.45 (452) mold descriptions for Lyman / Ideal molds

[ohland]

Scrounged up some descriptions for .452 diameter molds from a variety of sources. If some of you-all have better descriptions from Ideal or Lyman catalogs, please post to this thread with the correction or description of the boolit.

Disclaimer: It is well known that (at times) cherries have been used too long, with undersized cavities resulting. Some throats are too big compared to the groove diameter. Over time, manufacturers held different tolerances and dimensions for the chamber and bore. Different alloys will turn out different diameters. What follows below is simply a collection of the various Ideal and Lyman mold descriptions, which does NOT mean that any particular mold will cast a boolit like you expect. What does this mean? Slug your bore if you don't know the bore/groove dimensions for your gun. If the mold is undersize, you may have to beagle / lap it out some. [ed]

NOTE: Any loads mentioned are taken from period documents, and are not in any way tested. Please refer to modern loading manuals for safe loads. [ed]

v/r,
A fellow servant to the heavy metal

45266 (PB, 215 - TP is ?)

452374 Regular design for .45 Colt Automatic. Very accurate for Army Auto Pistols with 3 or 3.5 grains Bullseye. (PB, 180 (HP), 225 (solid) - TP is 374)

452389 Designed for lightweight semi-wad cutter bullet in the .45 Auto or Auto Rim. Very accurate with reduced recoil. (PB, 185 - TP is 374)

452400 Same as 452374 except for a slight front band. (PB, 240 - TP is 374)

452423 Newly designed 45 auto rim bullet by Elmer Keith. Band and lubricating grooves designed to give best results in Model 1917 revolvers, when reloading auto pistol or auto rim cases. Recommended charge is 4.5 grains of Bullseye. (PB, 240 - TP is 424)

452424 (PB, 255 - TP is ?)

452428 (PB, 230 - TP is ?)

452460 A most popular semi-wadcutter bullet for .45 Auto or Auto Rim. Excellent target accuracy. (PB, 165, 200 - TP is 460)

452484 A gas-check bullet designed upon request. Gas checks help the leading problem. (GC, 225 - TP is 374)

452486 Designed for the .45 Auto. (PB, 193 - TP is 374)

452488 Similar to 452460. Casts .452 diameter. (PB, 195 - TP is 374)

452490 A gas-check bullet designed for the .45 Auto Rim by Ray Thompson. (GC, 255 - TP is 424)

452491 Keith design made to fit a gas check. (GC, 220 - TP is 424)

452505 Designed by Jim Harvey [Prot-X-Bore, to be shot as cast - ed] (Washer, 190 - TP is ?)

452630 (BB, 200 - TP is ?)

452651 (GC, 325, TP is ?) [I like it! ed]

452664 (PB, 250 - TP is ?)

[williamwaco]

Please forgive the stupid question.
I am old and don't catch on real quick.

What does that mean?

[ohland]

Without knowing what "that" refers to, I will guess. If there is an error, or you have a better description from an Ideal or Lyman catalog or literature, please let us know.

[runfiverun]

I don't know what T/P stands for but guess the first number is weight.

I'm pretty sure he is trying to put together a list of why the mold was designed.
otherwise they would have just made a 45 acp and a 45 colt mold and left it at that.

[ohland]

I don't know what T/P stands for but guess the first number is weight.

I'm pretty sure he is trying to put together a list of why the mold was designed.
otherwise they would have just made a 45 acp and a 45 colt mold and left it at that.

TP - Top Punch

[williamwaco]

Without knowing what "that" refers to, I will guess. If there is an error, or you have a better description from an Ideal or Lyman catalog or literature, please let us know.

Never mind, now that the list is completed, it makes perfect sense.

When I first saw it, it was just a list of mold numbers with each mold number followed by another three digit number

like this:
999999 123
888888 234


etc.

[ohland]

Yep, instead of having a work copy on my system, and cut n pasting, I start a new thread and dump to it. Saving occasionally. I have to juggle between old Ideal catalogs (1897, 1900, and 1929), plus my copy of Lyman's HCB, '57, then over to Dark Canyon's list. It takes a bit.

[ddixie884]

This is a nice list, THANX..........