Need help with .454 loads

[Blackcat]

Hello !
This is my first post here.
I am stuck in the middle of a reloading crisis and could use some help or perhaps a small miracle.
I hope this isnt too wordy!

First the details:
I have a Taurus Raging bull .454 and bullets cost more than I can afford and still sleep at night.
Solution: I decided to get into reloading to keep it cost effective and tailor my ammunition to suit my gun.
Problem: I live in Canada... specifically the middle of nowhere Canada.
I see there is a post about importing from the USA. I could rant about this at the drop of a hat. I have no end of headaches because it seems everything I need has to cross the border. There are very few gun/reloading suppliers anywhere near me and ive called them all. They all tell me the same thing 'There is a shortage of bullets, because we just cant get them across the border' best estimate 7 months or more at insane prices when they do arrive.
Most of the suppliers give me a hard time saying they just dont want to go through the trouble of bringing in stuff they dont already have.
I got into this a few years ago and since have done countless hours or research and baught enough equipment and supplies now that I cant back out of it.
So it comes down to bullets or bust at this point.
Up till now I have been trying to get things like Hornady XTP HP jacketed stuff because thats what most have been recommending too me.
It looks like I can go with cast boolits for a fraction of the cost THIS is what I am looking for.

My goal is to make one or two boolit recipes that are the best balance for my gun and needs.
They have to be accurate.
Consitent, I want approximately the same results for all my rounds in a specific load.
Versatile, I would like as few boolit types as possible 2-3 max to cover the full range of .454 pressures from low pressure like .45LC cowboy loads in the 250 gr range up to +power this is insane .454 loads with a 300+ gr boolit.
Fairly inexpensive and easy to get components for.
Finally they also have to be safe for my gun.

Essentially I am looking for the perfect boolit or boolits for my gun in low, mid and high pressure.

The components I have so far include:
-1000 rounds Starline .454 brass
- Primers CCI 400 small rifle, Winchester small rifle and Winchester Mag rifle.
- Powders H110 x2 pounds, Unique x2pounds and Titegroup x2pounds.

Now whats real and what isnt ?
I am told that I shouldnt use cast boolits because they destroy the gun with leading. I have been using hornady non jacketed cowboy rounds exclusively till now with no leading issues. And its my understanding that Hard cast gas check boolits cause minimal leading and what leading there is can be managed with proper cleaning.
So am I correct or not ?

Next Im told that soft boolits damage the force cone.
Ok im pretty sure this is true however I dont believe most hard cast boolits are THAT soft, some perhaps but im sure there are those that are safe.
Again correct or not ?

So if I can use cast boolits in my gun with no ill effects then my next question and one that brings me to this forum:
Where do I get these boolits ?
Preferably in Canada but USA is ok so long as its still cost effective and low hassle for shipping.
Again im looking for quality boolits that are accurate and consistent.

With the components I have so far and my reloading goals what are your boolit recommendations and recipes including primers powders and loads ?

Where can I find data on cast boolit shapes/designs and how they effect ballistics like range, velocity, drop, penetration (grizzly size critters) and so on ?

Some brands I was considering are: Cast performance if they deliver to Canada and one I just found out here called Wolf bullets but I cant find many reviews about them. Any suggestions here ?

Im really itching to get loading so I can get back to the range, so the sooner I can nail down some boolits the better.
Im sure I will have many more questions but atm I cant seem to remember any of them.
BTW im a reloading virgin and I know more about jacketed bullets than cast boolits so any other tips and advise I may overlook would be greatly appreciated thanks !

[stubert]

I don't use jacketed in anything except my .270, Why don't you cast your own and pan lube? use 50/50 moly/ beeswax, and with a boolit that fits your bore, you will have no leading and be very accurate with a minimal investmest. Used mold, coleman stove and a ladle.

[runfiverun]

actually when dick designed the 454 he had cast in mind.
cast or jaxketed. is what is recommended by freedom arms still in the casull.
thier 500 freedom,454 casull, and many others comes with cast boolits from the factory.
most all your answers can be answered with a bit of reading around the sight.
southern son has done a lot of questioning about the casull also if you find his threads you'll find a lot of information.

