.45 ACP Molds??

[Bullwolf]

Thanks for the compliment John Van Gelder

I load the Lee TL452-230-2R to an OAL of 1.265

That's the same overall length as my old military hardball, according to my digital calipers.

It has always fed flawlessly in my old, and new 1911's when using standard Colt GI Magazines.

If I could say anything bad about the boolit, it would be that it tears paper targets. I can live just fine with that, since it feeds so well.

A Truncated Cone, or a Wad Cutter will make a much cleaner hole in paper.


- Bullwolf

[emorris]

Bullwolf
What method have you been using to tumble lube. have you been just using alox or some mixture.

[skeet1]

I am becoming a big fan of the Lyman/Ideal 452460 and the 452488. Great bullets that are super accurate and easy on my arthritic in my right hand when I use 3.5 gr. of BE.

Ken

[Bullwolf]

Bullwolf
What method have you been using to tumble lube. have you been just using alox or some mixture.

Well, I used to Tumble Lube with just plain old Lee Liquid Alox. It worked OK, but it tended to be a little smoky, especially when I didn't bother to wipe the lube off the base of the bullets. I probably used a bit too much when I first started out tumble lubing. It took me quite a while to learn that if you can easily see Alox on the bullet, you used a bit too much.

I would heat the container of Alox up in some warm water, until it went liquid, and then pour it over some cast Boolits in a plastic margarine container, and then swish them around to evenly distribute the lube over all of the Boolits. After-wards, I would let them dry on top of a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. I eventually learned I could "help" them dry just a bit faster by using a blow dryer.

It worked, but it was a little bit sticky. Too much Lee liquid Alox will also gum stuff up a bit. (like your bullet seating die) But it was the quickest and easiest game in town for me, until...

I read this great thread on Cast Boolits. Tumble Lubing--Made Easy & Mess-Free.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67654

I strongly recommend making up a batch of the 45-45-10

It is Johnson's Paste Wax + Lee liquid Alox, cut with mineral spirits.

Follow the link, and use Recluse's directions, as he has really done an excellent job of explaining how to make it, even including images.

I find that it really does take all of the hassle out of tumble lubing. The 45-45-10 Tumble Lube works great, it is not tacky to the touch and it dries quite quickly. It is not as smokey as normal Alox, and it is even more lubricious, or slippery than straight Alox. It makes sizing Tumble Lubed bullets take less effort as well.

I found it a breeze to cook up a batch using Recluse's instructions. Just watch the flash point, use a double boiler pot, and keep a lid handy to smother the flames, in case you manage to catch it on fire. I use it for all my Tumble Lubing needs now.

I strongly recommend it.


- Bullwolf

[geargnasher]

I really liked the Lee TL-452-230-2R but many of my autos didn't. Weak microbands and the bevel base didn't suit me, but the nose profile is excellent, and the step where the front band meets the base of the nose is very good for clearing the slide stop teat on 1911s, thus eliminating premature slidelock.

My solution was a custom mould with two real lube grooves and a nice sharp, square base. Accurate Molds 45-230L made to your size specification if you want one, I have yet to find a better .45 Auto boolit design. YMMV.



Gear

[Boolseye]

Bullwolf, I like the precision of your posts. I can tell that you're a conscientious reloader.
I'm considering the boolit you've been praising for my new RIA mil-spec GI, which only feeds ball ammo. I use the same system as you, with the .45-.45-10. Other thoughts that people have on this mold are welcome.

Are there other RIA GI owners using this boolit? I'd like to hear from ya.

[David2011]

The Lyman 452374 mold is probably the closest profile to John Browning's elliptical ogive design. I've been shooting these boolits for 30 years and they feed beautifully. They also cast real purty. They just look right in a .45 ACP. They work well in .45 Colt as well if your cylinder is long enough. The ogive starts pretty close to the base so they won't seat much deeper than 1.685-1.700 and still look right. SAAMI spec is 1.600 but the Ruger Blackhawk has plenty of room as would a single shot pistol.

I've read (source not remembered) that the 225-230 grain truncated cones are geometrically the same as the GI Ball bullet based on where the edge of the tip compares to where the GI bullet impacts the top of the chamber as it's stripped from the magazine. They seem to feed as well as the GI profile.

Some SWCs have found their way into my inventory, too. My favorite steel plate load is a 200 gr. SWC with about 3.8 grains of Winchester Super Target. That won't run in an off the shelf 1911 because it doesn't have enough recoil impulse. It works fine with a well prepared throat and an 8 pound recoil spring. At about 650 fps recoil is all but absent. You won't have to go far to find your brass.

The biggest detriment to feeding I've seen in .45 cal 1911s is a transition from the ramp to the chamber that is too sharp which causes it to dig into the side of the case resulting in a 3-point jam so it well may not be 100% the fault of the bullet profile if it fails to feed in a 3-point jam. Excessive OAL will aggravate that as well but the OAL dictated by the magazine restricts that dimension with SWCs. Depending on the shape of the nose of the boolit OAL will usually need to be 1.250 to 1.260. I stick with 1.250 and they feed well. The spec 1.275" OAL only works with a GI profile bullet as it closely matches the interior shape of the magazine per Browning's design.

David

[emorris]

I have ordered my TL452-230-2R mold a couple days ago and I am waiting for its arrival. I ordered it from F&M since it has been a long time since I ordered from them and thought that I would give them another try. In the past it has taken longer to get my order from them than I thought it should with in stock items. I am also in no big hurry since I have used all my ww ingots on 38 wad cutters and I have two buckets of ww to smelt first. I also finally upgraded my smelter. I was at bass pro and they had the cheap fish frier on sale for 29.99, so now I also need to find a larger cast iron pan. I have really been busy as I also finally found some JPW to try the 45-45-10 lube as well as some copper chore boy. I still havent determined if I actually save money by reloading.

[gasboffer]

I have semi-wadcutter molds, Lee TC, Lee 200RF,and Lee 228 1r. My Glock 36 will only feed the Lee 228 rn reliably.

[michiganvet]

I too vote for the Lee RF 200 while I also have the 452460, 452374, and the LBT 200 FNGC.

[grubbylabs]

You should also look at accurate molds. He is a great guy to work with and produces a great mold of any design you like. No need to wait for a group buy.


http://www.accuratemolds.com/pricing.php

I bought the 230-D and it shoots great through my XD45

Good luck on your quest.

[emorris]

Update 12 days into it and my mold still has not arrived. I guess some things never change.