 5gr:(. The actual avg. weight I was getting with the COWW was 210.5gr, somehow I added another couple marks.. But I got those sized and lubed and loaded up 20 at 1.110" with 5.0gr of AA#2 to see how they react. If they will feed, cycle, eject like they should or if they are going to jam up like the SWC did. Also to see if I need to bump up the charge.

Then this afternoon I cast up some more only this time with the range scrap ingots I just made up. They cast up very nice and very consistent with the weight only these are about 2.5gr heavier at about 213gr.. I believe I will try to shoot the WW bullets before I try loading up some of these.