[paul h]

I'd say a 240-250 gr lfn plain base will handle you mild to mid level loads, and a 300-330 gr gas checked lfn will handle your mid level to max loads. For powders I'd go unique, 2400 and H-110. I'd say you'd be best off casting your own bullets, you'll more than pay for the equipment and can taylor the loads to your gun.

From my experience casting and working up alot of loads with the 480, and casting for a friend who shot a whole bunch through his 454's, I'd say the lfn style of bullet is the most flexible in terms of achieving accuracy over a wide range of velocities and at extended ranges. When you can rest your scoped revolver on the bench and fire off a 3 shot group that rivals what most hunters are achieving with scoped rifles, you know you've got a good combo. You're going to have to do testing to see what your trajectory and accuracy is. I'd say a good accurate big bore revolver is capable of performance that most don't understand and few put in the practice to realize.

Don't be satisfied until you are shooting 2-3" groups at 100 yds, and don't be suprised if you shoot groups 1/2 that size.

[mpmarty]

Get a cast iron pot and coleman stove, buy a lee mold or three and gather wheel weight lead. go to town casting and shooting for a nickle a shot.

[454PB]

Yup, cast boolits are the ticket for the .454. I, too, have a Taurus RB in .454 Casull. I usually use 300 gr. or heavier, but have gone as light as 250 gr.

I can't endorse any commercial cast boolit, because I've never used any. That doesn't mean they won't work, but for the cost of 1000 of them, you can set yourself up to cast your own......and never be at the mercy of vendors again.

[Blackcat]

This all looks good so far!
It almost seems too good to be true.
If its as simple as it seems then I dont understand why people keep steering me away from cast to jacketed bullets ?
Also what makes retail cast boolits any better than home made ?
I just started reading about casting and I absorb this sort of thing fast so please throw info at me !
I checked out the lee molds and I was looking around at molds for the .454 in general and I dont see much or perhaps im just missing them ?
I only saw one mold on the lee site that said it was for .454
Can somebody point me at a variety of .454 molds of various grains a 250 and a 300 or 330 perhaps ?

Thank you again for your help !

[runfiverun]

all the 45 colt molds are 454 casull loads.
the 454 is the equivelant to the 45 colt, as is the 445 super-mag to the 44 mag.
gas checks at the super high end and plain base at the middle and lower.
a lot of what works and what don't is trial and error.
be prepared to make some mistakes.

[bobthenailer]

I have several FA 454 Casulls , about 99.9% of my shooting is with cast bullets with no problems ! i have 3 bullet moulds a MM 260 gr FN GC , MM 275 gr TC and a LBT 300 GR LFN GC all are accurate with about any powder & velocity used. I also tried the Lee 255-RF and it also shot well at velocties to at least to 1,100 fps thats all the faster i pushed it.
For loads from 1000 to 1,100 FPS i have had great results with 8 to 9 grs of Tightgroup powder with any of the bullets ive tried loaded in 454 cases with small pistol primers . my favorite Mid range load is the LBT 300 gr LFN with 28 grs of 296 @ 1,450 fps but i do 90% of my shooting with TG loads@ 1.100 fps
The most accurate bullet beyond 50 yards is the LBT 300 LFN the other MM bullets are not far behind , I never shot the lee at 50 yards but it would group about a inch or so at 25 yards the LBT will do that at 50 yards
IF you start to get leading in the barrel ports just shoot Cast GC or Jacketed bullets with a slow burning powder like H110 and it will blast out the lead fouling in a few shots or more depending on the amount removing.
I have 2 with Magnaport & 1 with a SSK muzzel break with no leading issues in the ports or muzzel break , My oldest one is about 15 years old and the newest 6 years old with many thousands of rounds through each of them.

[44man]

Blackcat, you said a nasty word a few times---JACKETED!!!! Do they still make those funny things?
Yes, a few molds like the Lee 452-255-RF and the Lee C452-300-RF, A pot and heat source is all you need if you can find wheel weights. Get a Lyman ladle.
Easier if you buy a Lee magnum melter electric pot.
Drop WW boolits in water out of the mold and even a PB boolit will shoot great at full power. Just let them age a week or two before loading.
Make Felix lube, pan lube and run through a Lee size die.
All of this is the very cheapest way and you can out shoot jacketed but best of all, you can extend your guns life forever with cast.
Don't worry about leading if you fit right and use a good lube. Many of us here hardly ever clean a bore, I go at least 2 years and even then I find no leading. The most I clean is the cylinder pin, hole and ratchet so I can apply clean STP lube. Keep your gun lubed no matter what you shoot.
If you need boolits before you get to casting, Cast Performance makes some of the best. Many others make the same style boolits too. Stay away from the cheap bulk stuff with bevel bases.
One caution with H110 (or 296) in the .454 with the SR primers. Never use starting loads, go to max or you can stick a boolit and unburned powder in the barrel. Make sure every shot leaves before shooting another if you choose to try less powder.

[41mag]

I have the Raging Bull in 454 as well. I started casting simply to feed the beast.

My initial jump into the river was with the Lee C452-300RF. The GC's make them a bit more forgiving at the higher velocities. Here is a post with some results from a couple of loads back when I first started,
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=122541

I now only use the Recluse 45/45/10 formula and have no issues with it what so ever even up to just over 1600fps with those boolits. I tried the Felix, but for what ever reason my revolver simply didn't like it.

Now for a mid weight boolit you can use for low to how ever fast you want to drive it,. Personally, I would touch base with MiHec and if he has one, I would look no further than his version of the 45-270 SAA with all the pins. With that one mold you can pour HP boolits to handle just about any velocity you probably want to run them at up to around 1500fps. Like mentioned fit is king and once you have your barrel slugged you may still be able to pick between the two sizes that were offered, if he has any left of either. You can get sm, lg, penta HP's, and solid pins with it. It throws about 285 with my alloy on the solid and with the lg pin around 275. I know it is a little heavier than the 255'ish grain your looking at, but being plain based and adjustable for the diffeent configurations to me it makes up for the touch of added weight. Using the penta or large HP and some 10-1 or 50/50 WW to Pb, or similar and running them at velocities in the 1000 - 1100fps range you should have a fun and very formidable load.

This way your only into two molds, and have the option of pouring 5 different boolits.

Hope this helps.

[ribber@shaw.ca]

Blackcat, I wonder if you have heard of OMA Products in 100 Mile House B.C. they cast and sell all kinds of bullets and do mail order, they have a website and can help you out. ribber

[44man]

I shoot the .475 and .500 with PB, just WW metal.
My casting stuff is so old I can't figure any of it to cost and I made my own molds.
As close as I can figure it costs me less then 10 cents a shot.
You biggest cost is time to keep casting and loading!
The .454 is great with cast and will cost the same to shoot. Just go for it, the initial cost will go away fast. You will find it great to let friends and family shoot without putting a lock on your wallet.
I have shot my friends .50 BMG that costs well over $2 a shot. After a few shots I quit because I know it is costing him. It takes the fun out of shooting.

[bigdog454]

My 454 C shoots great with the lee 300 gr gc bullet as cast not sized and W296 powder with Winchester primers; (i had ignition problems with other primers).
BD

[Tatume]

The most accurate bullet beyond 50 yards is the LBT 300 LFN

Similar to Bob, my most accurate bullet for the 454 Casull is an LBT 320 gr LFN. Veral Smith cut this mold for my Freedom Arms M83 revolver, and it works well in my Ruger Super Redhawk as well.

Take care, Tom

[onesonek]

If you read some if not all the stickies, and links to LASC, you will have 90% of your questions answered, if not more. There is so much knowledge combined in those, it is difficult to describe. Take the info that suits your style or needs, and give it a go. But I suggest taking measurements,, then get a good mold to fit the gun. This is most important imo.
If it were mine, once I had the measurements, I would get a 2 cav. two weight, mold from Tom at Accurate Molds. Something i the 250-275 for plinking and loaded up a bit up deer sized game,,then a 325-350 for heavier game. I will second the suggestion of 45-45-10 tumble lube for simplicity and low startup cost.
Other than that I can't add much to what has been said by others.